-ray analysis and behavior of spallation products produced in mercury of the neutron source at J-PARC

Kai, Tetsuya   ; Kasugai, Yoshimi  ; Oi, Motoki ; Wakui, Takashi  ; Kogawa, Hiroyuki  ; Haga, Katsuhiro  ; Hanano, Kohei

The authors sampled mercury (120 g) and the adhesive substances (black powder) from a mercury circulation system in MLF/J-PARC. Twelve nuclides, Hg, Pt, Ir, Ir, Os, Hf, Lu, Lu, Eu, Sn, Ag, Y, were identified in the mercury specimen. The amounts of radioactivity were in the range between several to around hundred percents relative to calculation. Only Ag was not found in the adhesive substances. It is expected that other elements than mercury take important role to behavior of the spallation products since the content ratios of the elements were calculated to be in the order of ppb, and the elements (tin and europium) having higher solubility than silver were found in both specimens. For example, iron, which is expected to be a dominant impurity (caused by erosion of stainless steel pipes), dose not react with silver. On the other hand, iron reacts with tin.