Application of transition-edge sensors for micro-X-ray fluorescence measurements and micro-X-ray absorption near edge structure spectroscopy; a case study of uranium speciation in biotite obtained from a uranium mine

Yomogida, Takumi; Hashimoto, Tadashi; Okumura, Takuma*; Yamada, Shinya*; Tatsuno, Hideyuki*; Noda, Hirofumi*; Hayakawa, Ryota*; Okada, Shinji*; Takatori, Sayuri*; Isobe, Tadaaki*; et al.

Analyst, 149(10), p.2932 - 2941, 2024/03

https://doi.org/10.1039/D4AN00059E

In this study, we successfully applied a transition-edge sensor (TES) spectrometer as a detector for microbeam X-ray measurements from a synchrotron X-ray light source to determine uranium (U) distribution at the micro-scale and its chemical species in biotite obtained from the U mine. It is difficult to separate the fluorescent X-ray of the U L line at 13.615 keV from that of the Rb K line at 13.395 keV in the X-ray fluorescence spectrum with an energy resolution of approximately 220 eV of the conventional silicon drift detector (SDD). Meanwhile, the fluorescent X-rays of U L and Rb K were fully separated by TES with 50 eV energy resolution at the energy of around 13 keV. The successful peak separation by TES led to an accurate mapping analysis of trace U in micro-X-ray fluorescence measurements and a decrease in the signal-to-background ratio in micro-X-ray absorption near edge structure spectroscopy.

Observation of gamma rays up to 320 TeV from the middle-aged TeV pulsar wind nebula HESS J1849-000

Amenomori, Michihiro*; Tsuchiya, Harufumi; Tibet AS Collaboration*; 116 of others*

Astrophysical Journal, 954(2), p.200_1 - 200_7, 2023/09

https://doi.org/10.3847/1538-4357/acebce

Radioisotope identification algorithm using deep artificial neural network for supporting nuclear detection and first response on nuclear security incidents

Kimura, Yoshiki; Tsuchiya, Kenichi*

Radioisotopes, 72(2), p.121 - 139, 2023/07

https://doi.org/10.3769/radioisotopes.72.121

Rapid and precise radioisotope identification in the scene of nuclear detection and nuclear security incidents is one of the challenging issues for the prompt response on the detection alarm or the incidents. A radioisotope identification algorithm using a deep artificial neural network model applicable to handheld gamma-ray detectors has been proposed in the present paper. The proposed algorithm automatically identifies gamma-emitting radioisotopes based on the count contribution ratio (CCR) from each of them estimated by the deep artificial neural network model trained by simulated gamma-ray spectra. The automated radioisotope identification algorithm can support first responders of nuclear detection and nuclear security incidents without sufficient experience and knowledge in radiation measurement. The authors tested the performance of the proposed algorithm using two different types of deep artificial neural network models in application to handheld detectors having high or low energy resolution. The proposed algorithm showed high performance in identifying artificial radioisotopes for actually measured gamma-ray spectra. It was also confirmed that the algorithm is applicable to identifying U and automated uranium categorization by analyzing estimated CCRs by the deep artificial neural network models. The authors also com-pared the performance of the proposed algorithm with a conventional radioisotope identification method and discussed promising ways to improve the performance of the algorithm using the deep artificial neural network.

Shield-free directional gamma-ray detector using small-angle Compton scattering

Kitayama, Yoshiharu

Gamma Ray Imaging; Technology and Applications, p.165 - 179, 2023/00

https://doi.org/10.1007/978-3-031-30666-2

A gamma-ray imager is a powerful tool for visualizing the distribution of radioactive materials. Recently, it has been applied to the decommissioning site of the Fukushima Daiichi Nuclear Power Station. At the decommissioning site, an imager compact, lightweight, and capable of quantitative evaluation of radioactivity is demanded. The Gamma-ray Imager using Small-Angle Scattering (GISAS) was proposed as a gamma-ray imager that meets all these requirements. GISAS consists of several shield-free directional gamma-ray detectors that detect only small-angle Compton scattering. Simulations and experiments verified the feasibility of the shield-free directional gamma-ray detectors. The shield-free directional gamma-ray detector consists of a scatterer that detects small-angle Compton scattering and an absorber that detects the scattered gamma rays. By setting an appropriate energy window for each detector, only scattering events that can be considered almost straightforward are detected. Through simulations and experiments, we have confirmed that using a silicon drift detector as the scatterer and a Gd3Al2Ga3O12 scintillator as the absorber, we can detect only small-angle Compton scattering events and obtain directionality for 662 keV gamma rays.

Evaluation of detector performances of new thin position-sensitive scintillation detectors for SENJU diffractometer

Nakamura, Tatsuya; To, Kentaro; Koizumi, Tomokatsu; Kiyanagi, Ryoji; Ohara, Takashi; Ebine, Masumi; Sakasai, Kaoru

Proceedings of 2022 IEEE Nuclear Science Symposium, Medical Imaging Conference and Room Temperature Semiconductor Detector Conference (2022 IEEE NSS MIC RTSD) (Internet), 2 Pages, 2022/11

https://doi.org/10.1109/NSS/MIC44845.2022.10399279

A new thin position-sensitive scintillation neutron detectors have been developed to replace present scintillation detectors in SENJU diffractometer at J-PARC MLF. The SENJU diffractometer originally composed of 37 position-sensitive detectors, where each detector has neutron sensitive area of 256 256 mm with a pixel size of 4 4 mm. To renew some original detectors the new detectors have been developed based on ZnS scintillator and wavelength-shifting fibers technology. The developed replacement detectors were designed with a thin thickness of 12 cm, which is 40% of the original detector. The new detectors have also improved detector performances to the original ones in terms of detection efficiency (60% for 2-A neutrons) and count uniformity (5-8%). The produced six detector modules have been implemented to the beamline after checking their detector performances in the lab.

Computed tomography neutron detector system to observe power distribution in a core with long neutron flight path

Fukaya, Yuji; Okita, Shoichiro; Nakagawa, Shigeaki; Goto, Minoru; Ohashi, Hirofumi

Annals of Nuclear Energy, 168, p.108911_1 - 108911_7, 2022/04

https://doi.org/10.1016/j.anucene.2021.108911

A power distribution monitoring system by using a moving detector for a core with a long neutron flight path has been proposed. High Temperature Gas-cooled Reactor (HTGR) and Fast Reactor (FR) has a long neutron flight path and the neutrons reach to detector far from fuel assembly in the center of the core unlike Light Water Reactor (LWR). By using the feature, power distribution can be observed with a few detectors by moving the detector and computed tomography technology similar to X-ray Computed Tomography (CT). For a small-sized core, the power distribution can be evaluated only by an ex-core neutron detector. For a large-sized core with inner detectors, the power distribution can be observed with a small number of in-core detectors even if the deployment is limited due to material integrity conditions such as temperature environment. The feasibility is numerically confirmed by simulations of the HTGR core and its detector response. It is expected to observe the power distribution in the core of HTGR and FR, which is difficult continuously to deploy in-core detectors because of high temperature and/or high irradiation damage.

Quantitation of trace lanthanide and actinide ions in radioactive samples by capillary electrophoresis-laser-induced fluorescence detection

Haraga, Tomoko; Saito, Shingo*

Bunseki Kagaku, 70(12), p.671 - 679, 2021/12

https://doi.org/10.2116/bunsekikagaku.70.671

We developed highly sensitive capillary electrophoresis-laser-induced fluorescence detection methods for lanthanide (Ln) and actinide (An) ions with small sample volume and low emission of waste, by which the radiation risk can be minimized. Specifically, determination of Nd ion in spent nuclear fuel, effective separation between Am and Cm ion, and specific detection of UO in real radioactive samples were achieved by molecular design of fluorescence probes composed of an aminocarboxylate chelating moiety, a fluorophore and a spacer, and unique separation mode based on dynamic ternary complexation. We found that there are appropriate combination of probe and ternary complexation for detection and separation of each Ln and An ions. For example, acyclic and macrocyclic hexadentate is suitable for Ln, Am and Cm, and planer tetradentate with electron system is specific for UO, with ppt-sub ppt level detection.

Monitoring technique for detection of nuclear and radioactive materials on major public events

Mochimaru, Takanori*; Koizumi, Mitsuo; Takahashi, Tone; Hironaka, Kota; Kimura, Yoshiki; Sato, Yuki; Terasaka, Yuta; Yamanishi, Hirokuni*; Wakabayashi, Genichiro*

Dai-42-Kai Nihon Kaku Busshitsu Kanri Gakkai Nenji Taikai Kaigi Rombunshu (Internet), 4 Pages, 2021/11

no abstracts in English

Two-dimensional scintillation neutron detectors for the extension of SENJU diffractometer

Nakamura, Tatsuya; To, Kentaro; Koizumi, Tomokatsu; Kiyanagi, Ryoji; Ohara, Takashi; Ebine, Masumi; Sakasai, Kaoru

Proceedings of 2020 IEEE Nuclear Science Symposium and Medical Imaging Conference (NSS/MIC 2020), Vol.1, p.483 - 484, 2021/09

https://doi.org/10.1109/NSS/MIC42677.2020.9507813

Two-dimensional neutron detectors were developed for the extension of SENJU time-of-flight Laue single crystal neutron diffractometer in J-PARC MLF. The detectors are to be installed at the additional detector bank for the SENJU instrument. The detector module is made based on ZnS scintillator and wavelength-shifting fiber technology, where each detector module maintains a neutron-sensitive area of 256256 mm with a pixel size of 44 mm. To meet the tight space limitation in the instrument, the detector was designed as compact as possible. The detector has a depth of 170 mm, which is about 40% smaller than that of the original SENJU detector. All four produced detectors exhibited similar detector performances: detection efficiency 50-60% for 2- neutron, Co gamma-ray sensitivity 110, count uniformity 3-6%.

Potential PeVatron supernova remnant G106.3+2.7 seen in the highest-energy gamma rays

Amenomori, Michihiro*; Tsuchiya, Harufumi; Tibet AS Collaboration*; 93 of others*

Nature Astronomy (Internet), 5(5), p.460 - 464, 2021/05

https://doi.org/10.1038/s41550-020-01294-9