Backward estimation of atmospheric release of Cs and I using total cumulative deposition in terrestrial areas following the Fukushima Daiichi Nuclear Power Plant accident

Iijima, Masashi*; Takahara, Shogo

Health Physics, 121(6), p.587 - 596, 2021/12

https://doi.org/10.1097/HP.0000000000001480

The Fukushima Daiichi Nuclear Power Plant (FDNPP) accident caused a significant release of radionuclides into the environment. Backward estimations of the source term are generally performed using air concentrations, but they are difficult to measure when radioactive plumes are passing through, and only spatially and temporally limited measurements are available. Therefore, a new method of backward estimation was developed based on the total cumulative deposition density that can provide sufficient measurements by combining the atmospheric transport, dispersion and deposition model calculation. Consequently, our estimations have no significant contradiction with the previous studies that were based on air concentrations and an ambient dose equivalent rate. Further considerations are needed to clarify the source term of the FDNPP accident and explore the extent of uncertainty included in backward estimations considering the difference of model and input data.

Assessment model of radiation doses from external exposure to the public after the Fukushima Daiichi Nuclear Power Plant accident

Takahara, Shogo; Iijima, Masashi*; Watanabe, Masatoshi*

Health Physics, 118(6), p.664 - 677, 2020/06

https://doi.org/10.1097/HP.0000000000001176

Assessment model of radiation doses from external exposures was developed based on the actual measurement of individual doses and ambient dose equivalent rate inside and outside of a house in Fukushima city. The survey on behavioral pattern was also carried out under the same purpose. In addition to the actual measurement and survey by ourselves, we also took into account the latest insights from the Fukushima Dai-ichi Nuclear Power Plant (FDNPP) accident. Comparisons between the assessed results and the measured ones revealed that the time dependences of doses obtained using the developed models were in good agreement with the results of actual measurements. In addition, we were able to reproduce the distribution of doses for indoor and outdoor workers. Therefore, our probabilistic approach was validated. According to our assessment and actual measurement, no participants received 1 mSv/y or higher in Fukushima city in eight years after the FDNPP accident.

Negative muonium ion production with a C12A7 electride film

Otani, Masashi*; Fukao, Yoshinori*; Futatsukawa, Kenta*; Kawamura, Naritoshi*; Matoba, Shiro*; Mibe, Tsutomu*; Miyake, Yasuhiro*; Shimomura, Koichiro*; Yamazaki, Takayuki*; Hasegawa, Kazuo; et al.

Journal of Physics; Conference Series, 1350, p.012067_1 - 012067_6, 2019/12

https://doi.org/10.1088/1742-6596/1350/1/012067

Negative muonium atom (ee, Mu) has unique features stimulating potential interesting for several scientific fields. Since its discovery in late 1980's in vacuum, it has been discussed that the production efficiency would be improved using a low-work function material. C12A7 was a well-known insulator as a constituent of alumina cement, but was recently confirmed to exhibit electric conductivity by electron doping. The C12A7 electride has relatively low-work function (2.9 eV). In this paper, the negative muonium production measurement with several materials including a C12A7 electride film will be presented. Measured production rate of the Mu were 10/s for all the Al, electride, and SUS target. Significant enhancement on electride target was not observed, thus it is presumed that the surface condition should be more carefully treated. There was no material dependence of the Mu averaged energy: it was 0.20.1keV.

Bunch size measurement with high time resolution for RF accelerated muon beam

Sue, Yuki*; Iijima, Toru*; Inami, Kenji*; Yotsuzuka, Mai*; Iinuma, Hiromi*; Nakazawa, Yuga*; Otani, Masashi*; Kawamura, Naritoshi*; Shimomura, Koichiro*; Futatsukawa, Kenta*; et al.

Proceedings of 16th Annual Meeting of Particle Accelerator Society of Japan (Internet), p.55 - 60, 2019/07

https://www.pasj.jp/web_publish/pasj2019/proceedings/PDF/WEOI/WEOI05.pdf

The result of bunch size measurement of muon accelerated by RFQ up to 89 keV is presented in this paper. A four-stage muon linac for precise measurement of muon property is under construction in the J-PARC. The demonstration of the first muon RF acceleration with an RFQ linac was conducted and the transverse profile of the accelerated muons was measured in 2017. As one of the remaining issues for the beam diagnostic system, the longitudinal beam profile after the RFQ should be measured to match the profile to the designed acceptance of the subsequent accelerator. For this purpose, the new longitudinal beam monitor using the microchannel plate is under development. The time resolution of the monitor aims to be around 30 to 40 ps corresponding to 1% of a period of an operating frequency of the accelerator, which is 324 MHz. On November 2018, the bunch size of accelerated negative muonium ion of 89 keV with the RFQ was measured using this monitor at the J-PARC MLF. The measured bunch width is ns, which is consistent with the simulation.

Development of the longitudinal beam monitor with high time resolution for a muon linac in the J-PARC E34 experiment

Yotsuzuka, Mai*; Iijima, Toru*; Inami, Kenji*; Sue, Yuki*; Iinuma, Hiromi*; Nakazawa, Yuga*; Saito, Naohito; Hasegawa, Kazuo; Kondo, Yasuhiro; Kitamura, Ryo; et al.

Proceedings of 10th International Particle Accelerator Conference (IPAC '19) (Internet), p.2571 - 2574, 2019/06

https://doi.org/10.18429/JACoW-IPAC2019-WEPGW042

The J-PARC E34 experiment aims to measure the muon anomalous magnetic moment and the electric dipole moment with a high precision. In this experiment, thermal muonium is produced and ionized by laser resonance to generate ultra-slow muons, which are then accelerated in a multistage muon linac. In order to satisfy the experimental requirements, suppression of the emittance growth during the acceleration is necessary. Because the main cause of the emittance growth is beam mismatching between the accelerating stages, the transverse and longitudinal beam monitoring is important. The longitudinal beam monitor has to measure the bunch length with the resolution equivalent to tens of picoseconds, which is 1% of the acceleration phase of 324 MHz. In addition, it should be sensitive to single muon because the beam intensity is limited during the commissioning phase. To realize above requirements, we are developing a longitudinal beam monitor with a micro channel plate, and the test bench to evaluate the monitor performance. So far, the time resolution of the beam monitor was obtained to be 65 ps in RMS including the jitter on the test bench. We also succeeded in measuring the longitudinal bunch size of the muon beam accelerated by RFQ using the beam monitor. Further improvement of the measurement system is needed to guarantee the required accuracy. In this paper, the results of the performance evaluation for this beam monitor are reported.

External dose evaluation of emergency responder in off-site at the time of Fukushima-Dai-ichi Nuclear Power Station Accident (Contract research)

Shimada, Kazumasa; Sasaki, Toshihisa*; Iijima, Masashi*; Munakata, Masahiro

JAEA-Research 2018-012, 68 Pages, 2019/02

JAEA-Research-2018-012.pdf:4.15MB

The external exposure dose of off-site emergency responders at Fukushima Dai-ichi Nuclear Power Station accident were evaluated in order to consider a radiation protection of emergency responders. The maximum value of individual daily dose of emergency responders whose activities details were recorded from 12th to 31th March 2011 was 650 Sv engaged in evacuation support in Futaba Town on 12th. Next, atmospheric concentrations and deposition of radionuclides were calculated from the source terms estimated by previous studies using atmospheric diffusion and deposit calculation codes, and air dose rates at off-site were estimated. Then, the external exposure dose was calculated for 6 emergency responders whose daily activities and personal doses were continuously recorded. Furthermore, the maximum value and the average value of the calculation external dose of emergency responders in the activity area were compared with the measurement value of the personal dosimeter of them. These results showed that the calculated value of the external exposure dose of emergency responders calculated from the maximum value of the dose rate in the active area roughly includes the measured value.

Muon profile measurement after acceleration with a radio-frequency quadrupole linac

Otani, Masashi*; Sue, Yuki*; Fukao, Yoshinori*; Futatsukawa, Kenta*; Kawamura, Naritoshi*; Mibe, Tsutomu*; Miyake, Yasuhiro*; Shimomura, Koichiro*; Yamazaki, Takayuki*; Iijima, Toru*; et al.

Journal of Physics; Conference Series, 1067(5), p.052012_1 - 052012_7, 2018/09

https://doi.org/10.1088/1742-6596/1067/5/052012

We have measured the muon beam profile after acceleration using a radio frequency quadrupole linac (RFQ). Positive muons are injected to an aluminum degrader and negative muoniums (Mu) are generated. The generated Mus are extracted by an electrostatic lens and accelerated to 89 keV by the RFQ. The accelerated Mus are transported to a beam profile monitor (BPM) through a quadrupole magnet pair and a bending magnet. The BPM consists of a micro-channel plate, a phospher screen, and a CCD camera. Measured profile in the vertical direction is consistent to the simulation. This profile measurement is one of milestones for realizing a muon linac for measurement of the muon anomalous magnetic moment at the Japan Proton Accelerator Research Complex.

First muon acceleration using a radio-frequency accelerator

Bae, S.*; Choi, H.*; Choi, S.*; Fukao, Yoshinori*; Futatsukawa, Kenta*; Hasegawa, Kazuo; Iijima, Toru*; Iinuma, Hiromi*; Ishida, Katsuhiko*; Kawamura, Naritoshi*; et al.

Physical Review Accelerators and Beams (Internet), 21(5), p.050101_1 - 050101_6, 2018/05

https://doi.org/10.1103/PhysRevAccelBeams.21.050101

Muons have been accelerated by using a radio-frequency accelerator for the first time. Negative muonium atoms (Mu), which are bound states of positive muons and two electrons, are generated from through the electron capture process in an aluminum degrader. The generated Mu's are initially electrostatically accelerated and injected into a radio-frequency quadrupole linac (RFQ). In the RFQ, the Mu's are accelerated to 89 keV. The accelerated Mu's are identified by momentum measurement and time of flight. This compact muon linac opens the door to various muon accelerator applications including particle physics measurements and the construction of a transmission muon microscope.

Identification of penetration path and deposition distribution of radionuclides in houses by experiments and numerical model

Hirouchi, Jun; Takahara, Shogo; Iijima, Masashi; Watanabe, Masatoshi; Munakata, Masahiro

Radiation Physics and Chemistry, 140, p.127 - 131, 2017/11

BB2016-0282.pdf:0.39MB

https://doi.org/10.1016/j.radphyschem.2017.02.005

Assessment of residual doses to population after decontamination in Fukushima Prefecture

Mori, Airi; Takahara, Shogo; Ishizaki, Azusa; Iijima, Masashi; Sanada, Yukihisa; Munakata, Masahiro

Journal of Environmental Radioactivity, 166(Part 1), p.74 - 82, 2017/01

https://doi.org/10.1016/j.jenvrad.2016.06.023

Large quantities of radioactive materials were released into the environment as a result of the Fukushima Daiichi Nuclear Power Station accident. Many inhabitants residing in the affected areas are now exposed to radiation in their daily lives. In an attempt to manage this radiation dose, an additional radiation dose of 1 mSv/y was adopted as a long-term dosimetric target. An activity level reading of 0.23 Sv/h was then determined as a guidance value to achieve the target by implementing decontamination measures. The objectives of this study are to assess the effects of decontamination based on this guidance value and to predict any possible future problems with the decontamination strategy. Using a probabilistic approach, we assessed the annual effective dose of indoor workers, outdoor workers, and pensioners in the Fukushima Prefecture. Our probabilistic model considers the variabilities in behavioral patterns and Cs-137 surface-activity levels. Five years after the initial contamination, the 95th percentiles of indoor workers and pensioners in 53 of the 59 municipalities were found to receive annual effective doses of below 1 mSv/y (0.026-0.73 mSv/y). However, for outdoor workers in 25 municipalities, the annual doses were over 1 mSv/y (1.0-35 mSv/y). Therefore, the guidance value is effective for indoor workers and pensioners; to determine whether additional countermeasures for outdoor workers should be implemented, a detailed assessment that uses more realistic assumptions is required.