New measurement system based on small-angle neutron scattering for structural analysis of light-responsive materials

Iwase, Hiroki*; Akamatsu, Masaaki*; Inamura, Yasuhiro; Sakaguchi, Yoshifumi*; Morikawa, Toshiaki*; Kasai, Satoshi*; Ouchi, Keiichi*; Kobayashi, Kazuki*; Sakai, Hideki*

Journal of Applied Crystallography, 56(1), p.110 - 115, 2023/02

https://doi.org/10.1107/S1600576722011104

With the increasing importance of light-responsive materials, it is vital to analyze the relationship between function and structural changes induced by light irradiation. Small-angle scattering (SAS) is effective for such structural analysis. However, quantitatively capturing local molecular structure formation and molecular reactions at a scale of less than 1 nm via SAS is difficult. In this study, to analyze the structure of non-equilibrium phenomena in light-responsive materials, a new sample environment has been developed for a time-of-flight small- and wide-angle neutron scattering instrument (TAIKAN), comprising a UV-Vis irradiation system, UV-Vis absorption measurement equipment and photodetector. Simultaneous measurement of small-angle neutron scattering and UV-Vis absorption was achieved. This system was used to demonstrate the in situ observation of UV-Vis irradiation-induced structural change of micelles formed by a light-responsive surfactant sample in an aqueous solution.

Star-polymer-DNA gels showing highly predictable and tunable mechanical responses

Ohira, Masashi*; Katashima, Takuya*; Naito, Mitsuru*; Aoki, Daisuke*; Yoshikawa, Yusuke*; Iwase, Hiroki*; Takata, Shinichi; Miyata, Kanjiro*; Chung, U.-I.*; Sakai, Takamasa*; et al.

Advanced Materials, 34(13), p.2108818_1 - 2108818_9, 2022/01

https://doi.org/10.1002/adma.202108818

Origin of magnetovolume effect in a cobaltite

Miao, P.*; Tan, Z.*; Lee, S. H.*; Ishikawa, Yoshihisa*; Torii, Shuki*; Yonemura, Masao*; Koda, Akihiro*; Komatsu, Kazuki*; Machida, Shinichi*; Sano, Asami; et al.

Physical Review B, 103(9), p.094302_1 - 094302_18, 2021/03

https://doi.org/10.1103/PhysRevB.103.094302

The layered perovskite PrBaCoO demonstrates a strong negative thermal expansion (NTE) which holds potential for being fabricated into composites with zero thermal expansion. The NTE was found to be intimately associated with the spontaneous magnetic ordering, known as magneto-volume effect (MVE). Here we report with compelling evidences that the continuous-like MVE in PrBaCoO is intrinsically of discontinuous character, originating from an magnetoelectric transition from an antiferromagnetic insulating large-volume (AFILV) phase to a ferromagnetic less-insulating small-volume (FLISV) phase. Furthermore, the magnetoelectric effect (ME) shows high sensitivity to multiple external stimuli such as temperature, carrier doping, hydrostatic pressure, magnetic field etc. In contrast to the well-known ME such as colossal magnetoresistance and multi-ferroic effect which involve symmetry breaking of crystal structure, the ME in the cobaltite is purely isostructural. Our discovery provides a new path way to realizing the ME as well as the NTE, which may find applications in new techniques.

Research on activation assessment of a reactor structural materials for decommissioning, 2

Seki, Misaki; Ishikawa, Koji*; Sano, Tadafumi*; Nagata, Hiroshi; Otsuka, Kaoru; Omori, Takazumi; Hanakawa, Hiroki; Ide, Hiroshi; Tsuchiya, Kunihiko; Fujihara, Yasuyuki*; et al.

KURNS Progress Report 2019, P. 279, 2020/08

https://www.rri.kyoto-u.ac.jp/PUB/report/PR/ProgRep2019/ProgressReport2019_online.pdf

no abstracts in English

A New simultaneous measurement system of wide Q-range small angle neutron scattering combined with polarized Fourier transform infrared spectroscopy

Kaneko, Fumitoshi*; Kawaguchi, Tatsuya*; Radulescu, A.*; Iwase, Hiroki*; Morikawa, Toshiaki*; Takata, Shinichi; Nishiura, Masayoshi*; Hou, Z.*

Review of Scientific Instruments, 90(9), p.093906_1 - 093906_6, 2019/09

https://doi.org/10.1063/1.5112054

The Surface composition of asteroid 162173 Ryugu from Hayabusa2 near-infrared spectroscopy

Kitazato, Kohei*; Milliken, R. E.*; Iwata, Takahiro*; Abe, Masanao*; Otake, Makiko*; Matsuura, Shuji*; Arai, Takehiko*; Nakauchi, Yusuke*; Nakamura, Tomoki*; Matsuoka, Moe*; et al.

Science, 364(6437), p.272 - 275, 2019/04

https://doi.org/10.1126/science.aav7432

The near-Earth asteroid 162173 Ryugu, the target of Hayabusa2 sample return mission, is believed to be a primitive carbonaceous object. The Near Infrared Spectrometer (NIRS3) on Hayabusa2 acquired reflectance spectra of Ryugu's surface to provide direct measurements of the surface composition and geological context for the returned samples. A weak, narrow absorption feature centered at 2.72 micron was detected across the entire observed surface, indicating that hydroxyl (OH)-bearing minerals are ubiquitous there. The intensity of the OH feature and low albedo are similar to thermally- and/or shock-metamorphosed carbonaceous chondrite meteorites. There are few variations in the OH-band position, consistent with Ryugu being a compositionally homogeneous rubble-pile object generated from impact fragments of an undifferentiated aqueously altered parent body.

Spectral reflectance and associated photograph of boreal forest understory formation in interior Alaska

Kobayashi, Hideki*; Suzuki, Rikie*; Yang, W.*; Ikawa, Hiroki*; Inoue, Tomoharu*; Nagano, Hirohiko; Kim, Y.*

Polar Data Journal (Internet), 2, p.14 - 29, 2018/11

http://doi.org/10.20575/00000004

The Arctic and boreal regions have been experiencing a rapid warming in the 21st century. It is important to understand the dynamics of boreal forest at the continental scale under the climate and environmental changes. While the role of understory vegetation in boreal forest ecosystems on carbon and nutrient cycling cannot be ignored, they are still one of least understood components in boreal ecosystems. Spectroscopic measurements of vegetation are useful to identify species and their biochemical characteristics. In this data paper, we present spectral reflectances of 44 typical understory formations and five 30-m long transects. The spectral reflectance covers the spectral region of visible, near infrared and shortwave infrared (350-2500 nm). For the transect measurements, we decided the length of transect at 30 m, similar to the scale of one pixel of a Landsat type satellite imagery. The photographs at all positions, where spectral reflectances were obtained, are included to understand the structure and status of each sample. The data set contains six dwarf shrubs (blueberry (), cowberry (), feltleaf willow (), young birch (), young aspen (), and young black spruce ()), two herbaceous (cottongrass () and marsh Labrador tea ()), three mosses (Sphagnum moss, splendid feather moss (), and polytrichum moss ()), and reindeer lichen (). Spectral reflectances from several non-vegetative such as snow, litter, and soil are also included. This spectral and photographic data set can be used for understanding the spectral characteristics of understory formations, designing newly planned spectral observations, and developing and validating the remote sensing methodology of large scale understory monitoring.

Links between annual surface temperature variation and land cover heterogeneity for a boreal forest as characterized by continuous, fibre-optic DTS monitoring

Saito, Kazuyuki*; Iwahana, Go*; Ikawa, Hiroki*; Nagano, Hirohiko; Busey, R. C.*

Geoscientific Instrumentation, Methods and Data Systems, 7(3), p.223 - 234, 2018/07

https://doi.org/10.5194/gi-7-223-2018

A fibre-optic DTS (distributed temperature sensing) system using Raman-scattering optical time domain reflectometry was deployed to monitor a boreal forest research site in the interior of Alaska. Surface temperatures range between -40C in winter and 30C in summer at this site. In parallel experiments, a fibre-optic cable sensor system (multi-mode, GI50/125, dual core; 3.4mm), monitored at high resolution, (0.5m intervals at every 30min) ground surface temperatures across the landscape. In addition, a high-resolution vertical profile was acquired at one-metre height above the upper subsurface. The total cable ran 2.7km with about 2.0km monitoring a horizontal surface path. Sections of the cable sensor were deployed in vertical coil configurations (1.2m high) to measure temperature profiles from the ground up at 5mm intervals. Measurements were made continuously over a 2-year interval from October 2012 to October 2014. Vegetation at the site (Poker Flat Research Range) consists primarily of black spruce underlain by permafrost. Land cover types within the study area were classified into six descriptive categories: relict thermokarst lake, open moss, shrub, deciduous forest, sparse conifer forest, and dense conifer forest. The horizontal temperature data exhibited spatial and temporal changes within the observed diurnal and seasonal variations. Differences in snow pack evolution and insulation effects co-varied with the land cover types. The apparatus used to monitor vertical temperature profiles generated high-resolution (ca. 5mm) data for air column, snow cover, and ground surface. This research also identified several technical challenges in deploying and maintaining a DTS system under subarctic environments.

Materials and Life Science Experimental Facility (MLF) at the Japan Proton Accelerator Research Complex, 2; Neutron scattering instruments

Nakajima, Kenji; Kawakita, Yukinobu; Ito, Shinichi*; Abe, Jun*; Aizawa, Kazuya; Aoki, Hiroyuki; Endo, Hitoshi*; Fujita, Masaki*; Funakoshi, Kenichi*; Gong, W.*; et al.

Quantum Beam Science (Internet), 1(3), p.9_1 - 9_59, 2017/12

https://doi.org/10.3390/qubs1030009

The neutron instruments suite, installed at the spallation neutron source of the Materials and Life Science Experimental Facility (MLF) at the Japan Proton Accelerator Research Complex (J-PARC), is reviewed. MLF has 23 neutron beam ports and 21 instruments are in operation for user programs or are under commissioning. A unique and challenging instrumental suite in MLF has been realized via combination of a high-performance neutron source, optimized for neutron scattering, and unique instruments using cutting-edge technologies. All instruments are/will serve in world-leading investigations in a broad range of fields, from fundamental physics to industrial applications. In this review, overviews, characteristic features, and typical applications of the individual instruments are mentioned.

Compilation of information on uplift of the last hundred thousand years in the Japanese Islands

Nomura, Katsuhiro; Tanikawa, Shinichi*; Amamiya, Hiroki; Yasue, Kenichi

JAEA-Data/Code 2016-015, 49 Pages, 2017/03

JAEA-Data-Code-2016-015.pdf:2.88MB

The uplift of the last hundred thousand years in the Japanese Islands has been acquired mainly using marine and river terraces. We arranged information regarding the uplift in a table. This data is one of the useful information for the development of the investigation technology of uplift and for the research of the landform evolution in Japanese islands.