Pulsed muon facility of J-PARC MUSE

Shimomura, Koichiro*; Koda, Akihiro*; Pant, A. D.*; Sunagawa, Hikaru*; Fujimori, Hiroshi*; Umegaki, Izumi*; Nakamura, Jumpei*; Fujihara, Masayoshi; Tampo, Motonobu*; Kawamura, Naritoshi*; et al.

Interactions (Internet), 245(1), p.31_1 - 31_6, 2024/12

https://doi.org/10.1007/s10751-024-01863-8

Intruder configurations in Ne at the transition into the island of inversion; Detailed structure study of Ne

Wang, H.*; Yasuda, Masahiro*; Kondo, Yosuke*; Nakamura, Takashi*; Tostevin, J. A.*; Ogata, Kazuyuki*; Otsuka, Takaharu*; Poves, A.*; Shimizu, Noritaka*; Yoshida, Kazuki; et al.

Physics Letters B, 843, p.138038_1 - 138038_9, 2023/08

https://doi.org/10.1016/j.physletb.2023.138038

Detailed -ray spectroscopy of the exotic neon isotope Ne has been performed using the one-neutron removal reaction from Ne. Based on an analysis of parallel momentum distributions, a level scheme with spin-parity assignments has been constructed for Ne and the negative-parity states are identified for the first time. The measured partial cross sections and momentum distributions reveal a significant intruder p-wave strength providing evidence of the breakdown of the N = 20 and N = 28 shell gaps. Only a weak, possible f-wave strength was observed to bound final states. Large-scale shell-model calculations with different effective interactions do not reproduce the large p-wave and small f-wave strength observed experimentally, indicating an ongoing challenge for a complete theoretical description of the transition into the island of inversion along the Ne isotopic chain.

Present status of J-PARC MUSE

Shimomura, Koichiro*; Koda, Akihiro*; Pant, A. D.*; Natori, Hiroaki*; Fujimori, Hiroshi*; Umegaki, Izumi*; Nakamura, Jumpei*; Tampo, Motonobu*; Kawamura, Naritoshi*; Teshima, Natsuki*; et al.

Journal of Physics; Conference Series, 2462, p.012033_1 - 012033_5, 2023/03

https://doi.org/10.1088/1742-6596/2462/1/012033

Analysis of factors contributing to the increase in Be activity concentrations in the atmosphere

Narazaki, Yukinori*; Sakoda, Akihiro; Akata, Naofumi*; Ito, Hisanori*; Momoshima, Noriyuki*

International Journal of Environmental Research and Public Health, 19(16), p.10128_1 - 10128_9, 2022/08

https://doi.org/10.3390/ijerph191610128

In March 2013, increased Be activity concentrations in the atmosphere were observed for successive days in Dazaifu, western Japan. The daily Be activity concentration averages ranged from 0.93 to 14 mBq/m, with a monthly average of 8.3 mBq/m. This average was the highest among the monthly averages observed between 1999 and 2015 and higher than the monthly average over this period (4.7 mBq/m) plus twice the standard deviation (1.7 2 mBq/m = 8.1 mBq/m). Also, this exceeded the monthly average (6.0 mBq/m) only for March 1999-2015, excluding 2013, where the cosmic-ray intensity, a component producing Be, decreased. Based on the backward trajectory analysis results, the inflow of air from the stratosphere and upper troposphere at high latitudes that frequently occurred in March 2013 was considered the reason for the Be activity concentration increase.

Uranium chelating ability of decorporation agents in serum evaluated by X-ray absorption spectroscopy

Uehara, Akihiro*; Matsumura, Daiju; Tsuji, Takuya; Yakumaru, Haruko*; Tanaka, Izumi*; Shiro, Ayumi*; Saito, Hiroyuki*; Ishihara, Hiroshi*; Homma-Takeda, Shino*

Analytical Methods, 14(24), p.2439 - 2445, 2022/06

https://doi.org/10.1039/D2AY00565D

Fundamental study for decorporation of plutonium by chelating agents; Coordination analyses of simulated plutonium with chelating agents by X-ray absorption spectroscopy

Uehara, Akihiro*; Shuhui, X.*; Sato, Ryotaro*; Matsumura, Daiju; Tsuji, Takuya; Yakumaru, Haruko*; Shiro, Ayumi*; Saito, Hiroyuki*; Tanaka, Izumi*; Ishihara, Hiroshi*; et al.

Advances in X-Ray Chemical Analysis, Japan, 53, p.223 - 229, 2022/03

no abstracts in English

Review of engagement activities to promote awareness of radiation and its associated risk amongst the Japanese public before and after the Fukushima Daiichi Nuclear Power Plant accident

Sakoda, Akihiro; Nomura, Naoki*; Kuroda, Yujiro*; Kono, Takahiko; Naito, Wataru*; Yoshida, Hiroko*

Journal of Radiological Protection, 41(4), p.1258 - 1287, 2021/12

https://doi.org/10.1088/1361-6498/ac2678

Following the Fukushima Daiichi Nuclear Power Plant accident, many radiation experts directly experienced a vast gap between ideal and real public understanding (PU) of radiation in risk communication. Therefore, this study collated and reviewed information about PU activities for radiation and its risk that six Japanese academic societies - which seemed to be socially neutral expert communities - related to radiation and radiation risk conducted before and after the accident. Activities these radiation-related societies provided to general public were discussed from the following perspectives: (1) difficulties in two-way communication due to resources, motivation, public interest and concerns; (2) balance between academic research and PU activities; (3) academic societies' building trust with the public whilst ensuring member experts' neutrality and independence; (4) discussions among academic societies to prepare for public engagement. We hope that this paper encourages experts and academic societies in radiation protection to hold more national and international discussions about their roles in public communication and outreach.

Panel session toward improved communication and engagement with the public after the Fukushima Daiichi Nuclear Power Plant Accident; Study reports and discussion with specialists from relevant fields

Yoshida, Hiroko*; Kuroda, Yujiro*; Kono, Takahiko; Naito, Wataru*; Sakoda, Akihiro

Journal of Radiation Protection and Research, 46(3), p.134 - 142, 2021/09

https://doi.org/10.14407/jrpr.2020.00283

The Japan Health Physics Society established a task group on "Public Understanding after the Fukushima Daiichi Nuclear Power Plant Accident" in the 2018-2019 fiscal year. This task group collected and analyzed various activities that had been made for promotion of public understanding since the Fukushima accident, and then discussed some issues such as expert's roles. This paper outlines a panel session for this task group held at the 53rd Annual Meeting of the Japanese Health Physics Society (Online). This session consisted of (1) reporting what the task group achieved, (2) having comments by two designated experts in the fields of sociology and ethics, (3) making a panel discussion with three representatives from the task group and the two designated speakers, and (4) summarizing this session by a rapporteur.

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.

Status of study of long-term assessment of transport of radioactive contaminants in the environment of Fukushima (FY2018) (Translated document)

Nagao, Fumiya; Niizato, Tadafumi; Sasaki, Yoshito; Ito, Satomi; Watanabe, Takayoshi; Dohi, Terumi; Nakanishi, Takahiro; Sakuma, Kazuyuki; Hagiwara, Hiroki; Funaki, Hironori; et al.

JAEA-Research 2020-007, 249 Pages, 2020/10

JAEA-Research-2020-007.pdf:15.83MB

The accident of the Fukushima Daiichi Nuclear Power Station, Tokyo Electric Power Company Holdings, Inc. occurred due to the Great East Japan Earthquake, Sanriku offshore earthquake, of 9.0 magnitude and the accompanying tsunami. As a result, large amount of radioactive materials was released into the environment. Under these circumstances, Japan Atomic Energy Agency (JAEA) has been conducting "Long-term Assessment of Transport of Radioactive Contaminants in the Environment of Fukushima" concerning radioactive materials released in environment, especially migration behavior of radioactive cesium since November 2012. This report is a summary of the research results that have been obtained in environmental dynamics research conducted by JAEA in Fukushima Prefecture.