Application of energy-resolving neutron imaging to major-component analyses of materials using four-channel superconducting detector

Vu, TheDang*; Shishido, Hiroaki*; Aizawa, Kazuya; Oku, Takayuki; Oikawa, Kenichi; Harada, Masahide; Kojima, Kenji M*; Miyajima, Shigeyuki*; Soyama, Kazuhiko; Koyama, Tomio*; et al.

IEEJ Transactions on Electrical and Electronic Engineering, 19(11), p.1888 - 1894, 2024/11

https://doi.org/10.1002/tee.24144

Hydroxyl group/fluorine disorder in deuterated magnesium hydroxyfluoride and behaviors of hydrogen bonds under high pressure

He, X.*; Kagi, Hiroyuki*; Komatsu, Kazuki*; Iizuka, Riko*; Okajima, Hajime*; Hattori, Takanori; Sano, Asami; Machida, Shinichi*; Abe, Jun*; Goto, Hirotada*; et al.

Journal of Molecular Structure, 1310, p.138271_1 - 138271_8, 2024/08

https://doi.org/10.1016/j.molstruc.2024.138271

High-pressure responses of the O-DF hydrogen bonds in deuterated magnesium hydroxyfluoride were investigated using neutron powder diffraction and Raman spectroscopy. The Rietveld analysis at ambient conditions revealed a chemical formula of Mg(OD)F and hydroxyl group/fluorine disorder (OD/F disorder) in the crystal structure, which gave rise to two hydrogen-bonding configurations. The Rietveld analysis showed the hydrogen-bonding geometries remains up to 9.8 GPa, indicating no pressure-induced strengthening of hydrogen bonds. The Raman spectra at ambient conditions showed three hydroxyl stretching bands at 2613, 2694, and 2718 cm. The high frequencies of the O-D stretching modes indicated that the hydroxyls should be involved in weak or none hydrogen-bonding interactions. Up to 20.2 GPa, the mode initially centered at 2694 cm displayed a pressure-induced blue shift, revealing no strengthening of hydrogen bonds under compression. We discuss the existence of hydrogen bonds and the causes of the blue-shifting hydroxyls at ambient and at high pressures.

Hydrogen bond symmetrisation in DO ice observed by neutron diffraction

Komatsu, Kazuki*; Hattori, Takanori; Klotz, S.*; Machida, Shinichi*; Yamashita, Keishiro*; Ito, Hayate*; Kobayashi, Hiroki*; Irifune, Tetsuo*; Shimmei, Toru*; Sano, Asami; et al.

Nature Communications (Internet), 15, p.5100_1 - 5100_7, 2024/06

https://doi.org/10.1038/s41467-024-48932-8

Hydrogen bond symmetrisation is the phenomenon where a hydrogen atom is located at the centre of a hydrogen bond. Theoretical studies predict that hydrogen bonds in ice VII eventually undergo symmetrisation upon increasing pressure, involving nuclear quantum effect with significant isotope effect and drastic changes in the elastic properties through several intermediate states with varying hydrogen distribution. Despite numerous experimental studies conducted, the location of hydrogen and hence the transition pressures reported up to date remain inconsistent. Here we report the atomic distribution of deuterium in DO ice using neutron diffraction above 100 GPa and observe for the first time the transition from a bimodal to a unimodal distribution of deuterium at around 80 GPa. At the transition pressure, a significant narrowing of the peak widths of 110 was also observed, attributed to the structural relaxation by the change of elastic properties.

Simulation of predicted effects of decontamination and cultivation activities on reduction of air dose rates using Monte Carlo method

Kim, M.; Yoshimura, Kazuya; Sakuma, Kazuyuki; Malins, A.*; Abe, Tomohisa; Nakama, Shigeo; Machida, Masahiko; Saito, Kimiaki

Kankyo Hoshano Josen Gakkai-Shi, 12(2), p.39 - 53, 2024/04

More than ten years have passed since the accident at TEPCO's Fukushima Daiichi Nuclear Power Station. But with the progress of decontamination, the evacuation order has been lifted and the return of residents is still ongoing. Under these circumstances, in order to quantitatively evaluate the effect of decontamination activities and cultivation on air dose rate reduction, a detailed environmental model was constructed using 3D-ADRES for a real area located in the Okuma town, Fukushima prefecture. Monte Carlo simulations were performed using the model to calculate realistic distributions of radioactive Cs based on measurement results and air dose rates reflecting changes over time. As a result, the distribution of air dose rates at 100 cm above ground level in the target area according to decontamination and cultivation activities was calculated. The calculated air dose rates reproduced the measured values well, and were confirmed to be appropriate as a method for evaluating the effects of decontamination and cultivation activities. This method is expected to serve as a reference for further decontamination management measures to reduce the air dose rate in the difficult-to-return zone, where entry is still restricted.

Neutron transmission CB-KID imager using samples placed at room temperature

Ishida, Takekazu*; Vu, TheDang*; Shishido, Hiroaki*; Aizawa, Kazuya; Oku, Takayuki; Oikawa, Kenichi; Harada, Masahide; Kojima, Kenji M*; Miyajima, Shigeyuki*; Koyama, Tomio*; et al.

Journal of Low Temperature Physics, 214(3-4), p.152 - 157, 2024/02

https://doi.org/10.1007/s10909-023-03030-9

Estimation of temporal variation of discharged inventory of radioactive strontium Sr (Sr) from port of Fukushima Daiichi Nuclear Power Plant; Analysis of the temporal variation from the accident to March 2022 and evaluation of its impact on Fukushima coast and offshore areas

Machida, Masahiko; Iwata, Ayako; Yamada, Susumu; Otosaka, Shigeyoshi*; Kobayashi, Takuya; Funasaka, Hideyuki*; Morita, Takami*

Nihon Genshiryoku Gakkai Wabun Rombunshi (Internet), 22(4), p.119 - 139, 2023/11

https://doi.org/10.3327/taesj.J22.016

We estimate monthly discharged inventory of Sr from port of Fukushima Daiichi Nuclear Power Plant (1F) from Jun. 2013 to Mar. 2022 by using the Voronoi tessellation method inside the port, following the monitoring of Sr sea water radioactivity concentration inside the port. The results suggest that the closure of sea side impermeable wall is the most effective for the reduction of discharged one. In addition, the results roughly reveal the monthly discharged inventory required to observe visible enhancement of the sea radioactivity concentration from the background level in each area. Such outcome is significant for considering environmental impacts on the planned future releasing of the treated water accumulated in 1F site.

Inverse estimation scheme of radioactive source distributions inside building rooms based on monitoring air dose rates using LASSO; Theory and demonstration

Shi, W.*; Machida, Masahiko; Yamada, Susumu; Yoshida, Toru*; Hasegawa, Yukihiro*; Okamoto, Koji*

Progress in Nuclear Energy, 162, p.104792_1 - 104792_19, 2023/08

https://doi.org/10.1016/j.pnucene.2023.104792

Predicting radioactive source distributions inside reactor building rooms based on monitoring air dose rates is one of the most essential steps towards decommissioning of nuclear power plants. However, the attempt is rather a difficult task, because it can be generally mapped onto mathematically ill-posed problem. Then, in order to successfully perform the inverse estimations on radioactive source distributions even in such ill-posed conditions, we suggest that a machine learning method, least absolute shrinkage and selection operator (LASSO) minimizing the loss function, is a promising scheme. For the purpose of its feasibility demonstrations in real building rooms, we employ PHITS code to make LASSO input as the above matrix C connecting the radioactive source vector P defined on surface meshes of structural materials with the air dose rate vector Q measured at internal positions inside the rooms. We develop a mathematical criterion on the number of monitoring points to correctly predict source distributions based on the theory of Candes and Tao. Then, we confirm that LASSO actually shows extremely high possibility for source distribution reconstructions as far as the number of detection points satisfies our criterion. Moreover, we verify that radioactive hot spots can be truly reconstructed in an experiment setup. At last, we examine an influence factor like detector-source distance to enhance the predicting possibility in the inverse estimation. From the above demonstrations, we propose that LASSO scheme is a quite useful way to explore hot spots as seen in damaged nuclear power plants like Fukushima Daiichi nuclear power plants.

LASSO reconstruction scheme for radioactive source distributions inside reactor building rooms with spectral information and multi-radionuclide contaminated situations

Shi, W.*; Machida, Masahiko; Yamada, Susumu; Yoshida, Toru*; Hasegawa, Yukihiro*; Okamoto, Koji*

Annals of Nuclear Energy, 184, p.109686_1 - 109686_12, 2023/05

https://doi.org/10.1016/j.anucene.2023.109686

Estimation of temporal variation of tritium inventory discharged from the port of Fukushima Dai-ichi Nuclear Power Plant; Analysis of the temporal variation and comparison with released tritium inventories from Japan and world major nuclear facilities

Machida, Masahiko; Iwata, Ayako; Yamada, Susumu; Otosaka, Shigeyoshi*; Kobayashi, Takuya; Funasaka, Hideyuki*; Morita, Takami*

Journal of Nuclear Science and Technology, 60(3), p.258 - 276, 2023/03

https://doi.org/10.1080/00223131.2022.2093800

We estimate monthly discharge inventory of tritium from the port of Fukushima Dai-ichi Nuclear Power Plant (1F) from Jun. 2013 to Mar. 2020 using the Voronoi tessellation scheme, following the tritium monitoring results inside the port started in Jun. 2013. As for the missing period from the first month of 1F accident, Apr. 2011 to May 2013, we calculate the tritium discharge inventory by utilizing the concentration ratio of tritium to Cs in stagnant contaminant water during the initial direct run-off period until Jun. 2011 and the discharge inventory correlation between tritium and Cs for the next-unknown continuous-discharge period from Jul. 2011 to May 2013. From all the estimated results over 9 years, we find that the monthly discharge inventory sharply dropped immediately after closing the seaside impermeable wall in Oct. 2015 and consequently coincided well with the sum of input inventories of drainage water and subdrain etc. purified water into the port. By comparing the above estimated results with those in the normal operation period before the accident, we point out that the discharge inventory from 1F port after the accident is not so large. Even the estimation value for the accident year 2011 is found to be comparable to the maximum of operating pressurized water reactors releasing relatively large inventories in the order. At the national level, the total domestic release inventory in Japan significantly decreased after the accident owing to the operational shutdown of most plants. Furthermore, the total Japanese discharge inventory including 1F are found to be minor compared with those of nuclear reprocessing plants and heavy-water reactors on a worldwide level. From the above results, we suggest that various scenarios can be openly discussed regarding the management of tritium stored inside 1F with the help of the present estimated data and its comparison with the past discharge inventory as well as those of other nuclear facilities.

LASSO reconstruction scheme to predict radioactive source distributions inside reactor building rooms; Theory & demonstration

Shi, W.*; Machida, Masahiko; Yamada, Susumu; Yoshida, Toru*; Hasegawa, Yukihiro*; Okamoto, Koji*

Proceedings of Waste Management Symposia 2023 (WM2023) (Internet), 8 Pages, 2023/02