Background aerial monitoring and UAV radiation monitoring technology development for emergency response and preparedness in fiscal year 2023 (Contract research)

Futemma, Akira; Sanada, Yukihisa; Nakama, Shigeo; Sasaki, Miyuki; Ochi, Kotaro; Sawahata, Yoshiro*; Kawasaki, Yoshiharu*; Iwai, Takeyuki*; Hiraga, Shogo*; Haginoya, Masashi*; et al.

JAEA-Technology 2024-022, 170 Pages, 2025/03

JAEA-Technology-2024-022.pdf:15.09MB

On March 11, 2011, the 2011 off the Pacific coast of Tohoku Earthquake caused a tsunami that led to the Fukushima Daiichi Nuclear Power Station accident, releasing radioactive material into the environment. Since then, Aerial Radiation Monitoring (ARM) using manned helicopters has been employed to measure radiation distribution. As a commissioned project from the Nuclear Regulation Authority, the Japan Atomic Energy Agency (JAEA) utilizes this technology for emergency monitoring during nuclear facility accidents, aiming to provide prompt results by pre-arranging information on background radiation, topography, and control airspaces around nuclear power plants nationwide. In fiscal year 2023, the commissioned project included conducting ARM around the Sendai Nuclear Power Station and preparing related information. To enhance effectiveness during emergencies, ARM and the first domestic training flight of Unmanned Aerial Vehicles (UAVs) were conducted during the FY2023 Nuclear Energy Disaster Prevention Drill. Furthermore, UAVs radiation monitoring technology was advanced by selecting UAVs and investigating their performance. This report summarizes the results and technical issues identified providing insights to improve emergency preparedness.

Background radiation monitoring via manned helicopter and development of technology for radiation monitoring via unmanned airplane for application of nuclear emergency response technique in the fiscal year 2022 (Contract research)

Futemma, Akira; Sanada, Yukihisa; Sasaki, Miyuki; Kawasaki, Yoshiharu*; Iwai, Takeyuki*; Hiraga, Shogo*; Haginoya, Masashi*; Matsunaga, Yuki*; Akutsu, Yuichiro*; Arai, Yoshinori*; et al.

JAEA-Technology 2023-026, 161 Pages, 2024/03

JAEA-Technology-2023-026.pdf:14.66MB

By the accident at Tokyo Electric Power Company's (TEPCO's) Fukushima Daiichi Nuclear Power Station (FDNPS), caused by tsunami triggered by the 2011 off the Pacific coast of Tohoku Earthquake, a large amount of radioactive material was released into the surrounding environment. After the accident, Airborne Radiation Monitoring (ARM) via manned helicopter has been utilized as a method to quickly and extensively measure radiation distribution surrounding FDNPS. In order to utilize ARM and to promptly provide the results during a nuclear emergency, information on background radiation levels, topographical features, and controlled airspace surrounding nationwide nuclear facilities have been prepared in advance. In the fiscal year 2022, we conducted ARM around the Mihama Nuclear Power Station of Kansai Electric Power Company (KEPCO), the Tsuruga Power Station of Japan Atomic Power Company (JAPC), and the Ikata Power Station of Shikoku Electric Power Company (YONDEN), and prepared information on background radiation doses and controlled airspace. In addition, we have developed an aerial radiation detection system via unmanned airplane, which is expected to be an alternative to ARM, during a nuclear emergency. This report summarizes the results and technical issues identified.

SUMRAY: R and Python codes for calculating cancer risk due to radiation exposure of a population

Sasaki, Michiya*; Furukawa, Kyoji*; Satoh, Daiki; Shimada, Kazumasa; Kudo, Shinichi*; Takagi, Shunji*; Takahara, Shogo; Kai, Michiaki*

Journal of Radiation Protection and Research, 48(2), p.90 - 99, 2023/06

https://doi.org/10.14407/jrpr.2022.00213

This paper reports on the calculation code that is the result of the activities of the "Task Group for Development of Cancer Risk Estimation Codes Associated with Radiation Exposure (FY2020-2021)" established by the Japan Health Physics Society. In order to promote research on the estimation of cancer risk associated with radiation exposure, the Task Group decided to disclose the source code, including the algorithm and parameters used in the calculations, and to release the code under a license that permits modification and redistribution of the code. The computational code was named SUMRAY and coded in two computer languages, that is R and Python. The code is capable of calculating the accumulated excess risk using Monte Carlo methods with a 95% confidence interval. The results of SUMRAY were compared with the results of the existing codes whose source code is not publicly available, under the same calculation conditions. From the results, it was found that they were in reasonable agreement within the confidence interval. It is expected that SUMRAY, an open-source software, will be used as a common basis for cancer risk estimation studies associated with radiation exposure.

Study on evaluation method of kernel migration of TRISO fuel for High Temperature Gas-cooled Reactor

Fukaya, Yuji; Okita, Shoichiro; Sasaki, Koei; Ueta, Shohei; Goto, Minoru; Ohashi, Hirofumi; Yan, X.

Nuclear Engineering and Design, 399, p.112033_1 - 112033_9, 2022/12

https://doi.org/10.1016/j.nucengdes.2022.112033

Kernel migration of TRi-structural ISOtropic (TRISO) fuel for High Temperature Gas-cooled Reactor (HTGR) has been analyzed to investigate the potential dominating effects. Kernel migration is a major fuel failure mode and dominant to determine the lifetime of the fuel for High Temperature engineering Test Reactor (HTTR). However, this study shows that the result and reliability depend on the evaluation method. The evaluation method used in this study takes into account of actual distribution of Coated Fuel Particles (CFPs) and the resulting heterogeneous fuel temperature calculation with such distribution. The result shows that the Kernel Migration Rate (KMR) is predicted to be about 10% less compared with the most conservative evaluation.

Background radiation monitoring using manned helicopter for application of technique of nuclear emergency response in the fiscal year 2020 (Contract research)

Futemma, Akira; Sanada, Yukihisa; Sasaki, Miyuki; Kawasaki, Yoshiharu*; Iwai, Takeyuki*; Hiraga, Shogo*; Sato, Kazuhiko*; Haginoya, Masashi*; Matsunaga, Yuki*; Kikuchi, Hikaru*; et al.

JAEA-Technology 2021-020, 138 Pages, 2021/11

JAEA-Technology-2021-020.pdf:17.11MB

A large amount of radioactive material was released by the nuclear disaster of Fukushima Daiichi Nuclear Power Station (FDNPS), Tokyo Electric Power Company, caused by the Great East Japan Earthquake and the following tsunami on March 11, 2011. After the nuclear disaster, airborne radiation monitoring via manned helicopter has been utilized to grasp rapidly and widely the distribution of the radioactive materials surrounding FDNPS. We prepare the data of background radiation dose, geomorphic characteristics and the controlled airspace surrounding nuclear facilities of the whole country in order to make effective use of the monitoring technique as a way of emergency radiation monitoring and supply the results during an accident of a facility. This report is summarized that the knowledge as noted above achieved by the aerial radiation monitoring around Tsuruga and Mihama nuclear power station, research reactors in Kindai University Atomic Energy Research Institute and Institute for Integrated Radiation and Nuclear Science, Kyoto University. In addition, examination's progress aimed at introduction of airborne radiation monitoring via unmanned plane during nuclear disaster and the technical issues are summarized in this report.

Development of cesium trap material for coated fuel particles in high temperature gas-cooled reactors

Sasaki, Koei; Miura, Shuichiro*; Fukumoto, Kenichi*; Goto, Minoru; Ohashi, Hirofumi

Proceedings of 28th International Conference on Nuclear Engineering (ICONE 28) (Internet), 6 Pages, 2021/08

https://doi.org/10.1115/ICONE28-61765

Cs-Bi and Cs-Sb absorbed graphite samples (Cs-Bi/graphite and Cs-Sb/graphite) were synthesized and their high temperature chemical stabilities were tested up to 1500C by TG and analyzed by TEM-EDS for the development of Cs trap material in high temperature gas-cooled reactor (HTGR) fuel particles. It was observed that Cs was stabilized by Sb but not by Bi in the specimens after the TG test. A rapid weight loss from 800 to 1000C may be caused by evaporation of Cs (boiling point: 671C) was seen in the TG result of both specimens. Precipitated Cs-Sb substance in the graphite matrix were not resolved even after the 1500C heating. The chemical composition of the Cs-Sb was specified as CsSb. The experimental results suggest that Sb have potential to be a Cs getter material in graphite matrix. Long term heating test should be performed to confirm adaptability of Sb for Cs trap material in HTGR fuel particles.

A Catalog showing distribution and features of lineaments and related landforms in an active shear zone with unclear fault displacement topography; An Example of an active left-lateral shear zone in southern Kyushu Island, southwest Japan (Contract research)

Goto, Akira; Sasaki, Akimichi*; Komatsu, Tetsuya; Miwa, Atsushi*; Terusawa, Shuji*; Kagohara, Kyoko*; Shimada, Koji

JAEA-Research 2020-013, 88 Pages, 2020/11

JAEA-Research-2020-013.pdf:22.86MB
JAEA-Research-2020-013-appendix(CD-ROM).zip:0.18MB

Improvement of the investigation techniques to identify active faults is important for the implementation of geological disposal projects from the viewpoint of avoiding locations where permeability increases due to fault displacement. Generally, the existence of active faults is confirmed by aerial photography interpretation of fault displacement topography, which is a topographical trace of fault movement, and on-site geological surveys. However, the investigation method for cases where the topographical traces are unclear is not sufficiently developed. Therefore, to improve existing topographical methods, this study deciphered lineaments up to the rank of poorly defined features, which are almost neglected in general active fault research. The investigation area is one of the geodetic strain concentration zone, called the southern Kyushu shear zone, where the seismogenic faults of the 1997 Kagoshima northwest earthquakes are concealed. We conducted aerial photography interpretation of 62 sheets of 1/25,000 topographic maps, and obtained 1,327 lineaments. Distribution density, direction and length of lineaments were also investigated with topographic and geologic information. As a result, it was clarified that the east-west lineaments in the south Kyushu shear zone predominate in the western part, and the lineaments are densely distributed in the aftershock distribution area of the Kagoshima northwest earthquake. Along with these results, we have compiled a catalog of typical 13 lineaments based on combinations of clarity, direction, length and geomorphic characters of lineaments.

Real-time dosimetry system based on an optical fiber-coupled microsized photostimulable phosphor for stereotactic body radiation therapy

Yada, Ryuichi*; Maenaka, Kazusuke*; Miyamoto, Shuji*; Okada, Go*; Sasakura, Aki*; Ashida, Motoi*; Adachi, Masashi*; Sato, Tatsuhiko; Wang, T.*; Akasaka, Hiroaki*; et al.

Medical Physics, 47(10), p.5235 - 5249, 2020/10

https://doi.org/10.1002/mp.14383

The dosimeter system is capable of real-time, accurate, and precise measurement under stereotactic body radiation therapy (SBRT) conditions. The probe is smaller than a conventional dosimeter, has excellent spatial resolution, and can be valuable in SBRT with a steep dose distribution over a small field. The developed PSP dosimeter system appears to be suitable for in vivo SBRT dosimetry.

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

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

JAEA-Research 2019-002, 235 Pages, 2019/08

JAEA-Research-2019-002.pdf:21.04MB

The accident of the Fukushima Daiichi Nuclear Power Station (hereinafter referred to 1F), 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, JAEA has been conducting Long-term Environmental Dynamics Research 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.

Applied research for the establishment of radiation monitoring and evaluation of exposure dose of residence at the zone designated for reconstruction and recovery

Funaki, Hironori; Takahara, Shogo; Sasaki, Miyuki; Yoshimura, Kazuya; Nakama, Shigeo; Sanada, Yukihisa

JAEA-Research 2018-016, 48 Pages, 2019/03

JAEA-Research-2018-016.pdf:29.73MB

Cabinet Office Nuclear Emergency Response Headquarters starts to consider radiation protection in the "specific reconstruction reproduction base area" of which evacuation order will be lifted by 2023. It is essential to grab the present situations of radiation contamination and evaluate exposure dose in the area to realize the plan. Many surveys have evaluated the distributions of air dose rate and exposure dose has been estimated based on the results since the Fukushima Daiichi Nuclear Power Plant accident. Nevertheless, more detailed information on exposure is needed for the areas because its radiation level is relatively high. That is also to help make prudent evaluation plan. This study aimed to evaluate the detailed contamination situation there and estimate exposure dose with considering areal circumstances. Investigations were carried out for (1) airborne survey of air dose rate using an unmanned helicopter (2) evaluation of airborne radiocesium and (3) estimation of external/internal effective doses for typical activity patterns assumed. Additionally, we applied new methods for the airborne survey to evaluate exposure dose. Our study showed a detailed three-dimensional map of air dose rate and clarified the distribution pattern in the areas. Results of effective dose estimation suggested that the internal effective dose due to inhalation accounts for less than 1% of the external effective dose.