Thermally altered subsurface material of asteroid (162173) Ryugu

Kitazato, Kohei*; Milliken, R. E.*; Iwata, Takahiro*; Abe, Masanao*; Otake, Makiko*; Matsuura, Shuji*; Takagi, Yasuhiko*; Nakamura, Tomoki*; Hiroi, Takahiro*; Matsuoka, Moe*; et al.

Nature Astronomy (Internet), 5(3), p.246 - 250, 2021/03

https://doi.org/10.1038/s41550-020-01271-2

Here we report observations of Ryugu's subsurface material by the Near-Infrared Spectrometer (NIRS3) on the Hayabusa2 spacecraft. Reflectance spectra of excavated material exhibit a hydroxyl (OH) absorption feature that is slightly stronger and peak-shifted compared with that observed for the surface, indicating that space weathering and/or radiative heating have caused subtle spectral changes in the uppermost surface. However, the strength and shape of the OH feature still suggests that the subsurface material experienced heating above 300 C, similar to the surface. In contrast, thermophysical modeling indicates that radiative heating does not increase the temperature above 200 C at the estimated excavation depth of 1 m, even if the semimajor axis is reduced to 0.344 au. This supports the hypothesis that primary thermal alteration occurred due to radiogenic and/or impact heating on Ryugu's parent body.

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.

Room-temperature local ferromagnetism and its nanoscale expansion in the ferromagnetic semiconductor GeFe

Wakabayashi, Yuki*; Sakamoto, Shoya*; Takeda, Yukiharu; Ishigami, Keisuke*; Takahashi, Yukio*; Saito, Yuji; Yamagami, Hiroshi; Fujimori, Atsushi*; Tanaka, Masaaki*; Oya, Shinobu*

Scientific Reports (Internet), 6, p.23295_1 - 23295_9, 2016/03

AA2016-0503.pdf:1.66MB

https://doi.org/10.1038/srep23295

Enhancement of the methodology of repository design and post-closure performance assessment for preliminary investigation stage, 3; Progress report on NUMO-JAEA collaborative research in FY2013 (Joint research)

Shibata, Masahiro; Sawada, Atsushi; Tachi, Yukio; Makino, Hitoshi; Wakasugi, Keiichiro; Mitsui, Seiichiro; Kitamura, Akira; Yoshikawa, Hideki; Oda, Chie; Ishidera, Takamitsu; et al.

JAEA-Research 2014-030, 457 Pages, 2015/03

JAEA-Research-2014-030.pdf:199.23MB

JAEA and NUMO have conducted a collaborative research work which is designed to enhance the methodology of repository design and post-closure performance assessment in preliminary investigation stage. With regard to (1) study on rock suitability in terms of hydrology, based on some examples of developing method of hydro-geological structure model, acquired knowledge are arranged using the tree diagram, and model uncertainty and its influence on the evaluation items were discussed. With regard to (2) study on scenario development, the developed approach for "defining conditions" has been reevaluated and improved from practical viewpoints. In addition, the uncertainty evaluation for the effect of use of cementitious material, as well as glass dissolution model, was conducted with analytical evaluation. With regard to (3) study on setting radionuclide migration parameters, based on survey of precedent procedures, multiple-approach for distribution coefficient of rocks was established, and the adequacy of the approach was confirmed though its application to sedimentary rock and granitic rock. Besides, an approach for solubility setting was developed including the procedure of selection of solubility limiting solid phase. The adequacy of the approach was confirmed though its application to key radionuclides.

Shielding benchmark experiment using hundreds of MeV quasi-monoenergetic neutron source by a large organic scintillator

Hagiwara, Masayuki*; Iwase, Hiroshi*; Iwamoto, Yosuke; Satoh, Daiki; Matsumoto, Tetsuro*; Masuda, Akihiko*; Yashima, Hiroshi*; Nakane, Yoshihiro; Nakashima, Hiroshi; Sakamoto, Yukio; et al.

Progress in Nuclear Science and Technology (Internet), 4, p.327 - 331, 2014/04

https://doi.org/10.15669/pnst.4.327

We have developed several hundreds of MeV p-Li quasi-monoenergetic neutron fields in the Research Center for Nuclear Physics (RCNP), Osaka University, Japan. In this study, we extended the measurements to higher energy with a p-Li quasi-monoenergetic neutron source, which was produced from a 1.0-cm-thick lithium target bombarded with 246 and 389 MeV protons, using a larger NE213 scintillator of 25.4-cm in diameter and 25.4-cm in thickness. The large NE213 have good energy resolution for high energy neutrons, because it can stop recoil protons up to 180 MeV. The measured data are compared with the Monte-Carlo codes (PHITS with JENDL-HE data library) in the energy spectra, time spectra and the attenuation length of the peak neutrons. This comparison shows good agreement between experiments and calculations. The attenuation length estimated from the well-fitted curves with single exponential form will be useful for the practical shielding design of high energy accelerator facilities.

Response measurement of a Bonner sphere spectrometer for high-energy neutrons

Masuda, Akihiko*; Matsumoto, Tetsuro*; Harano, Hideki*; Nishiyama, Jun*; Iwamoto, Yosuke; Hagiwara, Masayuki*; Satoh, Daiki; Iwase, Hiroshi*; Yashima, Hiroshi*; Nakamura, Takashi*; et al.

IEEE Transactions on Nuclear Science, 59(1), p.161 - 166, 2012/02

https://doi.org/10.1109/TNS.2011.2175406

In this study, responses of Bonner sphere spectrometer (BSS) for 245 and 388 MeV neutrons was measured at RCNP, Osaka University. The neutrons are generated in the Li(p,n) reaction and its spectra consist of a high-energy peak and a continuum down to the low energy. Therefore, the observed counts of BSS caused by the continuum need to be subtracted. Adjusting a Li target angle and a collimator position, 0 deg and 30 deg component of generated neutron are available. While the 0 deg component contains both the peak and the continuum, the 30 deg component is considered to contain only the continuum. Therefore, the response of the peak is obtained. The spectra were measured using the time-of-flight (TOF) method with a NE213 scintillator.

Characterisation of quadi-monoenergetic neutron energy spectra using Li(p,n) reactions at 246-389 MeV

Iwamoto, Yosuke; Hagiwara, Masayuki*; Satoh, Daiki; Iwase, Hiroshi*; Yashima, Hiroshi*; Itoga, Toshiro*; Sato, Tatsuhiko; Nakane, Yoshihiro; Nakashima, Hiroshi; Sakamoto, Yukio; et al.

Proceedings of 10th Meeting of the Task Force on Shielding Aspects of Accelerators, Targets and Irradiation Facilities (SATIF-10), p.53 - 61, 2011/03

The neutron energy spectra penetrating 10 to 100 cm thick iron and 25 to 200 cm thick concrete shields have been measured using 138, 243 and 387 MeV quasi-monoenergetic neutron sources at the Research Center for Nuclear Physics (RCNP) facility, Osaka University. The source neutrons were produced from a 1 cm thick lithium target bombarded with 140, 245 and 388 MeV protons. Two types of NE213 liquid organic scintillators and Bonner ball neutron spectrometers were used for the neutron energy spectrum measurement. The TOF and unfolding methods were applied to estimate the energy spectra behind the shield in the peak energy region and continuous energy region, respectively. We have also measured the neutron energy spectra and angular distribution of the source neutron above 1 MeV in the angular range from 0 to 30 with the TOF method. All measured data were compared with the PHITS Monte Carlo calculations.

Evaluation of the white neutron beam spectrum for single-event-effects testing at the RCNP cyclotron facility

Iwamoto, Yosuke; Fukuda, Mitsuhiro*; Sakamoto, Yukio; Tamii, Atsushi*; Hatanaka, Kichiji*; Takahisa, Keiji*; Nagayama, Keiichi*; Asai, Hiroaki*; Sugimoto, Kenji*; Nashiyama, Isamu*

Nuclear Technology, 173(2), p.210 - 217, 2011/02

https://doi.org/10.13182/NT11-A11550

The 30 white neutron beam at RCNP facility has been characterized as a prove suitable for testing of single event effects (SEEs) in semiconductors in the neutron energy range from 1 to 300 MeV using the 392-MeV proton incident reaction on a 6.5-cm-thick tungsten target. The neutron spectrum in measurements were demonstrated to provide a neutron spectrum similar to the terrestrial one at sea level, but with an enhancement in the intensity of a factor of 1.510. The average neutron intensity and spectrum from 10 to 300 MeV at RCNP were almost same as those at WNR. The calculated RCNP neutron flux using PHITS generally agreed with the measured RCNP data within a factor of two. As the neutron density per pulse for RCNP is 500 times lower than that for WNR, the pileup probability of single-event transient currents and false multiple-bit upsets is reduced. Such conditions at RCNP are suitable for accelerated SEE testing to get meaningful results in realistic time frame.

Measurement of neutron elastic scattering cross sections for carbon at 134 MeV

Satoh, Daiki; Iwamoto, Yosuke; Hagiwara, Masayuki*; Iwase, Hiroshi*; Yashima, Hiroshi*; Sato, Tatsuhiko; Endo, Akira; Sakamoto, Yukio; Nakane, Yoshihiro; Nakashima, Hiroshi; et al.

Radiation Measurements, 45(10), p.1159 - 1162, 2010/12

https://doi.org/10.1016/j.radmeas.2010.06.064

Elastic neutron-scattering cross sections for carbon nucleus have been measured by using 134-MeV monoenergetic neutron beam in Research Center for Nuclear Physics (RCNP), Osaka University. The measured angles were set at 6, 8, and 15 in laboratory system. The liquid organic scintillators, whose size is 12.7 cm in diameter and 12.7 cm in thickness, were mounted at each angle as neutron detector. In the off-line analysis, the events of elastic-neutron scattering were extracted on basis of the Time-of-Flight (TOF) information. The results were compared with the data measured by the groupe of U.C. Davis with a recoil proton spectrometer and the evaluations of the nuclear data libraries, JENDL/HE-2007 and ENDF/B-VII.0. Our results show a good agreement with the data of U.C. Davis. This indicates that our experimental method based on the TOF teqnique is appropriate to the measurement of elastic neutron-scattering cross section in this energy region. In addition, we exhibit that the data of ENDF/B-VII.0 represent the experimental data, but JENDL/HE-2007 underestimates about 30 in the forward angle region.

Examination on small-sized cogeneration HTGR for developing countries

Sakaba, Nariaki; Tachibana, Yukio; Shimakawa, Satoshi; Ohashi, Hirofumi; Sato, Hiroyuki; Yan, X.; Murakami, Tomoyuki; Ohashi, Kazutaka; Nakagawa, Shigeaki; Goto, Minoru; et al.

JAEA-Technology 2008-019, 57 Pages, 2008/03

JAEA-Technology-2008-019.pdf:8.59MB

The small-sized and safe cogeneration High Temperature Gas-cooled Reactor (HTGR) that can be used not only for electric power generation but also for hydrogen production and district heating is considered one of the most promising nuclear reactors for developing countries where sufficient infrastructure such as power grids is not provided. Thus, the small-sized cogeneration HTGR, named High Temperature Reactor 50-Cogeneration (HTR50C), was studied assuming that it should be constructed in developing countries. Specification, equipment configuration, etc. of the HTR50C were determined, and economical evaluation was made. As a result, it was shown that the HTR50C is economically competitive with small-sized light water reactors.