Annual report for research on geosphere stability for long-term isolation of radioactive waste in fiscal year 2024

Asamori, Koichi; Sueoka, Shigeru; Kobayashi, Tomoharu; Nishiyama, Nariaki; Tanaka, Kiriha; Murakami, Osamu; Fukuda, Shoma; Ogata, Manabu; Uchida, Mao; Komatsu, Tetsuya; et al.

JAEA-Research 2025-007, 99 Pages, 2025/10

JAEA-Research-2025-007.pdf:12.36MB

This annual report documents the progress of research and development (R&D) in the 3rd fiscal year of the JAEA 4th Medium- and Long-term Plan (fiscal years 2022-2028) to provide the scientific base for assessing geosphere stability for long-term isolation of high-level radioactive waste. The plan framework is structured into the following categories: (1) Development and systematization of investigation techniques, (2) Development of models for long-term estimation and effective assessment, (3) Development of dating techniques. The current status of R&D activities with previous scientific and technological progress is summarized.

Annual report for research on geosphere stability for long-term isolation of radioactive waste in fiscal year 2023

Niwa, Masakazu; Shimada, Koji; Sueoka, Shigeru; Ishihara, Takanori; Hakoiwa, Hiroaki; Asamori, Koichi; Murakami, Osamu; Fukuda, Shoma; Ogita, Yasuhiro; Kagami, Saya; et al.

JAEA-Research 2024-013, 65 Pages, 2024/11

JAEA-Research-2024-013.pdf:4.22MB

This annual report documents the progress of research and development (R&D) in the 2nd fiscal year of the JAEA 4th Medium- and Long-term Plan (fiscal years 2022-2028) to provide the scientific base for assessing geosphere stability for long-term isolation of high-level radioactive waste. The plan framework is structured into the following categories: (1) Development and systematization of investigation techniques, (2) Development of models for long-term estimation and effective assessment, (3) Development of dating techniques. The current status of R&D activities with previous scientific and technological progress is summarized.

Petrography and geochronology of the Kuki granite, Kitakami mountains, northeastern Japan; Shallow crustal intrusion and emplacement processes of granitic magma

Suzuki, Satoshi*; Yuguchi, Takashi*; Ishiguro, Keito*; Endo, Kyoka*; Kato, Asuka*; Yokoyama, Kosuke*; Ogita, Yasuhiro; Yokoyama, Tatsunori; Sakata, Shuhei*; Ono, Takeshi*; et al.

Journal of Mineralogical and Petrological Sciences (Internet), 119(1), p.230807_1 - 230807_18, 2024/02

https://doi.org/10.2465/jmps.230807

Understanding the crustal evolutionary dynamics of island arc-trench systems requires a thorough evaluation of magma chamber processes, and especially of shallow crustal granitic magma intrusion and emplacement processes. To address this, we studied the petrography and geochronology of the Kuki granite, Kitakami Mountains, northeast Japan, as an example of a non-adakitic granite at the magmatic flare-up stage. Granitic borehole samples reflect vertical variation within a magma chamber. Whole-rock chemical composition and mode data reveal a vertical transition from felsic to mafic composition with increasing depth, potentially due to gravitational fractionation of crystals in the magma chamber. The pressure and temperature history of the Kuki granite indicates no change in the magma depth with cooling from 800 to 730C, and geobarometric calculations indicate the emplacement of magma at a depth of approximately10 km. Simultaneous determination of the zircon U Pb age, Ti concentration, and Th/U yields 1) the time temperature history of granitic magma before its solidification, and 2) the correlation between temperature and Th/U in the magma. The magma chamber cooled from ca. 900 to 700C at approximately 125 Ma. The change in Th/U with temperature indicates greater fractional crystallization in the magma chamber at temperatures above 800C than below 800C. Samples from different depth exhibit common tendencies in terms of the relationship between Th/U and temperature, indicating the same system of fractional crystallization throughout the cooling magma chamber.

Outlining zircon growth in a granitic pluton using 3D cathodoluminescence patterns, U-Pb age, titanium concentration, and Th/U; Implications for the magma chamber process of Okueyama granite, Kyushu, Japan

Yuguchi, Takashi*; Ito, Daichi*; Yokoyama, Tatsunori; Sakata, Shuhei*; Suzuki, Satoshi*; Ogita, Yasuhiro; Yagi, Koshi*; Imura, Takumi*; Motai, Satoko*; Ono, Takeshi*

Lithos, 440-441, p.107026_1 - 107026_14, 2023/03

https://doi.org/10.1016/j.lithos.2023.107026

We propose a new method for elucidating zircon growth in granitic plutons, based on variations in three-dimensional 3D cathodoluminescence (CL) patterns, U-Pb ages, titanium concentration, and Th/U ratios. We focused on the zircon growth processes in the Okueyama granite (OKG) in central Kyushu, Japan, to obtain interpretations of magma chamber processes that result in the formation of granitic plutons. The OKG consists of three lithofacies: biotite granite (BG), hornblende granite (HG), and hornblende granodiorite (HGD). To determine the 3D internal structure and growth pattern of a zircon crystal, we performed CL observations for multi-sections of the samples. Simultaneously, we also determined the zircon U-Pb age and titanium concentration of the center sections of the samples. The 3D distribution of the oscillatory zoning can be used to determine the crystal nucleus. The simultaneous determination of zircon U-Pb ages and Ti concentrations of the granite samples indicates the time-temperature (t-T) history of granitic magma before its solidification. The t-T histories of the BG, HG, and HGD represented similar cooling behaviors within the magma chamber: rapid cooling from the zircon crystallization temperature to the closure temperature of the biotite K-Ar system between 16 Ma and 10 Ma. The variations in the Th/U ratios against temperature also demonstrate a different trend at the boundary of approximately 670 C. Fractional crystallization in the magma chamber progressed significantly at temperatures above 670 C; below 670 C, crystallization progressed slowly, indicating only minimal changes in the magma composition. The variations in the Th/U ratio against temperature in the BG, HG, and HGD portrayed common tendencies, indicating the same behavior in the progression of fractional crystallization among the three lithofacies, which in turn, represented the same behavior within the entire magma chamber.

Development of ARKADIA for the innovation of advanced nuclear reactor design process (Overview of optimization process development in design optimization support tool, ARKADIA-Design)

Tanaka, Masaaki; Doda, Norihiro; Yokoyama, Kenji; Mori, Takero; Okajima, Satoshi; Hashidate, Ryuta; Yada, Hiroki; Oki, Shigeo; Miyazaki, Masashi; Takaya, Shigeru

Dai-26-Kai Doryoku, Enerugi Gijutsu Shimpojiumu Koen Rombunshu (Internet), 5 Pages, 2022/07

https://doi.org/10.1299/jsmepes.2022.26.A221

To assist conceptual studies of various reactor systems conducted by private sectors in nuclear power innovation, development of an innovative design system named ARKADIA (Advanced Reactor Knowledge- and AI-aided Design Integration Approach through the whole plant lifecycle) is undergoing to achieve the design of an advanced nuclear reactor as a safe, economic, and sustainable carbon-free energy source. In this paper, focusing on the ARKADIA-Design as a part of it, the progress in the development of optimization processes on the representative problems in the fields of the core design, the plant structure design, and the maintenance schedule planning are introduced.

Measurements of thermal conductivity for near stoichiometric (UPuAm)O (z = 0.05, 0.10, and 0.15)

Yokoyama, Keisuke; Watanabe, Masashi; Tokoro, Daishiro*; Sugimoto, Masatoshi*; Morimoto, Kyoichi; Kato, Masato; Hino, Tetsushi*

Nuclear Materials and Energy (Internet), 31, p.101156_1 - 101156_7, 2022/06

https://doi.org/10.1016/j.nme.2022.101156

In current nuclear fuel cycle systems, to reduce the amount of high-level radioactive waste, minor actinides (MAs) bearing MOX fuel is one option for burning MAs using fast reactor. However, the effects of Am content in fuel on thermal conductivity are unclear because there are no experimental data on thermal conductivity of high Am bearing MOX fuel. In this study, The thermal conductivities of near stoichiometric (UPuAm)O solid solutions(z = 0.05, 0.10, and 0.15) have been measured between room temperature (RT) and 1473 K. The thermal conductivities decreased with increasing Am content and satisfied the classical phonon transport model ((A+BT)) up to about 1473 K. A values increased linearly with increasing Am content because the change in ionic radius affects the conduction of the phonon due to the solid solution in U and Am. B values were independent of Am content.

Simultaneous determination of zircon crystallisation age and temperature; Common thermal evolution of mafic magmatic enclaves and host granites in the Kurobegawa granite, central Japan

Yuguchi, Takashi*; Yamazaki, Hayato*; Ishibashi, Kozue*; Sakata, Shuhei*; Yokoyama, Tatsunori; Suzuki, Satoshi*; Ogita, Yasuhiro; Sando, Kazusa*; Imura, Takumi*; Ono, Takeshi*

Journal of Asian Earth Sciences, 226, p.105075_1 - 105075_9, 2022/04

https://doi.org/10.1016/j.jseaes.2021.105075

Simultaneous determination of the U-Pb age of zircon and concentration of titanium in a single analysis spot, using inductively coupled plasma mass spectrometry with laser ablation sample introduction, produces paired age and temperature data of zircon crystallisation, potentially revealing time-temperature () histories for evolved magma. The Kurobegawa granite, central Japan, contains abundant mafic magmatic enclaves (MMEs). We applied this method to evaluate MMEs and their host (enclosing) granites. Cooling behaviour common to both MMEs and host rocks was found between 1.5 and 0.5 Ma. Rapid cooling from the zircon crystallisation temperature to the closure temperature of biotite K-Ar system was within 1 million year. Combining the obtained paths of MMEs and host rocks with petrological information can provide insights into magma chamber processes. This suggests that MME flotation, migration, and spread through the magma chamber ceased at 1.5-0.5 Ma, indicating the emplacement age of the Kurobegawa granitic pluton, as no large-scale reheating episodes have occurred since then.

Development of numerical analysis codes for multi-level and multi-physics approaches in an advanced reactor design study

Tanaka, Masaaki; Doda, Norihiro; Mori, Takero; Yokoyama, Kenji; Uwaba, Tomoyuki; Okajima, Satoshi; Matsushita, Kentaro; Hashidate, Ryuta; Yada, Hiroki

Proceedings of 19th International Topical Meeting on Nuclear Reactor Thermal Hydraulics (NURETH-19) (Internet), 16 Pages, 2022/03

Japan Atomic Energy Agency is developing an innovative design system named ARKADIA to achieve the design of an advanced nuclear reactor as a safe, economic, and sustainable carbon-free energy source. In the first phase of its development, ARKADIA-Design for design study and ARKADIA-Safety for safety assessment will be developed individually. In this paper, focusing on the ARKADIA-Design, the concept of the system is described and numerical analysis codes to be used for the multi-level and multi-physics analyses are introduced. Descriptions of the practical functions composed by the analysis codes and the representative problems in application studies for validation are introduced.

Annual report on the environmental radiation monitoring around the Tokai Reprocessing Plant FY2019

Nakano, Masanao; Fujii, Tomoko; Nemoto, Masashi; Tobita, Keiji; Seya, Natsumi; Nishimura, Shusaku; Hosomi, Kenji; Nagaoka, Mika; Yokoyama, Hiroya; Matsubara, Natsumi; et al.

JAEA-Review 2020-069, 163 Pages, 2021/02

JAEA-Review-2020-069.pdf:4.78MB

Environmental radiation monitoring around the Tokai Reprocessing Plant has been performed by the Nuclear Fuel Cycle Engineering Laboratories, based on "Safety Regulations for the Reprocessing Plant of Japan Atomic Energy Agency, Chapter IV - Environmental Monitoring". This annual report presents the results of the environmental monitoring and the dose estimation to the hypothetical inhabitant due to the radioactivity discharged from the plant to the atmosphere and the sea during April 2019 to March 2020. In this report, some data include the influence of the accidental release from the Fukushima Daiichi Nuclear Power Station of Tokyo Electric Power Co., Inc. (the trade name was changed to Tokyo Electric Power Company Holdings, Inc. on April 1, 2016) in March 2011. Appendices present comprehensive information, such as monitoring programs, monitoring methods, monitoring results and their trends, meteorological data and discharged radioactive wastes. In addition, the data which were influenced by the accidental release and exceeded the normal range of fluctuation in the monitoring, were evaluated.

Development of measurement and analysis techniques in X-ray photoelectron spectroscopy; From NAP-HARPES to 4D-XPS

Toyoda, Satoshi*; Yamamoto, Tomoki*; Yoshimura, Masashi*; Sumida, Hirosuke*; Mineoi, Susumu*; Machida, Masatake*; Yoshigoe, Akitaka; Suzuki, Satoru*; Yokoyama, Kazushi*; Ohashi, Yuji*; et al.

Vacuum and Surface Science, 64(2), p.86 - 91, 2021/02

https://doi.org/10.1380/vss.64.86

We have developed measurement and analysis techniques in X-ray photoelectron spectroscopy. To begin with, time-division depth profiles of gate stacked film interfaces have been achieved by NAP-HARPES (Near Ambient Pressure Hard X-ray Angle-Resolved Photo Emission Spectroscopy) data. We then have promoted our methods to quickly perform peak fittings and depth profiling from time-division ARPES data, which enables us to realize 4D-XPS analysis. It is found that the traditional maximum entropy method (MEM) combined with Jackknife averaging of sparse modeling in NAP-HARPES data is effective to perform dynamic measurement of depth profiles with high precision.