Nuclear data generation by machine learning, 1; application to angular distributions for nucleon-nucleus scattering

Watanabe, Shoto*; Minato, Futoshi; Kimura, Masaaki*; Iwamoto, Nobuyuki

Journal of Nuclear Science and Technology, 59(11), p.1399 - 1406, 2022/11

https://doi.org/10.1080/00223131.2022.2061622

Development of local-scale high-resolution atmospheric dispersion and dose assessment system

Nakayama, Hiromasa; Onodera, Naoyuki; Satoh, Daiki; Nagai, Haruyasu; Hasegawa, Yuta; Idomura, Yasuhiro

Journal of Nuclear Science and Technology, 59(10), p.1314 - 1329, 2022/10

https://doi.org/10.1080/00223131.2022.2038302

We developed a local-scale high-resolution atmospheric dispersion and dose assessment system (LHADDAS) for safety and consequence assessment of nuclear facilities and emergency response to nuclear accidents or deliberate releases of radioactive materials in built-up urban areas. This system is composed of pre-processing of input files, main calculation by local-scale high-resolution atmospheric dispersion model using large-eddy simulation (LOHDIM-LES) and real-time urban dispersion simulation model based on a lattice Boltzmann method (CityLBM), and post-processing of dose-calculation by simulation code powered by lattice dose-response functions (SIBYL). LHADDAS has a broad utility and offers superior performance in (1) simulating turbulent flows, plume dispersion, and dry deposition under realistic meteorological conditions, (2) performing real-time tracer dispersion simulations using a locally mesh-refined lattice Boltzmann method, and (3) estimating air dose rates of radionuclides from air concentrations and surface deposition in consideration of the influence of individual buildings and structures. This system is promising for safety assessment of nuclear facilities as an alternative to wind tunnel experiments, detailed pre/post-analyses of a local-scale radioactive plume dispersion in case of nuclear accidents, and quick response to emergency situations resulting from deliberate release of radioactive materials by a terrorist attack in an urban central district area.

Development of a miniature electromagnet probe for the measurement of local velocity in heavy liquid metals

Ariyoshi, Gen; Obayashi, Hironari; Sasa, Toshinobu

Journal of Nuclear Science and Technology, 59(9), p.1071 - 1088, 2022/09

https://doi.org/10.1080/00223131.2022.2030824

Electromagnetic induction method is one of the effective techniques for local velocity measurement in heavy liquid metals. Ricou and Vives' probe and Von Weissenfluh's probe are famous instrumentations using a permanent magnet. However, sensitivity and measurement volume of the probes show unexpected variation since demagnetization of the magnet is occurred by temperature increase up to the Curie temperature. In this study, electromagnetic probe incorporating a miniature electromagnet was newly developed to overcome such unexpected variation. The diameter and the length of the sensor was 6 mm and 155 mm, respectively. The sensitivity and the measurement volume of the probe were assessed by measurement of local velocity of flowing mercury in a square channel. To clarify the validity for the measured velocity profiles, numerical velocity profiles were calculated and compared with experiment. And the validity for the measured velocity profiles were confirmed by calculated result.

Nonuniform particle distribution and interference between removal mechanisms during unsteady aerosol deposition from a rising spherical bubble

Motegi, Kosuke; Shibamoto, Yasuteru; Kukita, Yutaka

Journal of Nuclear Science and Technology, 59(8), p.1037 - 1046, 2022/08

https://doi.org/10.1080/00223131.2022.2029724

Improvements in the particle and heavy-ion transport code system (PHITS) for simulating neutron-response functions and detection efficiencies of a liquid organic scintillator

Satoh, Daiki; Sato, Tatsuhiko

Journal of Nuclear Science and Technology, 59(8), p.1047 - 1060, 2022/08

https://doi.org/10.1080/00223131.2021.2019622

In this research, we simulated the neutron-response functions and detection efficiencies of a liquid organic scintillator using the particle and heavy-ion transport code system (PHITS). We incorporated the algorithm and database of the neutron-response simulation code SCINFUL-QMD into PHITS. Then, we updated the total, elastic, and inelastic cross-section data of the hydrogen and carbon nuclei for neutrons and developed a new scorer to analyze the light outputs from a scintillator. The calculation results of the neutron-response functions and the detection efficiencies were compared with results of SCINFUL-QMD, the previous PHITS with the new scorer, and the reported measurements. It was found that the improved PHITS successfully reproduced the results calculated by SCINFUL-QMD, except for around 150 MeV where a discontinuity of detection-efficiency curve was observed in the SCINFUL-QMD values. Our results showed better agreement with the measured data than the results of the previous PHITS. The uncertainties of the detection efficiencies calculated by PHITS using the present extensions were estimated to be approximately 15% for neutrons in the energy region below 100 MeV.

Geopolymer and ordinary Portland cement interface analyzed by micro-Raman and SEM

Cantarel, V.; Yamagishi, Isao

Journal of Nuclear Science and Technology, 59(7), p.888 - 897, 2022/07

https://doi.org/10.1080/00223131.2021.2016510

Theoretical and experimental estimation of the relative optically stimulated luminescence efficiency of an optical-fiber-based BaFBr:Eu detector for swift ions

Hirata, Yuho; Sato, Tatsuhiko; Watanabe, Kenichi*; Ogawa, Tatsuhiko; Parisi, A.*; Uritani, Akira*

Journal of Nuclear Science and Technology, 59(7), p.915 - 924, 2022/07

https://doi.org/10.1080/00223131.2021.2017372

The reliability of dose assessment with radiation detectors is an important feature in various fields, such as radiotherapy, radiation protection, and high-energy physics. However, many detectors irradiated by high linear energy transfer (LET) radiations exhibit decreased efficiency called the quenching effect. This quenching effect depends not only on the particle LET but strongly on the ion species and its microscopic pattern of energy deposition. Recently, a computational method for estimating the relative efficiency of luminescence detectors was proposed following analysis of microdosimetric specific energy distributions simulated using the particle and heavy ion transport code system (PHITS). This study applied the model to estimate the relative optically stimulated luminescence (OSL) efficiency of BaFBr:Eu detectors. Additionally, we measured the luminescence intensity of BaFBr:Eu detectors exposed to He, C and Ne ions to verify the calculated data. The model reproduced the experimental data in the cases of adopting a microdosimetric target diameter of approximately 30-50 nm. The calculated relative efficiency exhibit ion-species dependence in addition to LET. This result shows that the microdosimetric calculation from specific energy is a successful method for accurately understanding the results of OSL measurements with BaFBr:Eu detectors irradiated by various particles.

Radiation imaging using an integrated radiation imaging system based on a compact Compton camera under Unit 1/2 exhaust stack of Fukushima Daiichi Nuclear Power Station

Sato, Yuki; Terasaka, Yuta

Journal of Nuclear Science and Technology, 59(6), p.677 - 687, 2022/06

https://doi.org/10.1080/00223131.2021.2001391

ACE-FRENDY-CBZ; A New neutronics analysis sequence using multi-group neutron transport calculations

Chiba, Go*; Yamamoto, Akio*; Tada, Kenichi

Journal of Nuclear Science and Technology, 8 Pages, 2022/06

https://doi.org/10.1080/00223131.2022.2087783

A new multi-group neutronics analysis sequence ACE-FRENDY-CBZ is proposed. This sequence is free from uses of any application libraries; with the ACE files as the starting point, multi-group cross section data of media comprising a target system are calculated with the FRENDY code, and multi-group neutron transport calculations are performed with modules of the CBZ code system. The ACE-FRENDY-CBZ sequence was tested against the eight fast neutron systems, and good agreement with the reference Monte Carlo results was obtained within 30 pcm differences in the bare systems and the thorium-reflected system, and approximately 100 pcm differences in the uranium-reflected systems. The use of the current-weighted total cross sections in the multi-group neutron transport calculations had non-negligible impacts over 100 pcm on k-eff, and the calculations with the current-weighted total cross sections systematically underestimated k-eff in the uranium-reflected systems.

Benchmark study of particle and heavy-ion transport code system using shielding integral benchmark archive and database for accelerator-shielding experiments

Iwamoto, Yosuke; Hashimoto, Shintaro; Sato, Tatsuhiko; Matsuda, Norihiro; Kunieda, Satoshi; elik, Y.*; Furutachi, Naoya*; Niita, Koji*

Journal of Nuclear Science and Technology, 59(5), p.665 - 675, 2022/05

https://doi.org/10.1080/00223131.2021.1993372

A benchmark study of PHITS3.24 has been conducted using neutron-shielding experiments listed in the Shielding Integral Benchmark Archive and Database. Five neutron sources were selected, which are generated from (1) 43- and 68-MeV proton-induced reaction on a thin lithium target, (2) 52-MeV proton-induced reaction on a thick graphite target, (3) 590-MeV proton-induced reaction on a thick lead target, (4) 500-MeV proton-induced reaction on a thick tungsten target, and (5) 800-MeV proton-induced reaction on a thick tantalum target. For all cases, overall agreements in the results are satisfactory when using the JENDL-4.0/HE to simulate neutron- and proton-induced reactions up to 200 MeV. However, discrepancies using PHITS default settings are observed in the results. For an accurate neutron-shielding design for accelerator facilities, using JENDL-4.0/HE in the particle and heavy-ion transport code system calculation is favorable.