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.

Unexpected dynamic transformation from phase to phase in zirconium alloy revealed by in-situ neutron diffraction during high temperature deformation

Guo, B.*; Mao, W.; Chong, Y.*; Shibata, Akinobu*; Harjo, S.; Gong, W.; Chen, H.*; Jonas, J. J.*; Tsuji, Nobuhiro*

Acta Materialia, 242, p.118427_1 - 118427_11, 2023/01

https://doi.org/10.1016/j.actamat.2022.118427

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.

Evaluation of the minimum critical amount for heterogeneous lattice systems composed of fuel rods utilized in low-power water-moderated research and test reactors by using continuous-energy Monte Carlo code MVP with JENDL-4.0

Yanagisawa, Hiroshi

JAEA-Technology 2021-023, 190 Pages, 2021/11

JAEA-Technology-2021-023.pdf:5.25MB

Computational analyses on nuclear criticality characteristics were carried out for heterogeneous lattice systems composed of water moderator and fuel rods utilized in low-power research and test reactors, in which the depletion of fuel due to burnup is relatively small, by using the continuous-energy Monte Carlo code MVP Version 2 with the evaluated nuclear data library JENDL-4.0. In the analyses, the minimum critical number of fuel rods was evaluated using calculated neutron multiplication factors for the heterogeneous systems of the uranium dioxide fuel rod in the Static Experiments Critical Facility (STACY) and the Tank-type Critical Assembly (TCA), and the uranium-zirconium hydride fuel rod in the Nuclear Safety Research Reactor (NSRR). In addition, six sorts of the ratio of reaction rates, which are components of neutron multiplication factors, were calculated in the analyses to explain the variation of neutron multiplication factors with the ratio of water moderator to fuel volume in a unit fuel rod cell. Those results of analyses are considered to be useful for the confirmation of reasonableness and validity of criticality safety measures as data showing criticality characteristics for water-moderated heterogeneous lattice systems composed of the existing fuel rods in research and test reactors, of which criticality data are not sufficiently provided by the Criticality Safety Handbook.

Simultaneous determination of zircon U-Pb age and titanium concentration using LA-ICP-MS for crystallization age and temperature

Yuguchi, Takashi*; Ishibashi, Kozue*; Sakata, Shuhei*; Yokoyama, Tatsunori; Ito, Daichi*; Ogita, Yasuhiro; Yagi, Koshi*; Ono, Takeshi*

Lithos, 372-373, p.105682_1 - 105682_9, 2020/11

https://doi.org/10.1016/j.lithos.2020.105682

Simultaneous determination of zircon U-Pb age and titanium concentration for a single analysis spot gives both the crystallization age and temperature. The crystallization age and temperature pairs in granitic zircons map the time-temperature () path of granitic magma before its solidification. In laser ablation inductively coupled plasma mass spectrometry (LA-ICP-MS) analysis, it is challenging to quantitatively analyse a low level of titanium concentration. This study employed two approaches using a Quadrupole mass spectrometer equipped with a collision/reaction cell (CRC). The methods were applied to zircon samples of the Kurobegawa granite (KRG), the Okueyama granite (OKG), the Toki granite (TKG), and the Tono plutonic complex (TPC) and provided U-Pb ages and titanium concentrations consistent with previous studies. The crystallization ages and temperatures collected from individual analysis spots of zircon samples in the KRG, OKG, TKG, and TPC are plotted in the diagrams and enable us to characterize the rapid cooling paths at thermal conditions of zircon crystallization at the sampling sites.

Mechanical and thermal properties of Zr-B and Fe-B alloys

Sun, Y.*; Abe, Yuta; Muta, Hiroaki*; Oishi, Yuji*

Journal of Nuclear Science and Technology, 57(8), p.917 - 925, 2020/08

https://doi.org/10.1080/00223131.2020.1736201

A Laboratory investigation of microbial degradation of simulant fuel debris by oxidizing microorganisms

Liu, J.; Dotsuta, Yuma; Kitagaki, Toru; Kozai, Naofumi; Yamaji, Keiko*; Onuki, Toshihiko

Proceedings of International Topical Workshop on Fukushima Decommissioning Research (FDR 2019) (Internet), 2 Pages, 2019/05

To decommission the Fukushima Daiichi Nuclear Power Plant (FDNPP), it is necessary to estimate the current status of fuel debris and predicate the possible change under various condition. Some microorganisms may enter the plant due to the seawater injection after accident and future defueling activity. In this study, microbial influence on fuel debris under aerobic condition was experimentally investigated. By culturing some bacteria in the presence of simulant fuel debris in liquid medium, the microbial degradation of fuel debris was observed.

Zircon U-Pb and Fission-track ages for the Ohta Tephra in the Pliocene Tokai Group, Central Japan

Ueki, Tadamasa; Niwa, Masakazu; Iwano, Hideki*; Danhara, Toru*; Hirata, Takafumi*

Chishitsugaku Zasshi, 125(3), p.227 - 236, 2019/03

https://doi.org/10.5575/geosoc.2018.0058

no abstracts in English

Study on Pu-burner high temperature gas-cooled reactor in Japan; Test and characterization for ZrC coating

Ueta, Shohei; Aihara, Jun; Mizuta, Naoki; Goto, Minoru; Fukaya, Yuji; Tachibana, Yukio; Okamoto, Koji*

Proceedings of 9th International Topical Meeting on High Temperature Reactor Technology (HTR 2018) (USB Flash Drive), 7 Pages, 2018/10

The security and safety fuel (3S-TRISO fuel) employs the coated fuel particle with a fuel kernel made of plutonium dioxide (PuO) and yttria stabilized zirconia (YSZ) as an inert matrix. Especially, a zirconium carbide (ZrC) coating is one of key technologies of the 3S-TRISO, which performs as an oxygen getter to reduce the fuel failure due to internal pressure during the irradiation. R&Ds on ZrC coating directly on the dummy CeO-YSZ kernel have been carried in the Japanese fiscal year 2017. As results of ZrC coating tests by the bromide chemical vapor deposition process, stoichiometric ZrC coatings with 3 - 18 microns of thicknesses were obtained with 0.1 kg of particle loading weight.

Effect of hydrogenation conditions on the microstructure and mechanical properties of zirconium hydride

Muta, Hiroaki*; Nishikane, Ryoji*; Ando, Yusuke*; Matsunaga, Junji*; Sakamoto, Kan*; Harjo, S.; Kawasaki, Takuro; Oishi, Yuji*; Kurosaki, Ken*; Yamanaka, Shinsuke*

Journal of Nuclear Materials, 500, p.145 - 152, 2018/03

https://doi.org/10.1016/j.jnucmat.2017.12.027