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Saito, Yuki*; Ishiwata, Tobimaru*; Horiuchi, Misato*; Nishiki, Yuto*; Kikuchi, Ryosuke*; Otake, Tsubasa*; Kawakita, Ryohei; Takayama, Yusuke; Mitsui, Seiichiro; Sato, Tsutomu*
Shigen, Sozai Koenshu (Internet), 11(1), 7 Pages, 2024/03
no abstracts in English
Kawakita, Ryohei; Saito, Akito*; Sakuma, Hiroshi*; Anraku, Sohtaro; Kikuchi, Ryosuke*; Otake, Tsubasa*; Sato, Tsutomu*
Applied Clay Science, 231, p.106722_1 - 106722_7, 2023/01
Times Cited Count:1 Percentile:21.06(Chemistry, Physical)Nara, Yoshitaka*; Kato, Masaji*; Sato, Tsutomu*; Kono, Masanori*; Sato, Toshinori
Journal of MMIJ, 138(4), p.44 - 50, 2022/04
It is important to understand the long-term migration of radionuclides when considering rock engineering projects such as the geological disposal of radioactive waste. The network of fractures and pores in a rock mass plays a major role in fluid migration as it provides a pathway for fluid flow. The geometry of a network can change due to fracture sealing by some fine-grained materials over long-term periods. In the present study, we use a macro-fractured granite sample to investigate the change of permeability that occurs under the flow of water that includes two different amounts of clay. Findings showed that clay accumulated in a fracture and that the permeability (hydraulic conductivity) of the granite sample decreased over time, which was greater in for the higher clay content. We concluded that the accumulation of clay minerals in the fracture decreased the permeability of the rock. Furthermore, we consider that the filling and closure of fractures in rock is possible under the flow of groundwater that includes clay minerals.
Ishii, Mamoru*; Shiota, Daiko*; Tao, Chihiro*; Ebihara, Yusuke*; Fujiwara, Hitoshi*; Ishii, Takako*; Ichimoto, Kiyoshi*; Kataoka, Ryuho*; Koga, Kiyokazu*; Kubo, Yuki*; et al.
Earth, Planets and Space (Internet), 73(1), p.108_1 - 108_20, 2021/12
Times Cited Count:8 Percentile:57.39(Geosciences, Multidisciplinary)We surveyed the relationship between the scale of space weather events and their occurrence rate in Japan and we discussed the social impact of these phenomena during the Project for Solar-Terrestrial Environment Prediction (PSTEP). The information was compiled for domestic users of space weather forecasts for appropriate preparedness against space weather disasters. This paper gives a comprehensive summary of the survey, focusing on the fields of electricity, satellite operations, communication and broadcasting, satellite positioning usage, aviation, human space activity, and daily life on the Earth's surface, using the cutting-edge knowledge of space weather. Quantitative estimations of the economic impact of space weather events on electricity and aviation are also given.
Kusano, Kanya*; Ichimoto, Kiyoshi*; Ishii, Mamoru*; Miyoshi, Yoshizumi*; Yoden, Shigeo*; Akiyoshi, Hideharu*; Asai, Ayumi*; Ebihara, Yusuke*; Fujiwara, Hitoshi*; Goto, Tadanori*; et al.
Earth, Planets and Space (Internet), 73(1), p.159_1 - 159_29, 2021/12
Times Cited Count:6 Percentile:51.19(Geosciences, Multidisciplinary)The PSTEP is a nationwide research collaboration in Japan and was conducted from April 2015 to March 2020, supported by a Grant-in-Aid for Scientific Research on Innovative Areas from the Ministry of Education, Culture, Sports, Science and Technology of Japan. It has made a significant progress in space weather research and operational forecasts, publishing over 500 refereed journal papers and organizing four international symposiums, various workshops and seminars, and summer school for graduate students at Rikubetsu in 2017. This paper is a summary report of the PSTEP and describes the major research achievements it produced.
Sasa, Kimikazu*; Honda, Maki; Hosoya, Seiji*; Takahashi, Tsutomu*; Takano, Kenta*; Ochiai, Yuta*; Sakaguchi, Aya*; Kurita, Saori*; Satou, Yukihiko; Sueki, Keisuke*
Journal of Nuclear Science and Technology, 58(1), p.72 - 79, 2021/01
Times Cited Count:8 Percentile:71.58(Nuclear Science & Technology)Nara, Yoshitaka*; Kato, Masaji*; Sato, Tsutomu*; Kono, Masanori*; Sato, Toshinori
Proceedings of 5th ISRM Young Scholars' Symposium on Rock Mechanics and International Symposium on Rock Engineering for Innovative Future (YSRM 2019 and REIF 2019) (USB Flash Drive), 6 Pages, 2019/12
It is important to understand the long-term migration of radionuclides considering carious rock engineering projects such as the geological disposal of radioactive wastes. The network of fractures and pores in a rock mass can play important roles as the pathway of the fluid flow of rock. Usually groundwater contains fine-grained minerals such as clays. It is probable that the accumulation of the fine-grained minerals occurs in a fracture if the groundwater flows in a fracture in a rock. In this study, we have conducted the permeability measurement using water including clays. Specifically, we used a macro-fractured granite as a rock sample, and investigated the change of the permeability under the flow of the water including clays. It was shown that the hydraulic conductivity decreased with elapsed time.
Matsunaka, Tetsuya*; Sasa, Kimikazu*; Takahashi, Tsutomu*; Matsumura, Masumi*; Satou, Yukihiko; Shen, H.*; Sueki, Keisuke*; Matsuzaki, Hiroyuki*
Radiocarbon, 61(6), p.1633 - 1642, 2019/12
Times Cited Count:2 Percentile:11.66(Geochemistry & Geophysics)Ota, Yuki*; Sueki, Keisuke*; Sasa, Kimikazu*; Takahashi, Tsutomu*; Matsunaka, Tetsuya*; Matsumura, Masumi*; Tosaki, Yuki*; Honda, Maki*; Hosoya, Seiji*; Takano, Kenta*; et al.
JAEA-Conf 2018-002, p.99 - 102, 2019/02
no abstracts in English
Matsunaka, Tetsuya*; Sasa, Kimikazu*; Takahashi, Tsutomu*; Hosoya, Seiji*; Matsumura, Masumi*; Satou, Yukihiko; Shen, H.*; Sueki, Keisuke*
Nuclear Instruments and Methods in Physics Research B, 439, p.64 - 69, 2019/01
Times Cited Count:2 Percentile:23.19(Instruments & Instrumentation)no abstracts in English
Kato, Masaji*; Nara, Yoshitaka*; Okazaki, Yuki*; Kono, Masanori*; Sato, Toshinori; Sato, Tsutomu*; Takahashi, Manabu*
Materials Transactions, 59(9), p.1427 - 1432, 2018/09
Times Cited Count:6 Percentile:32.61(Materials Science, Multidisciplinary)To ensure the safe geological disposal of radioactive waste, it is important to determine the permeability (hydraulic conductivity) of clays. The transient pulse method is suitable for low-permeability materials because it requires a relatively short time to determine their permeability. Upstream pore pressure typically increases in the measurement conducted via the transient pulse method. However, this procedure cannot be used to determine the permeability of clays due to the increase in pore pressure. Therefore, the transient pulse method has never been applied to determine clay permeability. In this study, we applied the transient pulse method to a clay sample to determine its permeability while decreasing the downstream pore pressure.
Koarashi, Jun; Nishimura, Shusaku; Atarashi-Andoh, Mariko; Matsunaga, Takeshi*; Sato, Tsutomu*; Nagao, Seiya*
Chemosphere, 205, p.147 - 155, 2018/08
Times Cited Count:19 Percentile:57.09(Environmental Sciences)There is little understanding of how soil aggregation can affect the mobility and bioavailability of Cs in soils. To explore this, soil samples were collected at seven sites under different land-use conditions in Fukushima and were separated into four aggregate-size fractions. The fractions were then analyzed for Cs content and extractability and mineral composition. In forest soils, aggregate formation was significant, and Cs was largely associated with large-sized aggregates. In contrast, there was less aggregation in agricultural field soils, and most of Cs was in the clay- and silt-sized fractions. Across all sites, the Cs extractability was higher in the large-sized aggregate fractions than in the clay-sized fractions. The results demonstrate that large-sized aggregates are a significant reservoir of potentially mobile and bioavailable Cs in organic-rich (forest and orchard) soils.
Nara, Yoshitaka*; Kato, Masaji*; Niri, Ryuhei*; Kono, Masanori*; Sato, Toshinori; Fukuda, Daisuke*; Sato, Tsutomu*; Takahashi, Manabu*
Pure and Applied Geophysics, 175(3), p.917 - 927, 2018/03
Times Cited Count:14 Percentile:58.67(Geochemistry & Geophysics)Information on the permeability of rock is essential for various geoengineering projects. It is especially important to investigate how fractures and pores influence the physical and transport properties of rock. Infiltration of groundwater through the damage zone fills fractures in granite with fine-grained minerals. However, the permeability of rock possessing a fracture naturally filled with fine-grained mineral grains has yet to be investigated. In this study, the permeabilities of granite samples, including a macro-fracture filled with clay and a mineral vein, are investigated. The permeability of granite with a fine-grained mineral vein agrees well with that of the intact sample, whereas the permeability of granite possessing a macro-fracture filled with clay is lower than that of the macro-fractured sample. The decrease in the permeability is due to the filling of fine-grained minerals and clay in the macro-fracture. It is concluded that the permeability of granite increases due to the existence of the fractures, but decreases upon filling them with fine-grained minerals.
Kato, Masaji*; Nara, Yoshitaka*; Okazaki, Yuki*; Kono, Masanori*; Sato, Toshinori; Sato, Tsutomu*; Takahashi, Manabu*
Zairyo, 67(3), p.318 - 323, 2018/03
To ensure the safe geological disposal of radioactive wastes, it is important to determine the permeability of clays. The transient pulse test is suitable to apply to the low permeability materials, because it takes relatively short term to determine the permeability. Usually we increase the upstream pore pressure in the measurement with the transient pulse test. However, it is impossible to determine the permeability of clay in this procedure because of the increase of pore pressure. Therefore, the transient pulse test has never been applied to the determination of permeability of clays. In this study, we tried to apply the transient pulse test to a clay obtained in Mizunami Underground Research Laboratory to determine the permeability with decreasing the downstream pore pressure. It was clarified that the transient pulse test with decreasing downstream pore pressure is appropriate from the measurements of granite and sandstone. It was shown that the permeability of a clay was determined by the transient pulse test with decreasing the downstream pore pressure, which agreed with the permeability determined from the falling head test. The measurement time of the transient pulse test is much shorter than that of the falling head test. It is concluded that the transient pulse test is appropriate for the determination of the permeability of clays.
Takahatake, Yoko; Shibata, Atsuhiro; Nomura, Kazunori; Sato, Tsutomu*
Minerals (Internet), 7(12), p.247_1 - 247_13, 2017/12
Times Cited Count:9 Percentile:47.71(Geochemistry & Geophysics)Hydrous sodium titanate (SrTreat) is able to remove radioactive Sr from Radioactive contaminated water at Fukushima Daiichi Nuclear Power station (F1NPS). Knowing the amount of radioactive nuclides in the used SrTreat is important for an effective disposal and deposition of the F1NPS waste. This study investigated changes in the ability of SrTreat to sorb Sr during its use, and to understand the causes of changes in the sorbing. After exposure to a simulated treated water for 99 h, the surface structure of the SrTreat was changed, and the percentage of sorbed Sr and the buffer capacity for protons decreased. When the amount of radioactive nuclides contained in the used SrTreat is calculated from the sorption data of the as received SrTreat.
Matsunaka, Tetsuya*; Sasa, Kimikazu*; Takahashi, Tsutomu*; Hosoya, Seiji*; Matsumura, Masumi*; Sueki, Keisuke*; Satou, Yukihiko
Dai-19-Kai AMS Shimpojiumu, 2016-Nendo "Jumoku Nenrin" Kenkyukai Kyodo Kaisai Shimpojiumu Hokokushu, p.76 - 79, 2017/06
To evaluate the radiological impact of the atmospheric C discharge from the Tokai nuclear facilities, a 80-year-old Japanese pine tree from Tokai, 1.8 km south-southwest of the Tokai Nuclear Power Plants (Tokai NPP and Tokai-2 NPP) and 1.4 km North-Northwest of the Tokai Reprocessing Plant (Tokai RP), was cored and each annual ring was measured for C. The C specific activities varied from 232.8 Bq kg C to 403.3Bq kg C in the tree rings formed during the periods 1954-2013. The specific activities in 1967-2010 are significantly elevated compared with the ambient background values, clearly indicating C discharges from the nuclear facilities during their normal operation. The excess C activities of 0.5-70.0 Bq kg C in 1970-2011 are positively correlated with the estimated annual C discharges of 0.1-1.2 TBq from Tokai NPP and Tokai-2 NPP with R of 0.66 (n = 38). These activity values of 70.0 Bq kg C were corresponding to an additional annual effective dose of 3.9 uSv via the food ingestion pathway in the study location.
Anraku, Sohtaro; Matsubara, Isamu*; Morimoto, Kazuya*; Sato, Tsutomu*
Nendo Kagaku, 55(2), p.17 - 30, 2017/00
Anionic radionuclides are important for the long-term safety assessment of Japanese transuranic (TRU) waste disposal facilities. Degradation of cementitious materials used to construct the TRU waste disposal facilities, however, can produce a hyperalkaline leachate and so it is necessary to understand the reaction mechanisms that will control the behavior and fate of anionic radionuclides under these hyperalkaline conditions. An excellent natural analogue site to study relevant reaction mechanisms is provided in Oman where hyperalkaline spring waters (pH 11) from serpentinized peridotites discharge into moderately alkaline rivers. Aragonite was found in all secondary mineral samples, with accessory minerals of calcite, layered double hydroxide (LDH) and brucite. LDH was observed at the high Al concentration springs and brucite at the low Al concentration springs. Calcite was only found close to the springs. Distal calcite formation was inhibited due to high Mg concentrations in the river water. The spatial distribution of minerals therefore implicates the importance of the mixing ratio of spring to river water and the relative chemical compositions of the spring and river waters. Supporting mixing model calculations could successfully reproduce the precipitation of aragonite and LDH. The observed decrease in Ca concentration could be explained by aragonite precipitation. pH exerted a strong control on the precipitation of LDH and so too, therefore, on Al concentration. In the mixing water experiments containing up to 40% river water, LDH and brucite were both oversaturated, but brucite was not always identified by XRD. The possible inhibition of brucite by LDH precipitation was an unexpected result.
Matsunaga, Takeshi; Nakanishi, Takahiro; Atarashi-Andoh, Mariko; Takeuchi, Erina; Muto, Kotomi; Tsuzuki, Katsunori; Nishimura, Shusaku; Koarashi, Jun; Otosaka, Shigeyoshi; Sato, Tsutomu*; et al.
Journal of Radioanalytical and Nuclear Chemistry, 310(2), p.679 - 693, 2016/11
Times Cited Count:6 Percentile:49.29(Chemistry, Analytical)Particulate Cs in stream water was collected continuously for two years in order to assess the long-term trend of the Cs discharge from the forest environment. Sampling was conducted from December 2011 to December 2013 in a mountainous stream, which received the Cs from the Fukushima Daiichi Nuclear Power Plant accident. A seasonal increase in fluvial transport load of particulate Cs associated with suspended solids (SS) was observed in August and September when rainfall was abundant. The particulate Cs concentration decreased at a faster rate than the rate due to radioactive decay. This decrease might be resulted from redistribution of the easily eroded and polluted soil surface due to heavy rain events such as typhoons. These findings indicate that the particulate Cs load was subject to the inter-annual variations in rainfalls, and decreased gradually over a long period of time due to a decrease in Cs concentration in SS.
Kato, Masaji*; Nara, Yoshitaka*; Fukuda, Daisuke*; Kono, Masanori*; Sato, Toshinori; Sato, Tsutomu*; Takahashi, Manabu*
Zairyo, 65(7), p.489 - 495, 2016/07
Rock masses serve a vital function as natural barriers for geological disposal of radioactive waste; therefore, information on rock permeability is essential. Highly accurate measurement of permeability requires understanding of how temperature changes in the surrounding environment influence measurement results. We performed permeability measurement under conditions with dramatic changes of temperature in the surrounding environment to investigate the influence of such changes on the experimental results. Measurement of permeability with no temperature change was also conducted as reference. All measurements were conducted using the transient pulse method, and the sample material used was Toki granite obtained from Gifu Prefecture in central Japan. We found that temperature changes in the surrounding environment remarkably affected the pressure in reservoirs upstream and downstream, the pressure difference between them, and the confining pressure; all increased when temperature increased for our experimental system. Notably, pressure difference was affected immediately. This difference directly relates to estimation of permeability.
Matsunaga, Takeshi; Nakanishi, Takahiro; Atarashi-Andoh, Mariko; Takeuchi, Erina; Tsuzuki, Katsunori; Nishimura, Shusaku; Koarashi, Jun; Otosaka, Shigeyoshi; Sato, Tsutomu*; Nagao, Seiya*
Journal of Radioanalytical and Nuclear Chemistry, 303(2), p.1291 - 1295, 2015/02
Times Cited Count:3 Percentile:25.85(Chemistry, Analytical)An innovative, yet simple method for the passive collection of radioactive materials in river water has been developed and validated. The method employes large filter vessels, containing multiple cartridge filters. River water is led to the system naturally using a drop of the riverbed by hose from upstream. This method makes long-term, unmanned monitoring possible. In addition to regular radioactivity analyses, this method provides an opportunity for the characterization of suspended materials based on its ample collection quantities (more than several tens of grams). This method may also be applicable to sediment-bound chemicals.