External exposure assessment in the Fukushima accident area for governmental policy planning in Japan, 2; Matters to be attended for assessments of external exposure

Yoshimura, Kazuya; Sanada, Yukihisa; Sato, Rina; Nakayama, Mariko*; Tsubokura, Masaharu*

Journal of Radiation Research (Internet), 64(2), p.203 - 209, 2023/03

https://doi.org/10.1093/jrr/rrac088

After the Fukushima Daiichi Nuclear Power Plant (FDNPP) accident, individual exposure doses to residents have been assessed by many municipalities, governments and research institutes. Various methods including measurements with personal dosimeters and simulations have been used for this evaluation depending on purposes, but the information of assessments and methods has not been systematically organized. A comprehensive review of the knowledge and experiences of individual exposure doses assessments accumulated so far and understanding the characteristics of the assessment methods will be very useful for radiation protection and risk communication, following to governmental policy planning. We reviewed the efforts made by the Japanese government and research institutes to assess radiation doses to residents after the FDNPS accident in Part1. On the other hand, each method of assessing individual exposure doses includes uncertainties and points to be considered for the appropriate assessment. These knowledge and experiences are important for the assessment implementation and applying the assessment results to the governmental policy planning, and are summarized in Part2 of this article.

Individual exposure dose assessment of residents for lifting of evacuation orders (Contract research)

Sato, Rina; Sanada, Yukihisa; Yoshimura, Kazuya; Nakayama, Mariko*

JAEA-Review 2022-055, 42 Pages, 2023/01

JAEA-Review-2022-055.pdf:1.31MB

The evacuation order zones established after the accident at the Tokyo Electric Power Company's Fukushima Daiichi Nuclear Power Station have been reorganized according to the decrease in ambient dose equivalent rates and the decontamination progress. It has been decided to decontaminate the difficult-to-return zones and lift the evacuation order depending on the evacuee's intention of returning to the areas over the course of the 2020s. In order to consider the future of individual exposure dose assessment for residents for lifting of the evacuation orders, the methods and characteristics of the assessment that have been conducted after the accident using personal dosimeter measurements and simulations were systematically reviewed. This report summarized the results of the review.

Local environmental effects on cosmic ray observations at Syowa Station in the Antarctic; PARMA-based snow cover correction for neutrons and machine learning approach for neutrons and muons

Kataoka, Ryuho*; Sato, Tatsuhiko; Kato, Chihiro*; Kadokura, Akira*; Kozai, Masayoshi*; Miyake, Shoko*; Murase, Kiyoka*; Yoshida, Rihito*; Tomikawa, Yoshihiro*; Munakata, Kazuoki*

Journal of Space Weather and Space Climate (Internet), 12, p.37_1 - 37_11, 2022/11

https://doi.org/10.1051/swsc/2022033

Solar modulation of galactic cosmic rays around the solar minimum in 2019-2020 looks different in the secondary neutrons and muons observed at the ground. To compare the solar modulation of primary cosmic rays in detail, we have to remove the possible seasonal variations caused by the atmosphere and surrounding environment. As such surrounding environment effects, we evaluate the snow cover effect on neutron count rate and the atmospheric temperature effect on muon count rate both simultaneously observed at Syowa Station in the Antarctic (69.01 S, 39.59 E). The corrected muon count rate starts decreasing in late 2019, earlier than the corrected neutron count rate which starts decreasing in early 2020, possibly indicating the rigidity dependent solar modulation in the heliosphere.

Design and actual performance of J-PARC 3 GeV rapid cycling synchrotron for high-intensity operation

Yamamoto, Kazami; Kinsho, Michikazu; Hayashi, Naoki; Saha, P. K.; Tamura, Fumihiko; Yamamoto, Masanobu; Tani, Norio; Takayanagi, Tomohiro; Kamiya, Junichiro; Shobuda, Yoshihiro; et al.

Journal of Nuclear Science and Technology, 59(9), p.1174 - 1205, 2022/09

https://doi.org/10.1080/00223131.2022.2038301

In the Japan Proton Accelerator Research Complex, the purpose of the 3 GeV rapid cycling synchrotron (RCS) is to accelerate a 1 MW, high-intensity proton beam. To achieve beam operation at a repetition rate of 25 Hz at high intensities, the RCS was elaborately designed. After starting the RCS operation, we carefully verified the validity of its design and made certain improvements to establish a reliable operation at higher power as possible. Consequently, we demonstrated beam operation at a high power, namely, 1 MW. We then summarized the design, actual performance, and improvements of the RCS to achieve a 1 MW beam.

Viscosities of molten BC-stainless steel alloys

Nishi, Tsuyoshi*; Sato, Rika*; Ota, Hiromichi*; Kokubo, Hiroki*; Yamano, Hidemasa

Journal of Nuclear Materials, 552, p.153002_1 - 153002_7, 2021/08

https://doi.org/10.1016/j.jnucmat.2021.153002

Determining high precision viscosities of molten BC-stainless steel (BC-SS) alloys is essential for the core disruptive accident analyses of sodium-cooled fast reactors and for analysis of severe accidents in boiling water reactors (BWR) as appeared in Fukushima Daiichi. However, there are no data on the high precision viscosities of molten BC-SS alloys due to experimental difficulties. In this study, the viscosities of molten SS (Type 316L), 2.5mass%BC-SS, 5.0mass%BC-SS, and 7.0mass%BC-SS alloys were measured using the oscillating crucible method in temperature ranges of 1693-1793 K, 1613-1793 K, 1613-1793 K, and 1713-1793 K, respectively. The viscosity was observed to increase as the BC concentration increased from 0 to 7.0 mass%. Using the experimental data of the molten 2.5mass%BC-SS and 5.0mass%BC-SS and 7.0mass%BC-SS in the temperature range of 1713-1793 K, the equation for the viscosity of molten BC-SS alloys was determined, and the measurement error of the viscosity of molten BC-SS alloys is less than 8%.

Study of charged particle activation analysis, 2; Determination of boron concentration in human blood samples

Ikebe, Yurie*; Oshima, Masumi*; Bamba, Shigeru*; Asai, Masato; Tsukada, Kazuaki; Sato, Tetsuya; Toyoshima, Atsushi*; Bi, C.*; Seto, Hirofumi*; Amano, Hikaru*; et al.

Applied Radiation and Isotopes, 164, p.109106_1 - 109106_7, 2020/10

https://doi.org/10.1016/j.apradiso.2020.109106

Boron Neutron Capture Therapy (BNCT) is a radiotherapy for the treatment of intractable cancer. In BNCT precise determination of B concentration in whole blood sample before neutron irradiation is crucial for control of the neutron irradiation time and the neutron dosimetry. We have applied the Charged Particle Activation Analysis (CPAA) to non-destructive and accurate determination of B concentration in whole blood sample. The experiment was performed at JAEA Tandem Accelerator using an 8 MeV proton beam. The 478 keV ray of Be produced in the B(p,)Be reaction was used to quantify the B, and rays of Co originating from the reaction with Fe in blood was used to normalize the -ray intensity. The results demonstrated that the present CPAA method can be applied to the determination of the B concentration in the blood sample.

Background radiation monitoring using manned helicopter for application of technique of nuclear emergency response in the fiscal year 2018 (Contract research)

Futemma, Akira; Sanada, Yukihisa; Komiya, Tomokazu; Iwai, Takeyuki*; Seguchi, Eisaku*; Matsunaga, Yuki*; Kawabata, Tomoki*; Haginoya, Masashi*; Hiraga, Shogo*; Sato, Kazuhiko*; et al.

JAEA-Technology 2019-017, 95 Pages, 2019/11

JAEA-Technology-2019-017.pdf:12.09MB

By the nuclear disaster of Fukushima Daiichi Nuclear Power Station (FDNPS), Tokyo Electric Power Company (TEPCO), caused by the Great East Japan Earthquake and the following tsunami on March 11, 2011, a large amount of radioactive material was released from the FDNPS. After the nuclear disaster, airborne radiation monitoring using manned helicopter was conducted around FDNPS. We have carried out the background radiation monitoring around the nuclear power stations of the whole country to apply the airborne radiation monitoring technique that has been cultivated in the aerial monitoring around FDNPS against nuclear emergency response. The results of monitoring around Shimane and Hamaoka Nuclear Power Stations in the fiscal 2018 were summarized in this report. In addition, technical issues were described.

Background radiation monitoring using manned helicopter for establishment of technique of nuclear emergency response in the fiscal year 2017 (Contract research)

Futemma, Akira; Sanada, Yukihisa; Iwai, Takeyuki*; Seguchi, Eisaku; Matsunaga, Yuki*; Kawabata, Tomoki; Toyoda, Masayuki*; Tobita, Shinichiro*; Hiraga, Shogo*; Sato, Kazuhiko*; et al.

JAEA-Technology 2018-016, 98 Pages, 2019/02

JAEA-Technology-2018-016.pdf:18.64MB

By the nuclear disaster of Fukushima Daiichi Nuclear Power Station (FDNPS), Tokyo Electric Power Company (TEPCO), caused by the Great East Japan Earthquake and the following tsunami on March 11, 2011, a large amount of radioactive material was released from the NPS. After the nuclear disaster, airborne radiation monitoring using manned helicopter was conducted around FDNPS. We have carried out the background monitoring around the nuclear power stations of the whole country to apply the airborne radiation monitoring technique that has been cultivated in Fukushima against nuclear emergency response. The results of monitoring around Tomari, Kashiwazaki-Kariwa and Genkai Nuclear Power Station in the fiscal 2017 were summarized in this report. In addition, technical issues were described.

Background radiation monitoring using manned helicopter for establishment of technique of nuclear emergency response in the fiscal year 2016 (Contract research)

Sanada, Yukihisa; Mori, Airi; Iwai, Takeyuki; Seguchi, Eisaku; Matsunaga, Yuki*; Kawabata, Tomoki; Toyoda, Masayuki*; Tobita, Shinichiro*; Hiraga, Shogo; Sato, Yoshiharu; et al.

JAEA-Technology 2017-035, 69 Pages, 2018/02

JAEA-Technology-2017-035.pdf:32.92MB

By the nuclear disaster of Fukushima Daiichi Nuclear Power Station (FDNPS), Tokyo Electric Power Company (TEPCO), caused by the East Japan earthquake and the following tsunami occurred on March 11, 2011, a large amount of radioactive materials was released from the NPS. After the nuclear disaster, airborne radiation monitoring using manned helicopter was conducted around FDNPS. We carried out the background monitoring around the nuclear power stations of the whole country to apply a technique of the airborne radiation monitoring that is cultivated in Fukushima as a technology of nuclear emergency response. This result of the aerial radiation monitoring using the manned helicopter around Ooi, Takahama and Ikata Nuclear Power Station and in the fiscal 2016 were summarized in the report. In addition, technical issues were described.

Materials and Life Science Experimental Facility at the Japan Proton Accelerator Research Complex, 3; Neutron devices and computational and sample environments

Sakasai, Kaoru; Sato, Setsuo*; Seya, Tomohiro*; Nakamura, Tatsuya; To, Kentaro; Yamagishi, Hideshi*; Soyama, Kazuhiko; Yamazaki, Dai; Maruyama, Ryuji; Oku, Takayuki; et al.

Quantum Beam Science (Internet), 1(2), p.10_1 - 10_35, 2017/09

https://doi.org/10.3390/qubs1020010

Neutron devices such as neutron detectors, optical devices including supermirror devices and He neutron spin filters, and choppers are successfully developed and installed at the Materials Life Science Facility (MLF) of the Japan Proton Accelerator Research Complex (J-PARC), Tokai, Japan. Four software components of MLF computational environment, instrument control, data acquisition, data analysis, and a database, have been developed and equipped at MLF. MLF also provides a wide variety of sample environment options including high and low temperatures, high magnetic fields, and high pressures. This paper describes the current status of neutron devices, computational and sample environments at MLF.