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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:52.8(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.
Mikami, Satoshi; Tanaka, Hiroyuki*; Okuda, Naotoshi*; Sakamoto, Ryuichi*; Ochi, Kotaro; Uno, Kiichiro*; Matsuda, Norihiro; Saito, Kimiaki
Nihon Genshiryoku Gakkai Wabun Rombunshi, 20(4), p.159 - 178, 2021/12
In order to know the background radiation level where the area affected by the Fukushima Daiichi Nuclear Power Plant accident in 2011, terrestrial gamma rays had been measured by using portable germanium detectors repeatedly from 2013 through 2019, at 370 locations within 80 km radius area centered on the Fukushima Daiichi Nuclear Power Plant. Radioactive concentrations of Uranium 238, Thorium 232, Potassium 40 and kerma rates in air due to terrestrial gamma rays were obtained at those locations based on the method of ICRU report 53. Averaged concentrations of U, Th and K were 18.8, 22.7, 428 Bq/kg, respectively, and kerma rate in air over the area was found to be 0.0402 Gy/h. The obtained kerma rates in air were compared to those reported in literatures. It was confirmed that the data were correlated with each other, and were agreed within the range of their uncertainty. This is because the kerma rate in air due to terrestrial gamma rays is depend on geology. The similar trend to previous findings was observed that the kerma rate in air at locations geologically classified as Mesozoic era, Granite and Rhyolite were statistically significantly higher than the others.
Taniguchi, Keisuke*; Onda, Yuichi*; Smith, H. G.*; Blake, W.*; Yoshimura, Kazuya; Yamashiki, Yosuke*; Kuramoto, Takayuki*; Saito, Kimiaki
Environmental Science & Technology, 55(13), P. 9394, 2021/07
Times Cited Count:0 Percentile:0.24(Engineering, Environmental)no abstracts in English
Saito, Shigeru; Okubo, Nariaki; Obayashi, Hironari; Wan, T.; Sugawara, Takanori; Sasa, Toshinobu; Maekawa, Fujio
JPS Conference Proceedings (Internet), 28, p.071003_1 - 071003_6, 2020/02
Japan Atomic Energy Agency (JAEA) proposes transmutation of minor actinides (MA) by accelerator-driven systems (ADS). The ADS designed by JAEA is a system composed by LBE (Lead-Bismuth Eutectic) spallation target and a subcritical core. In the ADS, a beam window (BW) is exposed in complex field of heavy irradiation by proton/neutron and corrosion by flowing LBE. To develop ADS structural materials, it is of critical importance to investigate materials used in such environment. Thus, JAEA plans to construct a proton irradiation facility at the J-PARC to prepare an irradiation database for candidate ADS structural materials and to investigate irradiation effects in flowing LBE environment. In this paper, giving a whole scope of the JAEA ADS development, some results of experimental measurements and the specific program for planed R&D will be presented.
Kimoto, Kazushi*; Okano, Aoi*; Saito, Takayasu*; Sato, Tadanobu*; Matsui, Hiroya
Doboku Gakkai Rombunshu, A2 (Oyo Rikigaku) (Internet), 76(2), p.I_97 - I_108, 2020/00
This study investigates the propagation characteristics of surface wave traveling in a random heterogeneous medium. For this purpose, ultrasonic measurements are performed on a granite block as a typical randomly heterogeneous medium. In this measurement, a line-focus transducer is used to excite ultrasonic waves, whereas a laser Doppler vibrometer is used to pickup the ultrasonic motion on the surface of the granite block. The measured waveforms are analysed in the frequency domain to evaluate the travel-time for each measurement point based on the Fermat's principle. From the ensemble of travel-times, the probability distribution is established as a function of travel-distance. The uncertainty of the travel-time and its spatial evolution are then investigated using the standard deviation of the travel-time as a measure of the uncertainty. As a result, it was found that the uncertainty is approximately proportional to the mean travel-time divided by the square root travel-distance.
Mikami, Satoshi; Ishikawa, Daisuke*; Matsuda, Hideo*; Hoshide, Yoshifumi*; Okuda, Naotoshi*; Sakamoto, Ryuichi*; Saito, Kimiaki
Journal of Environmental Radioactivity, 210, p.105938_1 - 105938_7, 2019/12
Times Cited Count:1 Percentile:8.59(Environmental Sciences)Five intercomparisons of in situ spectrometry by 6-7 participating teams have been conducted between December 2011 and August 2015 at sites in Fukushima prefecture which affected by the fallout of FDNPS accident occurred in March 2011. The evaluated deposition densities agreed within 5-6% in terms of coefficient of variation (CV) for radiocesium (Cs and Cs), by our best achievement, and the ratio of Cs/Cs in deposition density agreed within 1-2% in CV, through five intercomparisons. These results guarantee the accuracy of the measurements of the mapping project. Two different methods for intercomparison were conducted: (1) sequential measurements at an identical point; and (2) simultaneous measurements in a narrow area within 3 m radius. In a comparison between the two methods at a site, no significant difference was observed between the results. The standard protocols for the two different intercomparison methods were proposed based on our experience.
Mikami, Satoshi; Tanaka, Hiroyuki*; Matsuda, Hideo*; Sato, Shoji*; Hoshide, Yoshifumi*; Okuda, Naotoshi*; Suzuki, Takeo*; Sakamoto, Ryuichi*; Ando, Masaki; Saito, Kimiaki
Journal of Environmental Radioactivity, 210, p.105941_1 - 105941_12, 2019/12
Times Cited Count:20 Percentile:67.75(Environmental Sciences)The deposition densities of radiocesium and the air dose rates were repeatedly measured in a large number of undisturbed fields within the 80km zone that surrounds the Fukushima Dai-ichi Nuclear Power Plant site between 2011 and 2016, and features of their temporal changes were clarified. The average air dose rate excluding background radiation in this zone decreased to about 20% of the initial value during the period from June 2011 to August 2016, which was essentially a result of the radioactive decay of Cs with a half-life of 2.06y. The air dose rate reduction was faster than that expected from the decay of radiocesium by a factor of about two, with most of this reduction being attributed to the penetration of radiocesium into the soil. The average deposition densities of Cs and Cs in fields that were not decontaminated were found to have decreased nearly according to their expected radioactive decay, which indicated that the movement of radiocesium in the horizontal direction was relatively small. The effect of decontamination was apparently observed in the measurements of air dose rates and deposition densities. Nominally, the average air dose rates in the measurement locations were reduced by about 20% by decontamination and other human activities, of which accurate quantitative analysis is and continue to be a challenge.
Taniguchi, Keisuke*; Onda, Yuichi*; Smith, H. G.*; Blake, W.*; Yoshimura, Kazuya; Yamashiki, Yosuke*; Kuramoto, Takayuki*; Saito, Kimiaki
Environmental Science & Technology, 53(21), p.12339 - 12347, 2019/11
Times Cited Count:63 Percentile:94.81(Engineering, Environmental)Kono, Takashi*; Kakoki, Masaaki*; Yoshikawa, Tomoki*; Wang, X.*; Sumida, Kazuki*; Miyamoto, Koji*; Muro, Takayuki*; Takeda, Yukiharu; Saito, Yuji; Goto, Kazuki*; et al.
Physical Review B, 100(16), p.165120_1 - 165120_6, 2019/10
Times Cited Count:4 Percentile:22.33(Materials Science, Multidisciplinary)Sakai, Kenji; Obayashi, Hironari; Saito, Shigeru; Sasa, Toshinobu; Sugawara, Takanori; Watanabe, Akihiko*
JAEA-Technology 2019-009, 18 Pages, 2019/07
Construction of Transmutation Experimental Facility (TEF) is under planning in the Japan Proton Accelerator Research Complex (J-PARC) program to promote R&D on the transmutation technology with using accelerator driven systems (ADS). ADS Target Test Facility (TEF-T) in TEF will develop spallation target technology and study on target materials with irradiating high intensity proton beams on a lead-bismuth eutectic (LBE) target. For safe and efficient beam operation, a general control system (GCS) will be constructed in TEF-T. GCS comprises several subsystems, such as a network system (LAN), an integral control system (ICS), an interlock system (ILS), and a timing distribution system (TDS) according to their roles. Especially, the ICS plays the important role that executes integral operations in the entire facility, acquires, stores and distributes operation data. We planned to develop a prototype of the ICS, to evaluate its concrete performances such as data transmission speeds, data storage capability, control functions, long-term stability of the system, and to utilize them for design of the actual ICS. This report mentions to product the prototype of ICS and to apply it to remote operations of instruments for developing LBE target technology.
Ando, Masaki; Yamamoto, Hideaki*; Kanno, Takashi*; Saito, Kimiaki
Journal of Environmental Radioactivity, 190-191, p.111 - 121, 2018/10
Times Cited Count:14 Percentile:53.45(Environmental Sciences)Ambient dose equivalent rates in various environments related to human lives were measured by walk surveys using the KURAMA-II systems from 2013 to 2016 around the Fukushima Dai-ichi Nuclear Power Plant. The dose rate of the locations where the walk survey was performed decreased to about 38% of its initial value in the 42 months, which was beyond that attributable to the physical decay. The air dose rates decreased depending on the level of the evacuation areas, and the decrease was slightly larger in populated areas where humans are active. The comparison of walk survey data with car-borne survey data indicated that the air dose rate varies largely even within a 100 m square area. The dose rates measured by the walk surveys were estimated to be medial of those along roads and those of undisturbed flat ground. The air dose rates measured by the walk surveys decreased quickly compared with the air dose rate from the flat ground measurement.
Horio, Masafumi*; Takeda, Yukiharu; Namiki, Hiromasa*; Katagiri, Takao*; Wakabayashi, Yuki*; Sakamoto, Shoya*; Nonaka, Yosuke*; Shibata, Goro*; Ikeda, Keisuke*; Saito, Yuji; et al.
Journal of the Physical Society of Japan, 87(10), p.105001_1 - 105001_2, 2018/10
Times Cited Count:2 Percentile:21.38(Physics, Multidisciplinary)Saito, Shigeru; Obayashi, Hironari; Wan, T.; Okubo, Nariaki; Sugawara, Takanori; Endo, Shinya; Sasa, Toshinobu
Proceedings of 13th International Topical Meeting on Nuclear Applications of Accelerators (AccApp '17) (Internet), p.448 - 457, 2018/05
JAEA proposes transmutation of minor actinides by accelerator-driven systems (ADS). To obtain the data for ADS design, JAEA plans to construct the ADS Target Test Facility (TEF-T) within the framework of the J-PARC project. In TEF-T, a 250 kW proton-beam-driven LBE (Lead-Bismuth Eutectic) spallation target will be installed to prepare an irradiation database for candidate ADS structural materials. Design activities of the LBE target and target trolley have been progressed. Conceptual design of hot-cells for LBE target loop maintenance and PIE (Post Irradiation Examination) of irradiated samples have been finished. Two LBE loops were manufactured. One is a loop for TEF-T target mock-up and the other is that for collection of material corrosion characteristics in flowing LBE. Oxygen potential control systems for LBE flow have been also developed. Remote handling tests for the target exchange are underway. In this paper, current activities and studies to realize TEF-T will be presented.
Saito, Hiroshi; Nozawa, Takashi; Takemiya, Hiroshi; Seki, Akiyuki; Matsubara, Takeshi; Saito, Kimiaki; Kitamura, Akihiro
JAEA-Review 2017-040, 34 Pages, 2018/03
The accidents at Fukushima Daiichi Nuclear Power Station on March 11th 2011, released significant amount of radionuclide to the environment. It has migrated to the human habitation and raised concerns of possible effect on human health, and for that a lot of researches have been performed. JAEA created and opened "Database for Radioactive Substance Monitoring Data" for usage of obtained data. For accurate modelling and future forecast using numerical code and the data, "Supporting Environment for Processing Simulation Codes" has been operated. In addition, research results have been opened as Q&A style "Knowledge Base for Environmental Remediation" in JAEA's website. The "Comprehensive Evaluation System" composed of these components, should act more interrelated and integrated as one system. Besides, information dissemination is not enough to the outside. The report summarizes the current status, remaining issues and expected improvement of each component and the system.
Ebisuzaki, Toshikazu*; Wada, Satoshi*; Saito, Norihito*; Fujii, Takashi*; Nishimura, Akihiko
Reza Kenkyu, 45(10), p.664 - 665, 2017/10
no abstracts in English
Sasa, Toshinobu; Saito, Shigeru; Obayashi, Hironari; Sugawara, Takanori; Wan, T.; Yamaguchi, Kazushi*; Yoshimoto, Hidemitsu
NEA/CSNI/R(2017)2 (Internet), p.111 - 116, 2017/06
Japan Atomic Energy Agency (JAEA) proposes to reduce the environmental impact caused from high-level radioactive waste by using Accelerator-driven system (ADS). To realize ADS, JAEA plans to build the Transmutation Experimental Facility (TEF) within the framework of J-PARC project. For the JAEA-proposed ADS, lead-bismuth eutectic alloy (LBE) is adopted as a coolant for subcritical core and spallation target. By using TEF in J-PARC, we are planning to solve technical difficulties for LBE utilization by completion of the data for the design of ADS. The 250kW LBE spallation target will be located in TEF facility to prepare material irradiation database. Various R&Ds for important technologies required to build the facilities are investigated such as oxygen content control, instruments development, remote handling techniques for target maintenance, and spallation target design. The large scale LBE loops for 250kW target mock up and material corrosion studies are also manufactured and ready for various experiments. The latest status of 250kW LBE spallation target optimization will be described in the presentation.
Saito, Kyoichi*; Kojima, Takashi*; Asai, Shiho
Bunseki Kagaku, 66(4), p.233 - 242, 2017/04
Times Cited Count:1 Percentile:3.45(Chemistry, Analytical)Insoluble cobalt ferrocyanide and sodium titanate specifically capture cesium and strontium ions, respectively, in water contaminated with radionuclides which is found in Fukushima Daiichi NPP. The inorganic compounds used in this study were formed as precipitates in the polymer chain grafted onto a commercially available 6-nylon fiber using radiation-induced graft polymerization. An impregnation structure with the precipitates entangled by the grafted polymer chain through an electrostatic interaction via multipoints was indicated. The resultant insoluble cobalt ferrocyanide- or sodium titanate-impregnated fiber exhibited a higher adsorption rate and adsorption capacity per gram of the inorganic compound for cesium or strontium ions in seawater than conventional granular adsorbents.
Kobata, Masaaki; Fujimori, Shinichi; Takeda, Yukiharu; Okane, Tetsuo; Saito, Yuji; Kobayashi, Keisuke*; Yamagami, Hiroshi; Nakamura, Ai*; Hedo, Masato*; Nakama, Takao*; et al.
Journal of the Physical Society of Japan, 85(9), p.094703_1 - 094703_6, 2016/09
Times Cited Count:11 Percentile:62.77(Physics, Multidisciplinary)Ando, Masaki; Kanno, Takashi; Saito, Kimiaki
JAEA-Technology 2015-060, 40 Pages, 2016/03
The ratios of air dose rate averaged in prefecture-wise measured by car borne surveys in wide area has been performed by with the use of the KURAMA and KURAMA-II systems were investigated. The changes in air dose rate from the first (June 2011) car borne survey to the fourth (September 2012) and seventh (November 2013) car borne surveys in Fukushima Prefecture was similar to those in Tochigi Prefecture, and the ratio in Miyagi Prefecture showed quicker decay than those in the other prefectures in the groups of less than 0.5Sv/h. Distribution maps of the ratios of air dose rate obtained in 100m mesh wise in Fukushima, Tochigi and Miyagi prefectures showed that the ratios (i.e. decreasing rates) were depending on the area or road. Further, decreasing in the air dose rate was quicker than the physical decay in the big cities where population is big and the traffic is huge.
Kinase, Sakae; Sato, Satoshi; Sakamoto, Ryuichi*; Yamamoto, Hideaki; Saito, Kimiaki
Radiation Protection Dosimetry, 167(1-3), p.340 - 343, 2015/11
Times Cited Count:7 Percentile:46.16(Environmental Sciences)