Quantum critical behavior of the hyperkagome magnet MnCoSi

Yamauchi, Hiroki; Sari, D. P.*; Yasui, Yukio*; Sakakura, Terutoshi*; Kimura, Hiroyuki*; Nakao, Akiko*; Ohara, Takashi; Honda, Takashi*; Kodama, Katsuaki; Igawa, Naoki; et al.

Physical Review Research (Internet), 6(1), p.013144_1 - 013144_9, 2024/02

https://doi.org/10.1103/PhysRevResearch.6.013144

Annual report for research on geosphere stability for long-term isolation of radioactive waste in fiscal year 2022

Niwa, Masakazu; Shimada, Koji; Sueoka, Shigeru; Ishihara, Takanori; Ogawa, Hiroki; Hakoiwa, Hiroaki; Watanabe, Tsuyoshi; Nishiyama, Nariaki; Yokoyama, Tatsunori; Ogata, Manabu; et al.

JAEA-Research 2023-005, 78 Pages, 2023/10

JAEA-Research-2023-005.pdf:6.51MB

This annual report documents the progress of research and development (R&D) in the 1st fiscal year of the Japan Atomic Energy Agency 4th Medium- and Long-term Plan (fiscal years 2022-2028) to provide the scientific base for assessing geosphere stability for long-term isolation of high-level radioactive waste. The plan framework is structured into the following categories: (1) Development and systematization of investigation techniques, (2) Development of models for long-term estimation and effective assessment, (3) Development of dating techniques. The current status of R&D activities with previous scientific and technological progress is summarized.

LA-ICPMS U-Pb dating of zircon in paleotsunami deposits from Miyazaki plain, southwest Japan

Watanabe, Takahiro; Kagami, Saya; Yokoyama, Tatsunori; Niwa, Masakazu

Chigaku Zasshi, 132(4), p.353 - 361, 2023/08

https://doi.org/10.5026/jgeography.132.353

U-Pb dating of detrital zircons in paleotsunami deposits from the 1662 CE Kanbun-Hyuganada sea earthquake, Miyazaki plain on the Pacific coast of southwest Japan, was performed by a laser ablation multi-collector inductively coupled plasma mass spectrometry (LA-ICPMS) system at Tono Geoscience Center, Japan Atomic Energy Agency. Twenty-five zircon grains were separated from the paleotsunami deposits by chemical abrasion and analyzed by the LA-ICPMS. U-Pb ages of the detrital zircons showed from ca. 14 Ma to 2405 Ma, and the age spectrum revealed high relative probability values around ca. 100 Ma and 2000 Ma. Detrital zircons with the age of ca. 100 Ma in the 1662 CE paleotsunami deposits could be partly originated from the Shimanto supergroup in southwest Japan. Moreover, the age spectrum of detrital zircons with Precambrian grains from the paleotsunami deposits was similar with those of fore-arc sandstones from central Kyushu Island.

Controlled release of radioactive krypton gas

Watanabe, Kazuki; Kimura, Norimichi*; Okada, Jumpei; Furuuchi, Yuta; Kuwana, Hideharu*; Otani, Takehisa; Yokota, Satoru; Nakamura, Yoshinobu

JAEA-Technology 2023-010, 29 Pages, 2023/06

JAEA-Technology-2023-010.pdf:3.12MB

The Krypton Recovery Development Facility reached an intended technical target (krypton purity of over 90% and recovery rate of over 90%) by separation and rectification of krypton gas from receiving off-gas produced by the shearing and the dissolution process in the spent fuel reprocessing at the Tokai Reprocessing Plant (TRP) between 1988 and 2001. In addition, the feasibility of the technology was confirmed through immobilization test with ion-implantation in a small test vessel from 2000 to 2002, using a part of recovered krypton gas. As there were no intentions to use the remaining radioactive krypton gas in the krypton storage cylinders, we planned to release this gas by controlling the release amount from the main stack, and conducted it from February 14 to April 26, 2022. In this work, all the radioactive krypton gas in the cylinders (about 7.110 GBq) was released at the rate of 50 GBq/min or less lower than the maximum release rate from the main stuck stipulated in safety regulations (3.710 GBq/min). Then, the equipment used in the controlled release of radioactive krypton gas and the main process (all systems, including branch pipes connected to the main process) were cleaned with nitrogen gas. Although there were delays due to weather, we were able to complete the controlled release of radioactive krypton gas by the end of April 2022, as originally targeted without any problems such as equipment failure.

Status report of JAEA-AMS-TONO; Research and technical development in the last four years

Kokubu, Yoko; Fujita, Natsuko; Watanabe, Takahiro; Matsubara, Akihiro; Ishizaka, Chika; Miyake, Masayasu*; Nishio, Tomohiro*; Kato, Motohisa*; Ogawa, Yumi*; Ishii, Masahiro*; et al.

Nuclear Instruments and Methods in Physics Research B, 539, p.68 - 72, 2023/06

https://doi.org/10.1016/j.nimb.2023.03.005

The JAEA-AMS-TONO facility at the Tono Geoscience Center, JAEA has an accelerator mass spectrometer (JAEA-AMS-TONO-5MV). The spectrometer enabled us to use a multi-nuclide AMS of carbon-14 (C), beryllium-10, aluminium-26 and iodine-129, and we have recently been proceeding test measurement of chlorine-36. In response to an increase of samples, we installed a state-of-the-art multi-nuclide AMS with a 300 kV Tandetron accelerator in 2020. Recently, we are driving the development of techniques of isobar separation in AMS and of sample preparation. Ion channeling is applied to remove isobaric interference and we are building a prototype AMS based on this technique for downsizing of AMS. The small sample graphitization for C has been attempted using an automated graphitization equipment equipped with an elemental analyzer.

Differential pressure rise event for filters of HTTR primary helium gas circulators, 1; Investigation of differential pressure rise event

Nemoto, Takahiro; Arakawa, Ryoki; Kawakami, Satoru; Nagasumi, Satoru; Yokoyama, Keisuke; Watanabe, Masashi; Onishi, Takashi; Kawamoto, Taiki; Furusawa, Takayuki; Inoi, Hiroyuki; et al.

JAEA-Technology 2023-005, 33 Pages, 2023/05

JAEA-Technology-2023-005.pdf:5.25MB

During shut down of the HTTR (High Temperature engineering Test Reactor) RS-14 cycle, an increasing trend of filter differential pressure for the helium gas circulator was observed. In order to investigate this phenomenon, the blower of the primary helium purification system was disassembled and inspected. As a result, it is clear that the silicon oil mist entered into the primary coolant due to the deterioration of the charcoal filter performance. The replacement and further investigation of the filter are planning to prevent the reoccurrence of the same phenomenon in the future.

Nature of the physicochemical process in water photolysis uncovered by a computer simulation

Kai, Takeshi; Toigawa, Tomohiro; Ukai, Masatoshi*; Fujii, Kentaro*; Watanabe, Ritsuko*; Yokoya, Akinari*

Journal of Chemical Physics, 158(16), p.164103_1 - 164103_8, 2023/04

New insight into water radiolysis and photolysis is indispensable in the dramatic progress of sciences and technologies in various research areas. In the radiation field, reactive hydrated electrons are considerably produced along radiation tracks. Although the formation results from a transient dynamic correlation between ejected electrons and water, the individual mechanisms of electron thermalization, delocalization, and polarization are unknown. Using a dynamic Monte Carlo code, we show herein that the ejected electrons are immediately delocalized by molecular excitations in parallel with phonon polarization and gradually thermalized by momentum transfer with an orientation polarization in a simultaneous manner. Our results show that these mechanisms heavily depend on the intermolecular vibration and rotation modes peculiar to water. We expect our approach to be a powerful technique for connecting physical and chemical processes in various solvents.

Present status of the JAEA-AMS-TONO (2021)

Matsubara, Akihiro*; Fujita, Natsuko; Miyake, Masayasu; Ishii, Masahiro*; Watanabe, Takahiro; Kokubu, Yoko; Nishio, Tomohiro*; Ogawa, Yumi; Jinno, Satoshi; Kimura, Kenji; et al.

JAEA-Conf 2022-002, p.55 - 62, 2023/03

https://doi.org/10.11484/jaea-conf-2022-002

We report the present status of the JAEA-AMS-TONO. Particularly, the destructions of varistors used in the beamline equipment will be presented. The cause of the destruction as well as implementation of the safety measures are mentioned.

Materials science and fuel technologies of uranium and plutonium mixed oxide

Kato, Masato; Machida, Masahiko; Hirooka, Shun; Nakamichi, Shinya; Ikusawa, Yoshihisa; Nakamura, Hiroki; Kobayashi, Keita; Ozawa, Takayuki; Maeda, Koji; Sasaki, Shinji; et al.

Materials Science and Fuel Technologies of Uranium and Plutonium mixed Oxide, 171 Pages, 2022/10

https://doi.org/10.1201/9781003298205

Innovative and advanced nuclear reactors using plutonium fuel has been developed in each country. In order to develop a new nuclear fuel, irradiation tests are indispensable, and it is necessary to demonstrate the performance and safety of nuclear fuels. If we can develop a technology that accurately simulates irradiation behavior as a technology that complements the irradiation test, the cost, time, and labor involved in nuclear fuel research and development will be greatly reduced. And safety and reliability can be significantly improved through simulation of nuclear fuel irradiation behavior. In order to evaluate the performance of nuclear fuel, it is necessary to know the physical and chemical properties of the fuel at high temperatures. And it is indispensable to develop a behavior model that describes various phenomena that occur during irradiation. In previous research and development, empirical methods with fitting parameters have been used in many parts of model development. However, empirical techniques can give very different results in areas where there is no data. Therefore, the purpose of this study is to construct a scientific descriptive model that can extrapolate the basic characteristics of fuel to the composition and temperature, and to develop an irradiation behavior analysis code to which the model is applied.

A Safer preprocessing system for analyzing dissolved organic radiocarbon in seawater

Otosaka, Shigeyoshi*; Jeon, H.*; Hou, Y.*; Watanabe, Takahiro; Aze, Takahiro*; Miyairi, Yosuke*; Yokoyama, Yusuke*; Ogawa, Hiroshi*

Nuclear Instruments and Methods in Physics Research B, 527, p.1 - 6, 2022/09

https://doi.org/10.1016/j.nimb.2022.07.003

The measurement the radiocarbon of dissolved organic matter (DOC) in seawater can provide information about a timescale of the dynamics of dissolved organic matter as well as about its sources in the ocean. Due to the low DOC concentration in seawater, in spite of the development of accelerator mass spectrometry, a relatively large volume of seawater (1 L) is required for that analysis. In addition, complicated processing such as UV irradiation that emits high heat is required. In this study, we have developed a safer and easier method to analyze DOC in seawater than the conventional method. A particularly significant change was the adoption of a low-pressure mercury lamp in the decomposition system, which enabled direct decomposition of organic matter at lower temperatures. We also propose a method to quantitatively evaluate the accuracy of this system by analyzing simulated seawater consists of a soluble reference material of organic matter and sodium chloride. This method is expected to be applied not only to carbon isotope ratio analysis but also to analysis of trace elements and isotopes of various dissolved organic substances.