A Pulsed Radiation Dosimetry System designed to measure radiation produced by particle accelerators is described. The problems associated with total-dose measurement of irregular shaped pulses of ionizing radiation have been simplified. The system responds to extremely narrow pulses of charged particles or X-rays using a pin diode as the detector. Direct readout of dose in rads (Si) is displayed on a 3-1/2 digit digital panel meter. The system will operate in either the multiple-pulse or single-pulse mode. The multiple-pulse mode would be useful in monitoring or tuning a linear accelerator. In the single-pulse mode the system will automatically display total dose of a transient event in real time and hold that measurement indefinitely or until the next measurement is made. The system features an automatic reset in either mode.
Thin film ultraviolet detectors based on hydrogenated amorphous silicon alloys are realized with different diode structures (PIN, NIP, PN, and NP). The PIN and NIP detectors exhibit higher sensitivity in the ultraviolet spectrum and a significant lower dark current in comparison to the PN or NP structures. The best detector performance was achieved with a 33 nm thick PIN diode. This detector shows a maximum of quantum efficiency of 36.3% at a wavelength of 310 nm. By varying the thickness of the semi-transparent Ag front contact the selectivity of the detectors with the quantum efficiency peak at 320 nm can be adjusted. Thus, the spectral sensitivity of the detector shifts from a broad UV to a selective UV-B spectrum. (orig.)
In this paper, the design of large thin PINdetector with a membrane stress avoidance configuration is proposed, and the related device fabrication process is developed. Ultra-thin PINdetector {approx} 1.13 cm{sup 2} in area is fabricated on a thin ( {approx} 35{mu}m) silicon membrane, and characterized. Detector performance improvement has been successfully demonstrated. With the membrane stress avoidance design, the improved detector exhibits a leakage of 6nA, which is at least 5 times lower than that of detector of identical junction area. The new detector features a full depleted capacitance of 110 pF, and a FWHM of 40.86 keV energy resolution for 5.486 MeV alpha particle spectrography.
The purpose of this program was to characterize Time Of Arrival Detectors (TOAD) pins response to shock loading with respect to risetime, amplitude, repeatability and consistency. TOAD pins were subjected to impacts of 35 to 420 kilobars amplitude and approximately 1 ms pulse width to investigate the timing spread of four pins and the voltage output profile of the individual pins. Sets of pins were also aged at 45{degrees}, 60{degrees}, and 80{degrees}C for approximately nine weeks before shock testing at 315 kilobars impact stress. Four sets of pins were heated to 50.2{degrees}C (125{degrees}F) for approximately two hours and then impacted at either 50 or 315 kilobars. Also, four sets of pins were aged at 60{degrees}C for nine weeks and then heated to 50.2{degrees}C before shock testing at 50 and 315 kilobars impact ...
This SBIR Phase I developed neutron detectors made from gallium arsenide (GaAs) p-type/ intrinsic/n-type (P-I-N) diodes grown by metalorganic chemical vapor deposition (MOCVD) onto semi-insulating (S1) bulk GaAs wafers. A layer of isotonically enriched boron-10 evaporated onto the front surface serves to convert incoming neutrons into lithium ions and a 1.47 MeV alpha particle which creates electron-hole pairs that are detected by the GaAs diode. Various thicknesses of ''intrinsic'' (I) undoped GaAs were tested, as was use of a back-surface field (BSF) formed from a layer of Al{sub x}Ga{sub 1-x}As. Schottky-barrier diodes formed from the same structures without the p+ GaAs top layer were tested as a comparison. After mesa etching and application of contacts, devices were tested in visible light before application of the boron coating. Internal quantum efficiency (IQE) of the best diode near the GaAs bandedge ...
A method, system and a radiationdetector system for use therein are provided for determining the depth distribution of radiation-emitting material distributed in a source medium, such as a contaminated field, without the need to take samples, such as extensive soil samples, to determine the depth distribution. The system includes a portable detector assembly with an x-ray or gamma-ray detector having a detector axis for detecting the emitted radiation. The radiation may be naturally-emitted by the material, such as gamma-ray-emitting radionuclides, or emitted when the material is struck by other radiation. The assembly also includes a hollow collimator in which the detector is positioned. The collimator causes the emitted radiation to bend toward the ...
A network of second-generation low-temperature gravitational radiationdetectors is nearing completion. These detectors, sensitive to mechanical strains of order 10"-"1"8, are possible because of a variety of technical innovations that have been made in cryogenics, low-noise superconducting instrumentation, and vibration isolation techniques. Another five orders of magnitude improvement in energy sensitivity of resonant-mass detectors is possible before the linear amplifier quantum limit is encountered. 33 references, 3 figures, 1 table.
Experiments with fresh PWR fuel assemblies were performed to assess the {sup 252}Cf-source-driven frequency analysis method for measuring the subcriticality of spent fuel. The measurements at the Babcox and Wilcox Critical Experiments Facility mocked up between 17x17 fuel pins (single assembly) and a full array of 4961 fuel pins (about 17 fuel assemblies) in borated water with a fixed B concentration. For the full array, the B content of the water was varied from 1511 at delayed criticality to 4303 ppM. Measurements were done for various source-detector-fuel pin configurations; they showed high sensitivity of frequency analysis parameters to B content and fissile mass. Parameters such as auto and cross power spectral densities can be calculated directly by a more general model of the Monte Carlo code (MCNP-DSP). Calculation-measurement comparisons are presented. This model permits the validation of ...
In this article, the author presents the main technological solutions, available or in development, on X-ray detectors in order to obtain a digital image in biomedical radiography or in industrial radiography: linear x-ray detectors and bidimensional x-ray detectors (memory radioluminescent screens, matrix plan detectors).
Researchers at the Laboratory of Nuclear Microanalysis in Besancon (France) are developing and improving radon measurements in order to detect and analyse, more precisely radon emanation anomalies in both fields of Earth Sciences and Radioprotection. In order to characterize radon emanation, two complementary techniques are developed; continuous measurement through a portable proportional counter and passive measurements by nuclear track detectors for both fieldwork and laboratory analysis. A mathematical model is being devised to interpret the nuclear track detector response. This model is performed according to the device characteristics: type of detectors, shape and size of cells and whether a membrane is used or not. In addition to the theoritical study, experimental radon concentration measurements will be reported. (author).
Researchers at the Laboratory of Nuclear Microanalysis in Besancon (France) are developing and improving radon measurements in order to detect and analyse, more precisely radon emanation anomalies in both fields of Earth Sciences and Radioprotection. In order to characterize radon emanation, two complementary techniques are developed; continuous measurement through a portable proportional counter and passive measurements by nuclear track detectors for both fieldwork and laboratory analysis. A mathematical model is being devised to interpret the nuclear track detector response. This model is performed according to the device characteristics: type of detectors, shape and size of cells and whether a membrane is used or not. In addition to the theoritical study, experimental radon concentration measurements will be reported. (author).
The platinum-silicide layer was investigated as the anode contact of a high-power P-i-N diode. The thermal stability at 700 deg. C was found sufficient for the purpose of Pt in-diffusion from the platinum-silicide layer into the volume. The diffusion, which was controlled using the radiation defects resulting from the 10 MeV alpha particle irradiation, represents a new local lifetime control in the float zone silicon with very low-leakage current, while keeping the benefits of traditional approaches.
This report covers the gamma detectors, measurement instrumentation, and testing results of a system developed at Los Alamos National Laboratory. This system monitors the process liquid waste streams at the Plutonium Facility (TA-55) for the presence of radioactive contamination. The detectors are at various points on the acid, caustic, and industrial waste lines. Two of the detectors are on the sanitary sewer lines from the facility. A custom interface unit associated with these two detectors furnishes the facility operation center with a notification of the detection of material. All of the detectors furnish measurement information to a central computer system for storage and trending.
APEX (ATLAS Positron EXperiment), a collaborative effort of ANL, FSU, MSU/NSCL, Princeton, Queen`s, Rochester, Washington and Yale, is an experiment to study positron and electron production in very heavy ion collisions. The electrons and positrons are detected with two detector arrays, each consisting of 216 1 mm thick Si PIN diodes, and their energy and time-of-flight are measured. The number of detectors and limited space made it necessary to develop a system that could efficiently process and transfer signals from the detectors to the charge sensing ADC`s and data readout electronics as well as monitor the condition of the detectors. The discussion will cover the electronics designed for the Si detectors, including the charge amplifier, ``Mother board`` for the charge amplifiers, 8 channel Shaper, 16 channel Constant Fraction Discriminator (CFD), 16 channel ...
Disclosed herein is a radiationdetector providing for the in situ automatic sampling of fluids containing substances emitting radiation, especially Cerenkov radiation. The detector permits sampling within well casings and is self-purging such that no additional provisions must be established for the storage and disposal of contaminated fluids.
A multi-spectral Schottky barrier infrared detector array in which individual pixels of radiation from a remote radiating object are detected by two or more Schottky barrier infrared radiationdetectors each having a different spectral response so as to provide a ''color'' discrimination for the array.
A multi-spectral Schottky barrier infrared detector array in which individual pixels of radiation from a remote radiating object are detected by two or more Schottky barrier infrared radiationdetectors each having a different spectral response so as to provide a ''color'' discrimination for the array.
In 1998, research began at Idaho National Engineering and Environmental Laboratory to investigate the application of {sup 6}Li and {sup 7}Li isotopes to the measurement of neutron and gamma radiation. Various size pairs of {sup 6}Li and {sup 7}Li based detectors were exposed to mixed neutron and gamma radiation. Experiments demonstrated that these detectors could be used to measure low level neutron radiation in the presence of high level gamma radiation. (author)
In 1998, research began at Idaho National Engineering and Environmental Laboratory to investigate the application of "6Li and "7Li isotopes to the measurement of neutron and gamma radiation. Various size pairs of "6Li and "7Li based detectors were exposed to mixed neutron and gamma radiation. Experiments demonstrated that these detectors could be used to measure low level neutron radiation in the presence of high level gamma radiation. (author)
We report on characterization of a set of AlGaN/GaN multiple-quantum-well (MQW) photodetectors. The model structure used in the calculation is the p-i-n heterojunction with 20 AlGaN/GaN MQW structures in i-region. The MQW structures have 2nm GaN quantum well width and 15nm AlxGa1-xN barrier width. The cutoff wavelength of the MQW photodetectors can be tuned by adjusting the well width and barrier height. Including the polarization field effects, on increasing Al mole fraction, the transition energy decreases, the total noise increases, and the responsivity has a red shift, and so the detectivity decreases and has a red shift.
A possibility is considered or reducing the surface heterogeneity effect of an item being tested on the result of radiation flaw detection by means of signal delay of one of detectors in a two-channel radiometric flaw detector. The exposure of a translationally moving item has been studied as well as an external exposure of a rotating hollow item.
The transition radiationdetector (TRD) for the D{Phi} experiment is currently in operation at Fermilab. Transition radiation production, which has been clearly observed in the collider data, makes the TRD a valuable tool to discriminate electrons and hadrons. We describe an algorithm based on the truncated energy, and illustrate its use for top signal and background. (authors). 7 refs., 6 figs., 2 tabs.
MPFDs are a new class of detectors that utilize properties from existing radiationdetector designs. A majority of these characteristics come from fission chamber designs. These include radiation hardness, gamma-ray background insensitivity, and large signal output.
Counting characteristics of X-ray detectors fabricated from indium-doped, gallium-doped, and chlorine-doped CdTe have been investigated. The detectors fabricated from indium-doped and gallium-doped crystals showed radiation-induced polarization, namely, a progressive decrease of count rate with an increase of photon fluence in the high-photon-fluence region, while the detectors fabricated from chlorine-doped crystals did not. Results from current-voltage characteristics of the detectors indicated that the different counting characteristics of these detectors originated from the difference in internal electric fields in each detector.
Based on a recently introduced phase X-ray imaging approach, a dual-detector prototype was developed for in-line X-ray phase imaging and phase retrieval utilizing a micro-focus X-ray source and two computed radiography (CR) cassette detectors. The system was built on a horizontal optical rail to facilitate manual adjustment of the positions of the X-ray source, the sample and the detectors. The novel design of the detector-1 is essential, it detects a portion of radiation to form an attenuation image; allows the rest of radiation to reach the detector-2 to form a phase contrast image, and the two images are used to retrieve a phase map. The two detectors are balanced for optimal phase-retrieval with reasonable radiation dose to the object to be imaged. The system was examined in terms of the ...
Jan 13, 2011 ... This 360-degree mosaic of images from the navigation camera on ... The Radiation Assessment Detector, shown prior to its September 2010 ...
Jan 18, 2011 ... The Radiation Assessment Detector, shown prior to its September 2010 ... This 360-degree panorama shows the vista from the location where ...
We study the prospects of pinning down the effects of non-standard antineutrino interactions in the source and in the detector at the Daya Bay neutrino facility. It is well known that if the non-standard interactions in the detection process are of the same type as those in the production, their net effect can be subsumed into a mere shift in the measured value of the leptonic mixing angle theta_13. Relaxing this assumption, the ratio of the antineutrino spectra measured by the Daya Bay far and near detectors is distorted in a characteristic way, and good fits based on the standard oscillation hypothesis are no longer viable. We show that, under certain conditions, three years of Daya Bay running can be sufficient to provide a clear hint of non-standard neutrino physics.
This document is the report of a task group of the Radiation Therapy Committee of the AAPM and has been prepared primarily to advise hospital physicists involved in external beam treatment of patients with pelvic malignancies who have high atomic number (Z) hip prostheses. The purpose of the report is to make the radiation oncology community aware of the problems arising from the presence of these devices in the radiation beam, to quantify the dose perturbations they cause, and, finally, to provide recommendations for treatment planning and delivery. Some of the data and recommendations are also applicable to patients having implanted high-Z prosthetic devices such as pins, humeral head replacements. The scientific understanding and methodology of clinical dosimetry for these situations is still incomplete. This report is intended to reflect the current state of scientific understanding and technical ...
We report the growth and fabrication of midwave infrared InAs/GaSb strain layer superlattice (SLS) detectors. Growth of alternate interfaces leads to a reduced strain between the GaSb buffer and SLS ({delta}a{sub parallel}/a=-5x10{sup -4}), enabling the growth of active regions up to 3 {mu}m (625 periods). The structural, optical, and electrical properties of the active region were characterized using x-ray crystallography and photoluminescence, respectively. p-i-ndetectors were grown using 625 periods of 8 ML (monolayer) InAs/8 ML GaSb as the active region. The {lambda}{sub cutoff} for the detectors was 4.6 {mu}m with a conversion efficiency of 32% at V{sub b}=-0.2 V. Detectivity was obtained using noise power spectral density measurements under 300 K 2{pi} field of view illumination and was equal to 5.2x10{sup 10} and 3x10{sup 10} cm Hz{sup 1/2}/W (V{sub b}=-0.02 V, T=80 K) in the white noise and 1/f ...
Superconducting thin film particle detectors can be very attractive due to the low sensitivity to radiation damage. We describe the fabrication procedure and the characterization of Nb/Al bilayers as particle detectors. First steady and dynamical results are reported from tests of 5 MeV alpha-particle detection.
The neutron detector is cased in a metal envelop and has one detector with a very sensitive fission chamber and a second detector with a fission chamber less sensitive that the first one and a boron coated ionisation chamber for reducing gamma radiation detection.
An imaging position sensitive detector for charged particles, neutrons, X-and gamma rays has been developed. The novel feature of this scintillation imaging radiationdetector is its ability to detect individual nuclear particle scintillations with a h igh degree of spatial resolution. The key elements of this detector system are a high gain, low noise image intensifier tube, a CCD camera and commercially available image processing hardware and software. This detector system is highly effective for applications such as low fluence and real time neutron radiography, mapping of radioactive contamination in nuclear reactor fuel rods, X-ray diffraction imaging, high speed autoradiography and in general position sensitive detection of nuclear radiation. Results of some of the exploratory experiments carried out using this detector system are ...
An evaporative cooling system developed for operation and qualification testing of silicon pixel and microstrip detectors for the inner tracking detector of the CERN ATLAS spectrometer is described. Silicon detector substrates must be continuously operated between 0 and ???7?C in the high radiation environment near the circulating beams at the CERN Large Hadron Collider (LHC). This requirement imposes unusual constraints on the cooling system and has led to the choice of perfluoro-n-propane (C3F8) refrigerant, which combines good chemical stability under ionizing radiation with high dielectric strength and nonflammability. Since the silicon detectors must also be of extremely light construction to minimize undesirable physics background, coolant tubes are of thin (200 ?m) aluminum wall, wh...
The development of a replacement to the conventional film based X-ray imaging technique is required for many reasons. One possible route for this is the use of a large area film of a suitable semiconductor overlaid on an amorphous silicon readout array. A suitable semiconductor exists in cadmium telluride and its tertiary alloy cadmium zinc telluride. In this thesis the spectroscopic characteristics of commercially available CZT X- and gamma-radiationdetectors are established. The electronic, optical, electro-optic, structural and compositional properties of these detectors are then investigated. The attained data is used to infer a greater understanding for the carrier transport in a CZT radiationdetector following the interaction of a high energy photon. Following this a method used to fabricate large area films of CdTe on a commercial scale is described. This is cathodic ...
The RD50 collaboration has been exploring the development of radiation hard semiconductor devices for very high-luminosity colliders since 2002. The target fluence to qualify detectors set by the anticipated dose for the innermost tracking layers of the future upgrade of the CERN large hadron collider (LHC) is 1016 1 MeV neutron equivalent (neq) cm-2. This is about an order of magnitude higher than the maximum dose for the most exposed silicon detectors in the current machine. RD50 investigates the radiation hardening of silicon sensors from many angles: improvement of the intrinsic tolerance of the substrate material, optimisation of the readout geometry and study of novel design of detectors. A review of some of the recent activities within RD50 is here presented.
The RD50 collaboration has been exploring the development of radiation hard semiconductor devices for very high-luminosity colliders since 2002. The target fluence to qualify detectors set by the anticipated dose for the innermost tracking layers of the future upgrade of the CERN large hadron collider (LHC) is 1016 1MeV neutron equivalent (neq) cm-2. This is about an order of magnitude higher than the maximum dose for the most exposed silicon detectors in the current machine. RD50 investigates the radiation hardening of silicon sensors from many angles: improvement of the intrinsic tolerance of the substrate material, optimisation of the readout geometry and study of novel design of detectors. A review of some of the recent activities within RD50 is here presented.
We study an exactly solvable model where an uniformly accelerated detector is linearly coupled to a massless scalar field initially in the Minkowski vacuum. Using the exact correlation functions we show that as soon as the coupling is switched on one can see information flowing from the detector to the field and propagating with the radiation into null infinity. By expressing the reduced density matrix of the detector in terms of the two-point functions, we calculate the purity function in the detector and study the evolution of quantum entanglement between the detector and the field. Only in the ultraweak coupling regime could some degree of recoherence in the detector appear at late times, but never in full restoration, as an earlier work seems to suggest. We explicitly show that under the most general conditions the ...
A mathematical model of multichannel radiometric inspection system was developed, in which the measurement results are reproduced in the form of a half-tone image equivalent to the radiation image of the irradiated object. The model makes the following assumptions: the beam of radiation is fan-shaped; the object of inspection is scanned discretely; the focal spot of the source is rectangular; the apertures of the detector are round, and the detectors themselves are equidistant from the sources, aimed at it, and form a close-packed array; the signals from the detectors are processed according to a time scheme; and the measurement results are corrected in a computer for normalizing the gains of the channels of the system. The mathematical model can serve as the basis for developing a method of calculating the optimal parameters of a multichannel radiometric system with visualization ...
An analytical method was proposed for calculating radiative fluxes incident on a planar circular detector from a volume multiple point chemi- or bio-luminescent source inside a coaxial cylindrical reactor. The method was designed for a cylindrical reactor when the surface reflections were neglected and when chemi- or bio-luminescence reaches a detector embedded in the same homogeneous optical medium as the point emitters of the volume multiple point source model. The radiative fluxes from arbitrarily distributed point emitters were expressed by one generalized quadruple-integral formula. Then some double- and single-integral formulas were obtained for calculating radiative fluxes from identically radiating point emitters uniformly distributed within the reactor. Selected results were compu...
The invention refers a procedure of radiation dose control in irradiated tissues during electron-beam therapy. It aims at meeting the planned radiation dose for diseased tissues and taking care of the healthy ones. Therefore, the dose distribution required is determined before irradiation in consideration of such factors as energy-dependence of detector sensitivity, self-absorption within the tissue, and relative biological effectiveness. Furthermore, the expected intensity distribution of secondary quantum radiation excited in the irradiated tissue is calculated. A radiationdetector for local resolution is used for registration. During irradiation the calculated intensity distribution is compared with the measured one. The invention is applicable in radiation therapy with monoenergetic electron beams.
An analyser for detecting explosives has at least one neutron source and a plurality of gamma ray detectors. An article to be analysed is moved adjacent the source and detectors and is subjected to neutrons which generate gamma rays from any nitrogen in the article. The gamma rays are detected and analysed to determine the nitrogen concentration within the article. In order to achieve an area of uniform detection there are a plurality of detectors equidistant both from the or each source and from the article to be analysed. In order to avoid a decrease in sensitivity away from the source(s) and detectors there may be a second opposing array of source(s) and detectors on the opposite side of the article. For greatest uniformity of detection, a source in one array opposes a detector in the other array and vice versa. Transmission of radiation ...
The Steam Generator (SG) serves as an interface between primary and secondary cycle in Pressurized Heavy Water Reactor (PHWR). Failure of steam generator tubes result in leaking of active heavy water in the secondary closed loop. In Tarapur Atomic Power Station-3 and 4 (TAPS- 3 and 4), Scintillator detectors are provided to detect on line heavy water leakages in SG and moderator heat exchangers by monitoring Nitrogen-16 (16N) and Oxygen-19 (19O) activities. Efficacy of detection of these activities at designed detector position on SG blow down line in presence of background radiation field is analysed theoretically. The count rate of 19O and 16N estimated at the detector position inside Reactor Building (RB) shows that detectors only respond to very high leak rates due to presence of high ambient radiation level even though sensitivity is appreciably good. For ...
A multiwire proportional counter type detector with thin slits instead of wires is presented. It can detect either charged particles (positive or negative) or radiation. The detector can be used as a counter or as an image converter. In radiography, it can replace photographic film or TV camera systems. It can also be used to measure particle or radiation energy. The slits which replace wires in the anode are introduced between two parallel microstrip conductors with different potentials. A quasi-polar electric field is produced between these strips. To obtain high fields, the slits are extremely narrow. Microstrips less than a micron can be obtained, giving structural dimensions of a few microns, i.e., 100 times smaller than the spacing in a classic wire anode.
A circumsolar telescope for determining the flux of energy from the sun and from the circumsolar region as a function of angle, wavelength, and atmospheric conditions is presented. The telescope system consists of a specially designed scanning telescope, an electronic control and recording system and some auxiliary equipment. The detector is a pyroelectric crystal, a type of thermal detector, thus the fundamental measurement is relatively wavelength insensitive. The telescope is designed to provide data for all weather conditions during which a concentrating solar energy system would be operating. Analyses show that for a clear blue sky, the amount of radiation coming directly from the sun, while for a sky with thin clouds or haze, the circumsolar radiation is some 25% of the direct solar radiation. Under such conditions a measure of the circumsolar radiation is ...
A method and apparatus for nuclear borehole logging, and in particular, neutron porosity logging, uses a neutron source, and a pair of spaced lithium detectors, preferably Li"6I crystal or Li"6 doped glass, to detect neutrons emitted from a borehole formation being logged. The spectrum developed by the lithium detectors is processed to remove the gamma ray background radiation and the hydrogen absorption peak, thus allowing a more accurate neutron count. A Gaussian curve is fitted to the neutron peak of the spectrum, the curve eliminating the hydrogen absorption peak. The area under this Gaussian curve represents the neutron count. (author).
Long-Range Alpha Detector (LRAD) systems are designed to monitor alpha contamination by measuring the number of ions in the air. Alpha particles are a form of ionizing radiation and a typical 5-MeV alpha particle will create about 150,000 ion pairs in air. Field tests at various DOE sites have shown that LRAD Surface Soil Monitors (SSM), Sample Monitors, and Object Monitors are faster and more sensitive than traditional alpha detectors for measuring alpha contamination. This paper discusses the various applications of LRAD technology to low-level radioactive waste management.
An imaging detector for {gamma}-rays ({approx equal}1 MeV) based on minicell MWPCs with converters and a position resolution of {Delta}x=0.5 mm has been developed and tested. Very high rate capability (>10{sup 8}/cm{sup 2} s) and a special readout for suppression of scattered radiation are implemented allowing to enhance the measured contrast. The relevant physical processes are discussed and first pictures are presented. (orig.).
In future collider experiments, where a background radiation level is estimated to be very high, e.g. around 10"2 #approx# 10"5 Gy/yr and 10"1"1 #approx# 10"1"4 n/cm"2/yr at SSC, the detectors operating around the collision point in the experiments will encounter a considerable amount of radiation. Therefore, the detectors, especially the calorimeter, are required to be resistive against high radiation levels. From this point of view, it is of great importance to study the effects of radiation damage on the performance of the detectors. The authors report preliminary results of measurements of radiation hardness of the plastic scintillating fiber Kuraray SCSF-81 against irradiation with fast neutrons and "6"0Co #gamma#-rays in the region of the neutron fluence from 1 x 10"1"1 to 5 x 10"1"3 n/cm"2 and the integrated ...
It is built and tested a transition radiationdetector (TRD) to discriminate positrons from protons in the balloon flight TS 93 experiment. It is presented the TRD performance using flight data obtaining a proton-positron rejection factor of the order of 10{sup -3}. During the 24 hour flight, the data in the momentum range 4-50 GeV/c are collected. Using the TRD together with the Silicon calorimeter, it is achieved an overall rejection factor of about 10{sup -5} of positron against the proton background over the entire momentum range.
A high-density gas jet supersonic nozzle is reported in this paper. The jitter and actuation time of the nozzle is determined by the pin discharge and laser spark radiation respectively. The jitter time of the nozzle is within 10 ?s with the backing pressure as high as 25 bar. With a nanosecond laser pulse focused on the gas jet about 1 mm below the nozzle, the actuation time is calculated to be about 15 ms by detecting the laser produced spark radiation, which reveals the existence of the gas jet and the relative gas density evolving with time. Consequently the gas density is estimated to be well above 1019 cm-3, compared with theoretical simulations from the nozzle parameters.
The influence of irradiation with 2.6 MeV H and He nuclei on the superconducting properties (critical temperature Tsub(c), critical current Isub(c)) of the intermetallic compound Nb_3Sn was studied. Irradiation led to a significant lowering of Tsub(c), while Isub(c) is increasing with the radiation dose. This is assumed to be due to the formation of active pinning centres in the lattice. There is a fast drop of Isub(c) after a peak value has been reached. Annealing of the samples (600-1,000"0C) led to an almost complete recovery of the initial value of Tsub(c). X-ray diffraction showed that irradiation causes considerable distortions of the lattice while the A15 crystal structure is retained. The causes of the radiation effects related to structural defects are discussed. (GSCH).
Alloy HT-9 is being used for both duct and cladding applications in advanced liquid-metal reactor (LMR) experiments. This tempered martensitic steel was selected for use as an LMR core component material primarily because of its excellent resistance to radiation-induced swelling. Experiments conducted in the Fast Flux Test Facility (FFTF) at 410 degree C and exposures in the range of 150 to 175 displacements per atom (dpa) have shown that Ht-9 exhibits only a 0.2 to 0.3% increase in volume. Cold-worked austenitic steels exhibit volumetric increases of 20 to 30% at 410 degree C, Alloy HT-9 is being used for a series of fuel pin experiments in the FFTF, and these tests have achieved a burnup of 175 MWd/kg metal and a fluence of 25 x 10"2"2 n/cm"2 (E > 0.1 MeV) without fuel pin breach. The high confidence placed in HT-9 is based on a wide series of in- and ex-reactor experiments. Test results for these experiments are ...
The feasibility of using of current-biased superconducting strips for radiation detection is investigated. Narrow Ta strips are exposed to 5.5 MeV [alpha]-particle radiation and the rise-time of the induced voltage pulses is measured as function of temperature and bias current. The rise-time of the voltage signal strongly depends on the site on the strip which is hit by the [alpha]-particle. In order to determine the spatial resolution of a superconducting strip detector, position-sensitive measurements were performed. The maximum lateral resolution estimated so far is 25[mu]m in a 7[mu]m wide, 340 nm thick and 0.6 mm long Ta-strip. (orig.)
The fully depleted pn-junction charge coupled device (pn-CCD) has been developed as a detector for X-ray imaging and high-resolution spectroscopy for the X-ray satellite missions XMM and ABRIXAS. If the detector is exposed to a particle radiation environment, the energy resolution is degraded due to charge transfer losses and a dark current increase. In a first experiment, prototype devices were irradiated with 10 MeV protons. After completion of the detector development, the proton irradiation was repeated for a quantitative study of the radiation damage, relevant for the satellite missions. The irradiation test was extended by a 5.5 MeV {alpha}-particle and a 6 keV X-ray exposure of the pn-CCD, including the CAMEX preamplifier chip.
In future experiments the readout electronics for pixel detectors is required to be resistant to a very high radiation level. In this paper we report on irradiation tests performed on several preFPIX2 prototype pixel readout chips for the BTeV experiment exposed to a 200 MeV proton beam. The prototype chips have been implemented in commercial 0.25 {micro}m CMOS processes following radiation tolerant design rules. The results show that this ASIC design tolerates a large total radiation dose, and that radiation induced Single Event Effects occur at a manageable level.
The Steam Generator (SG) serves as an interface between primary and secondary cycle in Pressurized Heavy Water Reactor (PHWR). Failure of steam generator tubes result in leaking of active heavy water in the secondary closed loop. In Tarapur Atomic Power Station-3 and 4 (TAPS- 3 and 4), Scintillator detectors are provided to detect on line heavy water leakages in SG and moderator heat exchangers by monitoring Nitrogen-16 ("1"6N) and Oxygen-19 ("1"90) activities. Efficacy of detection of these activities at designed detector position on SG blow down line in presence of background radiation field is analysed theoretically. The count rate of "1"9O and "1"6N estimated at the detector position inside Reactor Building (RB) shows that detectors only respond to very high leak rates due to presence of high background even though sensitivity is appreciably good. For ...
The advanced detector development project at the University of Michigan has completed the first full year of its current funding. Our general goals are the development of radiationdetectors and spectrometers that are capable of portable room temperature operation. Over the past 12 months, we have worked primarily in the development of semiconductor spectrometers with {open_quotes}single carrier{close_quotes} response that offer the promise of room temperature operation and good energy resolution in gamma ray spectroscopy. We have also begun a small scale effort at investigating the properties of a small non-spectroscopic detector system with directional characteristics that will allow identification of the approximate direction in which gamma rays are incident. These activities have made use of the extensive clean room facilities at the University of Michigan for semiconductor device fabrication, and ...
In this study, a miniature fiber-optic radiationdetector has been developed using a water-equivalent organic scintillator for electron beam therapy dosimetry. Usually, two kinds of light signals such as fluorescent and Cherenkov lights are generated in a fiber-optic radiationdetector when a high-energy electron beam is irradiated. The fluorescent light signal is produced in the scintillator and is transmitted through a plastic optical fiber to a remote light-measuring device such as a PMT or a photodiode. The Cherenkov light could be also produced in the plastic optical fiber itself and be detected by a light-measuring device. Therefore, it could cause problems or limit the accuracy of the detection of a fluorescent light signal that is proportional to dose. The objectives of this study are to measure, characterize and eliminate Cherenkov light generated in a plastic optical fiber used as a component ...
A facility for studying photon-neutron reactions under a braking #gamma#-beam with an energy of up to 26 MeV from a betratron includes Saratov-2, SM-4A, and IBM AT-386 microcomputers. Neutron detectors, pulsed braking radiation dosimeters, and the devices to control the betatron energy are described.
The principle is described of a method using low-activity emitters as the primary radiation source for analysis. The selection of the radiation source and the detection methods including the assessment of the applicability of various radiationdetectors are discussed. The benefits and the constraints of the method are considered. Practical examples are presented showing the application possibilities of the method for testing the thickness of bearing layers, piston ring coats, lead layers, etc. The possibility is shown of applying the rapid test for the composition of tungsten and chromium alloyed metal materials in testing complex systems. (J.K.).
Radiation portal monitors used for interdiction of illicit materials at borders include highly sensitive neutron detection systems. The main reason for having neutron detection capability is to detect fission neutrons from plutonium. The currently deployed radiation portal monitors (RPMs) from Ludlum and Science Applications International Corporation (SAIC) use neutron detectors based upon 3He-filled gas proportional counters, which are the most common large neutron detector. There is a declining supply of 3He in the world, and thus, methods to reduce the use of this gas in RPMs with minimal changes to the current system designs and sensitivity to cargo-borne neutrons are being investigated. Four technologies have been identified as being currently commercially available, potential alternative neutron detectors to replace the use of 3He in RPMs. Reported here are the results of ...
HEDL is conducting an experimental transient testing program to evaluate the performance of prototypic Fast Flux Test Facility (FFTF) fuel pins up to the cladding integrity limit. The relationship is described of the HEDL/TREAT transient overpower test program to the confirmation of FFTF fuel pin design bases via the FFTF fuel pin design procedure.
Prompt fission neutron spectrum measurements at the University of Massachusetts Lowell 5.5 MV Van de Graaff accelerator laboratory require that the neutron detector efficiency be well known over a neutron energy range of 100 keV to 20 MeV. The efficiency of the detector, has been determined for energies greater than 5.0 MeV using the Weapons Neutron Research (WNR) white neutron source at the Los Alamos Meson Physics Facility (LAMPF) in a pulsed beam, time-of-flight (TOF) experiment. Carbon matched polyethylene and graphite scatterers were used to obtain a hydrogen spectrum. The detector efficiency was determined using the well known H(n,n) scattering cross section. Results are compared to the detector efficiency calculation program SCINFUL available from the Radiation Shielding Information Center at Oak Ridge National Laboratory.
High-purity and doped GaAs films have been grown by Liquid-phase epitaxy (LPE) for development of a blocked impurity band (BIB) detector for far-infrared radiation. The film growth process developed has resulted in the capability to grow GaAs with a net active impurity concentration below 1 x 10{sup 13} cm{sup -3}, ideal for the blocking layer of the BIB detector. The growth of n-type LPE GaAs films with donor concentrations below the metal-insulator transition, as required for the absorbing layer of a BIB detector, has been achieved. The control of the donor concentration, however, was found to be insufficient for detector production. The growth by LPE of a high-purity film onto a commercially grown vapor-phase epitaxial (VPE) n-type GaAs doped absorbing layer resulted in a BIB device that showed a significant reduction in the low-temperature dark current compared to the absorbing ...
The patient positioning and repositioning control in radiation therapy all along the treatment can be conducted using a variety of X-ray sources and imaging detector devices. The development of image guided radiation therapy techniques leads to more frequent use of this imaging control. In this article we summarize the current methods for measuring the dose delivered by X-ray imaging devices used in radiation therapy, as well as basic proposals to take account of these imaging doses for prescribing, recording and reporting radiation therapy treatment. (authors)
Characteristics of lead-zirconate-titanate (PZT) elements were studied by directly irradiating them with a 400 MeV/n Xe beam. The elements were sensitive to 10{sup 4} Xe ions and their output amplitudes were proportional to the beam intensity. An ensemble of those output amplitudes displayed a Bragg-curve-like response towards the range of 400 MeV/n Xe ion. We discuss the potential of PZT elements as a radiationdetector and their application to high-intensity and high-energy detectors. (author)
We have developed a new type personal dosemeter by using a B-10 doped silicon p-n junction detector with a polyethylene radiator and a polyethylene moderator. The purpose of this study was to develop a real time neutron dosemeter with a nearly flat response in the energy range from thermal to 15 MeV and low angular dependence to the incident neutron direction. The neutron response of the dosemeter was obtained with the Monte Carlo calculation and the monoenergetic neutron experiment in a free air field and also under a condition attached on a phantom.
The two most important issues in designing future gravitational wave interferometric detectors are, in our opinion, thermal and optical noise. In this paper we discuss some approaches for reducing these noises. About thermal noise we show a possible cryogenic solution. About optical noise (namely, the combined effect of shot noise and radiation pressure noise) we show that it is possible to apply a recently proposed reduction strategy based on a 'quantum feedback' (Courty et al 2003 Phys. Rev. Lett. 90 083601; Courty et al 2003 Preprint gr-qc/0301068) to a full Fabry-Perot cavity. This can be seen as a further step towards the practical realization of a detector which is able to evade the standard quantum limit.
Quartz fiber calorimetry is a technique the signal generation mechanism of which is based on the Cherenkov effect. In this article we try to give a comprehensive overview of the subject. We start with a general introduction to calorimetry where the basic elements that characterize the development of electromagnetic and hadronic showers are discussed. Then we describe in detail the operation principle and the properties of calorimeters equipped with quartz fibers. The main advantages of this type of calorimeters are the radiation hardness, the fast response and the compact detector dimensions, features that derive from the quartz material and the specific mechanism of operation. A section is devoted to presenting the quartz fiber calorimeters that have been built or planned to in various experiments to operate as centrality detectors, trigger detectors, luminosity monitors or general purpose very forward ...
A miniature device is described for measuring integral potential alpha energy concentration of radon daughter products (Csub(Rn)) for personnel and stationary dosimetry. The measuring apparatus consists of an air sampler, filters and TLD detectors. CaSO_4:Dy-teflon pellets were used as the detectors which registrate #gamma# radiation as well. The TLD-effect dependence on the potential alpha energy, as well as the fading of the detectors at 20-60 deg C after 170 hrs operation are presentd. The fading up to 40 deg C has been found to be negligible. The dosimeter may be used to measure Csub(Rh) starting with the 10"5 MeVxh/1 threshold, the accuracy being not worse than +-30%.
We report the use of ion beam induced charge imaging to characterise the charge signal uniformity of epitaxial gallium nitride radiationdetectors. The detectors were fabricated from 2 {mu}m thick semi-insulating gallium nitride, grown by MOCVD on a sapphire substrate. A carrier concentration of 1.4x10{sup 15} cm{sup -3} was measured using capacitance-voltage measurements. Ion beam induced charge imaging was carried out with a 2 MeV alpha particle beam focussed to a 3 {mu}m diameter and raster scanned across the device. The resulting ion beam images show excellent charge signal uniformity in this material with no evidence of material defects or polycrystalline structure on the micrometer length scale. No evidence of charge signal trapping was observed in these devices.
A passive dosemeter, based on a Makrofol ED track detector covered with aluminized Mylar, enclosed in diffusion chamber, has been used for radon concentration studies. Detectors have been irradiated, using a {sup 241}Am source, at different energies and fluences in order to obtain the electrochemical etching conditions that allow the optimum registration of alpha particles having energies over 3 MeV. Thirty dosemeters have been sent to the UK National Radiation Protection Board (NRPB) Radon Environmental Chamber for calibration. The sensitivity of the dosemeter has been calculated. Several dosemeters have also been exposed in houses and dwellings in the Barcelona and Madrid areas for monitoring. Values for radon concentration in the areas under study are presented. (author).
A passive dosemeter, based on a Makrofol ED track detector covered with aluminized Mylar, enclosed in diffusion chamber, has been used for radon concentration studies. Detectors have been irradiated, using a "2"4"1Am source, at different energies and fluences in order to obtain the electrochemical etching conditions that allow the optimum registration of alpha particles having energies over 3 MeV. Thirty dosemeters have been sent to the UK National Radiation Protection Board (NRPB) Radon Environmental Chamber for calibration. The sensitivity of the dosemeter has been calculated. Several dosemeters have also been exposed in houses and dwellings in the Barcelona and Madrid areas for monitoring. Values for radon concentration in the areas under study are presented. (author).
The total interaction cross sections (#sigma#_t) of some sugars and amino acids and five elements: lithium, carbon, oxygen, aluminium and calcium have been measured for 6.4 keV, 13.95 keV, 14.4 keV, 17.74 keV, 24.14 keV, 30.8 keV, 35 keV, 59.54 keV, 81 keV, 122 keV and 136 keV photons in a narrow beam good geometry set up, by using high resolution detectors such as a Si-PIN diode detector and a high purity germanium detector. The #sigma#_t values have been used in a matrix method to evaluate the effective atomic numbers Z_e_f_f of the samples from their effective atomic cross sections #sigma#_a. The effective atomic cross section of a sample #sigma#_a is the total interaction cross section divided by the total number of atoms of all types in it. Further, a quantity called the effective atomic weight A_e_f_f of a sample was defined as the ratio of the molecular weight A to the total number of atoms of ...
A gamma-ray spectrometer (GRS) has been built and delivered to the Mercury MESSENGER spacecraft which launched on August 3, 2004, from Cape Canaveral, Florida. The GRS, a part of seven scientific instruments on board MESSENGER, is based on a coaxial high-purity germanium detector. Gamma-ray detectors based on germanium have the advantage of providing excellent energy resolution, which is critical to achieving the science goals of the mission. However, germanium has the disadvantage that it must operate at cryogenic temperatures (typically {approx}80 K). This requirement is easy to satisfy in the laboratory but difficult near Mercury, which has an extremely hot thermal radiation environment. To cool the detector, a Stirling cycle mechanical cooler is employed. In addition, radiation and conduction techniques a are used to reduce the GRS heat load. Before delivering the flight sensor, ...
Instrumental neutron activation analysis (INAA) and radionuclide X-ray fluorescence analysis (RXFA) were used for the determination of rare earth elements. For INAA, solution obtained by sample decomposition was dripped onto filter paper, enclosed and sealed into a polyethylene foil. The sample was activated in reactor WWR-S over a period of 4 to 6 hours with a neutron fluence of 10"1"3cm"-"2. Gamma radiation measurement was carried out with a planar and a coaxial HP-Ge detector in three decay periods. La, Ce, Nd, Sm, Eu, Gd, Tb, Ho, Tm, Yb and Lu were determined. The advantage of the method is its accuracy and high sensitivity, the disadvantage is the time-consuming analysis. The RXFA method was used as a rapid and operative method for the analysis of loose ore samples, aqueous and organic solutions of rare earth elements. For exciting X-ray radiation, "2"4"1Am was used and the radiation of K-lines was ...
Manned-space missions bring an exposure due to corpuscular radiations of which nature is quite different from what we encounter in the ground environment. In the space environment, many secondaries are produced through interactions of cosmic ray primaries with the spacecraft wall and other surrounding materials. Among this large variety of radiation components in the space, the contribution of neutrons to the radiation exposure of astronauts has remained to be studied. Up to today, efforts to measure neutron dose equivalent have been made using passive detector systems. Considering uncertainties involved in current measurements and estimations of high energy neutrons, and their increasing importance for future manned missions, it is necessary to measure neutron spectrum in the spacecraft under realistic conditions. The neutron spectra have never been measured on board a spacecraft, because the neutron ...
The leak before break (LBB) concept is difficult to apply to a structure with a thin tube that is immersed in a water environment. A heat exchanger in a nuclear power plant is such a structure. The present paper addresses an application of the LBB concept to a heat exchanger in a nuclear power plant. The minimum leaked coolant amount containing the radioactive material which can activate the radiationdetector device installed near the heat exchanger is assumed. The postulated initial flaw size that cannot grow to the critical flaw size within the time period to activate the radiationdetector is justified. In this case, the radiationdetector can activate the warning signal caused by coolant leakage from initially postulated flaws of the heat exchanger. The nuclear plant can safely shutdown when this occurs. Since the postulated initial flaw size can not grow ...
In order to judge the potential fluorescent lamp applications of various low-pressure positive column discharges it is necessary to measure the absolute power emitted in the ultraviolet region of the spectrum. For rare-gas discharges the principle emission occurs in the vacuum ultraviolet so that it is difficult to measure the radiant emittance (power per unit area) of the resonance radiation by standard methods. Two independent techniques are discussed for measuring the radiant emittance of positive column discharges in the vacuum ultraviolet. These techniques are used to study xenon positive column discharges at the resonance wavelength of 147 nm. The first method relies on the measurement of the resonance level density by absorption techniques. The effective decay rate of the resonance level is then determined by the simulation of resonance radiation transport. These two quantities are combined to yield the radiant emittance at 147 nm ...
Semiconductor quantum dots (QDs) are a promising approach to realize a single-photon source. To avoid bulky and expensive laser systems for future applications, electrical excitation is desirable. InP QDs are especially suited, as they emit in the red spectral range and therefore in the optimal range of commercial detectors. Additionally, they have been shown to be capable of emitting single photons up to 80 K. Thus, we embedded InP QDs in the intrinsic region of a p-i-n diode. To form single devices, 100 #mu#m mesas were etched and supplied with electrical contacts. We investigated the electroluminescence from single QDs and performed second-order auto correlation measurements to verify single-photon emission. To prevent expensive helium cooling and reach operation above 80 K, we investigated the influence of elevated temperature on the performance of our device. Since triggered single-photon emission is required for most applications, ...
We construct the time-dependent radiation model for the pulsar wind nebulae (PWNe), assuming that leptons are accelerated in resonant scattering with heavy nuclei, which are injected into the nebula by the pulsar. The equilibrium spectra of these particles inside the nebula are calculated taking into account their radiation and adiabatic energy losses. The spectra of {gamma}-rays produced by these particles are compared with the observations of the PWNe emitting TeV {gamma}-rays and predictions are made for the expected {gamma}-ray fluxes from other PWNe. Expected neutrino fluxes and neutrino event rates in a 1 km{sup 2} neutrino detector from these nebulae are also calculated. It is concluded that only the Crab Nebula can produce a detectable neutrino event rate in the 1 km{sup 2} neutrino detector. Other PWNe can emit TeV {gamma}-rays on the level of a few percent of that observed from the Crab ...
Silicon sensors have about ten times improved radiation hardness around 130 K temperature, compared with the state-of-art sensors close to room temperature. This is based on the Lazarus effect studied by the RD39 Collaboration of CERN. Other benefits of low temperatures will also be discussed. We shall describe the conceptual design of low-mass detector modules cooled using two-phase flow of argon in miniature cooling pipes integrated in the module structure between the sensors and the readout hybrid circuit. The main engineering features of the cooling system and mechanical support structures are discussed, as well as the benefits arising from the operation of the tracker under cryogenic vacuum. 4 Refs.
Radiation defects produced by helium implantation were used to shape profiles of palladium (Pd) and platinum (Pt) atoms in-diffusing (for 20 min at temperatures 600-800 deg. C) either from surface silicide (Pd_2Si, PtSi) or implanted layers. Results show that this procedure allows a strong localization of substitutional Pd and Pt at the depth where the damage produced by helium peaks. This results in local reduction of carrier lifetime by an almost ideal recombination centers - the acceptor level of substitutional Pd (E _c - 0.22 eV) or Pt (E _c - 0.23 eV). While optimum conditions for Pt in-diffusion are about 700 deg. C, Pd gives the best results already at lower temperatures (600 deg. C) where it also exhibits higher peak solubility. Both methods were used for optimization of turn-off properties of high power PiN diodes. The devices, where the lifetime was killed locally by Pd and Pt, exhibited similar trade-off between the static and ...
Nuclear radiationdetectors in integral execution were produced by successive epitaxial growth from vapor phase of Zn Te and Cd Se thin layers onto scintillating Zn Se (Te) crystals. The irradiation of combined Zn Se (Te) - Zn Te - Cd Se detectors by Cu_K_a X-rays leads to the appearance of photoreceiver e.m.f., which tends to saturation with the increase of X-ray radiation dose reaching the value of 0.34-0.40 V at 200 R/min. The short circuit current dependence of irradiation dose power is linear. The matching factor for detectors with Zn Te-Cd Se photoreceivers with different doping levels is 0.68-0.92. The absolute monochromatic sensitivity is 0.32-0.35 m A/m W at a quantum efficiency 0.58-0.61 and a time constant 2 x 10"-"4 s. The calculated dose sensitivity for Zn Se(Te)-Zn Te-Cd Se combined detectors at the irradiation with X-rays having effective energy ...
The physical foundations are described of radionuclide X-ray fluorescence analysis (RXFA) and the table shows the values of K- and L-absorption thresholds and the K- and L-line energies of elements. The calculation of the intensity of characteristic radiation during RXFA proceeds from relations derived for conventional X-ray fluorescence analysis. The choice of the radionuclide source is ruled by the nature of the analysed substance and the used detection technique. The diagram shows the areas of radionuclide sources and the energy of the fluorescence radiation of elements. The table shows the spectra of radionuclide sources suitable for the purposes of RXFA measured by semiconductor Si(Li) and Ge(Li) detectors. (ES).
The PLANCK SURVEYOR is a European Space Agency satellite mission to image the very faint anisotropies in the temperature of the Cosmic Microwave Background (CMB) radiation. Maynooth is actively participating in an international collaboration of scientists involved with the optical design of the High Frequency Instrument (HFI). This paper outlines research which has been undertaken in Maynooth concerned with numerical modelling of the optical characteristics of the multi-frequency array of detectors making up the HFI instrument. In the study the commercial software package ZEMAX was used to model the coupling of the focal plane HFI detectors to the PLANCK telescope. This package is particularly useful in the optical design of PLANCK because of the powerful optimisation features of the software. It is thus possible to readily determine the optimum positioning of the detectors in the focal plane of the ...
In the ALICE experiment at CERN, the Detector Control System (DCS) employs several interacting software components to accomplish its task of ensuring the correct operation and monitoring of the experiment. This paper describes the Front-End-Electronics Communication (FeeCommunication) software and its role within the DCS. The FeeCommunication software's central task is passing configuration and monitoring data between the top level DCS process control and the field devices of several detectors within ALICE. The lowest level of the FeeCommunication software runs on the DCS boards, specialized embedded systems which are in direct contact with the field devices and are physically located within the detector. The middle and upper layers run on standard PC hardware located in the counting room or other external locations. This paper focuses on the design and implementation of the FeeCommunication software and the steps ...
We discuss the use of active control to reduce mirror position fluctuations at the quantum level. We have shown in a recent experiment that it is possible to reduce the thermal noise of a mirror by measuring and controlling its motion with an optomechanical sensor based on a high-finesse optical cavity. This approach can be extended to lock the mirror motion at the quantum level, and to suppress the quantum effects of radiation pressure in interferometric measurements such as gravitational-wave detectors. The sensitivity improvement is furthermore independent of losses in the interferometer.
The cosmic antiparticle ring imaging Cherenkov experiment (CAPRICE) flew on a stratospheric balloon 8-9 August 1994 over northern Canada and collected data for more than 21 hours with less than 5 g/cm{sup 2} of residual atmosphere. The instrument includes a solid radiator RICH detector and an electromagnetic calorimeter for particle identification in the magnetic spectrometer. Preliminary antiproton and positron identification capabilities are presented.
Impact of apparatus dead time on the accuracy of measurement of radial distribution of the radiation attenuation factor in the roentgen computer tomography for rotation bodies is studied. Analytical expressions are obtained. Calculations of the threshold loads for radiometric detectors, providing for the accuracy of measurement at the stage of designing the tomographic complex detecting unit, are obtained
Compton scatter tomography utilizes the electronic collimation characteristics available through the Compton scattering angle-energy correlation to obtain tomographic images. In this work we present particular aspects of the technique, which are relevant to the inverse radiation transport problem of reducing marginal projection data to radial two-phase flow regime maps. The results indicate a viable technique for the tomographic imaging of tow-phase flow using practical source strengths and reasonably few detectors.
The development of a flat response small size, real time neutron dosimeter and ratemeter for the energy range of about 1 eV to 14 MeV is presented. This dosimeter is adequate for measuring neutron dose equivalents of 3 mRem up to 100 Rem and dose rates of 300 mRem/h to 50 Rem/h or more. The dosimeter consists of four Si surface barrier detectors. _1_0B radiators are placed in front of three of the detectors and a polyethylene radiator is placed in front of the fourth one. The _1_0B pellets are used for dose equivalent measurements in the energy range 1 eV to proportional1 MeV. The polyethylene radiator, made in two parts having thicknesses of 10 and 100 mg/cm_2 in an area ratio of 8 to 1, flattens the response to +-40% in the energy range 1-14 MeV. The signal-to-background ratio for different Si surface barrier detectors and for _1_0B polyethylene ...
The results of an experimental study of axial and crossflow velocity in a 7-pin wire wrapped bundle similar for FFTF fuel bundles are reported. The results are compared with the forced crossflow model of the COBRA-III C computer program. (JWR)
We study how the microscale topography of a solid surface affects the apparent advancing and receding angles at the contact line of a liquid drop pinned to this surface. Photolithographic methods...Full Text Available
This paper (paper I) presents the first part of results obtained with the PF-1000 facility for the first time at its upper energy limit (?1 MJ). Special attention is paid here to plasma ('pinch') dynamics, which was investigated in relation to its electro-technical and radiation (especially neutron) characteristics with the help of a number of diagnostics, both time-integrated and with nanosecond temporal resolution. In these methods we utilized a Rogowski coil for the routine electro-technical measurements, visual multi-frame and streak cameras, soft x-ray pin-hole multi-frame cameras, PIN-diode assembly and PM tubes with scintillators for soft and hard x-rays as well as for neutron investigations together with a set of activation counters. In particular, the temporal cross correlation of different phenomena taking place during the discharge was investigated. The pinch's longevity appears to be 10-15 times larger than the ...
Radiation portal monitors used for interdiction of illicit materials at borders include highly sensitive neutron detection systems. The main reason for having neutron detection capability is to detect fission neutrons from plutonium. The currently deployed radiation portal monitors (RPMs) from Ludlum and Science Applications International Corporation (SAIC) use neutron detectors based upon 3He-filled gas proportional counters, which are the most common large neutron detector. There is a declining supply of 3He in the world, and thus, methods to reduce the use of this gas in RPMs with minimal changes to the current system designs and sensitivity to cargo-borne neutrons are being investigated. Four technologies have been identified as being currently commercially available, potential alternative neutron detectors to replace the use of 3He in RPMs. These technologies are: 1) Boron ...
Full text: A method to measure noise power spectrum of a full field digital mammography system is presented. The effect of X-ray radiation dose, size and configuration of region of interest on normalized noise power spectrum (NNPS) was investigated. Flat field images were acquired using RQA-M2 beam quality technique (Mo/Mo anode-filter, 28 kV, 2 mm Al) with different clinical radiation doses. The images were cropped at about 4 cm from the edge of the breast wall and then divided into different size of non-overlapping or overlapping segments. NNPS was determined through de trending, 2-D fast Fourier transformation and normalization. Our measurement shows that high radiation dose gave lower NNPS at a specific beam quality. (author)
A prism spectrometer has been developed to operate in the VUV wavelength range from 120 to 200 nm. It can be used as a pre- disperser in conjunction with a Fabry-Perot based gas refractometer. This instrument has also been used to measure the refractive index of the liquid radiator C/sub 6/F/sub 14/ in various spectral lines. This radiator is used in the RICH detectors of the DELPHI experiment and has been proposed for ALICE, and LHCb experiments. The spectral resolution of the system is improved as the wavelength decreases and the data are consistent with a wavelength accuracy about 0.4 nm at 140 nm. The results for the dispersion curve of the above liquid are presented. (17 refs).
Two sets of experiments have been performed in sodium with two seven pin electrically heated bundles: the first with a nominal arrangement, the second with one dummy pin enlarged 20% in diameter in peripheral position. In this paper a rapid review of experimental results and theoretical works, related to the temperature distribution in these geometries, is presented together with a short description of the developed test section technology.
An analysis of trapezoidal profile convective pin fins, with internal heat generation density is presented. The solution of the optimal problem is also given, when either the desired heat dissipation rate or the volume of the pin is specified. The results are presented graphically and in polynomial forms that are particularly useful for computerized calculations. The effect of the fin`s profile and thermal conductivity upon the optimum dimensions is discussed. An example serves to demonstrate the usefulness of the method.
This study presents results from Monte Carlo radiation transport calculations aimed at characterizing a novel methodology being developed to detect partial defects in Pressurized Water Reactor (PWR) spent fuel assemblies (SFAs). The methodology uses a combination of measured neutron and gamma fields inside a spent fuel assembly in an in-situ condition where no movement of the fuel assembly is required. Previous studies performed on single isolated assemblies resulted in a unique base signature that would change when some of the fuel in the assembly is replaced with dummy fuel. These studies indicate that this signature is still valid in the in-situ condition enhancing the prospect of building a practical tool, Partial Defect Detector (PDET), which can be used in the field for partial defect detection.
As thin films become increasingly popular (for solar cells, LEDs, microelectronics, batteries), quantitative morphological information is needed to predict and optimize the film's electronic, optical and mechanical properties. This quantification can be obtained quickly and easily with X-ray diffraction using an area detector and synchrotron radiation in two simple geometries. In this paper, we describe a methodology for constructing complete pole figures for thin films with fiber texture (isotropic in-plane orientation). We demonstrate this technique on semicrystalline polymer films, self-assembled nanoparticle semiconductor films, and randomly-packed metallic nanoparticle films. This method can be immediately implemented to help understand the relationship between film processing and microstructure, enabling the development of better and less expensive electronic and optoelectronic devices.
The whole equipment consists of three separate portable parts: a detector case, a microprocessor and a graphic TV monitor. Magnetic tape memory and an x-y recorder can be connected for recording the measured spectra. The analyzer contains two built-in exchangeable excitation radionuclides. Fluorescence and scattered radiation is detected using a proportional detector. The detected pulses are analyzed by a 256-channel analyzer and the results are shown on the display. The device may be used in mining laboratories, coal and ore dressing plant control rooms or in mining fields of open cast mines for quick detection of the quality of mined or dressed raw materials. (E.S.). 1 fig.
Energy flows in deep inelastic electron-proton scattering are investigated at a centre-of-mass energy of 296 GeV for the range Q{sup 2}{>=}10 GeV{sup 2} using the ZEUS detector. A comparison is made between events with and without a large rapidity gap between the hadronic system and the proton direction. The energy flows, corrected for detector acceptance and resolution, are shown for these two classes of events in both the HERA laboratory frame and the Breit frame. From the differences in the shapes of these energy flows we conclude that QCD radiation is suppressed in the large-rapidity-gap events compared to the events without a large rapidity gap. (orig.)
Kinetic Monte Carlo (KMC) computer simulations are performed to determine the kinetics of SIA cluster 'clouds' in the vicinity of edge dislocations. The simulations include elastic interactions amongst SIA clusters, and between clusters and dislocations. Results of KMC simulations that describe the formation of 'SIA clouds' during neutron irradiation of bcc Fe and the corresponding evolution kinetics are presented, and the size and spatial distribution of SIA clusters in the cloud region are studied for a variety of neutron displacement damage dose levels. We then investigate the collective spatio-temporal dynamics of SIA clusters in the presence of internal elastic fields generated by static and mobile dislocations. The main features of the investigations are: (1) determination of the kinetics and spatial extent of defect clouds near static dislocations; (2) assessment of the influence of localized patches of SIA clouds on the pinning-depinning motion of ...
We present an approach for fabrication of intentionally positioned epitaxial InAs QDs in a micron sized light emitting diode. For site-selective growth, a combination of molecular beam epitaxy (MBE) and focused ion beam (FIB) implantation technology in an all-ultra-high-vacuum (UHV) setup has been employed. Single dot occupancy of almost 55 % on FIB patterned nano-depressions was successfully achieved. Thereafter, carrier injection and subsequent radiative recombination from the positioned InAs/GaAs self-assembled QDs was investigated by embedding these QDs in the intrinsic part of a GaAs-based micron sized p-i-n junction device. Few or single dot are expected to be electrically addressed in these devices. We report results from electroluminescence (EL) measurement which proves the single dot characteristics of our device. The EL spectra consist of sharp emission lines and their dependence on injection current shows linear behavior for exciton ...
The Fast Flux Test Facility (FFTF) is a 400-MWt, sodium-cooled reactor located on the Hanford Site near Richland, Washington, USA. The FFTF is owned by the U.S. Department of Energy and is operated by the Westinghouse Hanford Company. The FFTF was designed to test fuels and materials for use in liquid metal reactors. Since initial operation in 1982, anticipated breaches of experimental fuel pins have released fission products, including cesium, into the primary sodium. Because of its high volatility, cesium vaporizes into the cover gas space, where it condenses on components and equipment and is transported into the cover gas outlet. Because of the long half-life of "1"3"7Cs, these deposits result in long-term, local radiation levels that make contact maintenance difficult. Thus, a cesium trap was installed in FFTF to reduce the cesium level in the sodium. The trap could also permit a Run Beyond Cladding Breach (RBCB) program without ...
A total of 86 experimental fuel pins with various fuel, liner, and cladding candidate materials have been irradiated in the Experimental Breeder Reactor-II (EBR-II) and the Fast Flux Test Facility (FFTF) reactor as part of the SP-100 fuel pin irradiation testing program. Postirradiation examination results from these fuel pin are key in establishing performance correlations and demonstrating the lifetime and safety of the reactor fuel system. This paper provides a brief description of the in-reactor fuel pin tests and presents the most recent irradiation data on the performance of wrought rhenium (Re) liner material and high density UN fuel at goal burnup of 6 atom percent (at. %). It also provides an overview of the significant variety of other fuel/liner/cladding combinations which were irradiated as part of this program and which may be of interest to more advanced efforts.
We consider a Josephson junction system installed with a finite length inhomogeneity, either of microresistor or of microresonator type. The system can be modelled by a sine-Gordon equation with a piecewise-constant function to represent the varying Josephson tunneling critical current. The existence of pinned fluxons depends on the length of the inhomogeneity, the variation in the Josephson tunneling critical current and the applied bias current. We establish that a system may either not be able to sustain a pinned fluxon, or - for instance by varying the length of the inhomogeneity - may exhibit various different types of pinned fluxons. Our stability analysis shows that changes of stability can only occur at critical points of the length of the inhomogeneity as a function of the (Hamiltonian) energy density inside the inhomogeneity - a relation we determine explicitly. In combination with continuation arguments and ...
The helium releases were investigated in FBR fuel pins irradiated to high burn-up. The released amounts increased with the increase of burn-up, but no burn-up dependence of their release fraction to total amounts generated was seen. The contents of "2"4"1Am in fuel pellets affected the released amounts. The effect of released helium on the internal pressure in fuel pins was smaller in FBR fuel pins than in LWR fuel pins, but released helium in fuel pins containing increased amounts of "2"4"1Am, which are anticipated in future FBRs, is expected to affect the internal pressure.
We present the latest developments for the radiation laboratory curriculum at the Department of Physics and Astronomy of Western Kentucky University. During the last decade, the Applied Physics Institute (API) at WKU accumulated various equipment for radiation experimentation. This includes various neutron sources (computer controlled d-t and d-d neutron generators, and isotopic 252 Cf and PuBe sources), the set of gamma sources with various intensities, gamma detectors with various energy resolutions (NaI, BGO, GSO, LaBr and HPGe) and the 2.5-MeV Van de Graaff particle accelerator. XRF and XRD apparatuses are also available for students and members at the API. This equipment is currently used in numerous scientific and teaching activities. Members of the API also developed a set of laboratory activities for undergraduate students taking classes from the physics curriculum (Nuclear Physics, Atomic Physics, and ...
We present the results of modeling intended to evaluate the feasibility of using neutrons from induced fission in highly enriched uranium (HEU) as a means of detecting clandestine HEU, even when it is embedded in absorbing surroundings, such as commercial cargo. We characterized radiation from induced fission in HEU, which consisted of delayed neutrons at all energies and prompt neutrons at energies above a threshold. We found that for the candidate detector and for the conditions we considered, a distinctive HEU signature should be detectable, given sufficient detector size, and should be robust over a range of cargo content. In the modeled scenario, an intense neutron source was used to induce fissions in a spherical shell of HEU. To absorb, scatter, and moderate the neutrons, we place one layer of simulated cargo between the source and target and an identical layer between the target and detector. ...
Advanced modality of high-precision radiotherapy fulfilled by a composition of large numbers of small field beams called 'beamlets' can be achieved via nonuniform intensity fluencies. In case of radiation measurements and calculations with narrow high-energy photon beams, however, an accurate two-dimensional dosimetry is a challenging task due to dosimetrically unfavorable phenomena such as dramatic changes of the dose at the field boundaries, dis-equilibrium of the electrons resulting from larger detector volume, and non-uniformity between the detector and the phantom materials. Meanwhile, with the advantages of high spatial resolution and wide range of absorbed doses, there is a growing demand of GAFCHROMICat..EBT film to confirm delivered dose distribution. Especially, the effects from the material differences between the phantom and the film can be minimized in the heterogeneous condition since the GAFCHROMICat..EBT ...
The devised radionuclide analyzer for the determination of total sulfur in coal includes two radionuclide sources with different energies, which are accommodated in collimators fitted with adjustable diaphramgs. The sample compartment is located between the two sources. Moreover, an X-ray fluorescence standard can be slid into the sample compartment. A proportional detector for X-ray fluorescence and scattered gamma radiation is located off the sample compartment. The input of the proportional detector is interfaced to the output of a high-voltage supply, the output, to the information input of a control-and-evaluation unit. One of the control outputs of the control-and-evaluation unit is connected to the input of the sliding mechanism for the X-ray fluorescence standard. This arrangement enables automatic energy calibration of the analyzer. The analyzer can measure not only total sulfur in coal by radionuclide X-ray ...
The thermal performance of an automotive radiator plays an important role in the performance of an automobile's cooling system and all other associated systems. For a number of years, this component has been given little attention with very little changing in its manufacturing cost, operation and geometry. As opposed to the old tubular heat exchanger configurations used in automotive radiators, plate heat exchangers currently form the backbone of today's process industry with their advanced performance reaching levels the designers of tubular heat exchangers can only dream of. The aluminium roll-bonding technique widely used in manufacturing the cooling compartments for domestic refrigeration units is one of the cheapest methods for heat exchanger manufacturing. Using this technique, it is possible to manufacture a wide range of heat exchanger configurations that can help augment heat transfer whilst reducing pressure drops. ...
X-ray fluorescence analysis was used to determine the zinc content of the ''Perilacin'' powder and the ZnO content of the ''Epiderman-pix'' powder. The characteristic Ksub(#alpha#) line of zinc was excited using a "1"4"7Pm/Mo source (10"7 s"-"1) and the molybdenum Ksub(#alpha#) line (17.47 keV). 4 to 5% Zn and 45 to 49% ZnO were determined with a NaI(Tl) scintillation detector. The radiation intensity was found to decrease with particle size. (M.K.).
The literature of radiation damage measurements on cadmium zinc telluride (CZT), cadmium telluride (CT), and mercuric iodide (HgI{sub 2}) is reviewed and in the case of CZT supplemented by new alpha particle data. CZT strip detectors exposed to intermediate energy (1.3 MeV) proton fluences exhibit increased interstrip leakage after 10{sup 10} p/cm{sup 2} and significant bulk leakage after 10{sup 12} p/cm{sup 2}. CZT exposed to 200 MeV protons shows a two-fold loss in energy resolution after a fluence of 5 {times} 10{sup 9} p/cm{sup 2} in thick (3 mm) planar devices but little effect in 2 mm devices. No energy resolution effects were noted from moderated fission spectrum of neutrons after fluences up to 10{sup 10} n/cm{sup 2}, although activation was evident. Exposures of CZT to 5 MeV alpha particle at fluences up to 1.5 {times} 10{sup 10} {alpha}/cm{sup 2} produced a near linear decrease in peak position with fluence and increases in FWHM ...
Neutron resonance interactions with /sup 100/Mo were studied at a time-of-flight facility. The transmission of two oxide samples (97.4% /sup 100/Mo) was measured at a 78.20 m flight path and the neutron capture cross section was measured at 40.12 m. Resonance analyses yielded parameters of 124 resonances. Capture ..gamma..-ray spectra from 11 resolved resonances were measured with a Ge(Li) detector at a 10.45 m flight path. In contrast to neighboring nuclei, partial radiation widths of strong p-wave resonances are not in agreement with valence model predictions.
Radionuclide X-ray fluorescence analysis for nondestructive determination of Fe, Zn, Pb, and Br in air samples collected on nitrocellulose membrane filter Synpor 4 is described. A "2"3"8Pu source for the excitation and a semiconductor Si/Li detector for the detection of characteristic and L-fluorescent radiation of the above elements were used. A correction method based upon the measurements of simple or multiple Compton scattering for compensation of varying mass per unit area values in sample deposits was theoretically proposed and experimentally tested. The results obtained both with and without the correction were compared and good agreement with those given by atomic absorption spectrometry was observed. (author).
Alpha particle confinement is necessary for ignition of a D-T tokamak fusion plasma and for first wall protection. Due to high radiation backgrounds and temperatures, scintillators and semiconductor detectors may not be used to study alpha particles which are lost to the first wall during the D-T programs on JET and ITER. An alternative method of charged particle spectrometry capable of operation in these harsh environments, is proposed: it consists of thin foils of electrically isolated conductors with the flux of alpha particles determined by the positive current flowing from the foils. 2 refs., 3 figs.
The role of robotics and remote handling equipment in future nuclear power plant maintenance activities is discussed in the context of artificial intelligence applications. Special requirements manipulators, control systems, and man-machine interfaces for nuclear applications are noted. Tasks might include inspection with cameras, eddy current probes, and leak detectors; the collection of material samples; radiation monitoring; and the disassembly, repair and reassembly of a variety of system components. A robot with vision and force sensing and an intelligent control system that can access a knowledge base is schematically described. Recent advances in image interpretation systems are also discussed.
The role of robotics and remote handling equipment in future nuclear power plant maintenance activities is discussed in the context of artificial intelligence applications. Special requirements manipulators, control systems, and man-machine interfaces for nuclear applications are noted. Tasks might include inspection with cameras, eddy current probes, and leak detectors; the collection of material samples; radiation monitoring; and the disassembly, repair and reassembly of a variety of system components. A robot with vision and force sensing and an intelligent control system that can access a knowledge base is schematically described. Recent advances in image interpretation systems are also discussed.
Mass and charge distributions of products from fission of sup(242m)Am induced by thermal neutrons have been investigated by means of the semiconductor spectrometry of ..gamma.. radiation from a mixture of non-separated fragment nuclei. Specimens of the fissible material have been irradiated in the vertical experimental channel of the research reactor then the measurements have been performed with calibrated semiconductor detectors. Three experiments with substantially different irradiation times have been performed to expand the nomenclature of the investigated fission products. The spectra of ..gamma.. radiation from the mixture of fission products, and time dependences of the counting rates at the total absorption peaks have been handled with computers. The obtained yields are compared with data of previous investigations performed with different experimental methods, as well as with the calculated one.
Full text: Measurement of K_#beta# to K_#alpha# x-ray intensity ratios are important not only in the field of atomic physics, radiation physics and medical physics, but also to test the validity of assumptions made in the theoretical prediction. The intensity ratios can also give information on the effect of physical and chemical environment of the element in the compound. Many investigators have adopted a single and double reflection geometries to measure the K_#beta# to K_#alpha# x ray intensity ratios to understand the effect of physical and chemical environment on x-ray fluorescence. The targets are excited by a radioactive source of having activity of the order 100 MBq. in order to carry out accurate measurement K_#beta# to K_#alpha# x-ray intensity ratios, we have develop 2#pi# geometrical configuration method : placing a target right on the surface of the detector facing the target to measure the K shell fluorescence parameters such as ...
Handheld, backpack, and mobile sensors are elements of the Global Nuclear Detection System for the interdiction and control of illicit radiological and nuclear materials. They are used by the U.S. Department of Homeland Security (DHS) and other government agencies and organizations in various roles for border protection, law enforcement, and nonproliferation monitoring. In order to systematically document the operational performance of the common commercial off-the-shelf portable radiation detection systems, the DHS Domestic Nuclear Detection Office conducted a test and evaluation campaign conducted at the Nevada Test Site from January 18 to February 27, 2006. Named 'Anole', it was the first test of its kind in terms of technical design and test complexities. The Anole test results offer users information for selecting appropriate mission-specific portable radiation detection systems. The campaign also offered manufacturers ...
A one-way coupling system between the plant simulator TRAC/BF1-ENTREE and the subchannel code with the improved cross flow model, NASCA, has been developed. Based on a scenario of turbine trip tests in the Peach Bottom Unit 2, the wide and rapid reactivity insertion transient induced by the system pressure rise was calculated. The pin power distribution in hot bundles was re-constructed considering heterogeneity of the fuel bundle. When the neighboring control blade is withdrawn, NASCA predicted that the steady-state bundle exit void distribution was nearly flat with regardless of the pin power distribution. However, void distributions in the middle and lower bundle regions became complicated depending on the pin power and the two-phase flow regime in each subchannel. The pin power distribution rapidly changed according to traveling of control blades. However, influence in the void distribution was ...
A device is presented with handle containing hinges and work support arm, a flexible pin with supports and extra weights. The flexible pin is equipped with cantilevered sergments and weights. The bracket hinges on the handle are perpendicular to the axis of the flexible pin. To reduce handle vibration during drilling hard rock, the handle and brackets are joined to allow relative movement on the surface perpendicular to the hinges of the work support arm. The handle is joined to the work support arm parallel to the sides and the work support arm has holes to accomodate this. Elastic bushings are located between the lateral sides of the work support arm where it is joined to the handle.
The TS-1 and TS-2 Transient Reactor Test Facility (TREAT) experiments were conducted on irradiated Fast Flux Test Facility (FFTF) fuel pins to characterize their failure behavior when subjected to hypothetical 5%/s transient overpower conditions. The TS-1 test employed a near-fresh (2 MWd/kg) fuel pin, while the TS-2 test used a medium-burnup (58 MWd/kg) fuel pin. Transient conditions were closely matched between the two experiments to provide a direct comparison of burnup effects on the failure response.
Fins serve as heat transfer augmentation features in solar air heaters; however, they increase pressure drop in flow channels. Pin fins are relatively good heat transfer augmentation features with superior aerodynamic performance, and as a result find application in some solar air heaters. The exergy optimization method is employed in sizing the pin fin. Results indicate that high efficiency of the optimized fin improves the heat absorption and dissipation potential of a solar air heater. With optimum fin efficiency and superior absorptive coating quality, useful energy losses can be minimized. Some important observations pertinent in design are made. (author)
A series of six transient tests was performed on FFTF irradiated fuel pins to demonstrate their transient performance capability. The tests were performed in the TREAT reactor using sodium loops and instrumented test trains. The TEMECH computer code was used to design overpower transients which would simulate FFTF fuel pin thermal conditions during slow and fast unprotected transients. Some tests were run to substantial overpower levels but terminated prior to fuel pin failure, while other tests were intentionally extended to fuel failure to establish failure thresholds and characteristics. Post-test examination data provided significant cladding strain and fuel melting information used for performance code calibration and validation. These data showed that cladding damage caused by fuel melting is related to the steady state condition of the fuel.
The location of defective LMFBR fuel pins by the determination of gas tag isotopic ratios is discussed. The application of this method to the FFTF Reactor briefly described.
Basic research of the structure and electronic properties of a-Si:H is reported with particular emphasis on the role of defects. The main findings are as follows: (1) low defect density material can be deposited at a high rate using SiH/sub 4/ diluted in He or Ne. Using Ar or Kr results in a high defect density and columnar material; (2) an electrical bias during deposition modifies the band gap, hydrogen concentration and structure; (3) the clustering of hydrogen in the regions between the columns is confirmed; (4) hydrogen diffusion is observed by NMR; (5) the oxidation of an a-Si:H surface results in approx. 3 x 10/sup 11/ cm/sup -2/ dangling bonds at the interface; (6) auger recombination of photoexcited carriers is a significant non-radiative mechanism at low temperatures; (7) non-radiative recombination by diffusion and capture at dangling bonds is observed at temperatures above 50 to 100/sup 0/K; (8) the defect density in doped and ...
The WAND (Waste Assay for Nonradioactive Disposal) system can scan thought-to-be-clean, low-density waste (mostly paper and plastics) to determine whether the levels of any contaminant radioactivity are low enough to justify their disposal in normal public landfills or similar facilities. Such a screening would allow probably at least half of the large volume of low-density waste now buried at high cost in LANL`s Rad Waste Landfill (Area G at Technical Area 54) to be disposed of elsewhere at a much lower cost. The WAND System consists of a well-shielded bank of six 5-in.-diam. phoswich scintillation detectors; a mechanical conveyor system that carries a 12-in.-wide layer of either shredded material or packets of paper sheets beneath the bank of detectors; the electronics needed to process the outputs of the detectors; and a small computer to control the whole system and to perform the data analysis. WAND system minimum ...
During Phase 2 of our study of the CIXS conceptual design we have tackled additional important issues that are unique to the ITER environment. These include the thermal control of the crystal and detector enclosures located in an environment with a 100-250 C ambient temperature, tritium containment, and the range of crystal and detector movement based on the need for spectral adjustments and the desire to make measurements of colder plasmas. In addressing these issues we have selected a ''Dewar''-type enclosure for the crystals and detectors. Applying realistic view factors for radiant heat and making allowance for conduction we have made engineering studies of this enclosure and showed that the cooling requirements can be solved and the temperature can be kept sufficiently constant without compromising the specification parameters of the CIXS. We have chosen a minimum 3 mm combined thickness of the six beryllium windows ...
The critical currents of A-15 phase Nb(,3)Sn, V(,3)Si, Nb(,3)Ge, V(,3)Ga, and Nb-Sn with a few at.% Ga and Al(,2)O(,3) have been measured at temperatures up to T(,c) and in magnetic fields up to 8T to study fundamental flux pinning interactions as a function of defect size and density. The samples are electron beam evaporated films typically 2 (mu)m thick. Their particular usefulness for this study is that they span the clean to dirty limits and their normal state resistivity and grain size can be controlled by deposition parameters. The grain boundaries are the defects most responsible for flux pinning. The electron scattering mechanism is based on the local change in the coherence length due to increased conduction electron scattering and is chosen from among several possible mechanisms to calculate the elementary pinning force at a grain boundary. A direct summation of the elementary pinning force of ...
We developed a new TLD array for precise dose measurement and verification of the spatial dose distribution in small radiation targets. It consists of a hemicylindrical, tissue-equivalent rod made of polystyrene with 17 parallel moulds for an exact positioning of each TLD. The spatial resolution of the TLD array was evaluated using the Leskell spherical phantom. Dose planning was performed with KULA 4.4 under stereotactic conditions on axial CT images. In the Leksell gamma unit the TLD array was irradiated with a maximal dose of 10 Gy with an unplugged 14 mm collimator. The doses delivered to the TLDs were rechecked by diode detector and film dosimetry and compared to the computer-generated dose profile. We found excellent agreement of our measured values, even at the critical penumbra decline. For the 14 mm and 18 mm collimator and for the 11 mm collimator combination we compared the measured and calculated data at full width at half maximum. ...
The effect of the #+-# 0.75 T external magnetic field on the K_#alpha#_1, K_#alpha#_2, K_#beta#_'_1 and K_#beta#_'_2 x-ray production cross sections and radiative vacancy transfer probabilities from K-shell to L2 and L3 subshells and M-shell for ferromagnetic Nd, Gd and Dy and paramagnetic Eu and Ho have been investigated, using the 59.5 keV incident photons. K-shell fluorescence yields and K x-ray intensity ratios for these elements have been determined in the external magnetic field also. The K x-rays from different targets were detected using a high-resolution Si(Li) semiconductor detector. For B = 0, the present experimental results were compared with the experimental and theoretical data in the literature. The results show that K-shell fluorescence parameters such as photoionization cross section, fluorescence yield, radiation rates, vacancy transfer probabilities and spectral linewidth can change owing to the applied ...
Inhalation of radon and its daughter products makes the major contribution to the total exposure of the population to natural radiations. In implementing a complex ecological survey, concentrations of radon and its daughter products were measured in different regions of Russia, namely, in the St. Petersburg Region, the Central Territories and the Altay Territory. Two suitable low price versions of the dosemeters for measuring environmental radon concentrations based on track-etch and activated-charcoal detectors were used. The radon daughter product activity and the effective dose equivalents were calculated with an equilibrium factor of 0.5 and a recommended effective dose equivalent factor of 0.061 mSv (Bq m{sup -3}){sup -1}. Indoor measurements were taken in more than 1000 dwellings and public and industrial buildings of 21 towns and villages. The track chambers were exposed for about 2-3 months and the charcoal ...
Inhalation of radon and its daughter products makes the major contribution to the total exposure of the population to natural radiations. In implementing a complex ecological survey, concentrations of radon and its daughter products were measured in different regions of Russia, namely, in the St. Petersburg Region, the Central Territories and the Altay Territory. Two suitable low price versions of the dosemeters for measuring environmental radon concentrations based on track-etch and activated-charcoal detectors were used. The radon daughter product activity and the effective dose equivalents were calculated with an equilibrium factor of 0.5 and a recommended effective dose equivalent factor of 0.061 mSv (Bq m"-"3)"-"1. Indoor measurements were taken in more than 1000 dwellings and public and industrial buildings of 21 towns and villages. The track chambers were exposed for about 2-3 months and the charcoal detectors for ...
AGNES is a chopper spectrometer installed at the top of the C3 cold guide of JRR-3 (JAERI, Tokai). In 2004 - 2006, this spectrometer was greatly improved by installing (1) 208 new detectors to make the detector bank complete, (2) new radiation shields composed of Fe (14 mm), polyethylene (50 mm), B4C rubber (10 mm), and Cd (0.5 mm) sheets, (3) a new control system for the anti-frame-overlap chopper rotating simultaneously with the Fermi chopper, (4) a monitor counter at the space between the chopper and monochromator, (5) a neutron guide tube (50 cm) before the monochromator, (6) a new instrument control (monochromators, choppers, beam narrowers, etc.) and measurement control (real-time data monitoring, sample temperature control, etc.) systems, (7) a top-loading type cryostat workable at a wide temperature range of 6 - 480 K. As the results of these improvements, the signal intensity has been increased by 3.3 and the ...
Solid state nuclear track detectors (SSNTD) record radiation in the form of tracks. In the case of high track density, however, it is not always possible to distinguish each track separately. The track density might then be underestimated unless the loss of track number due to overlapping is compensated. An elaborated 'erosion' or curve fitting process is applied usually, for the separation of the overlapping tracks, to automatic track counting systems. This paper shows a much simpler correction method which was developed by the analogy of the correction equation for the dead time of GM counters. From a set of about 10 data obtained from high track density detectors, the equation for SSNTD can be determined by a least square fitting. Once the equation is found, true track density could be derived easily without any help of complex image processing or calculation, such as the erosion or curve fitting. This ...
The fission gas xenon bonded in bubbles, in pore, and in the lattice of mixed carbide fuels is measured by electron-probe microanalysis. Radial xenon distribution and release curves are determined and are calibrated by gas chromatography of the bonded fission gas and by burnup analysis in the respective pin sections of the irradiation experiments FR2 6A and 6C, Mol 11/K 2, and DFR 330/1. The results are correlated to the microstructure of the fuel, bonding medium, temperature, and burnup. (Auth.).
This paper presents the results obtained in the gamma scanning of two fuel pins from the bent subassembly of the fast breeder test reactor (FBTR) using a segmented gamma scanning system employing segment correlation developed for the assay of glove box solid waste. In addition to the actinide profiles, the paper also discusses the fission products and clad activation product profiles and tries to correlate the experimental values of the latter with computed values. (author). 4 refs., 1 fig., 1 tab.
A lock out assembly for a circuit breaker which consists of a generally step-shaped unitary base with an aperture in the small portion of the step-shaped base and a roughly S shaped retaining pin which loops through the large portion of the step-shaped base. The lock out assembly is adapted to fit over a circuit breaker with the handle switch projecting through the aperture, and the retaining pin projecting into an opening of the handle switch, preventing removal.
The TS-1 and TS-2 TREAT transient experiments subjected a low burnup (2 MWd/kg) and a medium burnup (58 MWd/kg), respectively, FFTF irradiated fuel pin to unprotected 5 cents/s overpower transient conditions. The fuel pin failure response was similar in the two tests, which demonstrated a large margin to failure (P/P_0 > 3) and a favorable upper level failure location. Thus, for these transient conditions, burnup effects on transient performance appeared to be minimal in the range tested. Pin disruption in the medium burnup TS-2 test was more severe due to the higher fission gas pressurization, but failure occurred at only a 5% lower power level than for the low burnup TS-1 fuel pin. Both tests exhibited axial extrusion of molten fuel to the region above the fuel column several seconds before pin failure, demonstrating a potentially beneficial inherent safety mechanism to delay ...
An improved lockout assembly for locking a circuit breaker in a selected off or on position is provided. The lockout assembly includes a lock block and a lock pin. The lock block has a hollow interior which fits over the free end of a switch handle of the circuit breaker. The lock block includes at least one hole that is placed in registration with a hole in the free end of the switch handle. A lock tab on the lock block serves to align and register the respective holes on the lock block and switch handle. A lock pin is inserted through the registered holes and serves to connect the lock block to the switch handle. Once the lock block and the switch handle are connected, the position of the switch handle is prevented from being changed by the lock tab bumping up against a stationary housing portion of the circuit breaker. When the lock pin installed, an apertured-end portion of the lock pin is in ...
Photodiode Scintillation Detector for Anticoincidence Shielding An important goal of space research is to understand the physics involved in the activity of ...
On the 15th of June 2006 the PAMELA experiment, mounted on the Resurs DK1 satellite, was launched from the Baikonur cosmodrome and it has been collecting data since July 2006. PAMELA is a satellite-borne apparatus designed to study charged particles in the cosmic radiation, to investigate the nature of dark matter, measuring the cosmic-ray antiproton and positron spectra over the largest energy range ever achieved, and to search for antinuclei with unprecedented sensitivity. The apparatus comprises a time-of-flight system, a silicon-microstrip magnetic spectrometer, a silicon-tungsten electromagnetic calorimeter, an anticoincidence system, a shower tail catcher scintillator and a neutron detector. The combination of these devices allows charged particle identification over a wide energy range.
The results of radon concentration measurements inside of the Gabriel caves of Mexico, during three consecutive two-month periods covering almost three seasons, are reported in the present work. The radio-ecological importance of this site is related to the radon and its concentration-dynamic behavior in the cave. Further interest in radiation safety motivated this initiative since routine biological field work is done, with people spending long periods of time there. CR-39 passive nuclear track detector was chosen for this survey. Radon concentration levels decrease during the rainy season and show different values depending on the ventilation and geometeorological structure. Measured values range between 956 and 4931Bqm{sup -3}, an indication that radon doses may exceed the allowed values for workers. This project is part of a larger study of indoor radon alpha emitters in Mexican caves.
The results of radon concentration measurements inside of the Gabriel caves of Mexico, during three consecutive two-month periods covering almost three seasons, are reported in the present work. The radio-ecological importance of this site is related to the radon and its concentration-dynamic behavior in the cave. Further interest in radiation safety motivated this initiative since routine biological field work is done, with people spending long periods of time there. CR-39 passive nuclear track detector was chosen for this survey. Radon concentration levels decrease during the rainy season and show different values depending on the ventilation and geometeorological structure. Measured values range between 956 and 4931Bqm-3, an indication that radon doses may exceed the allowed values for workers. This project is part of a larger study of indoor radon alpha emitters in Mexican caves.
Real Time Radiography (RTR) finds extensive applications for inspection of objects on assembly lines for rapid inspection. A typical RTR widely used includes a image intensifier, CCD camera, image processor and high resolution TV monitor in addition to radiographic source. Image intensifiers used in X-radiography employ CsI as the input detector. With the increased use of neutrons as radiation source, real time neutron radiography is also being practised widely. Image intensifiers used in neutron radiography employ gadolinium as the input screen. The neutron image intensifier system at the authors laboratory essentially consists of a 9 inch Trifield image intensifier tube, motorised zoom lens, CCD camera and a high resolution TV monitor
Neutron resonance interactions with "1"0"0Mo were studied at a time-of-flight facility. The transmission of two oxide samples (97.4% "1"0"0Mo) was measured at a 78.20 m flight path and the neutron capture cross section was measured at 40.12 m. Resonance analyses yielded parameters of 124 resonances. Capture #gamma#-ray spectra from 11 resolved resonances were measured with a Ge(Li) detector at a 10.45 m flight path. In contrast to neighboring nuclei, partial radiation widths of strong p-wave resonances are not in agreement with valence model predictions.
Radionuclide X-ray fluorescence analysis for nondestructive determination of Fe, Zn, Pb, and Br in air samples collected on nitrocellulose membrane filter Synpor 4 is described. A /sup 238/Pu source for the excitation and a semiconductor Si/Li detector for the detection of characteristic and L-fluorescent radiation of the above elements were used. A correction method based upon the measurements of simple or multiple Compton scattering for compensation of varying mass per unit area values in sample deposits was theoretically proposed and experimentally tested. The results obtained both with and without the correction were compared and good agreement with those given by atomic absorption spectrometry was observed.
A method for determining the mobility of hydrogen as a function of temperature in superconducting niobium cavities comprising: 1) heating a cavity under test to remove free hydrogen; 2) introducing hydrogen-3 gas into the cavity; 3) cooling the cavity to allow absorption of hydrogen-3; and 4) measuring the amount of hydrogen-3 by: a) cooling the cavity to about 4.degree. K while flowing a known and regulated amount of inert carrier gas such as argon or helium into the cavity; b) allowing the cavity to warm at a stable rate from 4.degree. K to room temperature as it leaves the chamber; and c) directing the exit gas to an ion chamber radiationdetector.
The mass and charge distributions in an unseparated mix of fission product nuclei from thermal-neutron fission of /sup 242m/Am were studied through semiconductor gamma-ray spectrometry. Samples of the fissionable material under study were irradiated in a vertical irradiation tube of the MIFI IRT research reactor. Following irradiation, measurements were made on aperture-calibrated semiconductor detectors. For broader identification of fission fragment nuclides three experiments were conducted that differed substantially in irradiation duration. The spectrum of gamma radiation from the mix of fission products and the time dependences of count rate at total absorption peaks were analyzed on SM-4 and Iskra-226 computers. The values of yields obtained were compared with data of investigations conducted earlier with other experimental methods, and also with the results of calculations.
The radionuclide X-ray fluorescence analyzer consists of a source changer and a sample changer. "5"5Fe, "1"0"9Cd and "2"4"1Am are used as excitation sources. The radiation is detected with a semiconductor Si(Li) detector. The complete assembly of the apparatus consists of an imagine unit, a keyboard, a floppy disc drive, a printer, a console and a rack with analog and digital electronics. Its multichannel amplitude analyzer consists of power supplies, a high voltage supply, a linear amplifier, an analog-to-digital converter and a computer. The technical specifications are given. The control and data processing system is controlled with an MHB 8080A microprocessor. Software for semiconductor gamma spectrometry and for quantitative gamma spectrometry will be supplied with the equipment. (E.S.). 3 figs., 4 refs.
A new furnace for neutron diffraction experiments is capable of heating and cooling a sample very rapidly. The rapid heating is done by two circular infrared lamps placed over and under a sample, whose radiation is roughly focused on the sample by a reflector. The rapid cooling is done by high-pressure gas blows against the sample from two circular nozzles which are also placed over and under the sample. This system enables us to obtain the heating rate of over 1000"0C/min and cooling rate of -500"0C/min for an alloy of 10 mm diameter and 30 mm length. The performance is sufficient to carry out some kinetics measurements in real-time neutron diffraction by the use of a position-sensitive detector. This kind of experiment is demonstrated by the observation of the relaxation process of order--disorder transitions in CuZn and Ni_3Mn alloys.
Neutron capture ..gamma..-ray spectra have been measured at 11 average neutron energies from 10 to 530 keV in /sup 88/Sr using a 20 x 15 cm NaI detector with time-of-flight discrimination of background events. The partial radiation widths and the calculated partial valence widths are compared for the strong p-wave resonances at 287 and 321 keV and found to be highly correlated. At these energies, the spectra are dominated by strong transitions to low-lying single particle states, in confirmation of the role of valence capture in the 3p region. However, the data do not support this mechanism at <508> keV.
Neutron capture #gamma#-ray spectra have been measured at 11 average neutron energies from 10 to 530 keV in /sup 88/Sr using a 20 x 15 cm NaI detector with time-of-flight discrimination of background events. The partial radiation widths and the calculated partial valence widths are compared for the strong p-wave resonances at 287 and 321 keV and found to be highly correlated. At these energies, the spectra are dominated by strong transitions to low-lying single particle states, in confirmation of the role of valence capture in the 3p region. However, the data do not support this mechanism at <508> keV.
X-ray diffraction offers a unique combination of advantages for kinetic study which include the non-destructive nature of the measurement, the use of bulk crystals, and the convenience of the experimental arrangements. These attributes and the availability of position-sensitive detectors and high-flux synchrotron radiation sources make this technique most useful for in situ, dynamical investigations. When using diffraction techniques to determine a diffusion coefficient, the principle of analysis entails a scattering theory and a kinetic model. The former allows the kinetic parameter(s) to be extracted from measured intensity, while the latter relates the kinetic parameter(s) to the diffusion coefficient(s). Three examples are demonstrated: (1) Palladium Silicide (Pd{sub 2}Si) Layer Growth on Silicon, (2) Decomposition of an Ni-12.5at%Si Superalloy, and (3) Short-range Ordering in Cu-Au Solid Solutions.
Radon concentration measurements were performed for one year in 12 different boron, chromium and coal underground mines in Western Turkey. Lucas cells and nuclear track detectors were used for the measurements of radon and its decay products. The effects of parameters, such as type of mine, gallery depth and ventilation rate, on the radon concentration in mine air were examined. The radiation exposure doses of miners due to the inhalation of radon and radon daughters were determined. Gamma survey measurements were also realized together with radon measurements and the total effective dose equivalents in mSv y{sup -1} were estimated.
A mobile gamma-ray scanning system has been developed by Oak Ridge National Laboratory for use in the U.S. Department of Energy's remedial action survey programs. The unit consists of NaI(Tl) detectors housed in a specially equipped van. The system is operator controlled through an on-board minicomputer with data output provided on the computer video screen, strip chart recorders, and an on-line printer. Data storage is provided on floppy disk. Multichannel analysis capabilities are included for qualitative radionuclide identification. A /sup 226/Ra-specific algorithm is currently employed to identify locations containing residual radium-bearing materials.
A mobile gamma-ray scanning system has been developed by Oak Ridge National Laboratory for use in the U.S. Department of Energy's remedial action survey programs. The unit consists of NaI(Tl) detectors housed in a specially equipped van. The system is operator controlled through an on-board minicomputer with data output provided on the computer video screen, strip chart recorders, and an on-line printer. Data storage is provided on floppy disk. Multichannel analysis capabilities are included for qualitative radionuclide identification. A "2"2"6Ra-specific algorithm is currently employed to identify locations containing residual radium-bearing materials.
The Fast Flux Test Facility (FFTF) is a 400-MW(t) sodium-cooled fast reactor operating at the Hanford Engineering Development Laboratory in Richland, Washington, to conduct fuels and materials testing in support of the US liquid-metal fast breeder reactor program. Startup and initial power testing included a comprehensive series of nuclear and nonnuclear tests to verify the thermal and neutronic characteristics of the plant and to demonstrate its inherent safety features. Extensive reactor core characterization measurements were completed to provide the neutron and gamma spectra, fission rates, and other physics data needed to design and evaluate tests irradiated in the FFTF. A specially designed series of natural-circulation tests was performed to demonstrate the inherent safety features of the plant. Early in 1982 the FFTF began its first 100-d irradiation cycle. Since that time the plant has operated beyond expectations; it achieved a cycle capacity factor of 99.5% in the most ...
A new generation of quasimonochromatic high-flux X-ray sources, based on the X-ray radiation produced through Compton scattering between an electron beam and a laser beam, is under development. One of the possible applications of this source is inline phase contrast mammography, based on the observation of the edge-enhancement effect that can be observed at the border of structures inside the breast in images produced using a partially or totally coherent X-ray beam. In this work we present the results of a set of simulations of inline phase contrast mammography using typical inverse Compton scattering sources parameters. The simulated sample was a tumour-like mass having spherical shape, diameter between 200 {mu}m and 5 mm, placed inside a breast-like matrix, 4 cm thick, and a standard composition of 50% glandular tissue and 50% adipose tissue. We discuss the minimum requirements for mammography using inverse Compton scattering sources and we discuss how the ...
A combination of measuring instruments, consisting of a Beta-Sedimeter and a radionuclide X-ray fluorescence instrument, is described. With the Beta-Sedimeter the C-14-radiation is measured. Through direct irradiation with photons of a Pu238-source in an ancillary irradiation chamber and energy dispersing measurement of the K- and L-radiation resp. of the excited heavy metals with the aid of a Si(Li)-semiconductor detector and a 4-channel analyzer the heavy metal concentrations of the heavy metals Zn, Cr, Ni and Pb are determined. For the determination of cadmium the indirect excitation with Am-241 and Dy-targets is described. The system produces records and operates fully automatically in a step-by-step mode with a testing cycle of 45 minutes. In connection with the process monitoring of the wastewater from a zinc plating plant during a period of 8 months the concentration of the solid material and of the metals Cr and Zn, ...
The L shell fluorescence cross-sections of the elements in range 45Z50 have been determined at 8keV using Synchrotron radiation. The individual L X-ray photons, Ll, La, LbI, LbII, LgI and LgII produced in the target were measured with high resolution Si(Li) detector. The experimental set-up provided a low background by using linearly polarized monoenergetic photon beam, improving the signal-to-noise ratio. The experimental cross-sections obtained in this work were compared with available experimental data from Scofield [1,2] Krause [3,4] and Scofield and Puri et al. [5,6]. These experimental values closely agree with the theoretical values calculated using Scofield and Krause data, except for the case of Lg, where values measured of this work are slighter higher.
This research focuses on the development and application of high order statistical analyses applied to measurements performed with subcritical fissile systems driven by an introduced neutron source. The signatures presented are derived from counting statistics of the introduced source and radiationdetectors that observe the response of the fissile system. It is demonstrated that successively higher order counting statistics possess progressively higher sensitivity to reactivity. Consequently, these signatures are more sensitive to changes in the composition, fissile mass, and configuration of the fissile assembly. Furthermore, it is shown that these techniques are capable of distinguishing the response of the fissile system to the introduced source from its response to any internal or inherent sources. This ability combined with the enhanced sensitivity of higher order signatures indicates that these techniques will be of significant utility ...
The US Department of Energy (DOE) sponsors an extensive research program to improve the methods, dosimeters, and instruments available to DOE facilities for measuring neutron dose and assessing its effects on the work force. The Total Dose Meter was recently developed for measuring in real time the adsorbed dose of mixed neutron and gamma radiation and for calculating the dose equivalent. The Field Neutron Spectrometer was developed to provide a portable instrument for determining neutron spectra in the workplace for flux-to-dose equivalent conversion and quality factor calculation. The Combination Thermoluminescence/Track Etch Dosimeter (TLD/TED) was developed to extend the effective neutron energy range of the conventional TLDs to improve detection of fast-energy neutrons. An Optically Stimulated Luminescence Dosimeter is presently being developed for application to gamma, neutron, and beta radiation. An Effective Dose Equivalent System is ...
Decay heat removal capability under boiling condition was studied using an LMFBR fuel subassembly mockup loop. The sodium flow was driven by natural convection through the loop in which was installed a 37-pin bundle heated electrically over a length of 45 cm. The heat flux furnished by the pins was increased stepwise, upon which the two-phase flow regime changed from bubble to slug flow and then to annular or annular mist flow. Dryout occurred even in slug flow regime, but only momentarily, and permanent dryout was not observed before establichment of annular flow. A suitable criterion for permanent dryout is considered to be 0.5 average exit sodium vapor quality. The results indicated that upon occurrence of sodium boiling, the coolability of fuel subassembly would be maintained by natural convection after reactor shutdown. (author).
This report discusses the UTR-10 reactor at Iowa State University which went critical on low enriched uranium (LEU) fuel on August 14, 1991. However, subsequent to the criticality experiments the fuel plates started to discolor. In addition, roll pins used to lift the fuel assemblies were discovered to be cracked. It was determined that these problems were due to chemical agents in the primary coolant water. The roll pins were replaced by solid stainless steel pins. The primary coolant was replaced and the reactor is currently in operation. Surveillance specimens will be used to monitor any possible future discoloration. The high enriched fuel (HEU) is being prepared for eventual shipment to a high enriched fuel receiving facility.
This report discusses the UTR-10 reactor at Iowa State University which went critical on low enriched uranium (LEU) fuel on August 14, 1991. However, subsequent to the criticality experiments the fuel plates started to discolor. In addition, roll pins used to lift the fuel assemblies were discovered to be cracked. It was determined that these problems were due to chemical agents in the primary coolant water. The roll pins were replaced by solid stainless steel pins. The primary coolant was replaced and the reactor is currently in operation. Surveillance specimens will be used to monitor any possible future discoloration. The high enriched fuel (HEU) is being prepared for eventual shipment to a high enriched fuel receiving facility.
The utilization of electrically heated rods for the simulation of nuclear fuel pins represents a generally adopted method by the nuclear industry to study thermalhydraulic problems. Usually its is necessary to determine the time variation of the electric linear power to simulate a given nuclear power transient in order to yield the same temperature and heat flux conditions in the surface of the electrical heater that would be observed in the nuclear fuel pin. The present work analyzes the limits of the usually adopted simulation methods and shows a manner to obtain the required electrical linear power that reduces oscillations and yields accurate results for the thermal conditions of the rod surface wall. (author). 5 refs, 5 figs, 1 tab.
The utilization of electrically heated rods for the simulation of a nuclear fuel pins represents a generally adopted method by the nuclear industry to study thermalhydraulic problems. Usually, it is necessary to determine the time variation of the electric linear power to simulate a given nuclear power transient in order to yield the same temperature and heat flux conditions in the surface of the electrical heater that would be observed in the nuclear fuel pin. The present work analyses the limits of the usually adopted simulation methods and shows a manner to obtain the required electrical linear power that reduces oscillations and yields accurate results for the thermal conditions of the rod surface wall. (author) 5 refs., 5 figs., 1 tab.
With appropriate circuit resistance and inductance and sufficient stored energy, discharging a charged human body or component through an exploding bridgewire (EBW) detonator may cause the detonator to function or may damage the detonator. We have studied the effects of electrostatic discharge (ESD) on a number of exploding bridgewire detonators which were subjected to discharges which passed directly through the bridgewires (pin-to-pin), as well as discharges which passed from the bridge to the metal case of the detonator (pin-to-case). We have performed calculations to determine the values of inductance and resistance for which burst and melt may occur for given ESD sources, using a phenomenological model of bridgewire burst in a computer code called FIRESET. Bridge melt was computed using the same computer code, but using experimental values of bridge resistivity and specific heat up to melt. 13 refs., 5 figs.
To date, no single passive detector has been found that measures dose equivalent from ionizing radiation exposure in low-Earth orbit. We have developed the I.S.S. Passive Dosimetry System (P.D.S.), utilizing a combination of TLD in the form of the self-contained Pille TLD system and stacks of CR-39 plastic nuclear track detector (P.N.T.D.) oriented in three mutually orthogonal directions, to measure total dose and dose equivalent aboard the International Space Station (I.S.S.). The Pille TLD system, consisting on an on board reader and a large number of Ca{sub 2}SO{sub 4}:Dy TLD cells, is used to measure absorbed dose. The Pille TLD cells are read out and annealed by the I.S.S. crew on orbit, such that dose information for any time period or condition, e.g. for E.V.A. or following a solar particle event, is immediately available. Near-tissue equivalent CR-39 P.N.T.D. provides Let spectrum, dose, and dose equivalent from ...
For the first time a segmented n-type HPGe detector was operated directly submerged in liquid nitrogen over a long period. As this kind of detector is envisioned to be used in GERDA phase II, it was operated with a low mass signal cable with snap-contacts and mounted in a low-mass copper holder. The detector performance was stable over 146 days, indicating that neither detector nor contacts deteriorated.
The operation principle, construction and characteristics of the Bragg curve spectroscopy detector (BCS detector) are described. The electric field of the BCS detector is parallel to the particle trajectories. The detector was tested by 8.78 MeV and 6.02 MeV #alpha# particles from a ThC-ThC's source. The energy resolutions are 1.5% and 2.6% respectively for two groups of #alpha# particles, and the charge resolution is 2.7%. Further test experiments with heavy ions will be arranged.
We have previously observed that auxin can act as a repressor of the wound-inducible activation of a chimeric potato proteinase inhibitor II-CAT chimeric gene (pin2-CAT) in transgenic...Full Text Available
This work assesses the performance of a modified two-dimensional gamma scan system in spent fuel pin studies. The techniques for a two-dimensional gamma scan studied have been developed at the Hot Cell of Institute of Nuclear Energy Research (INER). Samples are acquired from the spent fuel pin, TPC-SP-C1, which was irradiated in a commercial reactor core (the first of its kind in Taiwan) for 2 years and then deposited in a cooling pool for 10 years. The spent fuel pin was then transferred into INER for further examination. The gamma scanning system was driven by a step motor which had an accuracy within 0.1 mm in both X-Y directions. Data obtained from this system are presented in both an isotopic distribution and contour plot. Results in this study closely correspond to those in other investigations, thereby confirming the effectiveness of this modified system. (author)
Drosophila neuroblasts divide asymmetrically by aligning their mitotic spindle with cortical cell polarity to generate distinct sibling cell types. Neuroblasts asymmetrically localize...Full Text Available
The Secure Automated Fabrication (SAF) line, an automated and remotely controlled manufacturing process, is scheduled for startup in 1987 and will produce mixed uranium/plutonium oxide fuel pins for the Fast Flux Test Facility (FFTF). The application of robotics in the fuel fabrication and supporting operations is described.
TlGaSe_2 compound belongs to group of layered semiconductors of A"3B"3C_2"6-type. Photoelectric and optical properties of TlGaSe_2 single crystals were investigated in detail. Influence of gamma-, electron and neutron radiation on photoelectric properties of TlGaSe_2 single crystals is investigated too. The present work deals with experimental results relative to X-ray dosimetric characteristics of TlGaSe_2 crystals at 300 K. X-ray conductivity and X-ray dosimetric characteristic measurements are carried out in low load resistance regime. The source of X-ray radiation is the installation of X-ray diffraction analysis (URS-55a) with the BCV-2(Cu). Intensity of X-ray radiation (E) is regulated by measurement with current variation in tube at each given value of X-ray radiation dose E (R/min) are measured by crystal dosimeter DRGZ-02. X-ray conductivity coefficients K_#sigma# characterising X-ray ...
The anisotropy of H/sub c2/ was measured in a V$sub 3$Si monocrystal and was found to be much larger than in other materials. The max elementary pinning force f/sub p/ is estimated to be approximately 0.01 dyn/cm at the reduced field H/H/sub c/ = 0.25 and 4.2$sup 0$K. Control of texture as well as of grain size is important for improving J/sub c/ in A-15 compounds. (DLC)
A prototype detector based on the inclined boron layer principle is introduced. For typical measurement conditions at the Liquids Reflectometer at the Spallation Neutron Source, its count rate capability is shown to be superior to that of the current detector by nearly two orders of magnitude.
A prototype detector based on the inclined absorber layer principle is introduced. For the Liquids Reflectometer at the Spallation Neutron Source, it is shown to be a significant improvement over its current detector, which imposes an instantaneous count rate limitation of 50 kcps.
The design and first results from a Double Sided Silicon Strip Detector (DSSSD) recently installed at the Lund Nuclear Microprobe facility (NMP) are presented. The detector has 64 sector strips and 32 ring strips, which in combination give more than 2000 detector cells, each with characteristics comparable with a standard surface barrier detector (SBD). The detector has been tested both with radioactive sources and with different ion beams and energies. The most striking features are the high rate virtually pile-up free operation and also the possibility of detailed measurement of angular distributions.
The design and first results from a Double Sided Silicon Strip Detector (DSSSD) recently installed at the Lund Nuclear Microprobe facility (NMP) are presented. The detector has 64 sector strips and 32 ring strips, which in combination give more than 2000 detector cells, each with characteristics comparable with a standard surface barrier detector (SBD). The detector has been tested both with radioactive sources and with different ion beams and energies. The most striking features are the high rate virtually pile-up free operation and also the possibility of detailed measurement of angular distributions.
Tl(InS_2)_1_-_x(FeSe_2)_x single crystals (where x=0; 0.001; 0.005; 0.01 and 0.015) were grown by the Bridgman-Stockbarger method. Obtained single crystals were crystallized in monoclinic structure. The present paper deals with experimental results relative to X-ray dosimetric characteristics of the Tl(InS_2)_1_-_x(FeSe_2)_x solid solutions at 300 K. Installation URS-55a was the source of radiation. X-ray radiation dose (E) falling on the crystals is measured by the crystalline X-ray dosimeter DRGZ-02. The value of X-ray conductivity coefficient K_#sigma# characterising X-ray sensitivity is defined as K_#sigma#= (#sigma#_E-#sigma#_0)/E#sigma#_0. where #sigma#_E is conductivity under the effect of X-ray radiation by intensity E, #sigma#_0 is conductivity in the lack of radiation. Comparing X-ray dosimetric characteristics of TlInS_2 and Tl(InS_2)_1_-_x(FeSe_2)_x crystals notes that because of partial ...
The full text follows. A thermal neutron imaging facility (TNIF) capable of real time neutron radiography and computed tomography was developed for the University of Texas TRIGA Mark II (UT-TRIGA) reactor from 1994-1998. The facility was developed with a through reactor beam port capable of producing a 5.2 x 10{sup 6} n/cm{sup 2}/s thermal neutron flux with a gamma dose rate of less than 1 mR/s after collimation. The original TNIF included the UT-TRIGA reactor, neutron collimation array, sample positioning system, neutron image intensifier tube, video camera, computerized image acquisition system, and a radiation shield. A 0.7 mm slit in cadmium was easily detectable using neutron radiography, and 1.4 mm diameter holes bored in an aluminum block were easily resolved using computed neutron tomography. Precise lower limits of the system resolution have hot been determined. The TNIF is currently being revamped to begin work with the non-destructive evaluation (NDE) of ...
GRR-1 is a 5MW open pool type research reactor with MTR-type fuel elements cooled and moderated by light water with beryllium reflectors at the two opposing sides of the core. A graphite thermal neutron column is adjusted to one side of the core. Six radial horizontal beam tubes are available, of which three contain in-pile collimators for neutron scattering instruments. The reactor is currently out of operation for inspection and refurbishment purposes. The core has been dismantled and the fuel elements are stored in the used fuel storage tank. The GRR-1 inspection and refurbishment plan involves inspection and eventually replacement of the reactor's primary cooling circuit. The health physics procedures to be implemented during inspection of the main water outlet are divided in three stages: a) pool dose rate survey from pool top, b) pool drainage by decreasing water level in steps and c) inspection of the water main outlet. urpose of the present work is the evaluation of the gamma ...
Personnel radiation monitoring is essential to the operation of any nuclear facility and work in this area continues to strive for an accurate determination of personnel dose. In particular recent attention has been focused upon the need to improve the accuracy of neutron dosimetry, mainly because of their high Relative Biological Effectiveness. In this work the feasibility of using the NE-213 liquid scintillation detector as an efficient neutron/..gamma.. ray radiation monitor is demonstrated. Derivative method spectrum unfolding used in MATXUF for on-line analysis of fast neutron spectra has also been applied to real time ..gamma.. spectrum unfolding (MATXUF2), making possible simultaneous on-line monitoring of both fast neutrons and gammas. To eliminate the negative fluxes in the unfolded ..gamma.. spectra created by the photopeak-Compton edge combination in the plateau portion of the knee response, correcting equations ...
Personnel radiation monitoring is essential to the operation of any nuclear facility and work in this area continues to strive for an accurate determination of personnel dose. In particular recent attention has been focused upon the need to improve the accuracy of neutron dosimetry, mainly because of their high Relative Biological Effectiveness. In this work the feasibility of using the NE-213 liquid scintillation detector as an efficient neutron/#gamma# ray radiation monitor is demonstrated. Derivative method spectrum unfolding used in MATXUF for on-line analysis of fast neutron spectra has also been applied to real time #gamma# spectrum unfolding (MATXUF2), making possible simultaneous on-line monitoring of both fast neutrons and gammas. To eliminate the negative fluxes in the unfolded #gamma# spectra created by the photopeak-Compton edge combination in the plateau portion of the knee response, correcting equations using ...
Personnel radiation monitoring is essential to the operation of any nuclear facility and work in this area continues to strive for an accurate determination of personnel dose. In particular recent attention has been focused upon the need to improve the accuracy of neutron dosimetry, mainly because of their high Relative Biological Effectiveness. In this work the feasibility of using the NE-213 liquid scintillation detector as an efficient neutron/gamma ray radiation monitor is demonstrated. Derivative method spectrum unfolding used in MATXUF for on-line analysis of fast neutron spectra has also been applied to real time gamma spectrum unfolding (MATXUF2), making possible simultaneous on-line monitoring of both fast neutrons and gammas. To eliminate the negative fluxes in the unfolded gamma spectra created by the photopeak-compton edge combination in the plateau portion of the knee response, correcting equations using a ...
We report on a recent search for {bar {nu}}{sub e} appearance from stopped {pi}{sup +} {yields} {mu}{sup +}{nu}{sub {mu}} and {mu}{sup +} {yields} e{sup +}{nu}{sub e}{bar {nu}}{sub {mu}} decay made by the LAMPF experiment E645. The appearance of {bar {nu}}{sub e} may occur from {bar {nu}}{sub {mu}} {yields} {bar {nu}}{sub e}, {nu}{sub e} {yields} {bar {nu}}{sub eL}, or {nu}{sub {mu}} {yields} {bar {nu}}{sub eL} oscillations. Appearance may also occur from rare {mu}{sup +} {yields} e{sup +}{bar {nu}}{sub e}{nu}{sub {mu}} decay, which is allowed by a multiplicative lepton charge conservation law. The neutrino energies range from E{sub {nu}} = 0 to 52.8MeV. The neutrino detector, which is located 26.1 meters from the neutrino source, consists of a segmented liquid scintillator and proportional drift tube central detector surrounded by both active and passive shielding. The central detector detects {bar {nu}}{sub e} through the ...
A prototype for a quasi-cw, and high-average power free electron laser (FEL) driven by a 15 MeV superconducting rf linac has been developed, and constructed at Tokai, JAERI since 1989. Cryogenic and accelerating fields' performances of four JAERI superconducting accelerator modules have been realized without any serious problem in the FEL accelerator vault and experimental hall. Since modification and related maintenance of the cryogenic refrigerator system for the driver were completed in the middle of October 1995, the system has run with no trouble, and the driver has been continuously run very successfully up to now. The optical resonator system and related electron beam transport system have been modified to realize larger acceptance than the old for both of the undulator radiation and energetic electron beam in 1995 Japanese fiscal year. In the modification, an alignment and distance measurement system has been newly developed, and successfully applied to ...
Neutron and gamma ray energy spectra were measured using an NE-213 scintillator at depths of 7.2, 15.2, and 22.2 cm in a tissue-equivalent phantom which was uniformly irradiated on one face by deuterium--tritium (DT) neutrons. Coupled neutron--gamma ray multigroup discrete-ordinates calculations were performed using semi-infinite slab geometry. These calculations were used to supplement the measured spectra below 1 MeV. Similar calculations were performed to study the perturbation in the phantom due to the detector. The measured and calculated spectra were used to determine the kerma distributions for neutrons and gamma rays at each location. The gamma radiation was determined to contribute more than 10% of the total dose at each depth. The calculated kerma also reveals that a knowledge of the gamma ray spectra below 1 MeV is desirable. Key words: neutron--gamma spectra, spectrometry, kerma distributions, coupled multigroup calculations
Neutron and gamma ray energy spectra were measured using an NE-213 scintillator at depths of 7.2, 15.2, and 22.2 cm in a tissue-equivalent phantom which was uniformly irradiated on one face by deuterium--tritium (DT) neutrons. Coupled neutron--gamma ray multigroup discrete-ordinates calculations were performed using semi-infinite slab geometry. These calculations were used to supplement the measured spectra below 1 MeV. Similar calculations were performed to study the perturbation in the phantom due to the detector. The measured and calculated spectra were used to determine the kerma distributions for neutrons and gamma rays at each location. The gamma radiation was determined to contribute more than 10% of the total dose at each depth. The calculated kerma also reveals that a knowledge of the gamma ray spectra below 1 MeV is desirable. Key words: neutron--gamma spectra, spectrometry, kerma distributions, coupled multigroup calculations.
Subject of this study is the question of whether cone beam CT (CBCT) images with reduced projection data are suitable for use in adaptive radiation therapy (ART) treatment planning. For this purpose image quality and dose calculation accuracy depending on imaging modality were analysed. In this context, two CBCT-methods will be indicated having reduced projection data sets: Scans acquired with 200^o rotation angle in order to accelerate the CBCT process (half scan), or scans with an asymmetric cone beam and detector offset, used to enlarge the field-of-view (half fan). Methods: For three different CBCT-modes (On-Board-Imaging, Varian Medical Systems), two of them based on reduced projection data, and a conventional multidetector CT system, the main image quality parameters were studied. Tr...
The e{sup +}e{sup -}{yields}pp cross section is determined over a range of pp masses, from threshold to 4.5 GeV/c{sup 2}, by studying the e{sup +}e{sup -}{yields}pp{gamma} process. The data set corresponds to an integrated luminosity of 232 fb{sup -1}, collected with the BABAR detector at the PEP-II storage ring, at an e{sup +}e{sup -} center-of-mass energy of 10.6 GeV. The mass dependence of the ratio of electric and magnetic form factors, G{sub E}/G{sub M}, is measured for pp masses below 3 GeV/c{sup 2}; its value is found to be significantly larger than 1 for masses up to 2.2 GeV/c{sup 2}. We also measure J/{psi}{yields}pp and {psi}(2S){yields}pp branching fractions and set an upper limit on Y(4260){yields}pp production and decay.
Radon concentration measurements were carried out using solid-state nuclear track-etch detectors (SSNTDs) type CA 80-15 cellulose nitrate films, in a Pleistocenic cave at Petralona, in Halkidiki, Northern Greece, at 55 km from the city of Thessaloniki. Radon levels as high as 88 kBqxm"-"3 (2.38 nCi x l"-"1) have been recorded inside the cave equivalent to 11.90 WL in terms of occupational exposure to radon and its decay products. Absorbed dose rates were performed using TL dosimeters, type TLD-200 (CaF_2-Dy) in a continuous monitoring program (integrated measurements). Dose rate levels as high as 110 nGy x h"-"1 were recorded inside the cave. In interpreting the high levels of radiation doses, radioactivity measurements regarding the naturally occurring "2"3"8U, "2"3"2Th and "4"0K radionuclides were carried out in various speleothems found at different sites in the cave. (author)
This study presents the findings of radiometric analysis carried out to determine the activity concentrations of natural radionuclides in raw materials (clay, kaolin, quartz, feldspar, dolomite, alumina, bauxite, zirconium minerals, red mud and frit) and end products (glazed ceramic wall and floor tiles) in the Turkish ceramics industry. Hundred forty-six samples were obtained from various manufacturers and suppliers throughout the country and analyzed using gamma-ray spectrometer with HPGe detectors. Radiological parameters such as radium equivalent activity, activity concentration index and alpha index were calculated to assess the radiological aspects of the use of the ceramic end products as decorative or covering materials in construction sector. Results obtained were examined in the light of the relevant national and international legislation and guidance and compared with the results of similar studies reported in different countries. The results suggest ...
Simulations and experiments have been carried out to explore using a plastic scintillator as a dosimetry probe in the vicinity of a pulsed bremsstrahlung source in the range 4 to 20 MeV. Taking advantage of the tissue-equivalent properties of this detector in conjunction with the use of a fast digital signal processor near real-time dosimetry was shown to be possible. The importance of accounting for a broad energy electron beam in bremsstrahlung production, and photon scattering and build-up, in correctly interpreting dosimetry results at long stand-off distances is highlighted by comparing real world experiments with ideal geometry simulations. Close agreement was found between absorbed energy calculations based upon spectroscopic techniques and calculations based upon signal integration, showing a ratio between 10 MeV absorbed dose to 12 MeV absorbed dose of 0.66 at a distance of 91.4 m from the accelerator. This is compared with an idealized model simulation ...
The combination of functional and morphological imaging technologies such as positron emission tomography (PET) and X-ray computed tomography (CT) has shown its value in the clinical and preclinical field. However, CT provides only very limited soft-tissue contrast and exposes the examined patient or laboratory animal to a high X-ray radiation dose. In comparison to CT, magnetic resonance tomography (MRI) provides excellent soft-tissue contrast and allows for nuclear magnetic resonance spectroscopy (NMRS) or functional MRI (fMRI). Thus, the combination of PET and MRI has been pursued for several years. First approaches have succeeded using conventional photo multiplier tube (PMT) technology together with light fibers to transfer scintillation light away from the high magnetic field. Latest PET/MRI developments use solid-state light detectors that can be operated even at high magnetic fields. Initial pilot studies with prototype animal PET/MRI ...
The LHCb experiment that is being settled in CERN is dedicated to the study of CP violation and rare decays in the field of beauty hadrons. The phenomenological background necessary to an adequate understanding of the physics of flavor is presented in the first chapter, it is shown how the flavordynamics can open the way to new physics. The second chapter is dedicated to a brief presentation of the LHCb detector. Two aspects of the design of the muon trigger are more detailed: the radiation resistance of the opto-electronic transmitters and the simulated performances of the trigger. The third chapter reviews the tasks linked to the tagging of the savors of B mesons which will be an important step in all the experiments made at LHCb. The recent progress in heavy savor physics as well as the expected contribution of LHCb in this field are presented in the fourth chapter, especially the search for new physics in penguin diagrams b {yields} s.
The feasibility of developing a fusion power monitor based on a fluid activation detector is considered here. The activation fluid may be either a liquid or a gas and its composition can be selected from a number of candidate materials to provide desired activation and decay characterisitcs. Performance calculations indicate that ordinary water would be a nearly ideal activation fluid. The "1"6O(n,p)"1"6N reaction has a threshold at about 10 MeV and a cross section energy dependence giving it a predominant response for unmoderated D-T fusion neutrons. Adequate activation can be obtained at moderate flow rates for remote counting away from the high radiation area of the reactor. The 7.16 sec half-life of "1"6N is ideal for remote counting with subsequent decay in a small hold-up tank to eliminate activity build-up in the recycled water.
A device for detecting neutrons includes a semi-insulated bulk semiconductor substrate having opposed polished surfaces. A blocking Schottky contact comprised of a series of metals such as Ti, Pt, Au, Ge, Pd, and Ni is formed on a first polished surface of the semiconductor substrate, while a low resistivity ("ohmic") contact comprised of metals such as Au, Ge, and Ni is formed on a second, opposed polished surface of the substrate. In one embodiment, n-type low resistivity pinout contacts comprised of an Au/Ge based eutectic alloy or multi-layered Pd/Ge/Ti/Au are also formed on the opposed polished surfaces and in contact with the Schottky and ohmic contacts. Disposed on the Schottky contact is a neutron reactive film, or coating, for detecting neutrons. The coating is comprised of a hydrogen rich polymer, such as a polyolefin or paraffin; lithium or lithium fluoride; or a heavy metal fissionable material. By varying the coating thickness and electrical settings, neutrons at specific ...
An aerial radiological survey was conducted over the Department of Energy's Hanford Site near Richland, Washington, during the period 5 July through 26 August 1988. The survey was expanded, and additional flights were conducted to the east of the site and along the banks of the Columbia River down to McNary Dam near Umatilla. The survey was flown at altitude of 61 meters (200 feet) by a helicopter containing 17 liters (eight 2 in. x 4 in. x 16 in.) of sodium iodide detectors. Gamma ray data were collected over the survey area by flying north-south lines spaced 122 meters (400 feet) apart. The processed data indicated that detected radioisotopes and their associated gamma ray exposure rates were generally consistent with those expected from normal background emitters and man-made fission/activation products resulting from activities at the site. External exposure rates were generally 10 microroentgens per hour (#mu#R/h) with some operating areas over 1000 #mu#R/h. ...
Acceptance testing of mammographic imaging systems technical is the first approach in order to guarantee that mammograms will be achieved with the minimum radiation dose compatible with an image quality suitable for diagnose purposes. The aim of this study is to assess the practical applicability of different protocols in acceptance test of digital mammographic systems. This study has been carried out on the results of the acceptance tests of five flat panel digital mammographic systems. Parameters established in the systems technical specifications and those evaluated in the consulted protocols were tested. Due to the fact that the legislation in our country does not demand to consider a specific protocol, the results obtained were also compared considering different existing protocols. Results show discrepancies between manufacturers limiting values and those established in the protocols. Some parameters, such as the automatic exposure control compensation and ...
The BESS detector is a new type of balloon-borne spectrometer which utilizes various technologies recently developed for collider experiments. The principal scientific objectives include a measurement of cosmic-ray antiproton spectrum, search for anti-nuclei in cosmic radiation, and precise measurements of cosmic-ray primaries. A thin superconducting solenoidal coil produces a uniform magnetic field of 1 T. Cylindrical drift chambers are located inside and outside the coil and perform continuous tracking. The momentum resolution is 0.5% at 1 GeV/c. i.e., the maximum detectable rigidity is 200 GV. Scintillation counter hodoscopes, placed above and below the solenoid, provide timing and dE/dx measurements and trigger generation. The timing resolution is 80 ps/counter. This cylindrical configuration achieves a large geometrical acceptance of 0.35 m{sup 2} sr which is essential to detect rare cosmic-ray particles. In order to cope with high trigger ...
The detection efficiency of a lithium glass detector was calculated using MCNP code, and the calculation was compared with the published results in Pulsed Sphere Plan. A lithium glass detector of our own was made, and its neutron efficiency was calculated. The calculated neutron efficiency was verified with both pulsed and steady DD neutrons. Characteristics of Neutron response of "6Li detector was discussed. (authors)
The internal-tracking-system (ITS) of the ALICE detector at LHC, consists of six concentrical barrels of silicon detectors. The outmost two layers are made of double-sided strip detectors (SSD). In the framework of a R and D, the characteristics and performances of these devices, manufactured by two different companies, associated with their designed read-out electronics, have been studied off- and in-beam at the SPS (CERN). The results are presented and discussed.
A new technology called a self-aligned metal-silicide process is described in the fabrication of silicon detectors. It has been found that this technology improves both detector yield and leakage current. The use of a metal silicide also gives a lower contact resistance and, depending on the thermal process, a controllable junction depth, which may be essential in the integration of detectors and their electronics.
This study investigates the effect of solid and liquid lubrication on friction and wear performance of silicon nitride (Si{sub 3}N{sub 4}) and cast iron. The solid lubricant was a thin silver film ({approx}2 {mu}m thick) produced on Si{sub 3}N{sub 4} by ion-beam-assisted deposition. A high-temperature polyol-ester-base synthetic oil served as the liquid lubricant. Friction and wear tests were performed with pin-on-disk and oscillating-slider wear test machines at temperatures up to 300{degrees}C. Without the silver films, the friction coefficients of Si{sub 3}N{sub 4}/Si{sub 3}N{sub 4} test pairs were 0.05 to 0.14, and the average wear rates of Si{sub 3}N{sub 4} pins were {approx}5 x 10{sup -8} mm{sup 3} N{sup -1}. The friction coefficients of Si{sub 3}N{sub 4}/cast iron test pairs ranged from 0.08 to 0.11, depending on test temperature. The average specific wear rates of cast iron pins were {approx}3 x 10{sup -7} mm{sup 3} ...
To investigate the characteristics of a reactor and a neutron generator, a small scintillation detector with an optical fiber with ThO_2 has been developed to measure fast neutrons. However, experimental facilities where "2"3"2Th can be used are limited by regulations, and S/N ratio is low because the background counts of this detector are increase by alpha decay of "2"3"2Th. The purpose of this study is to develop a new optical fiber detector for measuring fast neutrons that does not use nuclear material such as "2"3"2Th. From the measured and calculated results, the new optical fiber detector which uses ZnS(Ag) as a converter material together with a scintillator have the highest detection efficiency among several developed detectors. It is applied for the measurement of reaction rates generated from fast neutrons; furthermore, the absolute detection efficiency of this ...
High (spatial) resolution imaging detectors for X-ray astronomy were developed. Several prototype detectors built and their feasibility and baseline performance were assessed. Two of these detector types are proposed for investigations on the advanced X-ray astrophysics facility (AXAF). The readiness of a new X-ray imaging system, the charge coupled device (CCD) imaging specctrometer is outlined, and state of the art performance parameters for microchannel plate (MCP) and CCD detectors are measured. Laboratory facilities and procedures for coating MCP are developed general high resolution imagery systems are analyzed.
High (spatial) resolution imaging detectors for X-ray astronomy were developed. Several prototype detectors built and their feasibility and baseline performance were assessed. Two of these detector types are proposed for investigations on the advanced X-ray astrophysics facility (AXAF). The readiness of a new X-ray imaging system, the charge coupled device (CCD) imaging specctrometer is outlined, and state of the art performance parameters for microchannel plate (MCP) and CCD detectors are measured. Laboratory facilities and procedures for coating MCP are developed general high resolution imagery systems are analyzed.
This paper reports that, to obtain better simulation results for a Canada deuterium uranium (CANDU) reactor operation, a new simulation method is developed that uses actual detector readings as a correction factor. Detector readings from a CANDU reactor are used to correct the calculated flux distribution during core calculation iterations. A suitable function is found to describe the relationship between the detector flux and the fluxes of mesh points around the detector. The new simulation method is tested by performing numerical calculations for the Wolsung reactor (a CANDU-600). The results show that the new method predicts the core state more accurately with fewer iterations.
Theoretical work supported by this grant has lead to the concept of the specific pinning force Q and the development of new methods to sum elementary interaction forces to find Q. Pinning due to changes in transition temperature or thermodynamic critical field in thin layers (e.g., a grain boundary), is greatly reduced due to the proximity effect and the stress field interaction due to the dislocations in the grain boundary has been shown to be negligible. The crystalline anisotropy (CA) and electron scattering (ES) interactions have been computed for the first time for an arbitrary boundary. Experiments on niobium bicrystals, polycrystalline niobium thin foils doped with oxygen, lead-bismuth alloy thin films and lead-bismuth alloy films in which either lead or thallium has been allowed to diffuse down the grain boundaries and out into the grains provide evidence that confirms the predictions of the theory. These results suggest that further ...
The Department of Nuclear Engineering and Fluid Mechanics in the University of the Basque Country (UPV-EHU), has done calculations for the proposed benchmark problem, in the frame of the 11th international meeting of the IAHR working group on advanced nuclear reactors thermal-hydraulics (Obninsk-Russian Federation, 5-9 July 2004). The purpose of the benchmark is to compare experimental and analytical results of some experiments carried out in the State Scientific Center of Russian Federation 'Institute of Physics and Power Engineering' (SSC RF IPPE). These experiments were held to research the cooling of pin bundles by liquid metals in reference to the core of Nuclear Reactors such as BREST. The analytical results have been done with the Computational Fluid Dynamics (CFD) code FLUENT. Temperature and velocity fields are the main variables considered for the comparison, and some assumptions has been made in order to simplify a complicate geometry with grids and ...
Computational fluid dynamics are applied to the study of three-dimensional fluid flow in a dense medium plasma reactor (DMPR) under different operating conditions. Reaction mechanisms and rates for the removal of methyl t-butyl ether (MTBE) in a DMPR are developed from experimental data to determine the plasma volume, the rate of interphase mass transfer and the photolysis rate of MTBE via UV emission from the plasma. The simulations utilize the plasma volume determined from the kinetic data to show that the volume of fluid in contact with the plasma in the DMPR only constitutes a maximum of approximately 10% of the fluid intended to be cycled through the plasma tubules. The simulations also predict appreciable pressure gradients on the surface of the pin electrodes, resulting in a small discharge area located away from the region in which the electric field strength is a maximum. This result has been confirmed indirectly through observation in that the ...
The highest equilibrium free-carrier doping concentration possible in a given material is limited by the ''pinning energy'' which shows a remarkable universal alignment in each class of semiconductors. Our first-principles total energy calculations reveal that equilibrium n -type doping is ultimately limited by the spontaneous formation of close-shell acceptor defects: the 3- -charged cation vacancy in AlN, GaN, InP, and GaAs and the 1- -charged DX center in AlAs, AlP, and GaP. This explains the alignment of the pinning energies and predicts the maximum equilibrium doping levels in different materials. (c) 2000 The American Physical Society
The article is devoted to results of fine time structure of particle losses in Tevatron with use of fast beam loss monitors (BLM) based on PIN-diodes. An ultimate goal of the new BLMs is to distinguish losses of protons and antiprotons from neighbor bunches with 132 ns bunch spacing in the Tevatron collider upgrade. The devices studied fit well to the goal as they can recognize even seven times closer - 18.9 ns - spaced bunches` losses in the Tevatron fixed target operation regime. We have measured main characteristics of the BLM as well as studied the proton losses over 10 decades of time scale - from dozen of minutes to dozen of nanoseconds. Power spectral density of the losses is compared with spectra of the proton beam motion.
Dislocation priming measurements were performed in the kHz range in ASARCO copper. The samples and irradiation facilities are constructed so as to allow successive irradiation of samples both with electrons and gamma rays. The gamma rays were produced by stopping 2.8-MeV electrons in a gold target. The change of the type of irradiation could be achieved without any handling of the sample. Thus it is possible to detect rather small differences between the two types of irradiation. Recovery experiments at 400 deg K after 75 deg K irradiation and pinning rates during irradiation at 400 deg K and 75 deg K were made. (GE)
Code coupling activities have so far focused on coupling the neutronics modules with the CFD module. An interface module for the CFD-ACE/DeCART coupling was established as an alternative to the original STAR-CD/DeCART interface. The interface module for DeCART/CFD-ACE was validated by single-pin model. The optimized CFD mesh was decided through the calculation of multi-pin model. It was important to consider turbulent mixing of subchannels for calculation of fuel temperature. For the parallel calculation, the optimized decompose process was necessary to reduce the calculation costs and setting of the iteration and convergence criterion for each code was important, too.
The Fast Flux Test Facility (FFTF) is a 400 MW(th) sodium cooled reactor and is the largest test reactor of its type in the world. It was designed and is being operated to serve two purposes: gaining liquid metal system experience and serving as a test bed for fuels and materials. During test operations it is possible that cladding breaches and escape of fission gas to the reactor cover gas region can occur. To identify the source of such a leak all 78 fuel pin assemblies contain ''gas tag'' with a unique ''tag'' mixture in each assembly. The mass spectrometric identification of tag isotope ratios makes possible rapid location and thus faster removal (if required) of breached test pins.
Positron annihilation experiments on Fe-Cu model dilute alloys of nuclear reactor pressure vessel (RPV) steels have been performed after neutron irradiation in JMTR. Nanovoids whose inner surfaces were covered by Cu atoms were clearly observed. The nanovoids transformed to ultrafine Cu precipitates by dissociating their vacancies after annealing at around 400degC. The nanovoids and the ultrafine Cu precipitates are strongly suggested to be responsible for irradiation-induced embrittlement of RPV steels. Effects of Ni, Mn and P addition on the nanovoid and Cu precipitate formations were also studied. The nanovoid formation was enhanced by Ni and P, but suppressed by Mn. The Cu precipitates after annealing around 400degC were almost free from these doping elements and hence were pure Cu in the chemical composition. Furthermore the Fermi surface of the 'embedded' Cu precipitates with a body centered cubic crystal structure was obtained from two dimensional angular ...
The in-situ measurement of a crystallographic texture is a special type of a non-destructive measurement, which need special equipments. Due to the high photon flux and the excellent brilliance high energetic synchrotron radiations are a fantastic tool particular in fast experimentation. Moreover, a high penetration power allows the investigation of standard tensile sample of the DIN-norm. A loading device with a power up to 20 kN was installed at the hard wiggler beamline BW5 (HASYLAB-DESY) to perform in-situ strain and in-situ texture analysis. Using 100keV X-rays one gets short wavelength so that a 2D image-plate detector offers a wide range of diffraction pattern within the first 10 degree in 2 theta. Thermal neutron is another radiation with a high penetration power, which is the standard method for global texture analysis of bulk samples. As an example rectangular extruded Mg- Az31 was investigated by an in-situ. ...
We report the first observation of the radiative decay B^0 -> \\phi K^0 \\gamma using a data sample of 772 x 10^6 B B-bar pairs collected at the \\Upsilon(4S) resonance with the Belle detector at the KEKB asymmetric-energy e^+e^- collider. We observe a signal of 37+/-8 events with a significance of 5.4 standard deviations including systematic uncertainties. The measured branching fraction is ${\\cal B}(B^0 -> \\phi K^0 \\gamma) = (2.74\\pm 0.60 \\pm 0.32) \\times 10^{-6}$, where the uncertainties are statistical and systematic, respectively. We also report the first measurements of time-dependent CP violation parameters: ${\\mathcal S}_{\\phi K_S^0 \\gamma} = +0.74^{+0.72}_{-1.05} (stat)^{+0.10}_{-0.24} (syst)$ and ${\\mathcal A}_{\\phi K_S^0 \\gamma} = +0.35 +/- 0.58 (stat)^{+0.23}_{-0.10} (syst)$. Furthermore, we measure ${\\mathcal B}(B^+ -> \\phi K^+ \\gamma) = (2.48 +/- 0.30 +/- 0.24) x 10^{-6}$, ${\\mathcal A}_{CP} = -0.03 +/- ...
Purpose/Objective: At present, treatment verification between portal and reference images is performed based on manually-identified features by radiation oncologist, which is both time-consuming and potentially error-prone. There is a demand for the computerized verification procedure in clinical application. The purpose of this study is to develop a computerized portal verification scheme for pelvic treatment fields. Materials/Methods: The automated verification system involves image acquisition, image feature extraction, feature matching between reference and portal images and quantitative evaluation of patient setup. Electronic portal images with a matrix size of 256 x 256 and 12 bit gray levels were acquired using a liquid matrix electronic portal imaging device. Simulation images were acquired by digitizing simulation films using a TV camera into images with 256 x 256 matrix and 8 bit gray levels. Initially a Canny edge detector is applied ...
Abstract The authors provide a survey of how images are used in radiation therapy to improve the precision of radiation therapy plans, and delivery of radiation treatment. In contrast...Full Text Available
... radiation during clinical therapy and exposures due to radiation accidents or attacks, in which the doses are uncontrolled ... only be used off-label in victims of radiation accidents or attacks. The idea...
A segmented focal plane detector for an Enge split-pole spectrograph has been developed for the study of breakup reactions at very low relative energies. It consists of a 61 cm long segmented position-sensitive parallel plate avalanche counter backed by a large Bragg curve detector. A segmented plastic scintillator is mounted behind the anode of the Bragg curve detector and is used for particle identification of low-ionizing particles. The dead space between the two sections of the focal plane detector is 2.5 mm. The intrinsic position resolution of the detector is 1 mm. The intrinsic energy resolution depends on the energy of the incident ion and can be as good as 0.55%. The nuclear charge and mass resolutions are 0.3 e and 0.3 u, respectively. (orig.).
The Fermi National Laboratory (Fermilab) operates the Tevatron proton-antiproton collider at a center-of-mass energy of {radical}s = 1.96 TeV, the is therefore the only collider which is today able to produce the heaviest known particle, the top quark. The top quark was discovered at the Tevatron by the CDF and D0 collaborations in 1995. At the Tevatron, most top quarks are produced via the strong interaction, whereby quark-antiquark annihilation dominates with 85%, and gluon fusion contributes with 15%. Considering next-to-leading order (NLO) contributions in the cross section of top-antitop quark production, leads to a slight positive asymmetry in the differential distribution of the production angle {alpha} of the top quarks. This asymmetry is due to the interference of certain NLO contributions. The charge asymmetry A in the cosine of {alpha} is predicted [14] to amount to 4-6%. Information about the partonic rest frame, necessary for a measurement of A in the observable cos ...
With the advent of intensity-modulated radiation therapy (IMRT), the inclusion of heterogeneity corrections is further complicated by the conformal delivery of many small beams forming steep dose gradients. Radiation treatment planning has evolved to take into account even small changes in tissue density so that the dose to tumor can be further optimized. However, different treatment planning systems incorporate different heterogeneity correction algorithms, and it is unclear whether any of these algorithms are superior to others in terms of accurately predicting delivered radiation doses relative to measurement in a clinical setting. The purpose of this study was to determine the accuracy of heterogeneity dose calculations from two widely used IMRT treatment planning systems (Pinnacle and Corvus) against measurement. These two systems handle heterogeneity dose corrections by means of a collapsed-cone convolution ...
To understand the evolution of giant stars, it is important to pin down the masses for Cepheids. The 7- to 10-day bump Cepheids imply lower than evolutionary mass (60%). Recent theoretical work, though, indicates that for Cepheids with periods of 15 to 16 days, the best understanding of the light curves results from using evolutionary masses.
Surface-sensitive UV photoelectron yield spectroscopy was employed to study electron acceptor levels at surfaces of chalcopyrite structure Cu-In-Se thin films. Surface Fermi level pinning was observed for Cu-rich films. Shallow acceptor levels ascribable to defects Cu_I_n and V_C_u were observed for near-stoichiometric and In-rich films respectively. (orig.).
The utilization of electrically heated rods for the simulation of nuclear fuel rods represents an universally adopted method by the nuclear industry to study thermalhydraulic problems. The present work represents the development of a method to obtain the time variation of the electric linear power necessary to simulate a given nuclear power transient in order to yield the same temperature and heat flux conditions in the surface of the electrical heater that would be obtained by the nuclear fuel rod. (Author).
The Fast Flux Test Facility (FFTF) is a liquid-metal-cooled, fast neutron test reactor located on the Hanford Site. A dual computer system has been developed to monitor the reactor cover gas to detect and characterize any fuel or test pin fission gas releases. The system acquires gamma spectra data, identifies isotopes, calculates specific isotope and overall cover gas activity, presents control room alarms and displays, and records and prints data and analysis reports. The Fission Gas Monitor System (FGMS) integrates commercially available hardware and software, providing a reliable and easily maintained system. The design provides extensive automation of previous manual operations, reducing the need for operator training and minimizing the potential for operator error. The dual nature of the system allows either system A or B to be taken out of service for periodic tests or maintenance without interrupting the overall system performance. A control room color ...
We have used the unique spatial sensitivity of polarized neutron and soft x-ray beams in reflection geometry to measure the depth dependence of magnetization across the interface between a ferromagnet and antiferromagnet. The new uncompensated magnetization near the interface responds to applied field, while the uncompensated spins in the antiferromagnetic bulk are pinned, thus providing a means to establish exchange bias.
A program to modernize existing computer control and data analysis in a precision gamma-scanning system is described. This involves interfacing a new computer-based multichannel analyzer to existing equipment through a CAMAC system with an intelligent crate controller and writing software for scan control and data reduction. Both hardware and software requirements are discussed. 6 figures.
A centering device for casing tubings is proposed. It includes a housing, collar made of copper linings, return springs and pusher with centering pins placed in it. In order to simplify the design of the centering device it is equipped with levers installed on the pusher rod and connected by hinges to one another. The centering device assures coaxial placement of tubes over the mouth of wells and installation of butt joints during welding of tubes.
We present in this paper the computer code BACCHUS, to analyze the thermal-hydraulics in a rod bundle in single or two-phase flow regime. The model is 2-D and uses the porous body approach. The two-phase model is an extension of the classical homogeneous model, and includes a differential non-equilibrium equation. Results are shown for the extension of the boiling region in a 19-pin bundle.
We present in this paper the computer code BACCHUS, to analyze the thermal-hydraulics in a rod bundle in single or two-phase flow regime. The model is 2-D and uses the porous body approach. The two-phase model is an extension of the classical homogeneous model, and includes a differential non-equilibrium equation. Results are shown for the extension of the boiling region in a 19-pin bundle. (orig.).
An ultrasensitive laser-induced fluorescence detector was used with capillary electrophoresis for the study of 5-carboxy-tetramethylrhodamine. The raw signal from the detector provided roughly...Full Text Available
A new focal plane detector for an Enge split pole spectrograph has been developed which is able to resolve individual elements and isotopes up to the mass 100 region. It consists of a 60 cm long position sensitive parallel plate avalanche counter backed by a large Bragg curve detector. Compared with other position sensitive focal plane counters the new detector system has a very good time resolution (less than 300 ps) and can be operated at much higher counting rates (up to 25 kHz). The intrinsic resolution of the position detector is less than 1 mm. In addition to the energy and the nuclear charge signal obtained from the Bragg curve detector the angle of incidence into the detector can be measured with an accuracy of better than 1/sup 0/. The detector has already been used in a variety of experiments where good timing, counting rate ...
The most important developments in gaseous detectors at LNL are reviewed. Some aspects of timing, pulse height and position resolutions of avalanche counters are reported. The experimental work on heavy-ion identification by Bragg curve spectroscopy is summarized.
Detectors for a photon-photon collider are envisaged using as guide-lines the physics goals and the interaction point environment. Production of SUSY Higgs scalar and pseudo-scalar is emphasized. Some aspects of the interaction point environment are discussed. ((orig.)).
We report on a high resolution, monolithic crystal PET detector design concept that provides depth of interaction (DOI) positioning within the crystal. Our design utilizes a novel sensor on...Full Text Available
This work reports on the use of three state-of-the-art Monte Carlo codes (MCNPX, PENELOPE, FLUKA) in the efficiency calibration of a Broad-Energy Germanium (BEGe) detector. Initial discrepancies found between the experimental and computational efficiency values are related to the poor knowledge of some physical parameters of the detector (dead-layers, crystal dimensions, etc.). As a consequence, a sensitivity analysis was carried out. Each parameter was systematically analyzed, and an accurate model of the detector was determined. The obtained results are consistent, allowing this model to be used in computational efficiency calibrations of the equipment at stake.
A method of detecting explosives in a vehicle includes providing a first rack on one side of the vehicle, the rack including a neutron generator and a plurality of gamma ray detectors; providing a second rack on another side of the vehicle, the second rack including a neutron generator and a plurality of gamma ray detectors; providing a control system, remote from the first and second racks, coupled to the neutron generators and gamma ray detectors; using the control system, causing the neutron generators to generate neutrons; and performing gamma ray spectroscopy on spectra read by the gamma ray detectors to look for a signature indicative of presence of an explosive. Various apparatus and other methods are also provided.
A method of detecting explosives in a vehicle includes providing a first rack on one side of the vehicle, the rack including a neutron generator and a plurality of gamma ray detectors; providing a second rack on another side of the vehicle, the second rack including a neutron generator and a plurality of gamma ray detectors; providing a control system, remote from the first and second racks, coupled to the neutron generators and gamma ray detectors; using the control system, causing the neutron generators to generate neutrons; and performing gamma ray spectroscopy on spectra read by the gamma ray detectors to look for a signature indicative of presence of an explosive. Various apparatus and other methods are also provided.
In this paper we describe the reconstruction strategies, the calibration procedures and the detector performance results from the latest CMS operation.
We report on recent measurements with Thick GEM-like (THGEM)-based imaging detectors. The THGEM is a robust gaseous electron multiplier similar to GEM but with larger dimensions. It has high electron multiplication, of 105 and 107 in single- and double-THGEM structure, respectively, fast signals and ?10MHz/mm2 counting rate capability. It can be produced in any shape and over large area. In view of many possible applications of THGEM-based imaging detectors, in particle physics and beyond, we have recently studied the localization properties of a 2D 10x10cm2 detector. The results of these studies are presented.
A new technique for radon measurement in the natural environment was investigated. It is based on the use of activated charcoal and a track-etch detector. The charcoal acts as a radon collector from the air and the track-etch detector as a recorder of the alpha particles emitted by radon and its decay products. Our preliminary results show that the response of the new dosimeter to radon, using Deodorant activated charcoal (TOK, Yugoslavia) and a CR-39 track-etch detector, is 1.4 tracks cm{sup -2}/Bqm{sup -3}d, which is about eight times higher than that obtained with a standard track-etch dosimeter. (author).
The case of spontaneous radiation of channeled ultrarelativistic particles is considered when the dipolarity condition is not satisfied. The change of the particle longitudinal velocity affecting the maximum radiation frequency is included. The angular and frequency characteristics of the radiation for superhigh energies are studied for the first time. It is shown that there is an optimum energy at which the radiation density is maximum. The influence of the angle at which electrons enter a crystal and of the beam divergence on the radiation is investigated. The problem of quasichanneled particle radiation and also the radiation in axis-plane transitions are considered. (author).
Presented are results of a test of a method for measuring neutron fluences using detectors with fissionable nuclides. The investigations show the soundness of of using neutron-activation detectors of the type Am for mesurements in nuclear installations for values of thermal-neutron fluence of from 10/sup 13/ to 10/sup 20/ neutrons/cm/sup 2/ with exposure for up to several months. The proposed method can be used for prolonged measurements in strong fields of both thermal and fast neutrons.
The design of beam position monitor (BPM) stripline detectors has been enhanced by using the finite element code ANSYS[sup TM]. Available from Swanson Engineering, ANSYS[sup TM] was developed to solve Poisson's equation in stress and thermal analysis applications. The code is readily adaptable to solving electrostatic problems. The designs of several beam detectors were iterated by calculating electrode capacitances and characteristic impedances to better than 1% accuracy.
The upgraded CDF II detector has collected first data during the initial operation of the Tevatron accelerator in Run II. The simulation of the CDF electromagnetic and hadronic central and upgraded plug (forward) calorimeter is based on the Gflash calorimeter parameterization package used within the GEANT based detector simulation of the Run II CDF detector. We present the results of tuning the central and plug calorimeter response to test beam data.
A study on the aging process of gas detectors was presented. How the development of more performing but delicate detectors, the use of faster but aggressive gases, and the need to cover large areas, led to unexpected problems was discussed. Various methods for curing aged detectors were also highlighted. (Edited abstract) 37 Refs.
Ionization counters employing Bragg curve spectroscopy have been constructed for use in a 4? geometry. These detectors compare very favorably in terms of both energy and charge resolution with small solid angle devices. These detectors have a large dynamic range because they are backed by scintillation detectors, and are thus capable of detecting and identifying particles with energies from 1 MeV/nucleon up to 200 MeV/nucleon.
Ionization counters employing Bragg curve spectroscopy have been constructed for use in a 4{pi} geometry. These detectors compare very favorably in terms of both energy and charge resolution with small solid angle devices. These detectors have a large dynamic range because they are backed by scintillation detectors, and are thus capable of detecting and identifying particles with energies from 1 MeV/nucleon up to 200 MeV/nucleon. (orig.).
Ionization counters employing Bragg curve spectroscopy have been constructed for use in a 4#pi# geometry. These detectors compare very favorably in terms of both energy and charge resolution with small solid angle devices. These detectors have a large dynamic range because they are backed by scintillation detectors, and are thus capable of detecting and identifying particles with energies from 1 MeV/nucleon up to 200 MeV/nucleon. (orig.).
There is significant interest in using computed tomography (CT) for in vivo imaging applications in mouse models of disease. Most commercially available mouse x-ray CT scanners utilize a charge-coupled device (CCD) detector coupled via fibre optic taper to a phosphor screen. However, there has been little research to determine if this is the optimum detector for the specific task of in vivo mouse imaging. To investigate this issue, we have evaluated four detectors, including an amorphous selenium (a-Se) detector, an amorphous silicon (a-Si) detector with a gadolinium oxysulphide (GOS) screen, a CCD with a 3:1 fibre taper and a GOS screen, and a CCD with a 2:1 fibre taper and both GOS and thallium-doped caesium iodide (CsI:Tl) screens. The detectors were evaluated by measuring the modulation transfer function (MTF), noise power spectrum (NPS), detective quantum ...
Waveform correlation detectors compare a signal template with successive windows of a continuous data stream and report a detection when the correlation coefficient, or some comparable detection statistic, exceeds a specified threshold. Since correlation detectors exploit the fine structure of the full waveform, they are exquisitely sensitive when compared to power (STA/LTA) detectors. The drawback of correlation detectors is that they require complete knowledge of the signal to be detected, which limits such methods to instances of seismicity in which a very similar signal has already been observed by every station used. Such instances include earthquake swarms, aftershock sequences, repeating industrial seismicity, and many other forms of controlled explosions. The reduction in the detection threshold is even greater when the techniques are applied to arrays since stacking can be performed on the ...
Systematics of neutron capture radiative width were studied in the target element range from Th to Cm. Reduced radiative widths were analyzed with a simple radiative width formula based on E1 transition. Average radiative width is presented with the standard deviation of 15%. (author)
TAPP-3 and 4 reactors use large number of Self Powered Neutron Detectors (SPNDs) for Neutronic lower measurement and control. To perform in-situ calibration of these detectors in select locations and to validate the reactor physics codes which predict flux at various points in the core, traveling in-core probes (TIP) are required. The TIP assembly consists of a miniature neutron sensitive detector. The detector is driven in and out of core using a mechanism which facilitates positioning of the detector anywhere inside a vertical tube (Central carrier tube of any of the six select Vertical Flux Units) in the core. TIP is driven through retractable feed mechanism for a stroke of 13 m. This paper describes the developmental efforts and the operational feedback of the retractable feed mechanism for the stroke of 13 m used at TAPP 3 and 4 reactor. (author)
Solid state nuclear track detectors (SSNTD) are widely used for radon measurements and CR-39 is one of the most popular SSNTD. In this work it was determined the calibration factor for radon concentration measurements through the passive method with CR-39 detectors. The detectors were put in a proper device (an adapted Lucas cell) and exposed to the standard radon concentration through the Pylon Model RN-150 flow through radon gas source. After exposure, the detectors were etched for 5.5 hours in a KOH solution at 80 deg C in a bath at a constant temperature. The track density was read in an Axiolab-Zeiss optical microscope, with nominal magnification of X10 connected to a video camera and to a personal computer. The calibration factor was obtained through the relation between standard radon concentration, track density and exposure time. (author)
Solid state nuclear track detectors (SSNTD) are widely used for radon measurements and CR-39 is one of the most popular SSNTD. In this work it was determined the calibration factor for radon concentration measurements through the passive method with CR-39 detectors. The detectors were put in a proper device (an adapted Lucas cell) and exposed to the standard radon concentration through the Pylon Model RN-150 flow through radon gas source. After exposure, the detectors were etched for 5.5 hours in a KOH solution at 80 deg C in a bath at a constant temperature. The track density was read in an Axiolab-Zeiss optical microscope, with nominal magnification of X10 connected to a video camera and to a personal computer. The calibration factor was obtained through the relation between standard radon concentration, track density and exposure time. (author)
Summary Solid state nuclear track detectors are used to determine the concentration of a particles in the environment. The standard method for assessing exposed detectors involves 2D image analysis. However 3D imaging has the potential to provide additional information relating to angle as well as to differentiate clustered hit sequences and possibly energy of a particles but this could be time consuming. Here we describe a new method for rapid high-resolution 3D imaging of solid state nuclear track detectors. A `LEXT' OLS3100 confocal laser scanning microscope (Olympus Corporation, Tokyo, Japan) was used in confocal mode to successfully obtain 3D image data on four CR-39 plastic detectors. Three-dimensional visualization and image analysis enabled characterization of track features. This ...
A large area Bragg curve spectroscopy (BCS) detector and a position sensitive parallel grid avalanche counter have been developed to study heavy ion reactions, such as inelastic excitations and few nucleon transfer reactions near the Coulomb barrier. Reasonably good resolutions have been achieved for energy, atomic number and angle. A theoretical investigation on the mass dependence of the Bragg peak signal from the BCS detector, shows that there is a negligible mass dependence related to the geometry of the detector. The mass number of the heavy ions which cannot be obtained by the above method, has been identified by detecting the corresponding characteristic gamma rays from the product nuclei with two large solid angle gamma ray detectors. (orig.)
A large area Bragg curve spectroscopy (BCS) detector and a position sensitive parallel grid avalanche counter have been developed to study heavy ion reactions, such as inelastic excitations and few nucleon transfer reactions near the Coulomb barrier. Reasonably good resolutions have been achieved for energy, atomic number and angle. A theoretical investigation on the mass dependence of the Bragg peak signal from the BCS detector, shows that there is a negligible mass dependence related to the geometry of the detector. The mass number of the heavy ions which cannot be obtained by the above method, has been identified by detecting the corresponding characteristic gamma rays from the product nuclei with two large solid angle gamma ray detectors. (orig.).
A large acceptance, high stopping power, Bragg curve spectrometer has been developed for use in coincidence experiments with heavy ions. The electron collection fields are radial and position information is obtained from a resistive anode. The detector is 60 cm deep and operates at pressures of up to 2.5 atm of P-10 gas. It is mated to a scattering chamber which allows it to be moved out of plane during coincidence measurements. The detector design was aided by the results of computer simulations of the electron collection process in the detector, and of the signal processing in the electronics. The signals from the Bragg curve spectrometer are recorded in a waveform digitizer and the Bragg peak height, range, position and pileup rejection information are determined from software analysis of the recorded signals. Factors limiting the performance of the detector are discussed, and results obtained with ...
A large acceptance, high stopping power, Bragg curve spectrometer has been developed for use in coincidence experiments with heavy ions. The electron collection fields are radial and position information is obtained from a resistive anode. The detector is 60 cm deep and operates at pressures of up to 2.5 atm of P-10 gas. It is mated to a scattering chamber which allows it to be moved out of plane during coincidence measurements. The detector design was aided by the results of computer simulations of the electron collection process in the detector, and of the signal processing in the electronics. The signals from the Bragg curve spectrometer are recorded in a waveform digitizer and the Bragg peak height, range, position and pileup rejection information are determined from software analysis of the recorded signals. Factors limiting the performance of the detector are discussed, and results obtained with ...
Abstract - We have designed, built, and tested a 2-D pixellated thermal neutron detector. The detector is modeled after the MicroMegas-type structure previously published for collider-type experiments. The detector consists of a 4X4 square array of 1 cm 2 pixels each of which is connected to an individual preamplifier-shaper-data acquisition system. The neutron converter is a 10B film on an aluminum substrate. We describe the construction of the detector and the test results utilizing 252Cf sources in Lucite to thermalize the neutrons.Drift electrode (Aluminum) Converter (10B) 3 mm Conversion gap neutron (-900 V)
This report compares the performance characteristics of /sup 10/B-lined and fission-neutron detectors in gamma-ray fluxes typical of the fields to be encountered during nondestructive testing of irradiated light-water fuel assemblies stored in water. Using the optimum time constants for each of the /sup 10/B-lined detectors, the 0.25-in.-dia detector had a 5% loss in neutron count sensitivity at 7000 rad/h. Similarly, the 0.5-in.-dia detector had a 7% loss at 13,000 rad/h and the 1-in.-dia detector had a 5% loss in sensitivity at 1000 rad/h. Uranium-235 fission chambers were operated successfully in fields above 100,000 rad/h with no loss in neutron counting sensitivity. Shielding calculations were done to determine the appropriate shield thickness needed for a /sup 10/B-lined neutron detector to operate in a 50,000 rad/h field, typical of light-water-reactor ...
Large area, single-element Si(Li) detectors have been fabricated using a novel geometry which yields detectors with reduced capacitance and hence reduced noise at short amplifier pulse-processing times. A typical device employing the new geometry with a thickness of 6 mm and an active area of 175 mm 2 has a capacitance of only 0.5 pf, compared to 2.9 pf for a conventional planar device with equivalent dimensions. These new low capacitance detectors, used in conjunction with low capacitance field effect transistors, will result in x-ray spectrometers capable of operating at very high count rates while still maintaining excellent energy resolution. The spectral response of the low capacitance detectors to a wide range of x-ray energies at 80 K is comparable to typical state-of-the-art conventional Si(Li) devices. In addition to their low capacitance, the new devices offer other advantages over ...
This dissertation describes the evaluation of many-pixel Cadmium-Zinc-Telluride (CdZnTe) hard-X-ray detectors for future use with the High Energy Replicated Optics (HERO) telescope being developed at Marshall Space Flight Center. The detector requirements for the HERO application are good energy resolution (sufficient to resolve cyclotron features and nuclear lines), spatial resolution of ∼200 μm, minimal charge loss of absorbed X rays, and minimal sensitivity to the background environment. This research concentrates on assessing the suitability of these detectors for the focus of HERO, and includes the development of a simulation of the physics involved in an X-ray-detector interaction, a study of the intrinsic material properties, measurements with prototype detectors such as the energy and spatial resolution, charge loss, and X-ray background reduction through ...
Objective: To develop a computerized method of internal dose estimation on radiation protection. Methods: Based on MIRD mathematic model of the organs and by means of the programming language of MS Visual Basic 6.0, a computer program of dose estimation in internal radiation was developed for radiation protection. Results: The computerized method of dose estimation for internal radiation was completed. Conclusions: This computerized method is very convenient for internal radiation dose estimation of several aspects. It can also be used in radiation accident. (authors)
The Triangle Universities Nuclear Laboratory (TUNL)--a collaboration of Duke University, North Carolina State University, and the University of North Carolina at Chapel Hill--has had a very productive year. This report covers parts of the second and third year of a three-year grant between the US Department of Energy and the three collaborating universities. The TUNL research program focuses on the following areas: precision test of parity-invariance violation in resonance neutron scattering at LANSCE/LANL; parity violation measurements using charged-particle resonances in A = 20--40 targets and the A = 4 system at TUNL; chaotic behavior in the nuclei {sup 30}P and {sup 34}Cl from studies of eigenvalue fluctuations in nuclear level schemes; search for anomalies in the level density (pairing phase transition) in 1f-2p shell nuclei using GEANIE at LANSCE/LANL; parity-conserving time-reversal noninvariance tests using {sup 166}Ho resonances at Geel, ORELA, or LANSCE/LANL; nuclear ...
The effect that different chemical and physical atomic environments can have on the relative intensities of radiative electron transitions from the filling of K shell vacancies was investigated. The method used involved the detection of photoionization induced X-ray fluorescence. An experimental system based on a hyper pure germanium detector (HPGE) was used to measure the relative K-L and K-M X-ray yields from the photofluorescence of a series of lanthanide elements and compounds. A background subtraction and peak integration strategy was employed which accounted for scattering in the samples and scattering of the flux from the radioisotope photoionization sources. Analysis of the data resulted in a tabulation of relative K/sub ..beta..//K/sub ..cap alpha../ X-ray intensity ratios. The measured relative K/sub ..beta..//K/sub ..cap alpha../ X-ray intensity ratios were compared to the calculated values predicted by the theoretical development of ...
The effect that different chemical and physical atomic environments can have on the relative intensities of radiative electron transitions from the filling of K shell vacancies was investigated. The method used involved the detection of photoionization induced X-ray fluorescence. An experimental system based on a hyper pure germanium detector (HPGE) was used to measure the relative K-L and K-M X-ray yields from the photofluorescence of a series of lanthanide elements and compounds. A background subtraction and peak integration strategy was employed which accounted for scattering in the samples and scattering of the flux from the radioisotope photoionization sources. Analysis of the data resulted in a tabulation of relative K/sub #beta#//K/sub #alpha#/ X-ray intensity ratios. The measured relative K/sub #beta#//K/sub #alpha#/ X-ray intensity ratios were compared to the calculated values predicted by the theoretical development of Scofield and ...
The proton beam has a unique advantage over the electron and photon beams in that it can give very high radiation dose to the tumor volume, while effectively sparing the neighboring healthy tissue and organs. For the clinical application of the proton beam, it is very important to confirm the location of the proton beam in the patient, preferentially during the treatment. It has been suggested that the range of the proton beam in the patient can be determined by measuring prompt gammas from the proton beam passage. Recently, a prototype prompt-gamma scanning system has been constructed and tested using experimental and therapeutic proton beams. The measurement results for the proton beams of 70 . 230 MeV showed that a clear correlation exists between the distribution of the prompt gammas and the proton beam range. The scanning method, however, is not suitable for the upcoming 'spot scanning' technique. The 'spot scanning' ...
A considerable fraction of radioactivity entering the environment from different nuclear events is associated with particles. The impact of these events can only be fully assessed where there is some knowledge about the mobility of particle bound radionuclides entering the environment. The behavior of particulate radionuclides is dependent on several factors, including the physical, chemical and redox state of the environment, the characteristics of the particles (e.g., the chemical composition, crystallinity and particle size) and on the oxidative state of radionuclides contained in the particles. Six plutonium-containing particles stemming from Runit Island soil (Marshall Islands) were characterized using non-destructive analytical and microanalytical methods. By determining the activity of {sup 239,240}Pu and {sup 241}Am isotopes from their gamma peaks structural information related to Pu matrix was obtained, and the source term was revealed. Composition and elemental distribution ...
In 2002 and again in 2003, an investigative journalist unit at ABC News transported a 6.8 kilogram metallic slug of depleted uranium (DU) via shipping container from Istanbul, Turkey to Brooklyn, NY and from Jakarta, Indonesia to Long Beach, CA. Targeted inspection of these shipping containers by Department of Homeland Security (DHS) personnel, included the use of gamma-ray imaging, portal monitors and hand-held radiationdetectors, did not uncover the hidden DU. Monte Carlo analysis of the gamma-ray intensity and spectrum of a DU slug and one consisting of highly-enriched uranium (HEU) showed that DU was a proper surrogate for testing the ability of DHS to detect the illicit transport of HEU. Our analysis using MCNP-5 illustrated the ease of fully shielding an HEU sample to avoid detection. The assembly of an Improvised Nuclear Device (IND) -- a crude atomic bomb -- from sub-critical pieces of HEU metal was then examined via Monte Carlo ...
German translation of the publication 'The evaluation of risks from radiation' published in 1965 by the International Commission on Radiological Protection. In a survey, genetic and somatic risks from radiation are presented and explained. (HP).
This book gives an overview of the entire field of radiation protection with the subject areas radioactivity, X-rays, UV radiation, laser beams and high-frequency electromagnetic fields. It deals graphically with the most important physical notions, the incidence, origin, properties and biological effects of types of radiation, administrative and practical protection measures and the code of rules governing them. Apart from fundamentals of radiation protection the emphasis on the following: natural radiation exposure, radiation exposure to radon, disaster relief plans in the environment of nuclear plant, the precautionary radiation protection system evolved after Chernobyl, radiation exposure through UV radiation devices, radio, RF communication, radar, microwave ovens and high-voltage transmission ...
Fourteen irradiated Fast Flux Test Facility (FFTF) fuel pins were subjected to representative overpower transients in six flowing sodium loop experiments conducted in the TREAT reactor. The transient tests were extended to substantial overpower levels well beyond protected levels, with some tests intentionally run to failure to identify failure thresholds and characteristics. Test variables included transient ramp rate (5, 50, and 100 cents/s) and burnup (2 to 58 MWd/kg). Performance limits and failure characteristics were identified, and cladding strain and fuel melting data were obtained for development and verification of transient analysis codes. The test results demonstrated that FFTF Reference fuel pins are capable of surviving overpower levels well beyond the FFTF secondary Plant Protection System (PPS) trip limit of 1.25 times normal rated power. Based on analytical evaluations to interpolate and extrapolate test results to the full ...
The behavior of MEMS devices is limited by the strength of critical features such as thin ligaments, oxide cuts joining layers, pin joints and hinges. Devices fabricated at Sandia's Microelectronic Development Laboratory have been successfully tested to investigate these features. A series of measurements were performed on samples with gage lengths of 15 to 1000 microns, using conventional and tungsten coated samples as well as samples that include the critical features of standard components in the test section. Specimens have a freely moving pin joint on one end that anchors the sample to the silicon die to allow rotation to reduce effects of bending. Each sample is loaded in uniaxial tension by pulling laterally with a flat tipped diamond in a computer-controlled Nanoindenter. Load is calculated by resolving the measured lateral and normal forces into the applied tensile force and frictional losses. The specimen cross section and ...
Potassium deposition in ultrahigh vacuum on 12-(3-thienyl)dodecanethiol monolayers assembled on gold surfaces has been investigated using X-ray and ultraviolet photoelectron spectroscopies (XPS and UPS). Angle-resolved XPS indicates that initially deposited potassium penetrates the self-assembled monolayer (SAM) and diffuses to the SAM/Au interface. Even after large metal doses, the presence of thiophene ring valence electronic states in the UPS spectra confirms that most of the thiophene rings (at the SAM/vacuum interface) are not covered by potassium. The binding energy shifts of the thiophene ring valence states and the C1s and thiophene S2p peaks, referenced to the Fermi level, are due to the work function changes of the gold substrate. This indicates that these electronic states are pinned to the vacuum level, in contrast to the thiolate S2p orbital, which is pinned to the Fermi level. For large potassium doses, the appearance of new ...
Improvement of hinge forming performance was tried in the injection molding of plastic. At first, pushing hinge forming in a mold was made by a movable pin with the die built-in an actuator, and thin hinges of 0.07mm and 0.1mm thickness which were greatly less than the conventional forming limit (0.2mm and 0.6mm respectively) of polyacetal (POM) and polybutylene terephthalate (PBT) could be formed. Hinge characteristics of POM (hinge thickness t < 0.4mm) and PBT (t < 0.7mm) which were made by the conventional forming and failed after 1 time, were improved respectively to 30,000 times or more and 300,000 times or more by pushing forming in the mold. The hinge characteristics were greatly affected by the plastic deformability of the hinge part resin and the improvement of deformability by the pushing forming were caused by the elimination of oriented layer and the expansion of hemispherical layer of the hinge part. 6 refs., 13 figs., 1 tab.
High-burnup mixed oxide fuel pins from the Fast-Flux Test Facility (FFTF) reactor were sheared in a single-pin shear, dissolved in nitric acid, and then used in solvent extraction tests to assist in establishing operating parameters for fuel recycle facilities. The fuel burnups were 2, 36, 55, and 90 MWd/kg for initial cooling times of 2.5, 1.3, 1, and 1 year, respectively. These tests include the first experiments using fuel of approximately the reference burnup (80-MWd/kg peak burnup) irradiated under reference conditions. The FFTF is a sodium-cooled reactor with stainless steel-clad fuel; the oxide fuel, which is of two compositions, has Pu/(U + Pu) ratios of approx.0.225 and 0.275. The peak fuel center temperature was about 1640/sup 0/C, the peak internal cladding temperature was approx.530/sup 0/C, the peak heat rating was approx.300 W/cm, and the peak fluence (E > 0.1 MeV) was approx.15.7 x 10/sup 22/ neutrons/cm/sup 2/.
Femoral head vitality before, during and at various intervals from the operation was determined by tetracycline labeling and/or _9_9 sp (m)Tc-MDP scintimetry. In a three-year follow-up, healing prognosis could be determined by scintimetry 3 weeks from operation; deficient femoral head vitality predicting healing complications and retained vitality predicting uncomplicated healing. A comparison between pre- and postoperative scintimetry indicated that further impairment of the femoral head vitality could be caused by the operative procedure, and as tetracycline labeling prior to and after fracture reduction in 370 fractures proved equivalent, it was concluded that the procedure of osteosynthesis probably was responsible for capsular vessel injury, using a four-flanged nail. The four-flanged nail was compared with a low-traumatic method of osteosynthesis, two hook-pins, in a prospective randomized 14 month study, and the postoperative femoral head vitality was ...
The sliding friction and wear behaviour of different steel qualities were investigated with and without lubrication conditions. Steel qualities tested are normally used in the overhead conveyor system of many industrial fields, like the automotive sector. Sliding wear tests have been conducted by means of a pin-on-disk machine. A 100Cr6 steel similar to that used within the overhead conveyor trolleys has been employed as a pin. Friction coefficient values obtained under lubrication conditions were three times smaller than those obtained without lubrication. The mechanism that controls wear behaviour under lubrication conditions is an abrasive one and the wear values obtained are almost worthless. On the other hand, mechanism controlling wear during non lubrication tests, was a combination of abrasion and adhesion. (Author) 20 refs.
The objective of this report was to evaluate four possible alternative methods of preparing and packaging spent fuel assemblies for geologic disposal against the Reference Process of unmodified spent fuel. The four alternative processes were: (1) End fitting removal, (2) Fission gas venting and resealing, (3) Fuel bundle disassembly and close packing of fuel pins, and (4) Fuel shearing and immobilization. Systems analysis was used to develop a basis of comparison of the alternatives. Conceptual processes and facility layouts were devised for each of the alternatives, based on technology deemed feasible for the purpose. Assessments were made of 15 principal attributes from the technical, operational, safety/risk, and economic considerations related to each of the alternatives, including both the surface packaging and underground repository operations. Specific attributes of the alternative processes were evaluated by assigning a number for each that expressed its ...
Packages used for the storage and transportation of radioactive spent fuel must demonstrate the ability to withstand severe impact scenarios such as those established by the Atomic Energy Control Board (AECB) in Canada and the International Atomic Energy Agency (IAEA). One such package is the Dry Storage Container (DSC) for transporting and storing used fuel. The DSC model is comprised of several interactive components with materials such as high density concrete and polyurethane foam. To accurately model these materials, experimental studies were performed in order to provide material properties for the in-house finite element analysis code used. Structural assessments of the package design subject to postulated impact scenarios included a 9 meter center of gravity over corner drop, a 1 meter pin drop over the welded lid closure and a 1 meter center of gravity over lid pin drop. Simulations were carried out using full scale analytical models ...
A novel direct calculation method of response matrices on heterogeneous lattices by using the Monte Carlo method is proposed. These direct response matrices (DRMs) can be used in core calculations in place of the conventional homogenized lattice constants. The DRMs are formalized by four sub response matrices (sub-RMs) in order to respond to a core eigenvalue, k; thus the DRMs can be re-evaluated on each outer iteration in the core calculations. The sub-RMs can be evaluated by analyzing each neutron's trajectory from ordinary lattice calculations with the Monte Carlo code. Since these sub-RMs are calculated directly under an actual complex assembly geometry, i,e., without a homogenization process, intra-assembly heterogeneous effects can be reflected on global partial current balance calculations. With using two of the sub-RMs, which deal with neutron production probabilities for each fuel pin, and the obtained partial current balance, ...
It is shown that multipole dislocation configurations can arise during power-law creep of certain austenitic stainless steels. These multipoles have been analysed in some detail for two particular steels (Alloy 800 and a modified AISI 316L) and it is suggested that they arise either during instantaneous loading or during the primary creep stage. Trace analysis has shown that the multipoles are confined to {1 1 1} planes during primary creep but are not necessarily confined to these planes during steady-state creep unless they are pinned by interstitials.
17-4PH stainless steel was modified by direct current (DC) plasma nitriding and titanium nitride film duplex treatment in this study. The microstructure, wear resistance and corrosion resistance were characterized by X-ray diffraction (XRD), pin-on-disk tribological test and polarization experiment. The results revealed that the DC plasma nitriding pretreatment was in favor of improving properties of titanium nitride film. The corrosion resistance and wear resistance of duplex treatment specimen was more superior to that of only coated titanium nitride film.
17-4PH stainless steel was modified by direct current (DC) plasma nitriding and titanium nitride film duplex treatment in this study. The microstructure, wear resistance and corrosion resistance were characterized by X-ray diffraction (XRD), pin-on-disk tribological test and polarization experiment. The results revealed that the DC plasma nitriding pretreatment was in favor of improving properties of titanium nitride film. The corrosion resistance and wear resistance of duplex treatment specimen was more superior to that of only coated titanium nitride film.
An experimental technique is described which allows for parametric investigations of transient behavior of mobile core materials in a fuel bundle geometry. For the out-of-pile simulation of energy releases resulting from mild TOP- or LOF-accidents the exothermic reaction of an aluminium-oxide-thermite is used. Transient material relocation inside the test section is recorded by X-ray-cinematography. Results of some experiments recently performed close to conditions expected to be achieved during mild TOP-accidents are described in detail.
Non-thermal plasma treatment is a promising technique for the destruction of volatile organic compounds in waste gas. A relatively unexplored technique is the atmospheric negative dc multi-pin-to-plate glow discharge. This paper reports experimental results of allyl alcohol degradation and ozone production in this type of plasma. A new model was developed to describe these processes quantitatively. The model contains a detailed chemical degradation scheme, and describes the physics of the plasma by assuming that the fraction of electrons that takes part in chemical reactions is an exponential function of the reduced field. The model captured the experimental kinetic data to less than 2 ppm standard deviation.
...] 2010, Volume 11, Issue 1 3-27 The European Economic and Monetary Union and Labour Market Reform by Elzbieta Bednarek-Sekunda & Richard Jong-A-Pin & Jakob de Haan [Downloadable!] 29-59 Educational Inequality in the EU: The Effectiveness of the National Education Policy by Raphaela Schlicht & Isabelle Stadelmann-Steffen & Markus Freitag [Downloadable!] 61-87 Opinion Polarization and Inter-Party Competition on Europe by Ian Down & Carole J. Wilson [Downloadable!] 89-117 EU Issue Voting: Asset or Liability?: How European Integration Affects Parties' Electoral Fortunes ...
Within the framework of the EU power plant conceptual study (PPCS), a modular He-cooled divertor concept with integrated pin array (HEMP) is being developed at the Forschungszentrum Karlsruhe. The design goal is to achieve a high heat flux of at least about 10-15 MW/m"2, which is proposed for a near-term reactor model like DEMO. The development and optimization of the divertor concept require a close link between the main issues: design, analyses, materials and fabrication technology, and experiments with feedbacks between them to be accounted for. Design-specific requirements on materials and fabrication issues will be discussed.
The purpose of this work was to develop and evaluate a method of locating breached fuel within the Fast Flux Test Facility (FFTF) reactor based on the relative response of the delayed neutron monitors (DNM) located on each of the three primary sodium cooling loops. The primary method of location is the use of tag gas containing unique ratios of the noble gases xenon and krypton. Although the tag gas system works quite well, it is relatively expensive because of the costs of preparing and loading the gas into each fuel pin. Triangulation of DNM signals could potentially decrease tag gas costs while maintaining overall location reliability.
Full text: This presentation will review the progress achieved so far by the Irish national regulatory agency, the Radiological Protection Institut e of Ireland (R.P.I.I.) in the investigation of work activities where the presence of natural radiation sources (NORM) could lead to a significant increase in exposure to workers or members of the public which cannot be disregarded from the radiation protection point of view. Since the coming into force in Ma y 2000 of the Radiological Protection Act, 1991 (Ionising Radiation) Order, 2000 (S.I. No. 125 of 2000) which implements the Eu B.S.S. Directive 96/29/EURATOM, four major NORM industries currently active in Ireland have been investigated. According to the literature, they are all considered liable to involve work practices resulting in exposure to NORM. They include: the gas extraction and production industry, the peat- and coal-firing power generation industry and the ...
One of the limiting contributors to the heat load constraint for a long term spent fuel repository is the decay of americium-241. A possible option to reduce the heat load produced by Am-241 is to eliminate it via transmutation in a light water reactor thermal neutron environment, in particular, by taking advantage of the large thermal fission cross section of Am-242 and Am-242m. In this study we employ lattice loading optimization techniques to define the loadings and arrangements of fuel pins with blended americium and uranium oxide in boiling water reactor bundles, specifically, by defining the incineration of pre-loaded americium as an objective function to maximize americium transmutation. Subsequently, the viability of these optimized lattices is tested by assembling them into bundles with Am-spiked fuel pins and by loading these bundles into realistic three-dimensional BWR core-wide simulations that model multiple reload cycles and ...
Epitaxial CeO_2 buffer layers were fabricated by pulsed laser deposition (PLD) on r-cut sapphire substrates. An atomically flat CeO_2 surface with a high density of nanodots was formed by a self-assembly process. Scanning transmission electron microscopy and energy-dispersive X-ray spectroscopy investigation showed that the nanodots were CeO_2 other than impurities. YBa_2Cu_3O_7_-_#delta# (YBCO) thin films were then grown on the annealed and the as-grown CeO_2-buffered sapphires by PLD. The transport measurement results showed that the nanodots enhanced the effective pinning potential and significantly increased critical current density (J _c). Especially, YBCO films with an annealed CeO_2 buffer layer showed a high J _c peak when the applied field was directed along the c-axis of YBCO. Cross-section transmission electron microscopy investigation revealed that the J _c peaks in YBCO with annealed CeO_2 buffer layer is caused by c-axis correlated ...
A magnetic measuring technique, which sorts out defects according to a distribution function n, was used to study the influence of electron irradiation on 50-50 NiFe. The distribution function is determined in terms of the maximum force f/subm/ that a defect can exert on a forward moving domain wall, or equivalently, the range z_0, which is the distance the mean position of the wall may move past the defect before the wall snaps free from the pinning action of the defect. The range and maximum force are related by a spring constant k, viz., f/subm/=kz_0. The quantity n (z_0) dz_0 gives the number of defects per unit volume having a range between z_0 and z_0+dz_0. Distribution functions were determined before and after electron irradiation. The irradiation was for 100 min with 18-MeV electrons with a dose of 1.1times10"1"7 e/cm"2. Following irradiation, there was a substantial decrease in the number of short-range defects (i.e., defects capable of ...
Subject to the provisions of the Radiation Protection Act, the Authority, on the advice of ...(f) in collaboration with the Radiation Protection Board, conduct an ionising radiation monitoring programme and ...or document kept under the control of the Radiation Protection Board.
Described and discussed in this paper are radiation processes and their advantages over the conventional techniques. Radiation sterilization of medical products, food irradiation, wood plastic composites, and radiation treatment of sewage and waste waters are presented. The Philippine experience in using these technologies, its problems and barriers are also given. (ELC).
The detector for retrospective radon exposure measurements is developed. The detector consists of the multilayer package of solid-state nuclear track detectors LR-115 type. Nitrocellulose films works both as {alpha}-particle detector and as absorber decreasing the energy of {alpha}-particles. The uncertainties of implanted {sup 210}Pb measurements by two- and three-layer detectors are assessed in dependence on surface {sup 210}Po activity and gross background activity of the glass. The generalized compartment behavior model of radon decay products in the room atmosphere was developed and verified. It is shown that the most influencing parameters on the value of conversion coefficient from {sup 210}Po surface activity to average radon concentration are aerosol particles concentration, deposition velocity of unattached {sup 218}Po and air exchange rate. It is demonstrated that with ...
High pressure xenon ionization chamber detectors are possible alternatives to traditional thallium doped sodium iodide (NaI(Tl)) and hyperpure germanium as gamma spectrometers in certain applications. Xenon detectors incorporating a Frisch grid exhibit energy resolutions comparable to cadmium/zinc/telluride (CZT) (e.g. 2% (at) 662keV) but with far greater sensitive volumes. The Frisch grid reduces the position dependence of the anode pulse risetimes, but it also increases the detector vibration sensitivity, anode capacitance, voltage requirements and mechanical complexity. We have been investigating the possibility of eliminating the grid electrode in high-pressure xenon detectors and preserving the high energy resolution using electronic risetime compensation methods. A two-electrode cylindrical high pressure xenon gamma detector coupled to time-to-amplitude conversion electronics ...
The {sup 252}Cf-source-driven noise analysis method is a versatile measurements tool that has been applied to measurements for initial loading of reactors, quality assurance of reactor fuel elements, fuel processing facilities, fuel reprocessing facilities, fuel storage facilities, zero-power testing of reactors, verification of calculational methods, process monitoring, characterization of storage vaults, and nuclear weapons identification. This method`s broad range of application is due to the wide variety of time- and frequency domain signatures, each with unique properties, obtained from the measurement. The following parameters are obtained from this measurement: average detector count rates, detector multiplicities, detector autocorrelations, cross-correlation between detectors, detector autopower spectral densities, cross-power spectral densities between ...
This thesis reports on the fabrication and test of a new gaseous detector with a very large number of readout channels. This detector is intended for measuring the tracks of charged particles with an unprecedented sensitivity to single electrons of almost 100 %. It combines a metal grid for signal amplification called the Micromegas with a pixel readout chip as signal collecting anode and is dubbed GridPix. GridPix is a potential candidate for a sub-detector at a future electron linear collider (ILC) foreseen to work in parallel with the LHC around 2020--2030. The tracking capability of GridPix is best exploited if the Micromegas is integrated on the pixel chip. This integrated grid is called InGrid and is precisely fabricated by wafer post-processing. The various steps of the fabrication process and the measurements of its gain, energy resolution and ion back-flow property are reported in this document. Studies of the ...
Neutron semiconductor detectors for neutron counting and neutron radiography have an increasing importance. Simple silicon neutron detectors are combination of a planar diode with a layer of an appropriate neutron converter such as 6LiF. These devices have limited detection efficiency of not more than 5%. The detection efficiency can be increased by creating a 3D microstructure of dips, trenches or pores in the detector and filling it with a neutron converter. The first results related to the development of such devices are presented. Silicon detectors were fabricated with pyramidal dips on the surface covered with 6LiF and then irradiated by thermal neutrons. Pulse height spectra of the energy deposited in the sensitive volume were compared with simulations. The detection efficiency of these devices was about 6.3%. Samples with different column sizes were fabricated to study the electrical properties ...
This text-book (electronic book - multi-media CD-ROM) constitutes a course-book - author's collection of lectures. It consists of 13 lectures in which the reader acquaints with the basis of radiobiology: Introduction to radiobiology; Physical fundamentals of radiobiology; Radiation of cells; Modification of radiation damage of cells; Reparation of radiation damage of cells; Radiation syndromes and their modification; Radiation injury; Radiation damage of tissues; Effect of radiation on embryo and fetus; Biological effects of incorporated radionuclides; Therapy of acute irradiation sickness; Delayed consequences of irradiation; Radiation oncology and radiotherapy. This course-book may be interesting for students, post-graduate students of chemistry, biology, physics, medicine as well as for teachers, scientific workers ...
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The Daya Bay reactor neutrino experiment is located at the Daya Bay nuclear power plant in Shenzhen, China. The experiment deploys eight 'identical' antineutrino detectors to measure antineutrino fluxes from six 2.9 GWth reactor cores in three underground experimental halls at different distances. The target zone of the Daya Bay detector is filled with 20 t 0.1% Gd doped LAB liquid scintillator. The baseline uncorrelated detector uncertainty is ?0.38% using current experimental techniques. Daya Bay can reach a sensitivity of sin22?13<0.01 with baseline uncertainties after 3 years of data taking.
The cross-coupled interferometer is a new design for interferometric gravitational wave detectors. Similar to the baseline gravitational wave detectors proposed for Advanced LIGO, it uses long-arm cavities in which the signal is generated. The signal fields are then extracted from the arm cavities with an additional cavity behind the long-arm cavities. The tuning of this signal extraction cavity and the parallel tuning of the signal recycling mirror can be used to optimize the peak frequency and the bandwidth of the detector independently. If we replace the signal recycling mirror by a small cavity, it is possible to amplify signals in two different frequency bands.
We studied the niobium re-entrant cavity utilized by the Australian group in the Niobe gravitational wave detector. Instead of using their non-contact re-entrant cavity, we plan to change it to a closed one to be used in the parametric transducers of the Brazilian Mario Schenberg detector. The performance of the transducer depends on some cavity parameters such as the electrical Q and the electrical coupling. We measured the resonant frequency and the loaded electrical Q as a function of the probe position in a closed niobium #approx#15 GHz cavity operating at 4.2 K.
The proposed Sudbury Neutrino Observatory is based on a Cherenkov detector which has a total of 1000 tonne of heavy water and 1800 tonne of light water for its sensitive volume. The detector is optimized for the measurement of extra-terrestrial low energy electron neutrinos and electron antineutrinos spectra as well as the total neutrino flux independent of neutrino flavours. It will delineate the Standard Solar Model and neutrino propagation aspects of the solar neutrino problem, provide detailed information on the dynamics of stellar collapse and measure neutrino masses and oscillation parameters with high sensitivity.
A black neutron detector of novel design has been constructed and tested as a neutron flux monitor. The neutron time-of-flight (TOF) technique was used to measure the zero degree neutron spectrum from a subnanosecond pulsed proton beam on a thick metallic lithium target. We describe the detector, discuss the shielding arrangement and electronics, determine the low-energy cut-off. We calculate the efficiency, show spectra and compare measured zero degree differential cross-section of the {sup 7}Li(p, n{sub 0}){sup 7}Be reaction with recommended published cross-sections. (orig.).
This document presents the current status of SiD's effort to develop an optimized design for an experiment at the International Linear Collider. It presents detailed discussions of each of SiD's various subsystems, an overview of the full GEANT4 description of SiD, the status of newly developed tracking and calorimeter reconstruction algorithms, studies of subsystem performance based on these tools, results of physics benchmarking analyses, an estimate of the cost of the detector, and an assessment of the detector R&D needed to provide the technical basis for an optimised SiD.
A large acceptance, high stopping power Bragg curve spectrometer has been developed for use in coincidence experiments with heavy ions. The electron collection fields are radial and position information is obtained from a resistive anode. The detector is 60 cm deep and operates at pressures of up to 2.5 atm of P-10 gas. It is mated to a scattering chamber which allows it to be moved out of plane during coincidence measurements. Factors affecting the performance of the detector are discussed, and results obtained with the detector are presented. (orig.).
A large acceptance, high stopping power Bragg curve spectrometer has been developed for use in coincidence experiments with heavy ions. The electron collection fields are radial and position information is obtained from a resistive anode. The detector is 60 cm deep and operates at pressures of up to 2.5 atm of P-10 gas. It is mated to a scattering chamber which allows it to be moved out of plane during coincidence measurements. Factors affecting the performance of the detector are discussed, and results obtained with the detector are presented. (orig.).
Recent rapid growth in mobile computing technologies enables telemedicine applications to operate on mobile devices. Our focus is on the design of an integrated electrocardiogram (ECG) beat detector on a Personal Digital Assistant (PDA) platform for the health screening process. The ECG beat detector module will be supported by the PDA version of Personal Health Information Management System (PHIMS) and Facilitated Accurate Referral Management System (FARMS) through wireless network infrastructure as a home-based mobile cardiac monitoring solution. PMID:17282192
This chapter is concerned with standards and guidances for limiting radiation exposures. It is divided into three sections, each of which has several parts. Section 1: Ionizing Radiation -- Standards and Guidances Applicable to the Public: Part A, Radiation Protection Standards; Part B, Environmental Radiation Standards; Part C, Exempt Levels of Radioactivity; Part D, Protective Action Guides for Accidents. Section 2: Ionizing Radiation -- Standards Applicable to the Workplace. Section 3: Medical and Other Standards.
On the basis of legally provided area dose measurements and time records of fluoroscopic examinations during the operation, radiation doses to medical personnel and patients are evaluated. Adequate radiation protection measures and a careful behaviour in the operating room keep the radiation exposure to the personnel below the maximum permissible exposure. Taking into account the continuous personnel radiation monitoring and medical supervision, radiation hazards in the operating room can be considered low.
The Bragg-curve detector of the parallel plate ionization chamber type generates a signal that is a distorted replica of the original Bragg-curve. In result of this distortion, the signal peak height is not only a function of the atomic number of the heavy ion, as it is often stated, but also of the particle mass. This mass effect was studied with the aid of computer simulation, and it was found to be dependent on the Frisch grid to anode gap width and on the detector gas. The charge resolution of the detector is affected very significantly by this mass dependence of the signal peak height. Therefore, a careful selection of the detector gas and the grid to anode gap width is necessary, if good charge resolution over a wide range of heavy ions is required. (orig.).
The intermediate silicon layers detector (ISL) was proposed as a part of the upgraded CDF detector at the RUN-II of the Tevatron mean value of pp collider at Fermilab, scheduled to start in year 2000. The ISL is a large-radius (20-30 cm) silicon tracker with a total active area of about 3.5 m. Located in the region between the silicon vertex detector and the central outer tracker, the ISL will allow tracking in the forward region and significantly improve it in the central area. Together with the SVX II the ISL forms a standalone, 3D silicon tracker. The challenge is to build a low-cost device which provides precise 3 D tracking in a approximately equal to 2 m long area with a minimal amount of material for the supporting structure. The conceptual design and the status of the project are reviewed.
A Bragg curve detector (BCD) has been designed and built to be used for AMS purposes. Its design is described and its performance, obtained in tests at the Australian National University (ANU), is reported. At a {sup 36}Cl energy of 154 MeV, the energy resolution was found to be 0.38%, and the charge resolution 1.3%. The {sup 36}Cl and {sup 36}S are completely discriminated. Good separation was also achieved at 64 MeV, and a measurement at this energy of the {sup 36}Cl/Cl ratio of a sample measured previously at 154 MeV with the standard ANU ionization detector agreed well with the earlier value. This very simple detector has been shown to be suitable for use in AMS programs.
This report discusses the experimental setup of experiment 814 at Brookhaven AGS. This experiment involves the collision of silicon ions with target nuclei. The detector systems are discussed primarily. (LSP)
The properties of individual radioactive particles present in a sample, such as a swipe, are more interesting than bulk properties of the sample. The present work focuses on instrumentation that provides position-sensitive spectral information non-destructively from the sample. The experimental part of the work was realized using a device called PANDA (Particles And Non-Destructive Analysis). The detector setup used in the study contains a broad-energy HPGe gamma-ray detector and a position-sensitive alpha detector. Both detectors are connected to a time-stamping event-mode data acquisition system. The method is shown to locate particles with sub-millimetre accuracy and distinguish the interesting particles from non-interesting ones. (author)
Properties of photoconductive ultraviolet detectors fabricated on ZnO films were presented. Highly c-axis oriented ZnO films were grown on glass substrates by pulsed laser deposition. Ultraviolet photodetectors were fabricated based on metal-semiconductor-metal planar structures. The photoresponsivity and the quantum efficiency are much higher in the ultraviolet range than in the visible range, and the peak values are around 360nm. Photocurrent transients show that the detector has a large photocurrent with the peak value of 2.8mA, and a slow photoresponse with a rise time of 5min and a decay time of 7min. The response curve of the detector is fitted well with exponential curve. The large photocurrent should result from the both effects of the accumulation of conduction electrons and the d...
A time-of-flight (TOF) spectrometer has been constructed at the JAERI 20 MV tandem accelerator facility. A position-sensitive start detector, which consists of a thin carbon foil, microchannel plates and a resistive plate, was developed for the TOF measurements through the spectrometer. The time and position resolutions obtained were 120 ps and 0.3 mm for ..cap alpha.. particles from /sup 241/Am, respectively. A two-dimensional position-sensitive detector was also developed to measure the solid angle of the spectrometer and the maximum solid angle obtained was 9.5 msr. As a particle detector a Bragg curve ionization chamber was developed. From the Bragg curves of heavy ions in the detector, energies, ranges and Bragg curve peaks were measured and used for particle identification. The resolving power Z/..delta..Z of the atomic number was about 50.
We studied the effects of small, <20 {micro}m, Te inclusions on the energy resolution of CdZnTe gamma-ray detectors using a highly collimated X-ray beam and gamma-rays, and modeled them via a simplified geometrical approach. Previous reports demonstrated that Te inclusions of about a few microns in diameter degraded the charge-transport properties and uniformity of CdZnTe detectors. The goal of this work was to understand the extent to which randomly distributed Te-rich inclusions affect the energy resolution of CZT detectors, and to define new steps to overcome their deleterious effects. We used a phenomenological model, which depends on several adjustable parameters, to reproduce the experimentally measured effects of inclusions on energy resolution. We also were able to hound the materials-related problem and predict the enhancement in performance expected by reducing the size and number of Te inclusions within ...
An optimal deployment pattern of flux mapping detectors for a Canada uranium-deuterium (CANDU)-600 pressurized heavy water reactor (PHWR) is determined by obtaining an optimal feedback relationship between flux measurements and zone controllers. The reactor core is modeled with a time-dependent two-group, two-dimensional diffusion equation, and flux perturbation are expressed by model expansions. The modal expansion coefficients are used as elements of the state vector representing the system dynamics. An optimal feedback matrix connecting the flux measurement vector to the control vector is derived by minimizing a quadratic performance index involving both the state and control vectors. We obtain the detector effectiveness in terms of the optimal feedback matrix and determine optimal detector locations for the Wolsung Unit 1 reactor in Korea. We have tested the methodology through evaluation of flux maps generated through ...
The Bragg-curve detector of the parallel plate ionization chamber type generates a signal that is a distorted replica of the original Bragg-curve. In result of this distortion, the signal peak height is not only a function of the atomic number of the heavy ion, as it is often stated, but also of the particle mass. This mass effect was studied with the aid of computer simulation, and it was found to be dependent on the Frisch grid to anode gap width and on the detector gas. The charge resolution of the detector is affected very significantly by this mass dependence of the signal peak height. Therefore, a careful selection of the detector gas and the grid to anode gap width is necessary, if good charge resolution over a wide range of heavy ions is required.
The bandwidth of LIGO-like terrestrial interferometric gravitational wave detectors is set by the pole of the Fabry-Perot cavities within the arms of the Michelson interferometer. This constraint arises because the gain of gravitational wave-induced signal sidebands is limited to frequencies within the linewidth of the cavities. The nature of standard Fabry-Perot cavities is such that one cannot independently adjust for increased gain without suffering a loss of bandwidth. If these quantities could be decoupled, the resulting improvement in bandwidth may lead to viable high frequency detectors. A pair of anti-parallel diffraction gratings within a Fabry-Perot cavity can increase the bandwidth of a LIGO-scale detector by a factor of #approx#1000.
Apr 18, 2008 ... The FSS was produced by point-source filtering the individual detector data ... a 1-sigma noise map; and a coverage map giving the count of ...
We performed both a laboratory and field intercomparison of two novel glass-based retrospective radon detectors previously used in major radon case-control studies performed in Missouri and Iowa. The new detectors estimate retrospective residential radon exposure from the accumulation of a long-lived radon decay product, Pb-210, in glass. The detectors use track registration material in direct contact with glass surfaces to measure the alpha emission of a Pb-210 decay product, Po-210. The detector's track density generation rate (tracks cm{sup -2} hr{sup -1}) is proportional to the surface alpha activity. In the absence of other strong sources of alpha emission in the glass, the implanted surface alpha activity should be proportional to the accumulated Po-210 and hence, the cumulative radon gas exposure. The goals of the intercomparison were to: (1) perform collocated measurements using two ...
The authors are developing a high specificity detector for detecting the increased metabolic rate of breast tumors. Positron emission mammography (PEM) provides a highly efficient, high spatial resolution positron imaging system. PMT plays a very important role in PEM detectors, because most of the systems consist of scintillator arrays coupled with PMT. Our detector is composed of 20 x 20 arrays of 2 mm x 2 mm x 20 mm of Bi_4Ge_3O_1_2 (BGO) scintillators and a novel flat panel position-sensitive PMT (FP-PS-PMT)-Hamamatsu R8400-00-M256. Spatial resolutions of 2.0 mm FWHW and energy resolutions of 23% FWHM are achieved. (authors)
Realization of the scale of spectral responsivity of the detectors in the Directorate of Measures and Precious Metals (DMDM) is based on silicon detectors traceable to LNE-INM. In order to realize the unit of spectral irradiance in the laboratory for photometry and radiometry of the Bureau of Measures and Precious Metals, the new method based on the calibration of the spectroradiometer by comparison with standard detector has been established. The development of the method included realization of the System of Spectral Comparisons (SSC), together with the detector spectral responsivity calibrations by means of a primary spectrophotometric system. The linearity testing and stray light analysis were preformed to characterize the spectroradiometer. Measurement of aperture diameter and calibration of transimpedance amplifier were part of the overall experiment. In this paper, the developed method is ...
Realization of the scale of spectral responsivity of the detectors in the Directorate of Measures and Precious Metals (DMDM) is based on silicon detectors traceable to LNE-INM. In order to realize the unit of spectral irradiance in the laboratory for photometry and radiometry of the Bureau of Measures and Precious Metals, the new method based on the calibration of the spectroradiometer by comparison with standard detector has been established. The development of the method included realization of the System of Spectral Comparisons (SSC), together with the detector spectral responsivity calibrations by means of a primary spectrophotometric system. The linearity testing and stray light analysis were preformed to characterize the spectroradiometer. Measurement of aperture diameter and calibration of transimpedance amplifier were part of the overall experiment. In this paper, the developed method is ...
Reducing count losses and pile-up pulse effects in quantitative and qualitative analysis is necessary for accuracy of analysis. Therefore, the optimum peaking time for particular detector systems is important. For this purpose, pure Se and Zn elements were excited by 59.5 keV ?-rays from a 50 mCi 241Am annular radioactive source in this study. The characteristic x-rays emitted from pure Se and Zn elements were detected by using an ultra low energy Ge (Ultra-LEGe) detector connecting Tennelec TC 244 spectroscopy amplifier at different peaking time modes. Overall pulse widths were determined by HM 203-7 oscilloscope connecting amplifier. The proper peaking time for ultra low energy germanium detector (Ultra-LEGe) is determined about 4 ?s.
FIG. 4. Power Spectral Density of the MAP W11 radiometer. The red and black traces are the power spectral density measurements of the two detectors on the ...
In this note we describe a support structure which will hold detector systems (ITS, TPC, TOF) inside the large solenoid. An overall view of ALICE detector is shown on Fig.1. The support structure consists of 2 rings which fixed to an iron yoke and spokes which connect TPC and TOF to these rings. The ITS is connected by spokes to TPC end caps. Between coils there are 7cm spacings which will allow to fix rings to the yoke this support structure will allow to assemble ITS, TPC and TOF together (Fig.2) somewhere on the surface and then transport to the pit and install in the magnet. Two rings (1) are connected with four bars (2). On the bottom bars there are rolls (3) which will allow smoothly insert detectors into the magnet. Spokes (4) are uniformly distributed.
CR-39 detectors have been exposed to a 5.9-MeV antiproton beam using the low energy antiproton ring (LEAR) facility at CERN. At this energy, tracks of antiprotons appear in a CR-39 detector after 135 min of etching in 6 M NaOH at 70C. Fluence of the antiproton beam has been determined using track density. We have also found tracks in the etched CR-39 detector at different depths (250-500 mum). These tracks have resulted from the annihilation of antiprotons with the constituents (H, C and O) of the CR-39 detector. The goal of the experiment is to develop a simple and low-cost method to study properties of antiparticles and those formed after annihilation of these particles with the target matter.
Mar 1, 2011 ... Currently there is no compact, portable and real time neutron detector instrumentation available for use inside spacecraft or on planetary ...
The quantum nature of the electromagnetic field imposes a fundamental limit on the sensitivity of optical precision measurements such as spectroscopy, microscopy, and interferometry. The so-called quantum limit is set by the zero-point fluctuations of the electromagnetic field, which constrain the precision with which optical signals can be measured. In the world of precision measurement, laser-interferometric gravitational wave (GW) detectors are the most sensitive position meters ever operated, capable of measuring distance changes on the order of 10^-18 m RMS over kilometer separations caused by GWs from astronomical sources. The sensitivity of currently operational and future GW detectors is limited by quantum optical noise. Here we demonstrate a 44% improvement in displacement sensitivity of a prototype GW detector with suspended quasi-free mirrors at frequencies where the sensitivity is shot-noise-limited, by ...
feature similar to the face detection in Intel's OpenCV library, implement it in Matlab code, and test the performance of the new ROI detector against the ...
The current state and need for radiation protection training in Finland have been surveyed by the Radiation and Nuclear Safety Authority STUK. The survey sought to determine whether the current requirements for radiation protection training had been met, and to promote radiation protection training. Details of the scope and quality of present radiation protection training were requested from all educational institutes and organizations providing radiation protection training. The survey covered both basic and further training, special training of radiation safety officers, and supplementary training. The questionnaire was sent to 77 educational organization units, 66 per cent of which responded. Radiation workers and radiation safety officers were asked about radiation protection ...
The assumed linear relationship between exposure to radiation and cancer incidence is questioned in this article. The current research data on radiation effects at the cellular level is reviewed, as are epidemiological studies of background radiation effects and health effects of populations exposed to low levels of radiation exposure via employment or medical treatments. Statistics reveal that threshold levels currently in force need to be reviewed. Some evidence of beneficial effects of low level radiation exposure effects of low level radiation exposure is also presented, and so regulations should be reviewed at an international level. (UK).
The most propagated mechanisms of stimulated radiation of electron beam such as Cherenkov one-particle and collective effects, ondulator and magnetic bremsshrahlung radiations, Doppler anomalous effect, Thompson and Raman scattering and radiation are discussed. Relation of spontaneous radiation mechanisms of individual electron and stimulated radiation effects in electron beams has been elucidated, grounds of linear electrodynamics of radiative beam instabilities are stated, and main mechanisms of their nonlinear stabilization are elucidated as well. Various simulated processes in electron beams are considered from the unique point of view using a simple mathematical apparatus and such physical laws as conservation and Newton laws.
The Feynman-#alpha# method was applied to measurement of reactivity and the ability of this method for a real-time reactivity monitoring system was assessed. In the experiment, all measured data by BF_3 detectors were stored in a multi-channel scaler controlled by a personal computer, and they were analyzed to obtain prompt neutron decay constant (#alpha#) and reactivity with consideration of dead time of detector. It was found that #alpha# could be obtained almost in a real-time even for both positive and negative reactivities by the present experimental technique. (author).
Recent developments in design and production of thermal neutron detectors based on a crystalline Si diode coupled to a Gd converter are reviewed. The most significant results of neutron test measurements carried out on prototype systems and pointing out the performances of the device are reported. Progress through various detection schemes and technological solutions for the production of a real time neutron counter for routine operation are outlined.
We report on the activities of the High Energy Physics Group at the University of Texas at Arlington for the period 1994-95. We propose the continuation of the research program for 1996-98 with strong participation in the detector upgrade and physics analysis work for the D0 Experiment at Fermilab, prototyping and pre-production studies for the muon and calorimeter systems for the ATLAS Experiment at CERN, and detector development and simulation studies for the PP2PP Experiment at Brookhaven.
Radon concentration measurement in the ground can be used for the prospecting for uranium and earthquake prediction. Some results of radon concentration measurement in the soil are presented here. The moisture condensation at the detector surface can affect on the detection efficiency. Due to this problem we tested a few filter papers on water permeability. The ratio of track densities on solid state nuclear track detector (SSNTD) in the open and the closed diffusion chamber is also determined. (author)
The possibility of fabricating a superconductive vertex detector is discussed on the basis of a preliminary experiment. The experiment has shown that an indium strip 15 mm long, 20 ..mu..m wide and 0.1 ..mu..m thick is changed from the superconductive state to the normal state when struck by a single 5.4 MeV alpha particle.
We describe the continued development of a portable, real-time neutron spectrometer. The spectrometer is composed of two distinct detector systems: a Helium 3 gas filled proportional counter for the lower neutron energy interval between 20 KeV and 2 MeV and a bulk silicon solid state detector for the higher energy interval between 2 MeV and 500 MeV. Modeling and experimental results with mono-energetic neutron beams are reported.
We describe the early stage of development of an engineering model portable, real-time neutron spectrometer. Several systems of two distinct detector types, a helium 3 gas filled proportional counter and a bulk silicon solid state detector, will be necessary to cover the energy range from thermal to 500 MeV. The advantages and disadvantages of using a moderator were investigated experimentally.
A large Bragg-curve spectrometer has been constructed and tested. The detector has a cylindrical geometry and operates with a homogeneous electric field. Energy resolutions of <0.8% and Z resolutions of Z/..delta..Z=80 have been achieved for eleastically scattered /sup 58/Ni ions. These results demonstrate the suitability of this large solid-angle detector for use in a wide variety of heavy-ion scattering experiments.
A large Bragg-curve spectrometer has been constructed and tested. The detector has a cylindrical geometry and operates with a homogeneous electric field. Energy resolutions of <0.8% and Z resolutions of Z/#DELTA#Z=80 have been achieved for eleastically scattered "5"8Ni ions. These results demonstrate the suitability of this large solid-angle detector for use in a wide variety of heavy-ion scattering experiments. (orig.).
This study mainly concerns medical explorations by radioisotopes. Detectors with medical exams and applications are described. Ionisation chambers, semiconductor detectors and scintillation counters are also presented. Uses of radioisotopes in medicine in vivo and in vitro techniques are explained. Examples of scintiscanning are given like: angiography, nuclear cardiography and thyroid scintiscanning. The importance of the study is to present a panorama of nuclear medicine laboratories -at the time- in hospitals in Lebanon.
In the present paper, a possible interaction region layout of the VLEPP based Photon Linear Collider (PLC) with ultimate luminosity is discussed. In order to remove spent electron beams, the crab-crossing scheme is used. The detector is protected from produced pairs and secondary particles by means of the detector magnetic field and a shielding mask. ((orig.)).
This patent describes a {gamma}-ray detector. It comprises: a dislocation-free single crystal having an input surface and a transmission surface at opposite ends thereof; an active shield surrounding the crystal and functioning as an anticoincidence counter; and {gamma}-ray detector means disposed adjacent the transmission surface of the crystal for receiving and detecting {gamma}-rays of a predetermined wavelength incident on the input surface of the crystal at a specific Bragg angle and transmitted through the crystal.
We have investigated the detection performance of GaAs detectors made with different thickness and contact geometries. A comparison is made between these detection capabilities and the imaging requirements for the following medical applications: digital mammography, digital chest radiography and nuclear medicine. Experimental results and preliminary images are presented and discussed. (author)
We present the first results from tests of a MICROMEGAS detector manufactured using the so-called "bulk" technology and having a resistive cathode mesh instead of the conventional metallic one. This detector operates as usual MICROMEGAS, but in the case of sparks, which may appear at high gas gains, the resistive mesh reduces their current and makes the sparks harmless. This approach could be complementary to the ongoing efforts of various groups to develop spark-protected MICROMEGAS with resistive anode planes.
The history of explosives vapor detection includes almost every detection strategy known to man. Initial attempts to utilize these techniques were dismal failures. However, with the development of the Electron Capture Detector (ECD), the first promising detection of explosives vapors became possible. The present commercial explosives detectors detect the higher vapor pressure materials but not the whole spectrum. This paper describes the basic properties of explosives molecules and our research to utilize these properties for increased detection sensitivity.
The IGC-30 HPGe detector with MCA 'CANBERRA-10 PLUS' allows to determine surface contamination of areas of any type with a minimum error in radius 8-10 m, at a 'uniform' contamination. A modification of the CANBERRA hardware and software is described allowing determination of both the activity of a possible 'radioactive spot' and the activity of the whole observed surface. (author).
The kinetic parameters, ..cap alpha.. the coupling coefficient and tau-bar the mean neutron transit time have been determined using a reactor oscillator on the coupled-core of the Queen Mary College research reactor. By using correlation techniques it has proved possible to use detectors small enough to be inserted in the fuel tanks. It is shown that the simplified Baldwin model with one-group diffusion theory is inadequate to describe the kinetic behaviour and the experimentally-determined parameters are dependent upon the positioning of the detectors.
The working group reviewed the main difficulties foreseen in doing physics at a gamma-gamma collider. They discussed the requirements for the detector, calculated some of the signal and background rates, compared methods of measuring luminosity, looked at how to get the laser beams in, investigated ways of sweeping aside the electrons and considered ways of disposing of the used beams. No overwhelming obstacles were found but important questions still need to be answered. ((orig.)).
The working group reviewed the main difficulties foreseen in doing physics at a gamma-gamma collider. They discussed the requirements for the detector, calculated some of the signal and background rates, compared methods of measuring luminosity, looked at how to get the laser beams in, investigated ways of sweeping aside the electrons and considered ways of disposing of the used beams. No overwhelming obstacles were found but important questions still need to be answered. ((orig.)).
A portable fiber optic detector that senses the presence of specific target chemicals by electrostatically attracting the target chemical to an aromatic compound coating on an optical fiber. Attaching the target chemical to the coated fiber reduces the fluorescence so that a photon sensing detector records the reduced light level and activates an appropriate alarm or indicator.
A system for inspecting a ceramic component. The ceramic component is positioned on a first rotary table. The first rotary table rotates the ceramic component. Light is directed toward the first rotary table and the rotating ceramic component. A detector is located on a second rotary table. The second rotary table is operably connected to the first rotary table and the rotating ceramic component. The second rotary table is used to move the detector at an angle to the first rotary table and the rotating ceramic component.
A computer program 'CPA simulator' has been designed to simulate the response parameters of a typical charge preamplifier (CPA) used in nuclear front-end electronics. The response parameters are studied considering three common connection methods between the detector and the CPA. The simulator predicts and illustrates the role and influence of the different components of the CPA and detector circuits.
The purpose of this research was to: a) evaluate variations in sensitivity and uniformity of SPECT detectors during 360"0 rotation, b) explore the causes of the variations and c) to discuss a correction procedure. A flood source consisting of a lucite disc 47.7 cm in diameter containing 3 microcuries of Co-57 was constructed. This source can be firmly attached to the uncollimated detector guaranteeing no detector-source geometry change during rotation. Four different SPECT cameras were tested. Measurements were obtained at 45"0 intervals throughout a 360"0 rotation, and repeated in 3 different orientations with respect to the earth's magnetic field. In one camera the effects of the direction and strength of induced magnetic fields were studied. All detectors showed cyclic rotational variations in sensitivity; in three cameras 6%, in one 3%. The amplitude and phase of the sensitivity variation curves and ...
The theory of neutron moderation and spectroscopy are briefly reviewed, and moderators that are useful for Bonner sphere spectrometers are discussed. The choice of the neutron detector for a Bonner sphere spectrometer is examined. Spectral deconvolution methods are briefly reviewed, including derivative, parametric, quadrature, and Monte Carlo methods. Calibration is then discussed. (LEW)
Surface barrier detectors may be damaged, because of microplasma breakdown, in rapid application of bias voltage. The high performance FETs of very low noise preamplifiers may also be damaged by rapid changes of the bias voltage. The electronic device described permits the gradual application and removal of the bias voltage, without any influence on the power supply specification. (Auth.).
A large-acceptance Bragg curve spectrometer with a longitudinal electron collection field and a segmented anode has been constructed and tested. The effects on the charge resolution of the entrance angle and entrance position of the incident particle have been studied. Simulations have been done in order to isolate the contribution to the overall detector performance of the signal-shaping electronics from that of the intrinsic design of the detector. ((orig.))
Cadmium telluride (CdTe) and cadmium zinc telluride (CdZnTe) have been regarded as promising semiconductor materials for hard X-ray and Gamma-ray detection. The high atomic number of the materials (Z_{Cd} =48, Z_{Te} =52) gives a high quantum efficiency in comparison with Si. The large band-gap energy (Eg ~ 1.5 eV) allows us to operate the detector at room temperature. However, a considerable amount of charge loss in these detectors produces a reduced energy resolution. This problem arises due to the low mobility and short lifetime of holes. Recently, significant improvements have been achieved to improve the spectral properties based on the advances in the production of crystals and in the design of electrodes. In this overview talk, we summarize (1) advantages and disadvantages of CdTe and CdZnTe semiconductor detectors and (2) technique for improving energy resolution and photopeak efficiencies. Applications of these ...
A new monolithic semi-insulating (SI) GaAs sensor design for X-ray imaging applications between 10-100keV has been proposed. Monolithic pixel detectors offer a number of advantages over hybrid bump-bonded detectors, such as high device yield, low costs and are easier to produce large scale arrays. In this thesis, an investigation is made of the use of a SI GaAs wafer as both a detector element and substrate for the epitaxially grown High Electron Mobility Transistors (HEMTs). The design of the HEMT transistors, optimised for this application, were produced with the aid of the Silvaco 'Virtual Wafer Fab' simulation package. It was determined that the device characteristics would consist of a small positive threshold voltage, a low off-state drain current and high transconductance. The final HEMT transistor design, that would be integrated to a pixel detector, had a threshold voltage of 0.17V, an ...
In the upgrade project of the Beijing Electron-Positron Collider (BEPCII), a novel Detector-Control System (DCS) for the Beijing Spectrometer (BESIII) has been built and started its successful operation for the BESIII Commissioning. The main task of the DCS is to monitor and control the status of the BESIII detector and to guarantee a safe operation of the detector. The DCS must provide a uniform and coherent interface to detector operators even though there are a large number of distributed I/O channels from a large variety of equipments. For this reason, the DCS is hierarchically organized and divided into three layers: front-end layer (FEL), local control layer (LCL) and global control layer (GCL). In the FEL, devices ranging from simple sensors up to complex computer-based devices like embedded systems and programmable logical controllers (PLC) are utilized. A LabVIEW-based software framework has ...
Lanthanum halide (LaBr_3:Ce) scintillators offer significantly better resolution (< 3% at 662 keV) relative to NaI(Tl) and have recently become commercially available in sizes large enough for the handheld, Radio-Isotope Identification Device (RIID) market. Drawbacks to lanthanum halide detectors, however, include internal radioactivity contributing to spectral counts, and a low-energy response which can cause detector resolution to be worse than that of NaI(Tl) below 100 keV. To study the potential of this new material for RIIDs we performed a series of measurements comparing a 1.5 x 1.5-inch LaBr_3:Ce detector with an Exploranium GR-135 RIID, which contains a 1.5 x 2.2-inch NaI(Tl) detector. Measurements were taken for short timeframes, as typifies RIID usage. Measurements included examples of naturally occurring radioactive material (NORM), typically found in cargo, and special nuclear materials. ...
This manual was written for individuals who wish to become qualified in radiation protection as an adjunct to working with sources of ionizing radiation or using radionuclides in the field of medicine. It provides the radiation user with information needed to protect himself and others and to understand and comply with governmental and institutional regulations regarding the use of radionuclides and radiation machines. It is designed for a wide spectrum of users, including physicians, research scientists, engineers, and technicians. It should be useful also to radiation safety officers, members of radiation safety committees, and others who are responsible for the proper use of radiation sources, although they may not be working with the sources directly. The presentation in this manual is designed to obviate the need for reviews of atomic ...
Abstract Satellite measurements and numerical forecast model reanalysis data are used to compute an updated estimate of the cloud radiative effect on the global multi-annual mean radiative energy budget of the atmosphere and surface. The cloud radiative cooling effect through reflection of short wave radiation dominates over the long wave heating effect, resulting in a net cooling of the climate system of - 21 Wm-2. The short wave radiative effect of cloud is primarily manifest as a reduction in the solar radiation absorbed at the surface of - 53 Wm-2. Clouds impact long wave radiation by heating the moist tropical atmosphere (up to around 40 Wm-2 for global annual means) while enhancing the radiative cooling of the atmosphere over other regions, in particular higher latitudes and sub-trop...
The book examines current experimental and clinical knowledge concerning the biological and biophysical effects of electromagnetic radiation, particularly that in the microwave range. The biophysical bases of the interaction of electromagnetic radiation with matter are reviewed with emphasis on biological systems, and the effects of radiation on critical biological systems, including the nervous, reproductive, visual and blood-forming systems are compared. Data concerning the lethal effects of nonionizing radiation is presented and characteristics of the effects of electromagnetic radiation on the whole mammalian organisms are examined. Various reactions of the neuroendocrine system to electromagnetic radiation are described, with particular attention given to the adrenal system, and the combined effects of ionizing and microwave radiation ...
The biological age (BA) of the majority of the liquidators of the consequences of the radiation accidents in the Navy and of the liquidators of the Chernobyl' APS accident exceeds the medium standard and the DBA (due BA). The index of the BA can be a characteristic of the influence of the social-hygienic factors on the health condition of the Special Risk Subunit--the liquidators of the consequences of the radiation accidents. It was established, that the radiation influence concerns to the factors dramatically increasing the BA and the rate of senescence of the liquidators of the consequences of the radiation accidents. PMID:21809627
The experimental device for generation of undulator radiation in terahertz wavelength region by use of undulator with ferromagnets is created. The device is based on a beam of a microtron with the energy 7.5 MeV. The radiation wavelength is 200 mu. Registered spontaneous radiation has a power 10{sup -6} W at a current of a beam 2 mA in a pulse. With the optical resonator, in a mode, the amplification of 6% is received, that in sometimes is more than the expected value. This effect is explained as a result of partial coherence of radiation.
The emission of Cerenkov radiation by tachyons has been examined by using the reduced expansions of superluminal electromagnetic fields in terms of standard helicity representation of Poincare group. It has been shown that the tachyons emit Cerenkov radiation through their coupling only with subluminal electromagnetic fields and that a charged tachyon can emit Cerenkov radiation only in the media in which it travels with a velocity lower than that of light while in the usual medium in which its velocity is more than that of light, it will never emit Cerenkov radiation.
Characteristics of the Ukrainian NSA NRI radiation facility for scientific researches and developments of industrial radiation technology are performed. Parts of the facility, design peculiarities of technical tools are described. Biological protection of the facility and radiation protection system, transport line, systems of technical provision and radiation measurements are discussed
The radiation burden of the people of the GDR in relation to biomedical radiography altogether as well as organ doses, gonad doses and genetically significant doses in detail are outlined. The concepts of radiation protection and standards of radiographic examination are demonstrated. Possibilities of influencing radiation exposure by scientifically based indication of X-ray examination, application of new and improvement of usual examination techniques are discussed with regard to quality assurance and control. Proposals concerning the reduction of radiation exposure of the GDR population are presented.
High energy muon colliders, such as the TeV-scale conceptual designs now being considered, are found to produce enough high energy neutrinos to constitute a potentially serious off-site radiation hazard in the neighbourhood of the accelerator site. A general characterization of this radiation hazard is given, followed by an order-of-magnitude calculation for the off-site annual radiation dose and a discussion of accelerator design and site selection strategies to minimize the radiation hazard.
Correlation characteristics of quantum noise on the shadow radiation image (RI) of the object under nondestructive testing are studied. Mathematical model of RI occasional distortions is derived. The model takes into account the parameters of object under testing and of radiation beam by radiation quanta flux density. The results obtained can be used as a component in the process of investigation of various radiation testing systems
Coherent oscillator radiation is considered. A comparison is made with classical particle radiation with gauss distribution. Decay probability for coherent state in spontaneous radiation is estimated. The method suggested for describing harmonic oscillator allows to separate the effect of classical field radiation from quantum description of particle state within the framework of a self-consistent quantum mechanical problem.
Particulate Reinforced Titanium matrix composites (PRTi) exhibit some improved specific mechanical properties in comparison with those of unreinforced titanium alloys as a result of the combination of the high strength and stiffness of ceramic particles with the toughness and damage tolerance provided by the metal matrix. The poor tribological properties of the titanium exclude titanium alloys from applications where wear resistance is required (brakes, rotating parts, sliding parts). The addition of ceramic particles improves the tribological properties of metals sensitive to adhesive and /or abrasive wear significantly. In this work, the wear resistance and the friction coefficient of Ti6Al-6V-2Sn reinforced with TiC particles and Ti6Al-4V reinforced with SiC particles (prototype material) are compared with the unreinforced alloys. Pin on disc and pin on ring tests were carried out against standard steel (100Cr6) as a function of pressure, ...
In the insurance industry, spreadsheets have emerged as an invaluable tool to for product pricing, because it is relatively straightforward to create and maintain complex pricing models using Excel. In fact, Excel is often preferred to "hard-code" whenever there are frequent changes to the calculations and business logic which under-pin the pricing of an insurance product. However, problems arise as soon as spreadsheets are deployed to end-users: version control, security of intellectual property, and ensuring correct usage are obvious issues; frequently, integration with other systems is also a requirement. Zurich Financial Services Group is a leading financial services provider; several possible solutions to these problems have been evaluated, and EASA has been selected as the preferred technology. Other spreadsheet collaboration approaches which were considered include Excel Services, and/or custom-built software; however, EASA has provided clear benefits over ...
In this paper as a result of the theoretical studies and a numerical simulation we presented the following main conclusions: (i) for humid air at increasing pressure of 1.0133 10"5 Pa until 5.0665 10"5 Pa ozone concentrations during 2 centre dot 10"-"3 s become higher in 22 times. This fact we clear with structure of ozone-production reactions. In this case the harmful NO_x concentrations are 2-3 order lower than ozone one; (ii) it is shown that nitrogen is useful to ozone production in the discharge; (iii) based on ion collection we cleared increasing ignition discharge voltage at growing ozone concentrations even with low ozone concentrations.
The two-fluid model representation for calculations of two-phase flow characteristics in the FBR fuel pin bundles with liquid metal cooling is presented and analysed. Two conservation equations systems of the mass, momentum and energy have been written for each phase. Components accounted the mass-, momentum- and heat transfer throughout the interface occur in the macro-field equations after the averaging procedure realisation. The pattern map and correlations for two-fluid model in vertical liquid metal flows are presented. The description of processes interphase mass- and heat exchange and interphase friction is determined by the two-phase flow regime. The opportunity of the liquid metal two-phase flow regime definition is analysed. (author)
A pin hole camera assembly for use in viewing an object having a relatively large light intensity range, for example a crucible containing molten metal in an atomic vapor laser isotope separation (AVLIS) system is disclosed herein. The assembly includes means for optically compressing the light intensity range appearing at its input sufficient to make it receivable and decipherable by a standard video camera. To accomplish this, the assembly utilizes the combination of interference filter and a liquid crystal notch filter. The latter which preferably includes a cholesteric liquid crystal arrangement is configured to pass light at all wavelengths, except a relatively narrow wavelength band which defines the filter's notch, and includes means for causing the notch to vary to at least a limited extent with the intensity of light at its light incidence surface.
Million-atom molecular-dynamics (MD) simulations are performed to study the structure, mechanical properties, and dynamic fracture in nanophase Si{sub 3}N{sub 4}. The authors find that intercluster regions are highly disordered: 50% of Si atoms in intercluster regions are three-fold coordinated. Elastic moduli of nanophase Si{sub 3}N{sub 4} as a function of grain size and porosity are well described by a multiphase model for heterogeneous materials. The study of fracture in the nanophase Si{sub 3}N{sub 4} reveals that the system can sustain an order-of-magnitude larger external load than crystalline Si{sub 3}N{sub 4}. This is due to branching and pinning of the crack front by nanoscale microstructures.
The penetrance of Lebers hereditary optic neuropathy (LHON) in families with primary mitochondrial DNA (mtDNA) mutations is very complex. Matrilineal and nuclear genetic background, as well as environmental factors, have been reported to be involved in different affected pedigrees. Here we describe two large Chinese families that show a striking difference in the penetrance of LHON, in which 53.3% and 15.0% of members were affected (Pin vivo mitochondrial oxidative metabolism as described in a previous study. Evolutionary analysis failed to indicate any putatively pathogenic mutation that cosegregated with G11778A in these two pedigrees. Our results suggest that the variable penetrance of LHON in the two Chinese families is independent of both their mtDNA haplotype background and a seconda...
Recent progress in yttrium-based oxide high-temperature superconductors has enabled the production of a large diameter bulk with a strong flux-pinning force. A combination of this superconductor and a permanent magnet makes it feasible to fabricate a noncontact, non-controlled superconducting magnetic bearing with a very small rotational loss, applicable to a flywheel energy storage system. A conceptual design of an 8 MWh flywheel energy storage system using the new bearing has been developed, based on measured data on a miniature bearing model, which proved to be potentially capable of achieving a high energy storage efficiency of 84 pc. A 100 W h-class experimental system was then built, which attained a high revolution rate of 17000 rpm, with a rotational loss of about 0.6 W. (authors). 2 refs., 7 figs., 3 tabs.
Background The lateral femoral cutaneous nerve (LFCN) can be at risk during, for example, the insertion of pins in the anterior superior iliac spine (ASIS) during external fixation of the pelvis, total hip arthroplasty through a direct anterior approach, open surgery for impingement in the hip through an anterior approach, and periacetabular osteotomy. During surgery, the surgeon usually assumes the location of the LFCN by using the ASIS as a landmark. Questions/purposes We investigated (1) whether there is any relationship between the LFCN and the ASIS and (2) the anatomy of the LFCN at the lateral border of the psoas major. Methods Using 25 formalin-fixed cadavers, we determined the location of the LFCN emergence point as above, same level with, or below the iliac crest (IC). We measured...
The use of selective additives such as MgO as a sintering aid and a rare earth oxide as a grain growth inhibitor, has allowed the manufacture of beryllia ceramics having close to theoretical density. The grain size and grain size distribution can be controlled by an optimum firing schedule leaving a remnant porosity which is extremely fine (0.2 {mu}m). This structure is compared with conventional BeO ceramics, densified by liquid phase sintering, which develops a glassy grain boundary and retains large pores up to 3 {mu}m. The significantly improved strength properties, extremely fine pores,the 'pinning effect' of rare earth oxide, and the superior surface finish both in the as-fired and polished state are discussed in relation to the micro-structure. (orig.).
We study neutral and charged Higgs boson production in association with stop and sbottom squarks at the Large Hadron Collider (LHC), within the so-called M-SUGRA scenario, i.e., the Supergravity (SUGRA) inspired Minimal Supersymmetric Standard Model (MSSM). For low values of \\tan\\beta only the cases \\tilde{t}_1\\tilde{t}_1^* H, \\tilde{t}_1\\tilde{t}_1^* h and than 30 a variety of signals involving all Higgs bosons can be accessed, at high collider luminosity. The dependence of these reactions on the M-SUGRA parameters might further allow one to pin down the actual structure of the underlying Supersymmetric (SUSY) model.
Grain refinement in AZ31 magnesium alloy has been attempted by hot-rolling and annealing process. Specimens were solution heat treated at 673 K for 36 ks, then hot-rolled at 423-773 K with total reduction of 20-80% by multi pass process. The rolled specimens were annealed at 473-673 K for 3.6 ks. Grain sizes after the solution heat treatment were about 20 to 150 {mu}m. After hot-rolling at 573 K and annealing at 473 K, grain sizes decreased into about 5 to 10 {mu}m. Suppression of grain growth by pinning due to precipitates was observed by transmission electron microscopic observations. (orig.)
Fuel management simulations have been performed for 0.9% SEU CANFLEX fuel in the Wolsung-1. Based on earlier studies at AECL, the bi-directional, four-bundle-shift fuelling scheme was assumed. Time-averaged simulations resulted in an average discharge burnup of 13.0 MWd/kgU. The derived pin power envelope indicated that the peak linear element rating with CANFLEX fuel is 15% less than that obtained with 0.9% SEU 37-element fuel and there is little power boosting at high burnups. Calculated worths of the reactivity devices are sufficient to provide the control and safety requirements for CANFLEX 0.9% SEU fuel in the Wolsung-1 reactor. (Author).
A major new initiative to develop and irradiate a long-lived, mixed-oxide (MOX) fuel system in the Fast Flux Test Facility (FFTF) has been implemented by Westinghouse Hanford Company for the U.S. Department of Energy. The purpose of this new fuel system, called the core demonstration experiment (CDE), is to demonstrate the capability of achieving a 3-yr life in a prototypical, heterogeneous reactor environment under prototypical power and temperature conditions. Ten fuel and six blanket CDEs are establishing the performance characteristics of entire fuel assemblies of wire-wrapped, large-diameter, annular-pellet, advanced MOX fuel pins with the tempered martensitic HT-9 alloy cladding and end caps, HT-9 wire wrap, and an HT-9 duct in a heterogeneous array with the blanket assemblies. The CDE performance characteristics are confirming the basis for design, fabrication, and irradiation of the CDE.
The Fast Flux Test Facility (FFTF) is a 400 Mwt sodium-cooled fast reactor operating at the Hanford Engineering Development Laboratory, Richland, Washington, to conduct fuels and materials testing in support of the US Liquid Metal Fast Breeder Reactor (LMFBR) program. Startup and initial power testing included a comprehensive series of nonnuclear and nuclear tests to verify the thermal, hydraulic, and neutronic characteristics of the plant. A specially designed series of natural circulation tests were then performed to demonstrate the inherent safety features of the plant. Early in 1982, the FFTF began its first 100-day irradiation cycle. Since that time the plant has operated very well, achieving a cycle capacity factor of 94% in the most recent irradiation cycle. Seventy-five specific test assemblies and 25,000 individual fuel pins have been irradiated, some in excess of 80 MWd/Kg.
With the ubiquitous availability of commercial VME modules and interface chips many experiments in all branches of Experimental Physics are turning to VME as the module packaging and backplane protocol of choice for application specific modules. The current VME backplane, electrical, and mechanical standards are clearly lacking when it comes to implementing the analogue and digital front end modules that Physics experiments rely on to provide the needed high speed and intelligent solutions to their data collection requirements. To address these needs the European ESONE and American VME-P committees are collaborating with the ANSII and ISO standards committees, and the VME VITA/VSO manufacturers associations, to define standard extensions to the VME protocols for such HEP needs as ``sparse data scans``, standard uses and implementations of previously user defined pins and connectors, standardization of the 9U form factor VME cards etc. This paper reports on the ...
TiB{sub 2} appears to be a promising material for the wear protection in various tribological systems, e.g. the diecasting of Al. This study focuses on the development of titanium boride coatings deposited by PACVD, a deposition method which is most suitable for the coating of substrates with complex shapes. All layers analysed are very smooth and exhibit a quasi-amorphous fracture surface. XRD and TEM analysis indicate a nanocrystalline structure with grain sizes in the order of 2 nm. The diffraction patterns can well be correlated to titanium diboride. WDS reveals an over stoichiometric B/Ti ratio. The layer hardness reaches the value of 33 GPa and the critical load in scratch tests rises to 35 N. Neither 100Cr6 nor Al as a counterpart in pin-on-disk tests leads to wear of the coating. (orig.)
We present the recent results of our research on the high power ultra-fast silicon RF switches. This switch is composed of a group of PIN diodes on a high purity silicon wafer. The wafer is inserted into a cylindrical waveguide under TE{sub 01} mode, performing switching by injecting carriers into the bulk silicon. Our current design uses a CMOS compatible process and the device was fabricated at SNF (Stanford Nanofabrication Facility). 300 ns switching time has been observed, while the switching speed can be improved further with 3-D device structure and faster driving circuit. Power handling capacity of the switch is at the level of 10 MW. The switch was designed for active X-band RF pulse compression systems--especially for NLC, but it is also possible to be modified for other applications and other frequencies.
A major new initiative to develop and irradiate a long-life mixed oxide fuel system in the Fast Flux Test Facility (FFTF) has been implemented by the Westinghouse Hanford Company at the Hanford Engineering Development Lab. for the US Dept. of Energy. The purpose of this new fuel system, called the Core Demonstration Experiment (CDE), is to demonstrate the capability of achieving a 3-yr life in a prototypical heterogeneous reactor environment under prototypical power and temperature conditions. Three Core Demonstration Lead Experiments (CDLEs) will establish the performance characteristics of entire fuel assemblies of wire-wrapped, large diameter, advanced oxide fuel pins with HT-9 stainless steel alloy cladding and wire wrap and an HT-9 duct. Their performance characteristics provided the basis for design, fabrication, and irradiation of the CDE.
Calculating work-function modifications for flat-lying conjugated molecules on extended metal surfaces using density functional theory (DFT) is an extremely resource intensive task. This prevents fast screening of new molecules for their potential to optimize metal work functions for good electron or hole injection in organic electronic devices. We present a semi-classical model, which avoids that problem. This is achieved by identifying the dominant processes occurring at the interface between metal and adsorbate in the pinning-regime, which are then parameterizing their description using band-structure DFT calculations for a small training set With the resulting interdependent equations at hand, only simple gas-phase calculations are needed to predict the work-function changes induced by new molecules. The model is tested for ten molecules on three different metal surfaces, where it shows excellent agreement with photoelectron spectroscopy data on these systems.
A new type of radiation which occurs when particles are accelerated in the field of a longitudinal wave and in a transverse magnetic field is studied. The characteristics of such spontaneous radiation are obtained, and the influence of collective effects on the radiation is analyzed. The application of the findings to the theory of free electron lasers is discussed. 8 references.
Objectives To provide direct estimates of risk of cancer after protracted low doses of ionising radiation and to strengthen the scientific basis of radiation protection standards for environmental,...Full Text Available
Forty-four patients with histologically proven Hodgkin's disease underwent initial treatment with extended-field radiation therapy. Nineteen of these patients also received combination chemotherapy....Full Text Available
Exact anatomic knowledge about the location of the gonads and the application of corresponding measures of radiation protection are the preconditions for an efficient reduction of the danger of a possible genetic damage as a result of radiation exposition during X-ray examination of the hip joint of newborns. (VJ).
Adaptive radiation therapy (ART) is the incorporation of daily images in the radiotherapy treatment process so that the treatment plan can be evaluated and modified to maximize the amount of radiation...Full Text Available
Analytical method of theoretical simulation of collective hydrodynamic instabilities of intensive flows of discrete radiators, interacting with each other only through the coherent fields of their spontaneous radiation in corresponding media was suggested...
... Top of page Testing Radiation coming from granite countertops results from natural radioactive material in the granite. Identifying the presence and concentration of radioactive elements in granite requires expensive and sophisticated portable instruments or laboratory equipment. These instruments and equipment require proper calibration, and interpretation of ...
The different radiation loads caused by natural and artificial radionuclides are compared in this paper. This examples will serve to illustrate that the problem of population exposure to radiation can only be solved in consideration of all components and to show which effects of the radiation from natural sources are of special importance in this connexion. (orig./AK).
The problem of optimizing a horn radiator of electromagnetic waves for the reflection coefficient and the coefficient of transformation of the fundamental mode into higher order modes is solved. Optimization is performed by means of selecting a combined shape of the radiator generatrices.
A technique has been developed at the Idaho National Engineering Laboratory to sum high resolution gamma-ray pulse spectra from systems with multiple Ge detectors. Lockheed Martin Idaho Technologies Company operates a multi-detector spectrometer configuration at the Stored Waste Examination Pilot Plant facility which is used to characterize the radio nuclide contents in waste drums destined for shipment to Waste Isolation Pilot Plant. This summing technique was developed to increase the sensitivity of the system, reduce the count times required to properly quantify the radionuclides and provide a more consistent methodology for combining data collected from multiple detectors. In spectrometer systems with multiple detectors looking at non homogenous waste forms it is often difficult to combine individual spectrum analysis results from each detector to obtain a meaningful result for ...
The security of ports and transportation is of utmost importance for the development of economy and the security of a nation. Among the necessary actions to ensure the security of ports and borders, the inspection of containers is one of the most time consuming and expensive procedures. Potential threats are the illegal traffic of radioactive materials that could be employed for the construction of weapons, as uranium and plutonium. New techniques for the inspections of containers should be fast, allow the detection and identification of dangerous materials, and be non-invasive, to reduce costs and delays. We propose to build a large surface photon and neutron detector based on plastic scintillator to identify the presence of fissile or fertile material inside a container. The detector consists of scintillator bars, wrapped in thin foils of reflecting material containing gadolinium for neutron capture and arranged in planes separated by ...
The security of ports and transportation is of utmost importance for the development of economy and the security of a nation. Among the necessary actions to ensure the security of ports and borders, the inspection of containers is one of the most time consuming and expensive procedures. Potential threats are the illegal traffic of radioactive materials that could be employed for the construction of weapons, as uranium and plutonium. New techniques for the inspections of containers should be fast, allow the detection and identification of dangerous materials, and be non-invasive, to reduce costs and delays. We propose to build a large surface photon and neutron detector based on plastic scintillator to identify the presence of fissile or fertile material inside a container. The detector consists of scintillator bars, wrapped in thin foils of reflecting material containing gadolinium for neutron capture and arranged in planes separated by ...
An optical klystron is built in the 800 MeV electron storage ring at University of Science and Technology of China for harmonic super-radiation generation. In single bunch operation mode the repetition rate of the spontaneous radiation pulses is about 4.533 MHz, and the repetition rate of the seed laser pulses is about 3 Hz, while the radiation pulse duration is 300 ps. For measuring harmonic radiation a high on/off ratio ICCD is used as an optical switch to reject spontaneous radiation pulses of high repetition rate