40Ar/39Ar dating of Quaternary volcanic ashes by multi-collection noble gas mass spectrometry: protocols, precision and intercalibration

DEFF Research Database (Denmark)

Storey, Michael; Rivera, Tiffany; Flude, Stephanie

) higher mass resolution allows hydrocarbon interferences to be pseudo resolved for the different argon isotopes; and (iv) multi-collection, allowing more data to be gathered in a fixed time in comparison with single-collector peak-switching measurements. We evaluate (i) protocols for detector inter......The recent availability of commercial high-resolution, multi-collector, noble gas mass spectrometers equipped with ion-counting electron multipliers provides new opportunities for improved precision in 40Ar/39Ar dating. This is particularly true for single crystal dating of Quaternary aged samples...... where potassium-bearing phenocrysts may contain relatively small amounts of radiogenic 40Ar. In 2005, the Quaternary Dating Laboratory, Roskilde University, installed a Nu-Instruments multi-collector Noblesse noble gas mass spectrometer, which is configured with a Faraday detector and three ion...

Atomic forces between noble gas atoms, alkali ions, and halogen ions for surface interactions

Science.gov (United States)

Wilson, J. W.; Outlaw, R. A.; Heinbockel, J. H.

1988-01-01

The components of the physical forces between noble gas atoms, alkali ions, and halogen ions are analyzed and a data base developed from analysis of the two-body potential data, the alkali-halide molecular data, and the noble gas crystal and salt crystal data. A satisfactory global fit to this molecular and crystal data is then reproduced by the model to within several percent. Surface potentials are evaluated for noble gas atoms on noble gas surfaces and salt crystal surfaces with surface tension neglected. Within this context, the noble gas surface potentials on noble gas and salt crystals are considered to be accurate to within several percent.

Ab initio theory of noble gas atoms in bcc transition metals.

Science.gov (United States)

Jiang, Chao; Zhang, Yongfeng; Gao, Yipeng; Gan, Jian

2018-06-18

Systematic ab initio calculations based on density functional theory have been performed to gain fundamental understanding of the interactions between noble gas atoms (He, Ne, Ar and Kr) and bcc transition metals in groups 5B (V, Nb and Ta), 6B (Cr, Mo and W) and 8B (Fe). Our charge density analysis indicates that the strong polarization of nearest-neighbor metal atoms by noble gas interstitials is the electronic origin of their high formation energies. Such polarization becomes more significant with an increasing gas atom size and interstitial charge density in the host bcc metal, which explains the similar trend followed by the unrelaxed formation energies of noble gas interstitials. Upon allowing for local relaxation, nearby metal atoms move farther away from gas interstitials in order to decrease polarization, albeit at the expense of increasing the elastic strain energy. Such atomic relaxation is found to play an important role in governing both the energetics and site preference of noble gas atoms in bcc metals. Our most notable finding is that the fully relaxed formation energies of noble gas interstitials are strongly correlated with the elastic shear modulus of the bcc metal, and the physical origin of this unexpected correlation has been elucidated by our theoretical analysis based on the effective-medium theory. The kinetic behavior of noble gas atoms and their interaction with pre-existing vacancies in bcc transition metals have also been discussed in this work.

Steady-state ozone concentration in radiation induced noble gas-oxygen discharges

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Elsayed-Ali, H.E.; Miley, G.H.

1985-01-01

Measurements of steady-state ozone concentrations in continuous radiation induced noble gas-O 2 and noble gas-O 2 -SF 6 mixtures has been accomplished. The discharges were created through the bombardment of the gases with energetic particles from the boron-10 (n,α) lithium-7 nuclear reaction. Three noble gases were studied, He, Ne, and Ar at partial pressures of few hundred Torr. The dose rates studied were in the order of 10 15 eV.cm -3 .s -1 . The experimental apparatus and proceedure were previously described. The experimentally observed stead-state ozone concentrations in noble gas-O 2 discharges were about an order of magnitude lower than that observed for oxygen radiolysis at similar dose rates. These results were physically explained by an enhanced role of negative ionic reactions with ozone causing its destruction. In noble gas-O 2 -SF 6 mixtures, the steady-state ozone concentrations were found to be significantly higher (3-6 times) than that without the SF 6 addition. This observation was contrary to only a small increase observed after SF 6 addition to a few hundred Torr oxygen and is explained by an enhanced rate of electron dissociative attachment of ozone in noble gas-O 2 discharges

Noble Gas Concept Of Operation

Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

Carrigan, C. R. [Lawrence Livermore National Lab. (LLNL), Livermore, CA (United States)

2014-01-20

The intent of this document is to provide the reader with an understanding of a general approach to performing the noble gas component of an On Site Inspection or OSI. The authors of this document recognize that owing to the wide range of scenarios that are possible for carrying out an underground nuclear explosion, the diverse sets of information that might be available to the inspection team initially and the potential range of political and physical constraints imposed during the inspection, a satisfactory prescriptive approach to carrying out the noble gas component of an OSI is unlikely. Rather, the authors intend only to aid the reader in understanding what a reasonable course of actions or responses may be as performed by an inspection team (IT) during a general OSI. If this document helps to inform the intuition of the reader about addressing the challenges resulting from the inevitable deviations from this general scenario, it will have achieved its intent.

Steady-state ozone concentrations in radiation induced noble gas-oxygen discharges

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Elsayed-Ali, H.E.; Miley, G.H.

1985-01-01

Measurements of steady-state ozone concentrations in continuous radiation induced noble gas-O/sub 2/ and noble gas-o/sub 2/-SF/sub 6/ mixtures has been accomplished. The discharges were created through the bombardment of the gases with energetic particles from the boron-10 (n,α) lithium-7 nuclear reaction. Three noble gases were studied, He, Ne, and Ar at partial pressures of few hundred Torr. The dose rates studied were in the order of 10/sup 15/ eV . cm/sup -3/ . s/sup -1/. The experimental apparatus and procedure were previously described. The experimentally observed steady-state ozone concentrations in noble gas-O/sub 2/ discharges were about an order of magnitude lower than that observed for oxygen radiolysis at similar dose rates. These results were physically explained by an enhanced role of negative ionic reactions with ozone causing its destruction. In noble gas-O/sub 2/-SF/sub 6/ mixtures, the steady-state ozone concentrations were found to be significantly higher (3-6 times) than that without the SF/sub 6/ addition. This observation was contrary to only a small increase observed after SF/sub 6/ addition to a few hundred Torr oxygen and is explained by an enhanced rate of electron dissociative attachment of ozone in noble gas-O/sub 2/ discharges

Experimental studies and model analysis of noble gas fractionation in porous media

Science.gov (United States)

Ding, Xin; Kennedy, B. Mack.; Evans, William C.; Stonestrom, David A.

2016-01-01

The noble gases, which are chemically inert under normal terrestrial conditions but vary systematically across a wide range of atomic mass and diffusivity, offer a multicomponent approach to investigating gas dynamics in unsaturated soil horizons, including transfer of gas between saturated zones, unsaturated zones, and the atmosphere. To evaluate the degree to which fractionation of noble gases in the presence of an advective–diffusive flux agrees with existing theory, a simple laboratory sand column experiment was conducted. Pure CO2 was injected at the base of the column, providing a series of constant CO2 fluxes through the column. At five fixed sampling depths within the system, samples were collected for CO2 and noble gas analyses, and ambient pressures were measured. Both the advection–diffusion and dusty gas models were used to simulate the behavior of CO2 and noble gases under the experimental conditions, and the simulations were compared with the measured depth-dependent concentration profiles of the gases. Given the relatively high permeability of the sand column (5 ´ 10−11 m2), Knudsen diffusion terms were small, and both the dusty gas model and the advection–diffusion model accurately predicted the concentration profiles of the CO2 and atmospheric noble gases across a range of CO2 flux from ?700 to 10,000 g m−2 d−1. The agreement between predicted and measured gas concentrations demonstrated that, when applied to natural systems, the multi-component capability provided by the noble gases can be exploited to constrain component and total gas fluxes of non-conserved (CO2) and conserved (noble gas) species or attributes of the soil column relevant to gas transport, such as porosity, tortuosity, and gas saturation.

First-principles study of noble gas stability in ThO{sub 2}

Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

Shao, Kuan [Shanghai Institute of Applied Physics, Chinese Academy of Sciences, Shanghai 201800 (China); University of Chinese Academy of Sciences, Beijing 100049 (China); Han, Han, E-mail: hanhanfudan@gmail.com [Shanghai Institute of Applied Physics, Chinese Academy of Sciences, Shanghai 201800 (China); Zhang, Wei [Shanghai Institute of Applied Physics, Chinese Academy of Sciences, Shanghai 201800 (China); Key Laboratory of Interfacial Physics and Technology, Chinese Academy of Sciences, Shanghai 201800 (China); Wang, Hui [School of Physics and Engineering, Henan University of Science and Technology, Luoyang 471003 (China); Wang, Chang-Ying; Guo, Yong-Liang [Shanghai Institute of Applied Physics, Chinese Academy of Sciences, Shanghai 201800 (China); Ren, Cui-Lan [Shanghai Institute of Applied Physics, Chinese Academy of Sciences, Shanghai 201800 (China); Key Laboratory of Interfacial Physics and Technology, Chinese Academy of Sciences, Shanghai 201800 (China); Huai, Ping, E-mail: huaiping@sinap.ac.cn [Shanghai Institute of Applied Physics, Chinese Academy of Sciences, Shanghai 201800 (China)

2017-07-15

The stability of noble gases (He, Ne, Ar, Kr and Xe) in thorium dioxide is studied by means of density functional theory. The computations are performed considering insertion sites of ThO{sub 2}, including the interstitial sites, the thorium vacancies, the oxygen-thorium di-vacancy and three types of Schottky defects. Our results show that there is an approximately linear relation between the energies and the atomic radii. As the size of the noble gas atom increases, the noble gas atoms energetically prefer to incorporate into large vacancy defects rather than into interstitial positions. Moreover, the binding energy of Kr or Xe interstitial in a Schottky defect is larger than the formation energy of a Schottky defect, suggesting the Schottky defects are thermodynamically favorable in the presence of these noble gas atoms. The charged defects are also considered for noble gas atoms trapped in Th and O vacancies.

Synthesis of Zeolite Materials for Noble Gas Separation

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Achey, R.; Rivera, O.; Wellons, M.; Hunter, D.

2017-01-01

Microporous zeolite adsorbent materials are widely used as a medium for separating gases. Adsorbent gas separation systems can run at ambient temperature and require minimal pressure to flow the input gas stream across the adsorbent bed. This allows for low energy consumption relative to other types of separation systems. Specific zeolites also have a high capacity and selectivity for the gases of interest, leading to compact and efficient separation systems. These characteristics are particularly advantageous for the application of signatures detection for non-proliferation, which often requires portable systems with low power draw. Savannah River National Laboratory currently is the leader in using zeolites for noble gas sampling for non-proliferation detection platforms. However, there is a constant customer need for improved sampling capabilities. Development of improved zeolite materials will lead to improved sampling technology. Microwave-assisted and conventional hydrothermal synthesis have been used to make a variety of zeolites tailored for noble gas separation. Materials characterization data collected in this project has been used to help guide the synthesis of improved zeolite materials. Candidate materials have been down-selected based on highest available surface area, maximum overall capacity for gas adsorption and highest selectivity. The creation of improved adsorbent materials initiated in this project will lead to development of more compact, efficient and effective noble gas collectors and concentrators. The work performed in this project will be used as a foundation for funding proposals for further material development as well as possible industrial applications.

Synthesis of Zeolite Materials for Noble Gas Separation

Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

Achey, R. [Savannah River Site (SRS), Aiken, SC (United States). Savannah River National Lab. (SRNL); Rivera, O. [Savannah River Site (SRS), Aiken, SC (United States). Savannah River National Lab. (SRNL); Wellons, M. [Savannah River Site (SRS), Aiken, SC (United States). Savannah River National Lab. (SRNL); Hunter, D. [Savannah River Site (SRS), Aiken, SC (United States). Savannah River National Lab. (SRNL)

2017-10-02

Microporous zeolite adsorbent materials are widely used as a medium for separating gases. Adsorbent gas separation systems can run at ambient temperature and require minimal pressure to flow the input gas stream across the adsorbent bed. This allows for low energy consumption relative to other types of separation systems. Specific zeolites also have a high capacity and selectivity for the gases of interest, leading to compact and efficient separation systems. These characteristics are particularly advantageous for the application of signatures detection for non-proliferation, which often requires portable systems with low power draw. Savannah River National Laboratory currently is the leader in using zeolites for noble gas sampling for non-proliferation detection platforms. However, there is a constant customer need for improved sampling capabilities. Development of improved zeolite materials will lead to improved sampling technology. Microwave-assisted and conventional hydrothermal synthesis have been used to make a variety of zeolites tailored for noble gas separation. Materials characterization data collected in this project has been used to help guide the synthesis of improved zeolite materials. Candidate materials have been down-selected based on highest available surface area, maximum overall capacity for gas adsorption and highest selectivity. The creation of improved adsorbent materials initiated in this project will lead to development of more compact, efficient and effective noble gas collectors and concentrators. The work performed in this project will be used as a foundation for funding proposals for further material development as well as possible industrial applications.

The Noble Gas Fingerprint in a UK Unconventional Gas Reservoir

Science.gov (United States)

McKavney, Rory; Gilfillan, Stuart; Györe, Domokos; Stuart, Fin

2016-04-01

In the last decade, there has been an unprecedented expansion in the development of unconventional hydrocarbon resources. Concerns have arisen about the effect of this new industry on groundwater quality, particularly focussing on hydraulic fracturing, the technique used to increase the permeability of the targeted tight shale formations. Methane contamination of groundwater has been documented in areas of gas production1 but conclusively linking this to fugitive emissions from unconventional hydrocarbon production has been controversial2. A lack of baseline measurements taken before drilling, and the equivocal interpretation of geochemical data hamper the determination of possible contamination. Common techniques for "fingerprinting" gas from discrete sources rely on gas composition and isotopic ratios of elements within hydrocarbons (e.g. δ13CCH4), but the original signatures can be masked by biological and gas transport processes. The noble gases (He, Ne, Ar, Kr, Xe) are inert and controlled only by their physical properties. They exist in trace quantities in natural gases and are sourced from 3 isotopically distinct environments (atmosphere, crust and mantle)3. They are decoupled from the biosphere, and provide a separate toolbox to investigate the numerous sources and migration pathways of natural gases, and have found recent utility in the CCS4 and unconventional gas5 industries. Here we present a brief overview of noble gas data obtained from a new coal bed methane (CBM) field, Central Scotland. We show that the high concentration of helium is an ideal fingerprint for tracing fugitive gas migration to a shallow groundwater. The wells show variation in the noble gas signatures that can be attributed to differences in formation water pumping from the coal seams as the field has been explored for future commercial development. Dewatering the seams alters the gas/water ratio and the degree to which noble gases degas from the formation water. Additionally the

Possible solar noble-gas component in Hawaiian basalts

Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

Honda, Masahiko; McDougall, I.; Patterson, D.B.; Doulgeris, A. (Australian National Univ., Canberra (Australia). Research School of Earth Sciences); Clague, D.A. (Geological Survey, Menlo Park, CA (USA))

1991-01-10

The noble-gas elemental and isotopic composition in the Earth is significantly different from that of the present atmosphere, and provides an important clue to the origin and history of the Earth and its atmosphere. Possible candidates for the noble-gas composition of the primordial Earth include a solar-like component, a planetary-like component (as observed in primitive meteorites) and a component similar in composition to the present atmosphere. In an attempt to identify the contributions of such components, we have measured isotope ratios of helium and neon in fresh basaltic glasses dredged from Loihi seamount and the East Rift Zone of Kilauea. We find a systematic enrichment in {sup 20}Ne and {sup 21}Ne relative to {sup 22}Ne, compared with atmospheric neon. The helium and neon isotope signatures observed in our samples can be explained by mixing of solar, present atmospheric, radiogenic and nucleogenic components. These data suggest that the noble-gas isotopic composition of the mantle source of the Hawaiian plume is different from that of the present atmosphere, and that it includes a significant solar-like component. We infer that this component was acquired during the formation of the Earth. (author).

Quality management for noble gas trace analysis; Qualitaetssicherung bei der Edelgasspurenanalyse

Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

Schmid, S.; Konrad, M.; Kumberg, T.; Schlosser, C. [Bundesamt fuer Strahlenschutz (BfS), Freiburg (Germany); Gohla, H. [Comprehensive Nuclear-Test-Ban Treaty Organization (CTBTO), Vienna International Centre, Vienna (Austria). Preparatory Commission

2014-01-20

The Federal Office for Radiation Protection operates measurement systems to determine the activity concentrations of Krypton-85 and Xenon-133 in air samples since the early 70s. Certified standards with stable noble gas admixtures are still missing for quality assurance (certified activity concentrations). The Comprehensive Nuclear-Test-Ban Treaty Organization (CTBTO) is currently establishing a global noble gas monitoring network for the verification of compliance with the Treaty. In cooperation with CTBTO the BfS currently develops concepts of quality assurance for noble gas measurements. Opportunities for quality assurance without using certified standards are discussed by comparisons between individual laboratories and internal audits. The results from the first CTBTO laboratory intercomparison with synthetic radioxenon samples look very promising.

Noble gas enrichment studies at JET

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Groth, M.; Andrew, P.; Fundamenski, W.; Guo, H.Y.; Hillis, D.L.; Hogan, J.T.; Horton, L.D.; Matthews, G.F.; Meigs, A.G.; Morgan, P.M.; Stamp, M.F.; Hellermann, M. von

2001-01-01

Adequate helium exhaust has been achieved in reactor-relevant ELMy H-mode plasmas in JET performed in the MKII AP and MKII GB divertor geometry. The divertor-characteristic quantities of noble gas compression and enrichment have been experimentally inferred from Charge Exchange Recombination Spectroscopy measurements in the core plasma, and from spectroscopic analysis of a Penning gauge discharge in the exhaust gas. The retention of helium was found to be satisfactory for a next-step device, with enrichment factors exceeding 0.1. The helium enrichment decreases with increasing core plasma density, while the neon enrichment has the opposite behaviour. Analytic and numerical analyses of these plasmas using the divertor impurity code package DIVIMP/NIMBUS support the explanation that the enrichment of noble gases depends significantly on the penetration depth of the impurity neutrals with respect to the fuel atoms. Changes of the divertor plasma configuration and divertor geometry have no effect on the enrichment

Isotopic mass-dependence of noble gas diffusion coefficients inwater

Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

Bourg, I.C.; Sposito, G.

2007-06-25

Noble gas isotopes are used extensively as tracers inhydrologic and paleoclimatic studies. These applications requireknowledge of the isotopic mass (m) dependence of noble gas diffusioncoefficients in water (D), which has not been measured but is estimatedusing experimental D-values for the major isotopes along with an untestedrelationship from kinetic theory, D prop m-0.5. We applied moleculardynamics methods to determine the mass dependence of D for four noblegases at 298 K, finding that D prop m-beta with beta<0.2, whichrefutes the kinetic theory model underlying all currentapplications.

A membrane inlet mass spectrometry system for noble gases at natural abundances in gas and water samples.

Science.gov (United States)

Visser, Ate; Singleton, Michael J; Hillegonds, Darren J; Velsko, Carol A; Moran, Jean E; Esser, Bradley K

2013-11-15

Noble gases dissolved in groundwater can reveal paleotemperatures, recharge conditions, and precise travel times. The collection and analysis of noble gas samples are cumbersome, involving noble gas purification, cryogenic separation and static mass spectrometry. A quicker and more efficient sample analysis method is required for introduced tracer studies and laboratory experiments. A Noble Gas Membrane Inlet Mass Spectrometry (NG-MIMS) system was developed to measure noble gases at natural abundances in gas and water samples. The NG-MIMS system consists of a membrane inlet, a dry-ice water trap, a carbon-dioxide trap, two getters, a gate valve, a turbomolecular pump and a quadrupole mass spectrometer equipped with an electron multiplier. Noble gases isotopes (4)He, (22)Ne, (38)Ar, (84)Kr and (132)Xe are measured every 10 s. The NG-MIMS system can reproduce measurements made on a traditional noble gas mass spectrometer system with precisions of 2%, 8%, 1%, 1% and 3% for He, Ne, Ar, Kr and Xe, respectively. Noble gas concentrations measured in an artificial recharge pond were used to monitor an introduced xenon tracer and to reconstruct temperature variations to within 2 °C. Additional experiments demonstrated the capability to measure noble gases in gas and in water samples, in real time. The NG-MIMS system is capable of providing analyses sufficiently accurate and precise for introduced noble gas tracers at managed aquifer recharge facilities, groundwater fingerprinting based on excess air and noble gas recharge temperature, and field and laboratory studies investigating ebullition and diffusive exchange. Copyright © 2013 John Wiley & Sons, Ltd.

Analysis of the physical atomic forces between noble gas atoms, alkali ions and halogen ions

Science.gov (United States)

Wilson, J. W.; Heinbockel, J. H.; Outlaw, R. A.

1986-01-01

The physical forces between atoms and molecules are important in a number of processes of practical importance, including line broadening in radiative processes, gas and crystal properties, adhesion, and thin films. The components of the physical forces between noble gas atoms, alkali ions, and halogen ions are analyzed and a data base for the dispersion forces is developed from the literature based on evaluations with the harmonic oscillator dispersion model for higher order coefficients. The Zener model of the repulsive core is used in the context of the recent asymptotic wave functions of Handler and Smith; and an effective ionization potential within the Handler and Smith wave functions is defined to analyze the two body potential data of Waldman and Gordon, the alkali-halide molecular data, and the noble gas crystal and salt crystal data. A satisfactory global fit to this molecular and crystal data is then reproduced by the model to within several percent. Surface potentials are evaluated for noble gas atoms on noble gas and salt crystal surfaces with surface tension neglected. Within this context, the noble gas surface potentials on noble gas and salt crystals are considered to be accurate to within several percent.

Wide range noble gas radiation monitor

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Kuhlman, H.S. III; Wyvill, J.R.

1984-01-01

The present invention contemplates providing a sample system for effluent from a nuclear process wherein the effluent in a first mode passes through a sample chamber whose noble gases are quantitatively detected. The sample of the first mode is continued until the detector count rate reaches a predetermined maximum. The detector establishes a control signal which is applied to terminate the first mode effluent flow to the chamber, evacuate the chamber to a predetermined value of vacuum and connect the effluent into the sample chamber with a predetermined mode of flow rate different from the rate of the first mode to establish a sample concentration in the chamber within the range of the detector. A subsequent predetermined minimum rate will generate a signal to reconnect the sample chamber to the first mode connection and thereby cycle the system back to its first mode of operation

Effect of noble gas ion pre-irradiation on deuterium retention in tungsten

NARCIS (Netherlands)

Cheng, L.; Zhao, Z. H.; De Temmerman, G.; Yuan, Y.; Morgan, T. W.; Guo, L. P.; Wang, B.; Zhang, Y.; Wang, B. Y.; Zhang, P.; Cao, X. Z.; Lu, G. H.

2016-01-01

Impurity seeding of noble gases is an effective way of decreasing the heat loads onto the divertor targets in fusion devices. To investigate the effect of noble gases on deuterium retention, tungsten targets have been implanted by different noble gas ions and subsequently exposed to deuterium

Noble Gas Leak Detector for Use in the SNS Neutron Electric Dipole Moment Experiment

Science.gov (United States)

Barrow, Chad; Huffman, Paul; Leung, Kent; Korobkina, Ekaterina; White, Christian; nEDM Collaboration Collaboration

2017-09-01

Common practice for leak-checking high vacuum systems uses helium as the probing gas. However, helium may permeate some materials at room temperature, making leak characterization difficult. The experiment to find a permanent electric dipole moment of the neutron (nEDM), to be conducted at Oak Ridge National Laboratories, will employ a large volume of liquid helium housed by such a helium-permeable composite material. It is desirable to construct a leak detector that can employ alternative test gases. The purpose of this experiment is to create a leak detector that can quantify the argon gas flux in a high vacuum environment and interpret this flux as a leak-rate. This apparatus will be used to check the nEDM volumes for leaks at room temperature before cooling down to cryogenic temperatures. Our leak detector uses a residual gas analyzer and a vacuum pumping station to characterize the gas present in an evacuated volume. The introduction of argon gas into the system is interpreted as a leak-rate into the volume. The device has been calibrated with NIST certified calibrated leaks and the machine's sensitivity has been calculated using background gas analysis. As a result of the device construction and software programming, we are able to leak-check composite and polyamide volumes This work was supported in part by the US Department of Energy under Grant No. DE-FG02-97ER41042.

Noble gas separation with the use of inorganic adsorbents

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Pence, D.T.; Chou, C.C.; Christian, J.D.; Paplawsky, W.J.

1979-01-01

A noble gas separation process is proposed for application to airborne nuclear fuel reprocessing plant effluents. The process involves the use of inorganic adsorbents for the removal of contaminant gases and noble gas separation through selective adsorption. Water and carbon dioxide are removed with selected zeolites that do not appreciably adsorb the noble gases. Xenon is essentially quantitatively removed with a specially developed adsorbent using conventional adsorption-desorption techniques. Oxygen is removed to low ppM levels by the use of a rapid cycle adsorption technique on a special adsorbent leaving a krypton-nitrogen mixture. Krypton is separated from nitrogen with a special adsorbent operated at about -80 0 C. Because the separation process does not require high pressures and oxygen is readily removed to sufficiently limit ozone formation to insignificant levels, appreciable capital and operating cost savings with this process are possible compared with other proposed processes. In addition, the proposed process is safer to operate

Noble Gas Signatures in Groundwater and Rainwater on the Island of Maui, Hawaii - Developing a New Noble Gas Application in Fractured, Volcanic Systems

Science.gov (United States)

Castro, M. C.; Niu, Y.; Warrier, R. B.; Hall, C. M.; Gingerich, S. B.; Scholl, M. A.; Bouvier, L.

2014-12-01

Recent work in the Galapagos Islands suggests that noble gas temperatures (NGTs) in fractured groundwater systems reflect the temperature of the ground surface at the time of infiltration rather than the mean annual air temperature (MAAT) value as commonly assumed in sedimentary systems where NGTs are typically used as indicators of past climate. This suggests that noble gases in fractured areas may record seasonality, and thus, provide information about timing of recharge in addition to location. Calculation of NGTs assumes that rain-derived recharge at the water table is in equilibrium with ground air. Lack of noble gas equilibration with respect to surface conditions, however, was observed in high-altitude springs in the Galapagos Islands and in a rainwater pilot study in Michigan, supporting the NGT seasonality hypothesis. Developing this new NGT application will lead to a better understanding of fractured groundwater flow systems and will contribute to improved water resource management plans. This study, carried out on Maui, Hawaii, is meant to test these hypotheses while improving knowledge of this island's groundwater flow system where limited hydrologic data are available. Here, we present the first results of noble gas analyses from samples collected in springs, groundwater wells and rainwater on northeast Maui. Results show that like most Michigan rainwater samples, rainwater from Maui is in disequilibrium with surface conditions and follows a mass-dependent pattern. Spring samples follow a similar pattern to that of rainwater and suggest that spring water originates directly from rainfall. These findings further support the hypothesis of NGT seasonality. However, while the atmospheric composition of noble gases points to direct supply from rainfall to spring aquifer systems, a direct connection between spring water and deeper aquifer levels or the mantle is apparent from He isotopic ratios which display an almost pure He mantle component in some springs.

Cucurbit[6]uril: A Possible Host for Noble Gas Atoms.

Science.gov (United States)

Pan, Sudip; Mandal, Subhajit; Chattaraj, Pratim K

2015-08-27

Density functional and ab initio molecular dynamics studies are carried out to investigate the stability of noble gas encapsulated cucurbit[6]uril (CB[6]) systems. Interaction energy, dissociation energy and dissociation enthalpy are calculated to understand the efficacy of CB[6] in encapsulating noble gas atoms. CB[6] could encapsulate up to three Ne atoms having dissociation energy (zero-point energy corrected) in the range of 3.4-4.1 kcal/mol, whereas due to larger size, only one Ar or Kr atom encapsulated analogues would be viable. The dissociation energy value for the second Ar atom is only 1.0 kcal/mol. On the other hand, the same for the second Kr is -0.5 kcal/mol, implying the instability of the system. The noble gas dissociation processes are endothermic in nature, which increases gradually along Ne to Kr. Kr encapsulated analogue is found to be viable at room temperature. However, low temperature is needed for Ne and Ar encapsulated analogues. The temperature-pressure phase diagram highlights the region in which association and dissociation processes of Kr@CB[6] would be favorable. At ambient temperature and pressure, CB[6] may be used as an effective noble gas carrier. Wiberg bond indices, noncovalent interaction indices, electron density, and energy decomposition analyses are used to explore the nature of interaction between noble gas atoms and CB[6]. Dispersion interaction is found to be the most important term in the attraction energy. Ne and Ar atoms in one Ng entrapped analogue are found to stay inside the cavity of CB[6] throughout the simulation at 298 K. However, during simulation Ng2 units in Ng2@CB[6] flip toward the open faces of CB[6]. After 1 ps, one Ne atom of Ne3@CB[6] almost reaches the open face keeping other two Ne atoms inside. At lower temperature (77 K), all the Ng atoms in Ngn@CB[6] remain well inside the cavity of CB[6] throughout the simulation time (1 ps).

Noble gas encapsulation into carbon nanotubes: Predictions from analytical model and DFT studies

Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

Balasubramani, Sree Ganesh; Singh, Devendra; Swathi, R. S., E-mail: swathi@iisertvm.ac.in [School of Chemistry, Indian Institute of Science Education and Research Thiruvananthapuram (IISER-TVM), Kerala 695016 (India)

2014-11-14

The energetics for the interaction of the noble gas atoms with the carbon nanotubes (CNTs) are investigated using an analytical model and density functional theory calculations. Encapsulation of the noble gas atoms, He, Ne, Ar, Kr, and Xe into CNTs of various chiralities is studied in detail using an analytical model, developed earlier by Hill and co-workers. The constrained motion of the noble gas atoms along the axes of the CNTs as well as the off-axis motion are discussed. Analyses of the forces, interaction energies, acceptance and suction energies for the encapsulation enable us to predict the optimal CNTs that can encapsulate each of the noble gas atoms. We find that CNTs of radii 2.98 − 4.20 Å (chiral indices, (5,4), (6,4), (9,1), (6,6), and (9,3)) can efficiently encapsulate the He, Ne, Ar, Kr, and Xe atoms, respectively. Endohedral adsorption of all the noble gas atoms is preferred over exohedral adsorption on various CNTs. The results obtained using the analytical model are subsequently compared with the calculations performed with the dispersion-including density functional theory at the M06 − 2X level using a triple-zeta basis set and good qualitative agreement is found. The analytical model is however found to be computationally cheap as the equations can be numerically programmed and the results obtained in comparatively very less time.

Intentions of fast noble gas ions with clean and with oxidized monocrystalline copper surfaces

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Wit, A.G.J. de.

1979-01-01

The thesis reports investigations concerning the distorted shape of the energy distribution of scattered noble gas ions, and investigations of angular distributions of these ions where a quantitative interpretation is less hampered by preferential neutralization. Low energy noble gas ion scattering is used to study the interactions between oxygen gas and Cu(110) surfaces. (Auth.)

Polarization of stable and radioactive noble gas nuclei by spin exchange with laser pumped alkali atoms

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Calaprice, F.; Happer, W.; Schreiber, D.

1984-01-01

The nuclei of noble gases can be strongly polarized by spin exchange with sufficiently dense optically pumped alkali vapors. Only a small fraction of the spin angular momentum of the alkali atoms is transferred to the nuclear spin of the noble gas. Most of the spin angular momentum is lost to translational angular momentum of the alkali and noble gas atoms about each other. For heavy noble gases most of the angular momentum transfer occurs in alkali-noble-gas van der Waals molecules. The transfer efficiency depends on the formation and breakup rates of the van der Waals molecules in the ambient gas. Experimental methods to measure the spin transfer efficiencies have been developed. Nuclei of radioactive noble gases have been polarized by these methods, and the polarization has been detected by observing the anisotropy of the radioactive decay products. Very precise measurements of the magnetic moments of the radioactive nuclei have been made. 12 references, 9 figures

Noble gas signatures in the Island of Maui, Hawaii: Characterizing groundwater sources in fractured systems

Science.gov (United States)

Niu, Yi; Castro, M. Clara; Hall, Chris M.; Gingerich, Stephen B.; Scholl, Martha A.; Warrier, Rohit B.

2017-01-01

Uneven distribution of rainfall and freshwater scarcity in populated areas in the Island of Maui, Hawaii, renders water resources management a challenge in this complex and ill-defined hydrological system. A previous study in the Galapagos Islands suggests that noble gas temperatures (NGTs) record seasonality in that fractured, rapid infiltration groundwater system rather than the commonly observed mean annual air temperature (MAAT) in sedimentary systems where infiltration is slower thus, providing information on recharge sources and potential flow paths. Here we report noble gas results from the basal aquifer, springs, and rainwater in Maui to explore the potential for noble gases in characterizing this type of complex fractured hydrologic systems. Most samples display a mass-dependent depletion pattern with respect to surface conditions consistent with previous observations both in the Galapagos Islands and Michigan rainwater. Basal aquifer and rainwater noble gas patterns are similar and suggest direct, fast recharge from precipitation to the basal aquifer. In contrast, multiple springs, representative of perched aquifers, display highly variable noble gas concentrations suggesting recharge from a variety of sources. The distinct noble gas patterns for the basal aquifer and springs suggest that basal and perched aquifers are separate entities. Maui rainwater displays high apparent NGTs, incompatible with surface conditions, pointing either to an origin at high altitudes with the presence of ice or an ice-like source of undetermined origin. Overall, noble gas signatures in Maui reflect the source of recharge rather than the expected altitude/temperature relationship commonly observed in sedimentary systems.

Subsurface Noble Gas Sampling Manual

Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

Carrigan, C. R. [Lawrence Livermore National Lab. (LLNL), Livermore, CA (United States); Sun, Y. [Lawrence Livermore National Lab. (LLNL), Livermore, CA (United States)

2017-09-18

The intent of this document is to provide information about best available approaches for performing subsurface soil gas sampling during an On Site Inspection or OSI. This information is based on field sampling experiments, computer simulations and data from the NA-22 Noble Gas Signature Experiment Test Bed at the Nevada Nuclear Security Site (NNSS). The approaches should optimize the gas concentration from the subsurface cavity or chimney regime while simultaneously minimizing the potential for atmospheric radioxenon and near-surface Argon-37 contamination. Where possible, we quantitatively assess differences in sampling practices for the same sets of environmental conditions. We recognize that all sampling scenarios cannot be addressed. However, if this document helps to inform the intuition of the reader about addressing the challenges resulting from the inevitable deviations from the scenario assumed here, it will have achieved its goal.

Appraisal of transport and deformation in shale reservoirs using natural noble gas tracers

Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

Heath, Jason E. [Sandia National Lab. (SNL-NM), Albuquerque, NM (United States); Kuhlman, Kristopher L. [Sandia National Lab. (SNL-NM), Albuquerque, NM (United States); Robinson, David G. [Sandia National Lab. (SNL-NM), Albuquerque, NM (United States); Bauer, Stephen J. [Sandia National Lab. (SNL-NM), Albuquerque, NM (United States); Gardner, William Payton [Sandia National Lab. (SNL-NM), Albuquerque, NM (United States); Univ. of Montana, Missoula, MT (United States)

2015-09-01

This report presents efforts to develop the use of in situ naturally-occurring noble gas tracers to evaluate transport mechanisms and deformation in shale hydrocarbon reservoirs. Noble gases are promising as shale reservoir diagnostic tools due to their sensitivity of transport to: shale pore structure; phase partitioning between groundwater, liquid, and gaseous hydrocarbons; and deformation from hydraulic fracturing. Approximately 1.5-year time-series of wellhead fluid samples were collected from two hydraulically-fractured wells. The noble gas compositions and isotopes suggest a strong signature of atmospheric contribution to the noble gases that mix with deep, old reservoir fluids. Complex mixing and transport of fracturing fluid and reservoir fluids occurs during production. Real-time laboratory measurements were performed on triaxially-deforming shale samples to link deformation behavior, transport, and gas tracer signatures. Finally, we present improved methods for production forecasts that borrow statistical strength from production data of nearby wells to reduce uncertainty in the forecasts.

U.S. Geological Survey Noble Gas Laboratory’s standard operating procedures for the measurement of dissolved gas in water samples

Science.gov (United States)

Hunt, Andrew G.

2015-08-12

This report addresses the standard operating procedures used by the U.S. Geological Survey’s Noble Gas Laboratory in Denver, Colorado, U.S.A., for the measurement of dissolved gases (methane, nitrogen, oxygen, and carbon dioxide) and noble gas isotopes (helium-3, helium-4, neon-20, neon-21, neon-22, argon-36, argon-38, argon-40, kryton-84, krypton-86, xenon-103, and xenon-132) dissolved in water. A synopsis of the instrumentation used, procedures followed, calibration practices, standards used, and a quality assurance and quality control program is presented. The report outlines the day-to-day operation of the Residual Gas Analyzer Model 200, Mass Analyzer Products Model 215–50, and ultralow vacuum extraction line along with the sample handling procedures, noble gas extraction and purification, instrument measurement procedures, instrumental data acquisition, and calculations for the conversion of raw data from the mass spectrometer into noble gas concentrations per unit mass of water analyzed. Techniques for the preparation of artificial dissolved gas standards are detailed and coupled to a quality assurance and quality control program to present the accuracy of the procedures used in the laboratory.

First ECR-Ionized Noble Gas Radioisotopes at ISOLDE

CERN Document Server

Wenander, F; Gaubert, G; Jardin, P; Lettry, Jacques

2004-01-01

The production of light noble gas radioisotopes with high ionization potentials has been hampered by modest ionization efficiencies for standard plasma ion-sources. However, the decay losses are minimal as the lingering time of light noble gases within plasma ion-sources is negligible when compared to its diffusion out of the target material. Previous singly charged ECRIS have shown a higher efficiency but also a lingering time of the order of 1 s and a total weight that prevents remote handling by the ISOLDE robot. The compact MINIMONO efficiently addressed the lingering time and weight issues. In addition, the MINIMONO maintained the high off-line ionization efficiency for light noble gases. This paper describes a standard ISOLDE target unit equipped with a MINIMONO ion-source and the first tests. The ion-source has been tested off-line and equipped with a CaO target for on-line tests. Valuable information was gained about high current (100-500 muA) transport through the ISOLDE mass separators designed for ...

Noble gas, binary mixtures for commercial gas-cooled reactor systems

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

El-Genk, M. S.; Tournier, J. M.

2007-01-01

Commercial gas cooled reactors employ helium as a coolant and working fluid for the Closed Brayton Cycle (CBC) turbo-machines. Helium has the highest thermal conductivity and lowest dynamic viscosity of all noble gases. This paper compares the relative performance of pure helium to binary mixtures of helium and other noble gases of higher molecular weights. The comparison is for the same molecular flow rate, and same operating temperatures and geometry. Results show that although helium is a good working fluid because of its high heat transfer coefficient and significantly lower pumping requirement, a binary gas mixture of He-Xe with M = 15 gm/mole has a heat transfer coefficient that is ∼7% higher than that of helium and requires only 25% of the number stages of the turbo-machines. The binary mixture, however, requires 3.5 times the pumping requirement with helium. The second best working fluid is He-Kr binary mixture with M = 10 gm/mole. It has 4% higher heat transfer coefficient than He and requires 30% of the number of stages in the turbo-machines, but requires twice the pumping power

Consistent measurements comparing the drift features of noble gas mixtures

CERN Document Server

Becker, U; Fortunato, E M; Kirchner, J; Rosera, K; Uchida, Y

1999-01-01

We present a consistent set of measurements of electron drift velocities and Lorentz deflection angles for all noble gases with methane and ethane as quenchers in magnetic fields up to 0.8 T. Empirical descriptions are also presented. Details on the World Wide Web allow for guided design and optimization of future detectors.

Noble gas geochemistry to monitor CO2 geological storages

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Lafortune, St.

2007-11-01

According to the last IPCC (Intergovernmental Panel on Climate Change) report, a probability of 90 % can be now established for the responsibility of the anthropogenic CO 2 emissions for the global climate change observed since the beginning of the 20. century. To reduce these emissions and keep producing energy from coal, oil or gas combustions, CO 2 could be stored in geological reservoirs like aquifers, coal beds, and depleted oil or gas fields. Storing CO 2 in geological formations implies to control the efficiency and to survey the integrity of the storages, in order to be able to detect the possible leaks as fast as possible. Here, we study the feasibility of a geochemical monitoring through noble gas geochemistry. We present (1) the development of a new analytical line, Garodiox, developed to extract quantitatively noble gas from water samples, (2) the testing of Garodiox on samples from a natural CO 2 storage analogue (Pavin lake, France) and (3) the results of a first field work on a natural CO 2 accumulation (Montmiral, France). The results we obtain and the conclusions we draw, highlight the interest of the geochemical monitoring we suggest. (author)

Development of Laser-Polarized Noble Gas Magnetic Resonance Imaging (MRI) Technology

Science.gov (United States)

Walsworth, Ronald L.

2004-01-01

We are developing technology for laser-polarized noble gas nuclear magnetic resonance (NMR), with the aim of enabling it as a novel biomedical imaging tool for ground-based and eventually space-based application. This emerging multidisciplinary technology enables high-resolution gas-space magnetic resonance imaging (MRI)-e.g., of lung ventilation, perfusion, and gas-exchange. In addition, laser-polarized noble gases (3He and 1BXe) do not require a large magnetic field for sensitive NMR detection, opening the door to practical MRI with novel, open-access magnet designs at very low magnetic fields (and hence in confined spaces). We are pursuing two specific aims in this technology development program. The first aim is to develop an open-access, low-field (less than 0.01 T) instrument for MRI studies of human gas inhalation as a function of subject orientation, and the second aim is to develop functional imaging of the lung using laser-polarized He-3 and Xe-129.

Noble Gases in Lakes and Ground Waters

OpenAIRE

Kipfer, Rolf; Aeschbach-Hertig, Werner; Peeters, Frank; Stute, Marvin

2002-01-01

In contrast to most other fields of noble gas geochemistry that mostly regard atmospheric noble gases as 'contamination,' air-derived noble gases make up the far largest and hence most important contribution to the noble gas abundance in meteoric waters, such as lakes and ground waters. Atmospheric noble gases enter the meteoric water cycle by gas partitioning during air / water exchange with the atmosphere. In lakes and oceans noble gases are exchanged with the free atmosphere at the surface...

Electron--noble-gas spin-flip scattering at low energy

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Walker, T.G.; Bonin, K.; Happer, W.

1987-01-01

The spin-exchange rates and spin-relaxation rates for thermal electrons colliding with noble-gas atoms are calculated using the orthogonalized-plane-wave approximation and via partial-wave analysis. The two techniques give similar results and are in order-of-magnitude agreement with the experimental rate in Ar

Noble gas atmospheric monitoring for international safeguards at reprocessing plants

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Nakhleh, C.W.; Poths, J.; Stanbro, W.D.; Perry, R.T. Jr.; Wilson, W.B.; Fearey, B.L.

1997-01-01

The use of environmental sampling is a major component of the improvements of International Atomic Energy Agency safeguards being carried out under Program 93+2. Nonradioactive noble gas isotopic measurements in the effluent stream of large reprocessing facilities may provide useful confirmatory information on the burnup and reactor type of the spent fuel undergoing reprocessing. The authors have taken and analyzed stack samples at an operating facility. The data show clear fission signals. The authors are currently applying a maximum-likelihood estimation procedure to determine the fuel burnup from these data. They anticipate that the general features involved in the table noble gas problem--selection of appropriate signals, measurement of those signals under realistic conditions, and inverse calculation of parameters of interest from the environmental data--will be present in all environmental sampling problems. These methods should therefore be widely applicable

State and trends of ionization gas analysis. 3

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Leonhardt, J.W.; Grosse, H.J.; Popp, P.

1980-01-01

Theory, properties, and main fields of application of noble gas detectors are discussed. The theory and design of the indirect electron mobility detector is presented. Conclusions are drawn with regard to possibilities of further development of detectors for the ionization gas analysis

Attosecond Time Delay in Photoionization of Noble-Gas and Halogen Atoms

Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

Liang-Wen Pi

2018-02-01

Full Text Available Ultrafast processes are now accessible on the attosecond time scale due to the availability of ultrashort XUV laser pulses. Noble-gas and halogen atoms remain important targets due to their giant dipole resonance and Cooper minimum. Here, we calculate photoionization cross section, asymmetry parameter and Wigner time delay using the time-dependent local-density approximation (TDLDA, which includes the electron correlation effects. Our results are consistent with experimental data and other theoretical calculations. The asymmetry parameter provides an extra layer of access to the phase information of the photoionization processes. We find that halogen atoms bear a strong resemblance on cross section, asymmetry parameter and time delay to their noble-gas neighbors. Our predicted time delay should provide a guidance for future experiments on those atoms and related molecules.

A review of noble gas geochemistry in relation to early Earth history

Science.gov (United States)

Kurz, M. D.

1985-01-01

One of the most fundamental noble gas constraints on early Earth history is derived from isotopic differences in (129)Xe/(130)Xe between various terrestrial materials. The short half life (17 m.y.) of extinct (129I, parent of (129)Xe, means that these differences must have been produced within the first 100 m.y. after terrestrial accretion. The identification of large anomalies in (129)Xe/(130)Xe in mid ocean ridge basalts (MORB), with respect to atmospheric xenon, suggests that the atmosphere and upper mantle have remained separate since that time. This alone is a very strong argument for early catastrophic degassing, which would be consistent with an early fractionation resulting in core formation. However, noble gas isotopic systematics of oceanic basalts show that the mantle cannot necessarily be regarded as a homogeneous system, since there are significant variations in (3)He/(4)He, (40)Ar/(36)Ar, and (129)Xe/(130)Xe. Therefore, the early degassing cannot be considered to have acted on the whole mantle. The specific mechanisms of degassing, in particular the thickness and growth of the early crust, is an important variable in understanding present day noble gas inventories. Another constraint can be obtained from rocks that are thought to be derived from near the lithosphere asthenosphere boundary: ultramafic xenoliths.

The Noble-Abel Stiffened-Gas equation of state

Science.gov (United States)

Le Métayer, Olivier; Saurel, Richard

2016-04-01

Hyperbolic two-phase flow models have shown excellent ability for the resolution of a wide range of applications ranging from interfacial flows to fluid mixtures with several velocities. These models account for waves propagation (acoustic and convective) and consist in hyperbolic systems of partial differential equations. In this context, each phase is compressible and needs an appropriate convex equation of state (EOS). The EOS must be simple enough for intensive computations as well as boundary conditions treatment. It must also be accurate, this being challenging with respect to simplicity. In the present approach, each fluid is governed by a novel EOS named "Noble Abel stiffened gas," this formulation being a significant improvement of the popular "Stiffened Gas (SG)" EOS. It is a combination of the so-called "Noble-Abel" and "stiffened gas" equations of state that adds repulsive effects to the SG formulation. The determination of the various thermodynamic functions and associated coefficients is the aim of this article. We first use thermodynamic considerations to determine the different state functions such as the specific internal energy, enthalpy, and entropy. Then we propose to determine the associated coefficients for a liquid in the presence of its vapor. The EOS parameters are determined from experimental saturation curves. Some examples of liquid-vapor fluids are examined and associated parameters are computed with the help of the present method. Comparisons between analytical and experimental saturation curves show very good agreement for wide ranges of temperature for both liquid and vapor.

Helium Isotopes and Noble Gas Abundances of Cave Dripping Water in Three Caves in East Asia

Science.gov (United States)

Chen, A. T.; Shen, C. C.; Tan, M.; Li, T.; Uemura, R.; Asami, R.

2015-12-01

Paleo-temperature recorded in nature archives is a critical parameter to understand climate change in the past. With advantages of unique inert chemical characteristics and sensitive solubilities with temperature, dissolved noble gases in speleothem inclusion water were recently proposed to retrieve terrestrial temperature history. In order to accurately apply this newly-developed speleothem noble gas temperature (NGT) as a reliable proxy, a fundamental issue about behaviors of noble gases in the karst should be first clarified. In this study, we measured noble gas contents in air and dripping water to evaluate any ratio deviation between noble gases. Cave dripping water samples was collected from three selected caves, Shihua Cave in northern China, Furong Cave in southwestern, and Gyukusen Cave in an island located in the western Pacific. For these caves are characterized by a thorough mixing and long-term storage of waters in a karst aquifer by the absence of seasonal oxygen isotope shifts. Ratios of dripping water noble gases are statistically insignificant from air data. Helium isotopic ratios in the dripping water samples match air value. The results indicate that elemental and isotopic signatures of noble gases from air can be frankly preserved in the epikarst and support the fidelity of NGT techniques.

Wigner Distribution Functions as a Tool for Studying Gas Phase Alkali Metal Plus Noble Gas Collisions

Science.gov (United States)

2014-03-27

WIGNER DISTRIBUTION FUNCTIONS AS A TOOL FOR STUDYING GAS PHASE ALKALI METAL PLUS NOBLE GAS COLLISIONS THESIS Keith A. Wyman, Second Lieutenant, USAF...the U.S. Government and is not subject to copyright protection in the United States. AFIT-ENP-14-M-39 WIGNER DISTRIBUTION FUNCTIONS AS A TOOL FOR...APPROVED FOR PUBLIC RELEASE; DISTRIBUTION UNLIMITED AFIT-ENP-14-M-39 WIGNER DISTRIBUTION FUNCTIONS AS A TOOL FOR STUDYING GAS PHASE ALKALI METAL PLUS

Chemical reactivity of the compressed noble gas atoms and their ...

Indian Academy of Sciences (India)

Attempts are made to gain insights into the effect of confinement of noble gas atoms on their various reactivity indices. Systems become harder, less polarizable and difficult to excite as the compression increases. Ionization also causes similar effects. A quantum fluid density functional technique is adopted in order to study ...

The Origin of Noble Gas Isotopic Heterogeneity in Icelandic Basalts

Science.gov (United States)

Dixon, E. T.; Honda, M.; McDougall, I.

2001-01-01

Two models for generation of heterogeneous He, Ne and Ar isotopic ratios in Icelandic basalts are evaluated using a mixing model and the observed noble gas elemental ratios in Icelandic basalts,Ocean island Basalt (OIBs) and Mid-Ocean Ridge Basalt (MORBs). Additional information is contained in the original extended abstract.

Linear and nonlinear instability theory of a noble gas MHD generator

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Mesland, A.J.

1982-01-01

This thesis deals with the stability of the working medium of a seeded noble gas magnetohydrodynamic generator. The aim of the study is to determine the instability mechanism which is most likely to occur in experimental MHD generators and to describe its behaviour with linear and nonlinear theories. In chapter I a general introduction is given. The pertinent macroscopic basic equations are derived in chapter II, viz. the continuity, the momentum and the energy equation for the electrons and the heavy gas particles, consisting of the seed particles and the noble gas atoms. Chapter III deals with the linear plane wave analysis of small disturbances of a homogeneous steady state. The steady state is discussed in chapter IV. The values for the steady state parameters used for the calculations both for the linear analysis as for the nonlinear analysis are made plausible with the experimental values. Based on the results of the linear plane wave theory a nonlinear plane wave model of the electrothermal instability is introduced in chapter V. (Auth.)

Mantle Noble Gas Contents Controlled by Subduction of Serpentinite

Science.gov (United States)

Krantz, J. A.; Parman, S. W.; Kelley, S. P.; Smye, A.; Jackson, C.

2017-12-01

Geochemical analyses of exhumed subduction zone material1, well gases2, MORB, and OIBs3 indicate that noble gases are being recycled from the surface of the earth into the mantle. However, the path taken by these noble gases is unclear. To estimate the distribution and quantity of Ar, Kr, and Xe in subducting slabs, a model consisting of layers of sediments, altered oceanic crust (AOC), and serpentinite (hydrously altered mantle) has been developed. The noble gas contents of sediments and AOC were calculated using the least air-like and most gas-rich analyses from natural systems4,5, while serpentinite was modelled using both data from natural systems1 and experimentally determined solubilities. Layer thicknesses were assessed over a range of values: 1 to 12 km of sediments, 5 to 9 km of AOC, and 1 to 30 km of serpentinite. In all cases, the serpentinite layer contains at least an order of magnitude more Ar and Kr than the other layers. For realistic layer thicknesses (1 km of sediments, 6 km of AOC, and 3 km of serpentinite), Xe is distributed roughly equally between the three layers. By incorporating global subduction rates6, fluxes of the heavy noble gases into the mantle have been calculated as 4 · 1012 mol/Ma for 36Ar, 6 · 1011 mol/Ma for 84Kr, and 8 · 109 mol/Ma for 130Xe. These fluxes are equivalent to the total 84Kr and 130Xe contents of the depleted and bulk mantle over 1 and 10 Ma7. Similarly, the flux of 36Ar is equivalent over 1 and 100 Ma. Since the Kr and Xe have not been completely overprinted by recycling, the large majority of subducted noble gases must escape in the subduction zone. However, even the small amounts that are subducted deeper have affected the mantle as measured in both MORB and OIBs. 1. Kendrick, M.A. et al., Nature Geoscience, 4, 807-812, 2011 2. Holland, G. and Ballentine, C.J., Nature, 441, 186-191, 2006 3. Parai, R. and Mukhopadhyay, S., G3, 16, 719-735, 2015 4. Matsuda, J. and Nagao, K., Geochemical Journal, 20, 71-80, 1986

Noble Gases

Science.gov (United States)

Podosek, F. A.

2003-12-01

The noble gases are the group of elements - helium, neon, argon, krypton, xenon - in the rightmost column of the periodic table of the elements, those which have "filled" outermost shells of electrons (two for helium, eight for the others). This configuration of electrons results in a neutral atom that has relatively low electron affinity and relatively high ionization energy. In consequence, in most natural circumstances these elements do not form chemical compounds, whence they are called "noble." Similarly, much more so than other elements in most circumstances, they partition strongly into a gas phase (as monatomic gas), so that they are called the "noble gases" (also, "inert gases"). (It should be noted, of course, that there is a sixth noble gas, radon, but all isotopes of radon are radioactive, with maximum half-life a few days, so that radon occurs in nature only because of recent production in the U-Th decay chains. The factors that govern the distribution of radon isotopes are thus quite different from those for the five gases cited. There are interesting stories about radon, but they are very different from those about the first five noble gases, and are thus outside the scope of this chapter.)In the nuclear fires in which the elements are forged, the creation and destruction of a given nuclear species depends on its nuclear properties, not on whether it will have a filled outermost shell when things cool off and nuclei begin to gather electrons. The numerology of nuclear physics is different from that of chemistry, so that in the cosmos at large there is nothing systematically special about the abundances of the noble gases as compared to other elements. We live in a very nonrepresentative part of the cosmos, however. As is discussed elsewhere in this volume, the outstanding generalization about the geo-/cosmochemistry of the terrestrial planets is that at some point thermodynamic conditions dictated phase separation of solids from gases, and that the

Scattering of low energy noble gas ions from a metal surface

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Luitjens, S.B.

1980-01-01

Reflection of low energy (0.1-10 keV) noble gas ions can be used to analyse a solid surface. To study charge exchange processes, the ion fractions of neon and of argon, scattered from a Cu(100) surface, have been determined. (Auth.)

Noble gas systematics of submarine alkalic lavas near the Hawaiian hotspot

NARCIS (Netherlands)

Hanyu, T.; Clague, D.A.; Kaneoka, I.; Dunai, T.J.; Davies, G.R.

2005-01-01

Noble gas isotopic ratios were determined for submarine alkalic volcanic rocks distributed around the Hawaiian islands to constrain the origin of such alkalic volcanism and hence understand the details of mantle upwelling beneath Hawaii. Samples were collected by dredging or using submersibles from

Methane oxidation over noble metal catalysts as related to controlling natural gas vehicle exhaust emissions

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Oh, S.H.; Mitchell, P.J.; Siewert, R.M.

1992-01-01

Natural gas has considerable potential as an alternative automotive fuel. This paper reports on methane, the principal hydrocarbon species in natural-gas engine exhaust, which has extremely low photochemical reactivity but is a powerful greenhouse gas. Therefore, exhaust emissions of unburned methane from natural-gas vehicles are of particular concern. This laboratory reactor study evaluates noble metal catalysts for their potential in the catalytic removal of methane from natural-gas vehicle exhaust. Temperature run-up experiments show that the methane oxidation activity decreases in the order Pd/Al 2 O 3 > Rh/Al 2 O 3 > Pt/Al 2 O 3 . Also, for all the noble metal catalysts studied, methane conversion can be maximized by controlling the O 2 concentration of the feedstream at a point somewhat rich (reducing) of stoichiometry

Evaluation of various planar gaseous detectors with CsI photocathodes for the detection of primary scintillation light from noble gases

CERN Document Server

Periale, L; Carlson, P J; Francke, T; Iacobaeus, C; Pavlopoulos, P; Pietropaolo, F; Sokolova, T

2003-01-01

Noble gases and liquids are excellent scintillators and this opens a unique opportunity to directly detect the primary scintillation light produced in these media by photons or particles. This signal can be used for several purposes, for example as a start signal for TPCs or for particles identification. Usually photomultipliers (PMs) are used for the detection of the scintillation light. In our previous work we have demonstrated that costly PMs could be replaced by gaseous detectors with CsI photocathodes . Such detectors have the same quantum efficiency as the best PMs but at the same time are cheap, simple and have high position and time resolutions. The aim of this work is to evaluate various planar type gaseous detectors with CsI photocahodes in order to choose the best one for the detection of the primary scintillation light from noble gases and liquids.

Mixed noble gas effect on cut green peppers

Science.gov (United States)

Raymond, L. V.; Zhang, M.; Karangwa, E.; Chesereka, M. J.

2013-01-01

Increasing attempts at using gas which leads to hydrate formation as a preservative tool in fresh-cut fruits and vegetables have been reported. In this study, changes in some physical and biochemical properties of fresh-cut green peppers under compressed noble gas treatments were examined. Mixed argonkrypton and argon treatments were performed before cold storage at 5°C for 15 days. Mass loss and cell membrane permeability were found to be the lowest in mixed argon-krypton samples. Besides, a lower CO2 concentration and vitamin C loss were detected in gastreated samples compared to untreated samples (control). While the total phenol degradation was moderately reduced, the effect of the treatment on polyphenoloxidase activity was better at the beginning of the storage period. The minimum changes in quality observed in cut peppers resulted from both mixed and gas treatment alone.

Spatial profiling of ion and neutral excitation in noble gas electron cyclotron resonance plasmas

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Rhoades, R.L.; Gorbatkin, S.M.

1994-01-01

Optical emission from neutrals and ions of several noble gases has been profiled in an electron cyclotron resonance plasma system. In argon plasmas with a net microwave power of 750 W, the neutral (696.5-nm) and ion (488-nm) emission profiles are slightly center peaked at 0.32 mTorr and gradually shift to a hollow appearance at 2.5 mTorr. Neon profiles show a similar trend from 2.5 to 10.0 mTorr. For the noble gases, transition pressure scales with the ionization potential of the gas, which is consistent with neutral depletion. Studies of noble gas mixtures, however, indicate that neutral depletion is not always dominant in the formation of hollow profiles. For Kr/Ar, Ar/Ne, and Ne/He plasmas, the majority gas tends to set the overall shape of the profile at any given pressure. For the conditions of the current system, plasma density appears to be more dominant than electron temperature in the formation of hollow profiles. The general method described is also a straightforward, inexpensive technique for measuring the spatial distribution of power deposited in plasmas, particularly where absolute scale can be calibrated by some other means

Attosecond time delays in the photoionization of noble gas atoms studied in TDLDA

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Magrakvelidze, Maia; Chakraborty, Himadri; Madjet, Mohamed

2015-01-01

We perform time-dependent local density functional calculations of the quantum phase and time delays of valence photoionization of noble gas atoms. Results may be accessed by XUV-IR interferometric metrology. (paper)

Noble gas control room accident filtration system for severe accident conditions (N-CRAFT)

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Hill, Axel; Stiepani, Cristoph; Drechsler, Michael

2015-01-01

Severe accidents might cause the release of airborne radioactive substances to the environment of the NPP either due to containment leakages or due to intentional filtered containment venting. In the latter case aerosols and iodine are retained, however noble gases are not retainable by the FCVS or by conventional air filtration systems like HEPA filters and iodine absorbers. Radioactive noble gases nevertheless dominate the activity release depending on the venting procedure and the weather conditions. To prevent unacceptable contamination of the control room atmosphere by noble gases, AREVA GmbH has developed a noble gas control room accident filtration system (CRAFT) which can supply purified fresh air to the control room without time limitation. The retention process is based on dynamic adsorption of noble gases on activated carbon. The system consists of delay lines (carbon columns) which are operated by a continuous and simultaneous adsorption and desorption process. CRAFT allows minimization of the dose rate inside the control room and ensures low radiation exposure to the staff by maintaining the control room environment suitable for prolonged occupancy throughout the duration of the accident. CRAFT consists of a proven modular design either transportable or permanently installed. (author)

Modeling of noble gas injection into tokamak plasmas

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Morozov, D.Kh.; Yurchenko, E.I.; Lukash, V.E.; Baronova, E.O.; Rozhansky, V.A.; Senichenkov, I.Yu.; Veselova, I.Yu.; Schneider, R.

2005-01-01

Noble gas injection for mitigation of the disruption in DIII-D is simulated. The simulation of the first two stages is performed: of the neutral gas jet penetration through the background plasmas, and of the thermal quench. In order to simulate the first stage the 1.5-dimensional numerical code LLP with improved radiation model for noble gas is used. It is demonstrated that the jet remains mainly neutral and thus is able to penetrate to the central region of the tokamak in accordance with experimental observations. Plasma cooling at this stage is provided by the energy exchange with the jet. The radiation is relatively small, and the plasma thermal energy is spent mainly on the jet expansion. The magnetic surfaces in contact with the jet are cooled significantly. The cooling front propagates towards the plasma center. The simulations of the plasma column dynamics in the presence of moving jet is performed by means of the free boundary transport modeling DINA code. It has been shown that the cooling front is accompanied by strongly localized 'shark fin-like' perturbation in toroidal current density profile. After few milliseconds the jet (together with the current perturbation) achieves the region where safety factor is slightly higher than unity and a new type of the non-local kink mode develops. The unstable kink perturbation is non-resonant for any magnetic surface, both inside the plasma column, and in the vacuum space. The mode disturbs mainly the core region. The growth time of the 'shark fin-like' mode is higher than the Alfven time by a factor of 100 for DIII-D parameters. Hence, the simulation describes the DIII-D experimental results, at least, qualitatively. (author)

Characterisation of an ion source on the Helix MC Plus noble gas mass spectrometer - pressure dependent mass discrimination

Science.gov (United States)

Zhang, X.

2017-12-01

Characterisation of an ion source on the Helix MC Plusnoble gas mass spectrometer - pressure dependent mass discrimination Xiaodong Zhang* dong.zhang@anu.edu.au Masahiko Honda Masahiko.honda@anu.edu.au Research School of Earth Sciences, The Australian National University, Canberra, Australia To obtain reliable measurements of noble gas elemental and isotopic abundances in a geological sample it is essential that the mass discrimination (instrument-induced isotope fractionation) of the mass spectrometer remain constant over the working range of noble gas partial pressures. It is known, however, that there are pressure-dependent variations in sensitivity and mass discrimination in conventional noble gas mass spectrometers [1, 2, 3]. In this study, we discuss a practical approach to ensuring that the pressure effect in the Helix MC Plus high resolution, multi-collector noble gas mass spectrometer is minimised. The isotopic composition of atmospheric Ar was measured under a range of operating conditions to test the effects of different parameters on Ar mass discrimination. It was found that the optimised ion source conditions for pressure independent mass discrimination for Ar were different from those for maximised Ar sensitivity. The optimisation can be achieved by mainly adjusting the repeller voltage. It is likely that different ion source settings will be required to minimise pressure-dependent mass discrimination for different noble gases. A recommended procedure for tuning an ion source to reduce pressure dependent mass discrimination will be presented. References: Honda M., et al., Geochim. Cosmochim. Acta, 57, 859 -874, 1993. Burnard P. G., and Farley K. A., Geochemistry Geophysics Geosystems, Volume 1, 2000GC00038, 2000. Mabry J., et al., Journal of Analytical Atomic Spectrometry, 27, 1012 - 1017, 2012.

Radiation damage: special reference to gas filled radiation detectors

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Gaur, Sudha; Joshi, Pankaj Kumar; Rathore, Shakuntla

2012-01-01

Radiation damage is a term associated with ionizing radiation. In gas filled particle detectors, radiation damage to gases plays an important role in the device's ageing, especially in devices exposed to high intensity radiation, e.g. detector for the large hadrons collide. Ionization processes require energy above 10 eV, while splitting covalent bond in molecules and generating free radical require only 3-4 eV. The electrical discharges initiated by the ionization event by the particles result in plasma populated by large amount of free radical. The highly reactive free radical can recombine back to original molecules, or initiate a chain of free radical polymerization reaction with other molecules, yielding compounds with increasing molecular weight. These high molecular weight compounds then precipitate from gases phase, forming conductive or non-conductive deposits on the electrodes an insulating surfaces of the detector and distorting it's response. Gases containing hydrocarbon quenchers, e.g. argon-methane, are typically sensitive to ageing by polymerization; addition of oxygen tends to lower the ageing rates. Trace amount of silicon oils, present form out gassing of silicon elastomers and especially from traces of silicon lubricant tend to decompose and form deposits of silicon crystals on the surfaces. Gases mixture of argon (or xenon) with CO 2 and optimally also with 2-3 % of oxygen are highly tolerant to high radiation fluxes. The oxygen is added as noble gas with CO 2 has too high transparency for high energy photons; ozone formed from the oxygen is a strong absorber of ultra violet photons. Carbon tetra fluoride can be used as a component of the gas for high-rate detectors; the fluorine radical produced during the operation however limit the choice of materials for the chambers and electrodes (e.g. gold electrodes are required, as the fluorine radicals attack metals, forming fluorides). Addition of carbon tetra fluoride can however eliminate the

Migration of noble gas atoms in interaction with vacancies in silicon

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Pizzagalli, L; Charaf-Eddin, A

2015-01-01

First principles calculations in combination with the nudged elastic band method have been performed in order to determine the mobility properties of various noble gas species (He, Ne, Ar, Kr, and Xe) in silicon, a model semiconducting material. We focussed on single impurity, in interstitial configuration or forming a complex with a mono- or a di-vacancy, since the latter are known to be present and to play a key role in the formation of extended defects like bubbles or platelets. We determined several migration mechanisms and associated activation energies and have discussed these results in relation to available experiments. In particular, conflicting measured values of the migration energy of helium are explained by the present calculations. We also predict that helium diffuses solely as an interstitial, while an opposite behaviour is found for heavier species such as Ar, Kr, and Xe, with the prevailing role of complexes in that case. Finally, our calculations indicate that extended defects evolution by Ostwald ripening is possible for helium and maybe neon, but is rather unlikely for heavier noble gas species. (paper)

Daya Bay Antineutrino Detector gas system

Science.gov (United States)

Band, H. R.; Cherwinka, J. J.; Chu, M.-C.; Heeger, K. M.; Kwok, M. W.; Shih, K.; Wise, T.; Xiao, Q.

2012-11-01

The Daya Bay Antineutrino Detector gas system is designed to protect the liquid scintillator targets of the antineutrino detectors against degradation and contamination from exposure to ambient laboratory air. The gas system is also used to monitor the leak tightness of the antineutrino detector assembly. The cover gas system constantly flushes the gas volumes above the liquid scintillator with dry nitrogen to minimize oxidation of the scintillator over the five year lifetime of the experiment. This constant flush also prevents the infiltration of radon or other contaminants into these detecting liquids keeping the internal backgrounds low. Since the Daya Bay antineutrino detectors are immersed in the large water pools of the muon veto system, other gas volumes are needed to protect vital detector cables or gas lines. These volumes are also purged with dry gas. Return gas is monitored for oxygen content and humidity to provide early warning of potentially damaging leaks. The design and performance of the Daya Bay Antineutrino Detector gas system is described.

Noble gas solubility in silicate melts:a review of experimentation and theory, and implications regarding magma degassing processes

Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

A. Paonita

2005-06-01

Full Text Available Noble gas solubility in silicate melts and glasses has gained a crucial role in Earth Sciences investigations and in the studies of non-crystalline materials on a micro to a macro-scale. Due to their special geochemical features, noble gases are in fact ideal tracers of magma degassing. Their inert nature also allows them to be used to probe the structure of silicate melts. Owing to the development of modern high pressure and temperature technologies, a large number of experimental investigations have been performed on this subject in recent times. This paper reviews the related literature, and tries to define our present state of knowledge, the problems encountered in the experimental procedures and the theoretical questions which remain unresolved. Throughout the manuscript I will also try to show how the thermodynamic and structural interpretations of the growing experimental dataset are greatly improving our understanding of the dissolution mechanisms, although there are still several points under discussion. Our improved capability of predicting noble gas solubilities in conditions closer to those found in magma has allowed scientists to develop quantitative models of magma degassing, which provide constraints on a number of questions of geological impact. Despite these recent improvements, noble gas solubility in more complex systems involving the main volatiles in magmas, is poorly known and a lot of work must be done. Expertise from other fields would be extremely valuable to upcoming research, thus focus should be placed on the structural aspects and the practical and commercial interests of the study of noble gas solubility.

Noble gas bond and the behaviour of XeO3 under pressure.

Science.gov (United States)

Hou, Chunju; Wang, Xianlong; Botana, Jorge; Miao, Maosheng

2017-10-18

Over the past few decades, the concept of hydrogen bonds, in which hydrogen is electrophilic, has been extended to halogen bonds, chalcogen bonds and pnicogen bonds. Herein, we show that such a non-covalent bonding also exists in noble gas compounds. Using first principles calculations, we illustrate the OXe-O bond in molecular crystal XeO 3 and its effect on the behavior of this compound under pressure. Our calculations show that the covalent Xe-O bond lengths were elongated with increasing pressure and correspondingly the Xe-O stretching vibration frequencies were red shifted, which is similar to the change of H-bonds under pressure. The OXe-O bond and related hopping of O between neighboring Xe sites also correspond to the structural changes in the XeO 3 compounds at about 2 GPa. Our study extends the concept of hydrogen bonding to include all p-block elements and show a new bonding type for Noble gas elements in which it acts as an electrophilic species.

Gas filled detectors

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Stephan, C.

1993-01-01

The main types of gas filled nuclear detectors: ionization chambers, proportional counters, parallel-plate avalanche counters (PPAC) and microstrip detectors are described. New devices are shown. A description of the processes involved in such detectors is also given. (K.A.) 123 refs.; 25 figs.; 3 tabs

Detector module for gas monitor

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

1980-01-01

The invention relates to radioactive source detector module for use in a gas monitor. It is adapted to contain the source and other detector components to allow sealed coupling of those components with other portions of the gas monitor. It is particularly concerned with the use of radioactive materials used as electron sources in gas monitors. The module is used to detect changes in electron flow caused by partial absorption of the electron capture gas flowing between two electrodes. The assembly includes a gas flow source, a gas receiver and an electronic assembly for receiving a signal from the detector. The radioactive source and electrodes are housed so that they are connected to the gas flow source so as to prevent accidental or undesired disconnection. It is designed so that the detector module may be removed or replaced into the gas monitor assemblies by untrained personnel so as to prevent exposure to the radioactive material. Full details are given. (U.K.)

Analysis of noble gas recycling at a fusion plasma divertor

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Brooks, J.N.

1996-01-01

Near-surface recycling of neon and argon atoms and ions at a divertor has been studied using impurity transport and surface interaction codes. A fixed background deuterium endash tritium plasma model is used corresponding to the International Thermonuclear Experimental Reactor (ITER) [ITER EDA Agreement and Protocol 2, ITER EDA Documentation Series No. 5 (International Atomic Energy Agency, Vienna, 1994)] radiative plasma conditions (T e ≤10 eV). The noble gas transport depends critically on the divertor surface material. For low-Z materials (Be and C) both neon and argon recycle many (e.g., ∼100) times before leaving the near-surface region. This is also true for an argon on tungsten combination. For neon on tungsten, however, there is low recycling. These variations are due to differences in particle and energy reflection coefficients, mass, and ionization rates. In some cases a high flux of recycling atoms is ionized within the magnetic sheath and this can change local sheath parameters. Due to inhibited backflow, high recycling, and possibly high sputtering, noble gas seeding (for purposes of enhancing radiation) may be incompatible with Be or C surfaces, for fusion reactor conditions. On the other hand, neon use appears compatible with tungsten. copyright 1996 American Institute of Physics

Screening metal-organic frameworks for selective noble gas adsorption in air: effect of pore size and framework topology.

Science.gov (United States)

Parkes, Marie V; Staiger, Chad L; Perry, John J; Allendorf, Mark D; Greathouse, Jeffery A

2013-06-21

The adsorption of noble gases and nitrogen by sixteen metal-organic frameworks (MOFs) was investigated using grand canonical Monte Carlo simulation. The MOFs were chosen to represent a variety of net topologies, pore dimensions, and metal centers. Three commercially available MOFs (HKUST-1, AlMIL-53, and ZIF-8) and PCN-14 were also included for comparison. Experimental adsorption isotherms, obtained from volumetric and gravimetric methods, were used to compare krypton, argon, and nitrogen uptake with the simulation results. Simulated trends in gas adsorption and predicted selectivities among the commercially available MOFs are in good agreement with experiment. In the low pressure regime, the expected trend of increasing adsorption with increasing noble gas polarizabilty is seen. For each noble gas, low pressure adsorption correlates with several MOF properties, including free volume, topology, and metal center. Additionally, a strong correlation exists between the Henry's constant and the isosteric heat of adsorption for all gases and MOFs considered. Finally, we note that the simulated and experimental gas selectivities demonstrated by this small set of MOFs show improved performance compared to similar values reported for zeolites.

Noble gas control room accident filtration system for severe accident conditions N-CRAFT. System design

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Hill, Axel

2014-01-01

Severe accidents might cause the release of airborne radioactive substances to the environment of the NPP. This can either be due to leakages of the containment or due to a filtered containment venting in order to ensure the overall integrity of the containment. During the containment venting process aerosols and iodine can be retained by the FCVS which prevents long term ground contamination. Noble gases are not retainable by the FCVS. From this it follows that a large amount of radioactive noble gases (e.g. xenon, krypton) might be present in the nearby environment of the plant dominating the activity release, depending on the venting procedure and the weather conditions. Accident management measures are necessary in case of severe accidents and the prolonged stay of staff inside the main control room (MCR) or emergency response center (ERC) is essential. Therefore, the in leakage and contamination of the MRC and ERC with airborne activity has to be prevented. The radiation exposure of the crises team needs to be minimized. The entrance of noble gases cannot be sufficiently prevented by the conventional air filtration systems such as HEPA filters and iodine absorbers. With the objective to prevent an unacceptable contamination of the MCR/ERC atmosphere by noble gases AREVA GmbH has developed a noble gas retention system. The noble gas control room accident filtration system CRAFT is designed for this case and provides supply of fresh air to the MCR/ERC without time limitation. The retention process of the system is based on the dynamic adsorption of noble gases on activated carbon. The system consists of delay lines (carbon columns) which are operated by a continuous and simultaneous adsorption and desorption process. These cycles ensure a periodic load and flushing of the delay lines retaining the noble gases from entering the MCR. CRAFT allows a minimization of the dose rate inside MCR/ERC and ensures a low radiation exposure to the staff on shift maintaining

Prospects of Optical Single Atom Detection in Noble Gas Solids for Measurements of Rare Nuclear Reactions

Science.gov (United States)

Singh, Jaideep; Bailey, Kevin G.; Lu, Zheng-Tian; Mueller, Peter; O'Connor, Thomas P.; Xu, Chen-Yu; Tang, Xiaodong

2013-04-01

Optical detection of single atoms captured in solid noble gas matrices provides an alternative technique to study rare nuclear reactions relevant to nuclear astrophysics. I will describe the prospects of applying this approach for cross section measurements of the ^22Ne,,),25Mg reaction, which is the crucial neutron source for the weak s process inside of massive stars. Noble gas solids are a promising medium for the capture, detection, and manipulation of atoms and nuclear spins. They provide stable and chemically inert confinement for a wide variety of guest species. Because noble gas solids are transparent at optical wavelengths, the guest atoms can be probed using lasers. We have observed that ytterbium in solid neon exhibits intersystem crossing (ISC) which results in a strong green fluorescence (546 nm) under excitation with blue light (389 nm). Several groups have observed ISC in many other guest-host pairs, notably magnesium in krypton. Because of the large wavelength separation of the excitation light and fluorescence light, optical detection of individual embedded guest atoms is feasible. This work is supported by DOE, Office of Nuclear Physics, under contract DE-AC02-06CH11357.

Mechanisms of disruptions caused by noble gas injection into tokamak plasmas

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Morozov, D.Kh.; Yurchenko, E.I.; Lukash, V.E.; Baronova, E.O.; Pozdnyakov, Yu.I.; Rozhansky, V.A.; Senichenkov, I.Yu.; Veselova, I.Yu.; Schneider, R.

2005-01-01

Noble gas injection for disruption mitigation in DIII-D is simulated. The simulation of the first two stages of the disruption is performed: the first one is the neutral gas jet penetration through the background plasmas, and the second one is the instability growth. In order to simulate the first stage, the MHD pellet code LLP with improved radiation model for noble gas is used. Plasma cooling at this stage is provided by the energy exchange with the jet. The opacity effects in radiation losses are found to be important in the energy balance calculations. The magnetic surfaces in contact with the jet are cooled significantly; however, the temperature as well as the electric conductivity, remains high. The cooling front propagates towards the plasma centre. It has been shown that the cooling front is accompanied by strongly localized 'shark fin-like' perturbation in toroidal current density profile. The simplified cylindrical model shows that the cooling front is able to produce the internal kink-like mode with growth rate significantly higher than the tearing mode. The unstable kink perturbation obtained is non-resonant for any magnetic surface, both inside the plasma column, and in the vacuum space outside the separatrix. The mode disturbs mainly the core region. The growth time of the 'shark fin-like' mode is higher than the Alfven time by a factor of 10-100 for DIII-D parameters

International Conference on LIght Detection in Noble Elements

CERN Document Server

2016-01-01

The objective of the Light Detection in Noble Elements (LIDINE) 2015 conference is to promote discussion between the members of the particle and nuclear physics communities about light and charge collection in detectors based on liquid or gaseous noble elements, xenon and argon being the most common, but neon and helium also in use, and represented at this conference. The neutrino physics, ultra-cold neutron study, dark matter search, and medical physics communities all utilize noble-based detector technologies, recording UV scintillation and/or ionization. Therefore, this will be an interdisciplinary opportunity for information exchange, and a chance for each of these communities enumerated above, in the U.S. as well as abroad, to expand their technical knowledge bases.

Muonium formation in noble gases and noble gas mixtures

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Stambaugh, R.D.; Casperson, D.E.; Crane, T.W.; Hughes, V.W.; Kaspar, H.F.; Souder, P.; Thompson, P.A.; Orth, H.; zu Putlitz, G.; Denison, A.B.

1974-01-01

An experiment is reported to study the behavior of positive muons stopped in He, Ne, and Xe in order to provide a more complete understanding of muonium formation in the noble gases. Free muon and muonium precession are plotted. (U.S.)

Potential energy surfaces for alkali plus noble gas pairs: a systematic comparison

Science.gov (United States)

Blank, L. Aaron; Kedziora, Gary S.; Weeks, David E.

2010-02-01

Optically Pumped Alkali Lasers (OPAL) involve interactions of alkali atoms with a buffer gas typically consisting of a noble gas together with C2H4. Line broadening mechanisms are of particular interest because they can be used to match a broad optical pumping source with relatively narrow alkali absorption spectra. To better understand the line broadening processes at work in OPAL systems we focus on the noble gas collisional partners. A matrix of potential energy surfaces (PES) has been generated at the multi-configurational self consistent field (MCSCF) level for M + Ng, where M=Li, Na, K, Rb, Cs and Ng=He, Ne, Ar. The PES include the X2Σ ground state surface and the A2II, B2Σ excited state surfaces. In addition to the MCSCF surfaces, PES for Li+He have been calculated at the multi-reference singles and doubles configuration interaction (MRSDCI) level with spin-orbit splitting effects included. These surfaces provide a way to check the qualitative applicability of the MCSCF calculations. They also exhibit the avoided crossing between the B2Σ and A2II1/2 surfaces that is partially responsible for collision induced relaxation from the 2P3/2 to the 2P1/2 atomic levels.

Using Noble Gas Measurements to Derive Air-Sea Process Information and Predict Physical Gas Saturations

Science.gov (United States)

Hamme, Roberta C.; Emerson, Steven R.; Severinghaus, Jeffrey P.; Long, Matthew C.; Yashayaev, Igor

2017-10-01

Dissolved gas distributions are important because they influence oceanic habitats and Earth's climate, yet competing controls by biology and physics make gas distributions challenging to predict. Bubble-mediated gas exchange, temperature change, and varying atmospheric pressure all push gases away from equilibrium. Here we use new noble gas measurements from the Labrador Sea to demonstrate a technique to quantify physical processes. Our analysis shows that water-mass formation can be represented by a quasi steady state in which bubble fluxes and cooling push gases away from equilibrium balanced by diffusive gas exchange forcing gases toward equilibrium. We quantify the rates of these physical processes from our measurements, allowing direct comparison to gas exchange parameterizations, and predict the physically driven saturation of other gases. This technique produces predictions that reasonably match N2/Ar observations and demonstrates that physical processes should force SF6 to be ˜6% more supersaturated than CFC-11 and CFC-12, impacting ventilation age calculations.

Element distribution and noble gas isotopic abundances in lunar meteorite Allan Hills A81005

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Kraehenbuehl, U.; Eugster, O.; Niedermann, S.

1986-01-01

Antarctic meteorite ALLAN HILLS A81005, an anorthositic breccia, is recognized to be of lunar origin. The noble gases in this meteorite were analyzed and found to be solar-wind implanted gases, whose absolute and relative concentrations are quite similar to those in lunar regolith samples. A sample of this meteorite was obtained for the analysis of the noble gas isotopes, including Kr(81), and for the determination of the elemental abundances. In order to better determine the volume derived from the surface correlated gases, grain size fractions were prepared. The results of the instrumental measurements of the gamma radiation are listed. From the amounts of cosmic ray produced noble gases and respective production rates, the lunar surface residence times were calculated. It was concluded that the lunar surface time is about half a billion years

Noble gas separation from nuclear reactor effluents using selective adsorption with inorganic adsorbents

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Pence, D.T.; Paplawsky, W.J.

1981-01-01

A radioactive waste gas treatment system utilizing selective adsorption on inorganic adsorbents is described for application to PWRs. The system operates at near ambient pressure, does not require a hydrogen recombiner, has low radioactive gas inventories, and is cost competitive with existing treatment systems. The proposed technique is also applicable for recovery of noble gases from the containment building of a nuclear reactor after an accident. A system design for this application is also presented

A novel method for producing multiple ionization of noble gas

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Wang Li; Li Haiyang; Dai Dongxu; Bai Jiling; Lu Richang

1997-01-01

We introduce a novel method for producing multiple ionization of He, Ne, Ar, Kr and Xe. A nanosecond pulsed electron beam with large number density, which could be energy-controlled, was produced by incidence a focused 308 nm laser beam onto a stainless steel grid. On Time-of-Flight Mass Spectrometer, using this electron beam, we obtained multiple ionization of noble gas He, Ne, Ar and Xe. Time of fight mass spectra of these ions were given out. These ions were supposed to be produced by step by step ionization of the gas atoms by electron beam impact. This method may be used as a ideal soft ionizing point ion source in Time of Flight Mass Spectrometer

Noble gas composition of subcontinental lithospheric mantle: An extensively degassed reservoir beneath Southern Patagonia

Science.gov (United States)

Jalowitzki, Tiago; Sumino, Hirochika; Conceição, Rommulo V.; Orihashi, Yuji; Nagao, Keisuke; Bertotto, Gustavo W.; Balbinot, Eduardo; Schilling, Manuel E.; Gervasoni, Fernanda

2016-09-01

Patagonia, in the Southern Andes, is one of the few locations where interactions between the oceanic and continental lithosphere can be studied due to subduction of an active spreading ridge beneath the continent. In order to characterize the noble gas composition of Patagonian subcontinental lithospheric mantle (SCLM), we present the first noble gas data alongside new lithophile (Sr-Nd-Pb) isotopic data for mantle xenoliths from Pali-Aike Volcanic Field and Gobernador Gregores, Southern Patagonia. Based on noble gas isotopic compositions, Pali-Aike mantle xenoliths represent intrinsic SCLM with higher (U + Th + K)/(3He, 22Ne, 36Ar) ratios than the mid-ocean ridge basalt (MORB) source. This reservoir shows slightly radiogenic helium (3He/4He = 6.84-6.90 RA), coupled with a strongly nucleogenic neon signature (mantle source 21Ne/22Ne = 0.085-0.094). The 40Ar/36Ar ratios vary from a near-atmospheric ratio of 510 up to 17700, with mantle source 40Ar/36Ar between 31100-6800+9400 and 54000-9600+14200. In addition, the 3He/22Ne ratios for the local SCLM endmember, at 12.03 ± 0.15 to 13.66 ± 0.37, are higher than depleted MORBs, at 3He/22Ne = 8.31-9.75. Although asthenospheric mantle upwelling through the Patagonian slab window would result in a MORB-like metasomatism after collision of the South Chile Ridge with the Chile trench ca. 14 Ma, this mantle reservoir could have remained unhomogenized after rapid passage and northward migration of the Chile Triple Junction. The mantle endmember xenon isotopic ratios of Pali-Aike mantle xenoliths, which is first defined for any SCLM-derived samples, show values indistinguishable from the MORB source (129Xe/132Xe =1.0833-0.0053+0.0216 and 136Xe/132Xe =0.3761-0.0034+0.0246). The noble gas component observed in Gobernador Gregores mantle xenoliths is characterized by isotopic compositions in the MORB range in terms of helium (3He/4He = 7.17-7.37 RA), but with slightly nucleogenic neon (mantle source 21Ne/22Ne = 0.065-0.079). We

Daya Bay Antineutrino Detector Gas System

OpenAIRE

Band, H. R.; Cherwinka, J. J.; Chu, M-C.; Heeger, K. M.; Kwok, M. W.; Shih, K.; Wise, T.; Xiao, Q.

2012-01-01

The Daya Bay Antineutrino Detector gas system is designed to protect the liquid scintillator targets of the antineutrino detectors against degradation and contamination from exposure to ambient laboratory air. The gas system is also used to monitor the leak tightness of the antineutrino detector assembly. The cover gas system constantly flushes the gas volumes above the liquid scintillator with dry nitrogen to minimize oxidation of the scintillator over the five year lifetime of the experimen...

Hydration of the Atlantis Massif: Halogen, Noble Gas and In-Situ δ18O Constraints

Science.gov (United States)

Williams, M. J.; Kendrick, M. A.; Rubatto, D.

2017-12-01

A combination of halogen (Cl, Br, I), noble gases (He, Ne, Ar, Kr and Xe) and in situ oxygen isotope analysis have been utilized to investigate the fluid-mobile element record of hydration and alteration processes at the Atlantis Massif (30°N on the Mid-Atlantic Ridge). The sample suite investigated includes serpentinite, talc-amphibole ± chlorite schist and hydrated gabbro recovered by seafloor drilling undertaken at sites on a transect across the Atlantis Massif during IODP Expedition 357. Serpentine mesh and veins analysed in-situ by SHRIMP SI exhibit δ18O from 6‰ down to ≈0‰, suggesting serpentinization temperatures of 150 to >280°C and water/rock ratios >5. Differences of 1.5-2.5‰ are observed between adjacent generations of serpentine, but the δ18O range is similar at each investigated drilling site. Halogen and noble gas abundances in serpentinites, talc-amphibole schist and hydrated gabbro have been measured by noble gas mass spectrometry of both irradiated and non-irradiated samples. Serpentinites contain low abundances of halogens and noble gases (e.g. 70-430 ppm Cl, 4.7-12.2 x 10-14 mol/g 36Ar) relative to other seafloor serpentinites. The samples have systematically different Br/Cl and I/Cl ratios related to their mineralogy. Serpentinites retain mantle-like Br/Cl with a wide variation in I/Cl that stretches toward seawater values. Talc-amphibole schists exhibit depletion of Br and I relative to Cl with increasing Cl abundances, suggesting tremolite exerts strong control on halogen abundance ratios. Serpentinites show no evidence of interaction with halogen-rich sedimentary pore fluids. Iodine abundances are variable across serpentinites, and are decoupled from Br and Cl; iodine enrichment (up to 530 ppb) is observed within relatively oxidised and clay-bearing samples. Serpentinized harzburgites exhibit distinct depletion of Kr and Xe relative to atmospheric 36Ar in seawater. Oxygen isotope compositions and low abundances of both halogens

Cryogenic system for collecting noble gases from boiling water reactor off-gas

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Schmauch, G.E.

1973-01-01

In boiling water reactors, noncondensible gases are expelled from the main condenser. This off-gas stream is composed largely of radiolytic hydrogen and oxygen, air in-leakage, and traces of fission product krypton and xenon. In the Air Products' treatment system, the stoichiometric hydrogen and oxygen are reacted to form water in a catalytic recombiner. The design of the catalytic recombiner is an extension of industrial gas technology developed for purification of argon and helium. The off-gas after the recombiner is processed by cryogenic air-separation technology. The gas is compressed, passed into a reversing heat exchanger where water vapor and carbon dioxide are frozen out, further cooled, and expanded into a distillation column where refrigeration is provided by addition of liquid nitrogen. More than 99.99 percent of the krypton and essentially 100 percent of the xenon entering the column are accumulated in the column bottoms. Every three to six months, the noble-gas concentrate accumulated in the column bottom is removed as liquid, vaporized, diluted with steam, mixed with hydrogen in slight excess of oxygen content, and fed to a small recombiner where all the oxygen reacts to form water. The resulting gas stream, containing from 20 to 40 percent noble gases, is compressed into small storage cylinders for indefinite retention or for decay of all fission gases except krypton-85, followed by subsequent release under controlled conditions and favorable meteorology. This treatment system is based on proven technology that is practiced throughout the industrial gas industry. Only the presence of radioactive materials in the process stream and the application in a nuclear power plant environment are new. Adaptations to meet these new conditions can be made without sacrificing performance, reliability, or safety

Calibration of a Noble Gas Mass Spectrometer with an Atmospheric Argon Standard (Invited)

Science.gov (United States)

Prasad, V.; Grove, M.

2009-12-01

Like other mass spectrometers, gas source instruments are very good at precisely measuring isotopic ratios but need to be calibrated with a standard to be accurate. The need for calibration arises due to the complicated ionization process which inefficiently and differentially creates ions from the various isotopes that make up the elemental gas. Calibration of the ionization process requires materials with well understood isotopic compositions as standards. Our project goal was to calibrate a noble gas (Noblesse) mass spectrometer with a purified air sample. Our sample obtained from Ocean Beach in San Francisco was under known temperature, pressure, volume, humidity. We corrected the pressure for humidity and used the ideal gas law to calculate the number of moles of argon gas. We then removed all active gasses using specialized equipment designed for this purpose at the United States Geological Survey. At the same time, we measured the volume ratios of various parts of the gas extraction line system associated with the Noblesse mass spectrometer. Using this data, we calculated how much Ar was transferred to the reservoir from the vacuum-sealed vial that contained the purified gas standard. Using similar measurements, we also calculated how much Ar was introduced into the extraction line from a pipette system and how much of this Ar was ultimately expanded into the Noblesse mass spectrometer. Based upon this information, it was possible to calibrate the argon sensitivity of the mass spectrometer. From a knowledge of the isotopic composition of air, it was also possible to characterize how ionized argon isotopes were fractionated during analysis. By repeatedly analyzing our standard we measured a 40Ar Sensitivity of 2.05 amps/bar and a 40Ar/36Ar ratio of 309.2 on the Faraday detector. In contrast, measurements carried out by ion counting using electron multipliers yield a value (296.8) which is much closer to the actual atmospheric 40Ar/36Ar value of 295.5.

Binary-collision-approximation-based simulation of noble gas irradiation to tungsten materials

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Saito, Seiki; Takayama, Arimichi; Ito, Atsushi M.; Nakamura, Hiroaki

2013-01-01

To reveal the possibility of fuzz formation of tungsten material under noble gas irradiation, helium, neon, and argon atom injections into tungsten materials are performed by binary-collision-approximation-based simulation. The penetration depth is strongly depends on the structure of the target material. Therefore, the penetration depth for amorphous and bcc crystalline structure is carefully investigated in this paper

Detection of low-level environmental exposure rates due to noble gas releases from the Muehleberg nuclear power plant

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Czarnecki, J.; Volkle, H.; Pretre, S.

1980-01-01

The increase of radiation doses in the vicinity of the Swiss Nuclear Power Stations due to airborne releases is generally expected to be below one mrem/year (about one percent of the natural radiation dose). To prove this expected rate, long term measurements with pressure ionization chambers in the vicinity of the Muhleberg plant (BWR) were conducted. Two of these chambers were installed at places where the greatest dose rates from the noble gas plumes were expected in the two prevailing wind directions. The local dose rates were continuously registered on magnetic tape to allow minicomputer evaluation. After the fuel change in the summer of 1976 the noble gas releases from Muhleberg dropped considerably. From that time the noble gas releases consisted of a very low continuous component and some rare short-time spike compoments resulting from turbine and reactor trips. The dose due to the low continuous component was determined by correlating the dose rates at the measuring points with the release measure--ments at the stack and with weather conditions, and by subtracting the natural background. The short noble gas spikes lasted from minutes to some hours and caused small dose rate increases which were easily measured with the ionization chambers, and usually amounted to doses of some microroentgens. By further correlating these dose peaks with wind direction and stack emission measurements, determination of short time atmospheric dilution factors for existing weather situations became possible. By this process, the very low annual environmental doses in the range of 1 mrem per year were determined. (author)

Small angle elastic scattering of electrons by noble gas atoms

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Wagenaar, R.W.

1984-01-01

In this thesis, measurements are carried out to obtain small angle elastic differential cross sections in order to check the validity of Kramers-Kronig dispersion relations for electrons scattered by noble gas atoms. First, total cross sections are obtained for argon, krypton and xenon. Next, a parallel plate electrostatic energy analyser for the simultaneous measurement of doubly differential cross section for small angle electron scattering is described. Also absolute differential cross sections are reported. Finally the forward dispersion relation for electron-helium collisions is dealt with. (Auth.)

Long-range interactions of excited He atoms with ground-state noble-gas atoms

KAUST Repository

Zhang, J.-Y.; Qian, Ying; Schwingenschlö gl, Udo; Yan, Z.-C.

2013-01-01

The dispersion coefficients C6, C8, and C10 for long-range interactions of He(n1,3S) and He(n1,3P), 2≤n≤10, with the ground-state noble-gas atoms Ne, Ar, Kr, and Xe are calculated by summing over the reduced matrix elements of multipole transition

Determining the source and genetic fingerprint of natural gases using noble gas geochemistry: a northern Appalachian Basin case study

Science.gov (United States)

Hunt, Andrew G.; Darrah, Thomas H.; Poreda, Robert J.

2012-01-01

Silurian and Devonian natural gas reservoirs present within New York state represent an example of unconventional gas accumulations within the northern Appalachian Basin. These unconventional energy resources, previously thought to be noneconomically viable, have come into play following advances in drilling (i.e., horizontal drilling) and extraction (i.e., hydraulic fracturing) capabilities. Therefore, efforts to understand these and other domestic and global natural gas reserves have recently increased. The suspicion of fugitive mass migration issues within current Appalachian production fields has catalyzed the need to develop a greater understanding of the genetic grouping (source) and migrational history of natural gases in this area. We introduce new noble gas data in the context of published hydrocarbon carbon (C1,C2+) (13C) data to explore the genesis of thermogenic gases in the Appalachian Basin. This study includes natural gases from two distinct genetic groups: group 1, Upper Devonian (Marcellus shale and Canadaway Group) gases generated in situ, characterized by early mature (13C[C1  C2][13C113C2]: –9), isotopically light methane, with low (4He) (average, 1  103 cc/cc) elevated 4He/40Ar and 21Ne/40Ar (where the asterisk denotes excess radiogenic or nucleogenic production beyond the atmospheric ratio), and a variable, atmospherically (air-saturated–water) derived noble gas component; and group 2, a migratory natural gas that emanated from Lower Ordovician source rocks (i.e., most likely, Middle Ordovician Trenton or Black River group) that is currently hosted primarily in Lower Silurian sands (i.e., Medina or Clinton group) characterized by isotopically heavy, mature methane (13C[C1 – C2] [13C113C2]: 3), with high (4He) (average, 1.85  103 cc/cc) 4He/40Ar and 21Ne/40Ar near crustal production levels and elevated crustal noble gas content (enriched 4He,21Ne, 40Ar). Because the release of each crustal noble gas (i.e., He, Ne, Ar

The International Monitoring System's Noble Gas Network

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Auer, M.

2015-01-01

The International Monitoring System (IMS) is a unique global network for surveillance of the Comprehensive Nuclear-Test-Ban Treaty. A major component of the IMS is the radionuclide monitoring network since, among all IMS technologies, it can provide the most unequivocal evidence for a nuclear explosion. The radionuclide monitoring component is unprecedented in its combination of global coverage, sensitivity, network density and temporal resolution. In particular for the detection of underground or underwater nuclear tests, forty of the eighty radionuclide stations will eventually be equipped with sensors to measure the Xenon isotopes Xe-131m (τ 1/2 = 11:8 d), Xe-133 (τ 1/2 = 5:25 d), Xe-133m (τ 1/2 = 2:2 d) and Xe-135 (τ 1/2 = 9:14 h). These are among the isotopes with the highest yields in fission of uranium or plutonium with half-lives long enough to be detected at large distances from the point of emission. As of today, 31 noble gas systems have been installed and are sending data to the International Data Centre. The noble gas systems installed at the stations are automated and sample Xenon continuously from atmospheric air for 12 or 24 hours at an air flow of 0.5 to several m 3 /h by absorption of Xenon on activated charcoal. Detection of the Xenon isotopes is either by high resolution gamma spectrometry or by beta-gamma coincidence spectrometry. With the currently available equipment, detection limits of 0.2 mBq/m 3 can be achieved. An overview on the existing technology and future developments as well as on the interpretation of measurement results is given. (author)

ABOUT THE POSSIBLE ROLE OF HYDROCARBON LAKES IN THE ORIGIN OF TITAN'S NOBLE GAS ATMOSPHERIC DEPLETION

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Cordier, D.; Mousis, O.; Lunine, J. I.; Lebonnois, S.; Lavvas, P.; Lobo, L. Q.; Ferreira, A. G. M.

2010-01-01

An unexpected feature of Titan's atmosphere is the strong depletion in primordial noble gases revealed by the Gas Chromatograph Mass Spectrometer aboard the Huygens probe during its descent on 2005 January 14. Although several plausible explanations have already been formulated, no definitive response to this issue has yet been found. Here, we investigate the possible sequestration of these noble gases in the liquid contained in lakes and wet terrains on Titan and the consequences for their atmospheric abundances. Considering the atmosphere and the liquid existing on the soil as a whole system, we compute the abundance of each noble gas relative to nitrogen. To do so, we make the assumption of thermodynamic equilibrium between the liquid and the atmosphere, the abundances of the different constituents being determined via regular solution theory. We find that xenon's atmospheric depletion can be explained by its dissolution at ambient temperature in the liquid presumably present on Titan's soil. In the cases of argon and krypton, we find that the fractions incorporated in the liquid are negligible, implying that an alternative mechanism must be invoked to explain their atmospheric depletion.

Chemical activity of noble gases Kr and Xe and its impact on fission gas accumulation in the irradiated UO2 fuel

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Szuta, M.

2006-01-01

It is generally accepted that most of the insoluble inert gas atoms Xe and Kr produced during fissioning are retained in the fuel irradiated at a temperature lower than the threshold. Experimental data imply that we can assume that after irradiation exposure in excess of 10 18 fissions/cm 3 the single gas atom diffusion can be disregarded in description of fission gas behaviour. It is assumed that the vicinity of the fission fragment trajectory is the place of intensive irradiation induced chemical interaction of the fission gas products with UO 2 . Significant part of fission gas product is thus expected to be chemically bound in the matrix of UO 2 . Experiments with mixture of noble gases, coupled with theoretical calculations, provide strong evidence for direct bonds between Ar, Kr, or Xe atoms and the U atom of the CUO molecule. Because of its positive charge, the UO 2 2+ ion, which is isoelectronic with CUO, should form even stronger bonds with noble gas atoms, which could lead to a growing number of complexes that contain direct noble gas - to - actinide bonds. Considering the huge amount of gas immobilised in the UO 2 fuel the solution process and in consequence the re-solution process of rare gases is to be replaced by the chemical bonding process. This explains the fission gas accumulation in the irradiated UO 2 fuel. (author)

Potential Energy Curves and Associated Line Shape of Alkali-Metal and Noble-Gas Interactions

Science.gov (United States)

2014-10-20

work. The ab initio calculations for M + Ng molecular combina- tions are reported and discussed in Chapter 3. Chapter 4 discusses both pedagogical ...mass of the noble-gas atom decreases. These barriers at R = rb are accompanied by shallow wells at R = rmin2 and, together with the shallow wells

Detectors for Particle Radiation

Science.gov (United States)

Kleinknecht, Konrad

1999-01-01

This textbook provides a clear, concise and comprehensive review of the physical principles behind the devices used to detect charged particles and gamma rays, and the construction and performance of these many different types of detectors. Detectors for high-energy particles and radiation are used in many areas of science, especially particle physics and nuclear physics experiments, nuclear medicine, cosmic ray measurements, space sciences and geological exploration. This second edition includes all the latest developments in detector technology, including several new chapters covering micro-strip gas chambers, silicion strip detectors and CCDs, scintillating fibers, shower detectors using noble liquid gases, and compensating calorimeters for hadronic showers. This well-illustrated textbook contains examples from the many areas in science in which these detectors are used. It provides both a coursebook for students in physics, and a useful introduction for researchers in other fields.

Testing of a prototype of calibration facility for noble gas monitoring using 41Ar

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Saibathulham, Holnisar; Wurdiyanto, Gatot; Marsum, Pujadi

2012-01-01

A prototype of a calibration facility for noble gas monitoring using 41 Ar in the PTKMR-BATAN has been tested. The facility was designed in such a way that the standard source of gas can be reused. The radioactive 41 Ar source was obtained by thermal neutron reaction of 40 Ar(n, γ) 41 Ar using a thermal neutron flux of 4.8×10 13 neutrons per cm 2 per second in two minutes on the multipurpose G.A. Siwabessy Reactor (Batan, Serpong, Indonesia). Gamma spectrometry was used to measure the radioactivity and purity of 41 Ar. The spectrum of the 41 Ar observed yields an energy of 1294 keV because of the highest intensity (99.2%). The activity of 41 Ar was 2821 kBq and 4% of the expanded uncertainty. The time required for 41 Ar to reach homogeneity was 7 min, and the effectiveness of resuse was 53%. - Highlights: ► Testing of a calibration facility prototype for noble gas monitor using 41 Ar in PTKMR-BATAN. ► This facility was designed such that a standard radioactive gas source can be used repeatedly. ► Standardization of the 41 Ar is performed using gamma spectrometry. ► The time required for the 41 Ar gas to be distributed evenly throughout the cavity of the facility was 7 min. ► The effectiveness of repeated use was 53%.

Gas transport below artificial recharge ponds: insights from dissolved noble gases and a dual gas (SF6 and 3He) tracer experiment.

Science.gov (United States)

Clark, Jordan F; Hudson, G Bryant; Avisar, Dror

2005-06-01

A dual gas tracer experiment using sulfur hexafluoride (SF6) and an isotope of helium (3He) and measurements of dissolved noble gases was performed at the El Rio spreading grounds to examine gas transport and trapped air below an artificial recharge pond with a very high recharge rate (approximately 4 m day(-1)). Noble gas concentrations in the groundwater were greater than in surface water due to excess air formation showing that trapped air exists below the pond. Breakthrough curves of SF6 and 3He at two nearby production wells were very similar and suggest that nonequilibrium gas transfer was occurring between the percolating water and the trapped air. At one well screened between 50 and 90 m below ground, both tracers were detected after 5 days and reached a maximum at approximately 24 days. Despite the potential dilution caused by mixing within the production well, the maximum concentration was approximately 25% of the mean pond concentration. More than 50% of the SF6 recharged was recovered by the production wells during the 18 month long experiment. Our results demonstrate that at artificial recharge sites with high infiltration rates and moderately deep water tables, transport times between recharge locations and wells determined with gas tracer experiments are reliable.

Metal-organic frameworks for adsorption and separation of noble gases

Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

Allendorf, Mark D.; Greathouse, Jeffery A.; Staiger, Chad

2017-05-30

A method including exposing a gas mixture comprising a noble gas to a metal organic framework (MOF), including an organic electron donor and an adsorbent bed operable to adsorb a noble gas from a mixture of gases, the adsorbent bed including a metal organic framework (MOF) including an organic electron donor.

Gas pixel detectors

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Bellazzini, R.; Baldini, L.; Brez, A.; Cavalca, F.; Latronico, L.; Massai, M.M.; Minuti, M.; Omodei, N.; Pesce-Rollins, M.; Sgro, C.; Spandre, G.; Costa, E.; Soffitta, P.

2007-01-01

With the Gas Pixel Detector (GPD), the class of micro-pattern gas detectors has reached a complete integration between the gas amplification structure and the read-out electronics. To obtain this goal, three generations of application-specific integrated circuit of increased complexity and improved functionality has been designed and fabricated in deep sub-micron CMOS technology. This implementation has allowed manufacturing a monolithic device, which realizes, at the same time, the pixelized charge-collecting electrode and the amplifying, shaping and charge measuring front-end electronics of a GPD. A big step forward in terms of size and performances has been obtained in the last version of the 0.18 μm CMOS analog chip, where over a large active area of 15x15 mm 2 a very high channel density (470 pixels/mm 2 ) has been reached. On the top metal layer of the chip, 105,600 hexagonal pixels at 50 μm pitch have been patterned. The chip has customable self-trigger capability and includes a signal pre-processing function for the automatic localization of the event coordinates. In this way, by limiting the output signal to only those pixels belonging to the region of interest, it is possible to reduce significantly the read-out time and data volume. In-depth tests performed on a GPD built up by coupling this device to a fine pitch (50 μm) gas electron multiplier are reported. Matching of the gas amplification and read-out pitch has let to obtain optimal results. A possible application of this detector for X-ray polarimetry of astronomical sources is discussed

Primordial Noble Gases from Earth's Core

Science.gov (United States)

Wang, K.; Lu, X.; Brodholt, J. P.

2016-12-01

Recent partitioning experiment suggests helium is more compatible in iron melt than in molten silicates at high pressures (> 10 GPa) (1), thus provide the possibility of the core as being the primordial noble gases warehouse that is responsible for the high primordial/radiogenic noble gas isotopic ratios observed in plume-related basalts. However, the possible transportation mechanism of the noble gases from the core to the overlying mantle is still ambiguous, understanding how this process would affect the noble gas isotopic characteristics of the mantle is critical to validate this core reservoir model. As diffusion is a dominant mass transport process that plays an important role in chemical exchange at the core-mantle boundary (CMB), we have determined the diffusion coefficients of helium, neon and argon in major lower mantle minerals, i.e. periclase (MgO), bridgemanite (MgSiO3-Pv) and post-perovskite (MgSiO3-PPv), by first-principles calculation based on density functional theory (DFT). As expected, the diffusion rate of helium is the fastest at the CMB, which is in the range of 3 × 10-10 to 1 × 10-8 m2/s. The neon diffusion is slightly slower, from 5 × 10-10 to 5 × 10-9 m2/s. Argon diffuses slowest at the rate from 1 × 10-10 to 2 × 10-10 m2/s. We have further simulated the evolution of noble gas isotopic ratios in the mantle near the CMB. Considering its close relationship with the mantle plumes and very likely to be the direct source of "hot-spot" basalts, we took a close investigation on the large low-shear-velocity provinces (LLSVPs). Under reasonable assumptions based on our diffusion parameters, the modelling results indicate that LLSVP is capable of generating all the noble gas isotope signals, e.g., 3He/4He = 55 Ra, 3He/22Ne = 3.1, 3He/36Ar = 0.82, 40Ar/36Ar = 9500, that are in good agreement with the observed values in "hot-spot" basalts (2). Therefore, this core-reservior hypothesis is a self-consistent model that can fits in multiple noble gas

Radiative response on massive noble gas injection for Runaway suppression in disruptive plasmas

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Reiter, Bernhard

2010-01-01

The most direct way to avoid the formation of a relativistic electron beam under the influence of an electric field in a highly conducting plasma, is to increase the electron density to a value, where the retarding collisional force balances the accelerating one. In a disruptive tokamak plasma, rapid cooling induces a high electric field, which could easily violate the force balance and push electrons into the relativistic regime. Such relativistic electrons, the so-called runaways, accumulate many MeV's and can cause substantial damage when they hit the wall. This thesis is based on the principle of rapidly fueling the plasma for holding the force balance even under the influence of high electric fields typical for disruptions. The method of injecting high amounts of noble gas particles into the plasma from a close distance is put into practice in the ASDEX Upgrade fusion test facility. In the framework of this thesis, a multi-channel photometer system based on 144 AXUV detectors in a toroidal stereo measurement setup was built. It kept its promise to provide new insights into the transport mechanisms in a disruptive plasma under the influence of strong radiative interaction dynamics between injected matter and the hot plasma.

Hydrogen gas detector

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Bohl, T.L.

1982-01-01

A differential thermocouple hydrogen gas detector has one thermocouple junction coated with an activated palladium or palladium-silver alloy catalytic material to allow heated hydrogen gas to react with the catalyst and raise the temperature of that junction. The other juction is covered with inert glass or epoxy resin, and does not experience a rise in temperature in the presence of hydrogen gas. A coil heater may be mounted around the thermocouple junctions to heat the hydrogen, or the gas may be passed through a heated block prior to exposing it to the thermocouples

Proportional gas scintillation detectors and their applications

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Petr, I.

1978-01-01

The principle is described of a gas proportional scintillation detector and its function. Dependence of Si(Li) and xenon proportional detectors energy resolution on the input window size is given. A typical design is shown of a xenon detector used for X-ray spetrometry at an energy of 277 eV to 5.898 keV and at a gas pressure of 98 to 270 kPa. Gas proportional scintillation detectors show considerable better energy resolution than common proportional counters and even better resolution than semiconductor Si(Li) detectors for low X radiation energies. For detection areas smaller than 25 mm 2 Si(Li) detectors show better resolution, especially for higher X radiation energies. For window areas 25 to 190 mm 2 both types of detectors are equal, for a window area exceeding 190 mm 2 the proportional scintillation detector has higher energy resolution. (B.S.)

Discharges in the inlet region of a noble gas MHD generator

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Borghi, C.A.

1982-01-01

In this work the onset of the development of the non-equilibrium conductivity in the entrance region of a noble gas MHD generator is investigated both theoretically and experimentally. At low electron densities the discharge seems to be affected by a non-Maxwellian electron distribution. In Chapter II a self-consistent model of a stationary discharge in an Ar-Cs mixture at atmospheric pressure, is set up. It includes the possibility of deviations from a Maxwellian electron energy distribution. The model allows to calculate at what discharge parameters deviations from the Maxwellian electron distribution will become important. In Chapter III the relaxation of the plasma to a new equilibrium situation following a sudden change in the electron thermal energy is calculated by a model which can take radiation and a non-Maxwellian distribution into account. In Chapter IV an Ar-Cs discharge experiment is described with plasma parameters similar to those present in the entrance region of the generator. The ionization relaxation process in a noble gas MHD generator is experimentally studied and described in Chapter V. In this chapter the relaxation ionization region with and without pre-ionization is investigated. Current voltage characteristics are obtained by varying the applied voltage or the external load. The results are confronted with the theoretical results of the non-Maxwellian model developed in Chapter II. Conclusions of this work are drawn in Chapter VI. (Auth.)

A fence line noble gas monitoring system for nuclear power plants

Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

Grasty, R.L.; Hovgaard, J.; LaMarre, J.R

2001-07-01

A noble gas monitoring system has been installed at Ontario Power Generations' Pickering Nuclear Generating Station (PNGS) near Toronto, Canada. This monitoring system allows a direct measure of air kerma from external radiation instead of calculating this based on plant emission data and meteorological models. This has resulted in a reduction in the reported effective dose from external radiation by a factor of at least ten. The system consists of nine self-contained units, each with a 7.6 cm x 7.6 cm (3 inch x 3 inch) NaI(Tl) detector that is calibrated for air kerma. The 512-channel gamma ray spectral information is downloaded daily from each unit to a central computer where the data are stored and processed. A spectral stripping procedure is used to remove natural background variations from the spectral windows used to monitor xenon-133 ({sup 133}Xe), xenon-135 ({sup 135}Xe), argon-41 ({sup 41}Ar), and skyshine radiation from the use of radiography sources. Typical monthly minimum detection limits in air kerma are 0.3 nGy for {sup 133}Xe, 0.7 nGy for {sup 135}Xe, 3 nGy for {sup 41}Ar and 2 nGy for skyshine radiation. Based on 9 months of continuous operation, the annualised air kerma due to {sup 133}Xe, {sup 135}Xe and {sup 41}Ar and skyshine radiation were 7 nGy, 8 nGy, 26 nGy and 107 nGy respectively. (author)

Signal generation in gas detectors

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Stillman, A.

1993-01-01

This tutorial describes the generation of electrical signals in gas detectors. Ionization of the gas by the passage of charged particles generates these signals. Starting with the Bethe-Bloch equation, the treatment is a general introduction to the production of ion-pairs in gas devices. I continue with the characterization of the ionization as an electrical signal, and calculate the signal current in a simple example. Another example demonstrates the effect of space charge on the design of a detector. The AGS Booster ionization profile monitor is a model for this calculation

Noble gases solubility in water

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Crovetto, Rosa; Fernandez Prini, Roberto.

1980-07-01

The available experimental data of solubility of noble gases in water for temperatures smaller than 330 0 C have been critically surveyed. Due to the unique structure of the solvent, the solubility of noble gases in water decreases with temperature passing through a temperature of minimum solubility which is different for each gas, and then increases at higher temperatures. As aresult of the analysis of the experimental data and of the features of the solute-solvent interaction, a generalized equation is proposed which enables thecalculation of Henry's coefficient at different temperatures for all noble gases. (author) [es

EOSN: A TOUGH2 module for noble gases

Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

Shan, Chao; Pruess, Karsten

2003-03-07

We developed a new fluid property module for TOUGH2, called EOSN, to simulate transport of noble gases in the subsurface. Currently, users may select any of five different noble gases as well as CO2, two at a time. For the three gas components (air and two user-specified noble gases) in EOSN, the Henry's coefficients and the diffusivities in the gas phase are no longer assumed constants, but are temperature dependent. We used the Crovetto et al. (1982) model to estimate Henry's coefficients, and the Reid et al. (1987) correlations to calculate gas phase diffusivities. The new module requires users to provide names of the selected noble gases, which properties are provided internally. There are options for users to specify any (non-zero) molecular weights and half-lives for the gas components. We provide two examples to show applications of TOUGH2IEOSN. While temperature effects are relatively insignificant for one example problem where advection is dominant, they cause almost an order of magnitude difference for the other case where diffusion becomes a dominant process and temperature variations are relatively large. It appears that thermodynamic effects on gas diffusivities and Henry's coefficients can be important for low-permeability porous media and zones with large temperature variations.

EOSN: A TOUGH2 module for noble gases

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Shan, Chao; Pruess, Karsten

2003-01-01

We developed a new fluid property module for TOUGH2, called EOSN, to simulate transport of noble gases in the subsurface. Currently, users may select any of five different noble gases as well as CO2, two at a time. For the three gas components (air and two user-specified noble gases) in EOSN, the Henry's coefficients and the diffusivities in the gas phase are no longer assumed constants, but are temperature dependent. We used the Crovetto et al. (1982) model to estimate Henry's coefficients, and the Reid et al. (1987) correlations to calculate gas phase diffusivities. The new module requires users to provide names of the selected noble gases, which properties are provided internally. There are options for users to specify any (non-zero) molecular weights and half-lives for the gas components. We provide two examples to show applications of TOUGH2IEOSN. While temperature effects are relatively insignificant for one example problem where advection is dominant, they cause almost an order of magnitude difference for the other case where diffusion becomes a dominant process and temperature variations are relatively large. It appears that thermodynamic effects on gas diffusivities and Henry's coefficients can be important for low-permeability porous media and zones with large temperature variations

Fireworks in noble gas clusters a first experiment with the new "free-electron laser"

CERN Document Server

2002-01-01

An international group of scientists has published first experiments carried out using the new soft X-ray free-electron laser (FEL) at the research center DESY in Hamburg, Germany. Using small clusters of noble gas atoms, for the first time, researchers studied the interaction of matter with intense X-ray radiation from an FEL on extremely short time scales (1 page).

Improved gas mixtures for gas-filled particle detectors

Science.gov (United States)

Christophorou, L.G.; McCorkle, D.L.; Maxey, D.V.; Carter, J.G.

Improved binary and tertiary gas mixture for gas-filled particle detectors are provided. The components are chosen on the basis of the principle that the first component is one gas or mixture of two gases having a large electron scattering cross section at energies of about 0.5 eV and higher, and the second component is a gas (Ar) having a very small cross section at and below about 0.5 eV; whereby fast electrons in the gaseous mixture are slowed into the energy range of about 0.5 eV where the cross section for the mixture is small and hence the electron mean free path is large. The reduction in both the cross section and the electron energy results in an increase in the drift velocity of the electrons in the gas mixtures over that for the separate components for a range of E/P (pressure-reduced electron field) values. Several gas mixtures are provided that provide faster response in gas-filled detectors for convenient E/P ranges as compared with conventional gas mixtures.

On the noble gas isotopic fractionation in naturally occurring gases

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Marty, B.

1984-01-01

The isotopic composition of neon in the mantle is an important geochemical constraint on the formation of the earth and subsequent degassing. Some deviation of neon isotopic composition in natural gas and rock samples from the atmospheric value which can not be accounted for by the known nuclear process has been reported, and Nagao et al. interpreted the deviation as the result of mass fractionation in natural gas in Japan. The possible cause of such fractionation was investigated. Gaseous diffusion, such as (a) free-molecule diffusion, (b) mutual diffusion and (c) thermal diffusion, is able to cause isotopic fractionation. After the detailed consideration on these three diffusion processes, conclusion that free-molecule diffusion occurs only in very particular condition, and it is questionable that thermal diffusion occurs in nature, were obtained. (b) which means the interaction of two or more gases, is supposed to occur in nature, and is able to confirm experimentally. In mutual diffusion only, gas transfer is concerned, but other form of fractionation should not be neglected. In solid diffusion, gas is trapped by fine grained sedimentary rocks, and may be fractionated by adsorption and communication to exterior through minute channels. Underground water also works as noble gas reservoir. For example, when gas stream is in contact with water, continuous exchange is possible to take place at the interface of gas and liquid, which contributes to the fractionation. (Ishimitsu, A.)

Photoionization of the subvalent subshells of noble gas endohedrals: interference of three resonances

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Amusia, M Ya; Baltenkov, A S; Chernysheva, L V

2008-01-01

We demonstrate strong interference patterns in the photoionization cross-section of the subvalent subshells of noble gas (NG) endohedral atoms NG at F. This interference is a result of common action of three factors: the effect of neighbouring atomic subshells, reflection of photoelectron waves by the fullerene F shell and resonance modification of the incoming photon beam by the complex effect under the action of the F electrons. We have considered the outer ns-subshells for Ne, Ar, Kr and Xe noble gas atoms. The polarization of the fullerene shell is expressed via the F total photoabsorption cross-section. The photoelectron reflection from the static F potential is taken into account in the frame of the so-called bubble potential which is a spherical δ-type potential. It is assumed that the NG atom is centrally located in the fullerene. It is also assumed in accordance with the available experimental data that the fullerene radius is much bigger than the atomic radius and the thickness of the fullerene shell. These assumptions permit the NG at F photoionization cross-section to be presented as a product of the NG atomic cross-section and two calculated factors that account for polarization of the F electron shell and reflection of photoelectrons by the fullerene static potential

Photoionization of the subvalent subshells of noble gas endohedrals: interference of three resonances

Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

Amusia, M Ya [Racah Institute of Physics, Hebrew University, Jerusalem 91904 (Israel); Baltenkov, A S [Arifov Institute of Electronics, Tashkent 100125 (Uzbekistan); Chernysheva, L V [Ioffe Physical-Technical Institute, St.-Petersburg 194021 (Russian Federation)], E-mail: amusia@vms.huji.ac.il

2008-08-28

We demonstrate strong interference patterns in the photoionization cross-section of the subvalent subshells of noble gas (NG) endohedral atoms NG at F. This interference is a result of common action of three factors: the effect of neighbouring atomic subshells, reflection of photoelectron waves by the fullerene F shell and resonance modification of the incoming photon beam by the complex effect under the action of the F electrons. We have considered the outer ns-subshells for Ne, Ar, Kr and Xe noble gas atoms. The polarization of the fullerene shell is expressed via the F total photoabsorption cross-section. The photoelectron reflection from the static F potential is taken into account in the frame of the so-called bubble potential which is a spherical {delta}-type potential. It is assumed that the NG atom is centrally located in the fullerene. It is also assumed in accordance with the available experimental data that the fullerene radius is much bigger than the atomic radius and the thickness of the fullerene shell. These assumptions permit the NG at F photoionization cross-section to be presented as a product of the NG atomic cross-section and two calculated factors that account for polarization of the F electron shell and reflection of photoelectrons by the fullerene static potential.

Detection of Noble Gas Radionuclides from an Underground Nuclear Explosion During a CTBT On-Site Inspection

Science.gov (United States)

Carrigan, Charles R.; Sun, Yunwei

2014-03-01

The development of a technically sound approach to detecting the subsurface release of noble gas radionuclides is a critical component of the on-site inspection (OSI) protocol under the Comprehensive Nuclear Test Ban Treaty. In this context, we are investigating a variety of technical challenges that have a significant bearing on policy development and technical guidance regarding the detection of noble gases and the creation of a technically justifiable OSI concept of operation. The work focuses on optimizing the ability to capture radioactive noble gases subject to the constraints of possible OSI scenarios. This focus results from recognizing the difficulty of detecting gas releases in geologic environments—a lesson we learned previously from the non-proliferation experiment (NPE). Most of our evaluations of a sampling or transport issue necessarily involve computer simulations. This is partly due to the lack of OSI-relevant field data, such as that provided by the NPE, and partly a result of the ability of computer-based models to test a range of geologic and atmospheric scenarios far beyond what could ever be studied by field experiments, making this approach very highly cost effective. We review some highlights of the transport and sampling issues we have investigated and complete the discussion of these issues with a description of a preliminary design for subsurface sampling that addresses some of the sampling challenges discussed here.

The Effect of Aqueous Alteration on Primordial Noble Gases in CM Chondrites

Science.gov (United States)

Weimer, D.; Busemann, H.; Alexander, C. M. O'D.; Maden, C.

2017-07-01

We have analyzed 32 CM chondrites for their noble gas contents and isotopic compositions and calculated CRE ages. Correlated effects of parent body aqueous alteration with primordial noble gas contents were detected.

Switching a gas detector types misromegas

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Hafsi, Marwa; Gannouni, Sonia

2010-01-01

Micromegas is a gas enclosure made up of two stages separated by a micro grille: the first volume of gas, 2 cm is limited by cathode and the micro grille, is the space of conversion or of drift where are creating the primary electron-ion pairs. The second volume, 100 μ m limited by the micro grille and the plan of conduction (anode), is the space of amplification which with the function to amplify the electrons by phenomenon d' avalanche. The function of this type of detector rests on various physical parameters which come into play: speed of drift of the electrons in gas, space and temporal resolution, attachment The simulations allow studying these parameters to optimize the operation of the detector by choosing a good compromise, in particular with regard to the composition of gas. Two simulation programs used to understand certain physical phenomena (configuration of the field electric in the detector, properties of transport of the electrons in gas) are Garfield and Magboltz.

Progress in micro-pattern gas detectors

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Bellazzini, Ronaldo

2001-01-01

Micro-Pattern Gas Detectors are position-sensitive proportional counters whose sense electrodes are constructed using micro-electronics , thin-film or advanced PCB techniques.The feature size attainable using these methods is of the order of a few microns and the detectors demonstrate excellent spatial resolution and fast charge collection. I will review recent progress on Micro patterned Gas Detectors for tracking and other cross-disciplinary applications.I will focus on the design principles,performance capability and limitations. A short list of interesting applications will be discussed

Field tests and commercialization of natural gas leak detectors

Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

Choi, D S; Jeon, J S; Kim, K D; Cho, Y A [R and D Center, Korea Gas Corporation, Ansan (Korea)

1999-09-01

Objectives - (1) fields test of industrial gas leak detection monitoring system. (2) commericialization of residential gas leak detector. Contents - (1) five sets of gas leak detection monitoring system were installed at natural gas transmition facilities and tested long term stability and their performance. (2) improved residential gas leak detector was commercialised. Expected benefits and application fields - (1) contribution to the improvement of domestic gas sensor technology. (2) localization of fabrication technology for gas leak detectors. 23 refs., 126 figs., 37 tabs.

Noble gas atmospheric monitoring at reprocessing facilities

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Nakhleh, C.W.; Perry, R.T. Jr.; Poths, J.; Stanbro, W.D.; Wilson, W.B.; Fearey, B.L.

1997-01-01

The discovery in Iraq after the Gulf War of the existence of a large clandestine nuclear-weapon program has led to an across-the-board international effort, dubbed Programme 93+2, to improve the effectiveness and efficiency of International Atomic Energy Agency (IAEA) safeguards. One particularly significant potential change is the introduction of environmental monitoring (EM) techniques as an adjunct to traditional safeguards methods. Monitoring of stable noble gas (Kr, Xe) isotopic abundances at reprocessing plant stacks appears to be able to yield information on the burnup and type of the fuel being processed. To estimate the size of these signals, model calculations of the production of stable Kr, Xe nuclides in reactor fuel and the subsequent dilution of these nuclides in the plant stack are carried out for two case studies: reprocessing of PWR fuel with a burnup of 35 GWd/tU, and reprocessing of CAND fuel with a burnup of 1 GWd/tU. For each case, a maximum-likelihood analysis is used to determine the fuel burnup and type from the isotopic data

The persistence of natural CO2 accumulations over millennial timescales: Integrating noble gas and reservoir data at Bravo Dome, NM

Science.gov (United States)

Akhbari, D.

2017-12-01

Bravo Dome, the largest CO2 reservoir in the US, is a hydrogeologically closed system that has stored a very large amount of CO2 on millennial time scales. The pre-production gas pressures in Bravo Dome indicate that the reservoir is highly under-pressured and is divided into separate pressure compartments that do not communicate hydrologically. Previous studies used the noble gas composition at Bravo Dome to constrain the amount of dissolved CO2 into the brine. This CO2 dissolution into brine plays an important role in the observed under-pressure at the reservoir. However, the dissolution rates and transport mechanisms remain unknown. In this study, we are looking into reservoir pressures and noble gas composition in the northeastern section of the reservoir to constrain timescales of CO2 dissolution. We are interested in northeastern part of the reservoir because the largest amount of CO2 was dissolved into brine in this section. Also, we specifically look into the evolution of the CO2/3He and 20Ne concentration during convective CO2 dissolution at Bravo Dome. 20Ne has atmospheric origin and is initially in the brine, while 3He and CO2 have magmatic sources and were introduced with the gas. CO2/3He decreases as more CO2 dissolves into brine, due to the higher solubility of CO2 compare to that of 3He. However, 20Ne concentration in the gas increases due to exsolution of 20Ne from brine into the gas phase. We present 2D numerical simulation that demonstrate the persistence of CO2 over 1Ma and reproduce the observed reservoir pressures and noble gas compositions. Our results indicate that convection is required to produce observed changes in gas composition. But diffusion makes a significant contribution to mass transport.

Sensitivity analysis of the noble gas transport and fate model: CASCADR9

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Lindstrom, F.T.; Cawlfield, D.E.; Barker, L.E.

1994-03-01

CASCADR9 is a desert alluvial soil site-specific noble gas transport and fate model. Input parameters for CASCADR9 are: man-made source term, background concentration of radionuclides, radon half-life, soil porosity, period of barometric pressure wave, amplitude of barometric pressure wave, and effective eddy diffusivity. Using average flux, total flow, and radon concentration at the 40 day mark as output parameters, a sensitivity analysis for CASCADR9 is carried out, under a variety of scenarios. For each scenario, the parameter to which output parameters are most sensitive are identified

Recent Experimental Advances to Determine (noble) Gases in Waters

Science.gov (United States)

Kipfer, R.; Brennwald, M. S.; Huxol, S.; Mächler, L.; Maden, C.; Vogel, N.; Tomonaga, Y.

2013-12-01

In aquatic systems noble gases, radon, and bio-geochemically conservative transient trace gases (SF6, CFCs) are frequently applied to determine water residence times and to reconstruct past environmental and climatic conditions. Recent experimental breakthroughs now enable ● to apply the well-established concepts of terrestrial noble gas geochemistry in waters to the minute water amounts stored in sediment pore space and in fluid inclusions (A), ● to determine gas exchange processes on the bio-geochemical relevant time scales of minutes - hours (B), and ● to separate diffusive and advective gas transport in soil air (C). A. Noble-gas analysis in water samples (transport in the pore space and identifying the origin of bio- and geogenic fluids in (un) consolidated sediments [1]. Advanced techniques that combine crushing and sieving speleothem samples in ultra-high-vacuum to a specific grain size allow to separate air and water-bearing fluid inclusions and thus enables noble-gas-based reconstruction of environmental conditions from water masses as small as 1mg [2]. B. The coupling of noble gas analysis with approaches of gas chromatography permits combined analysis of noble gases and other gases species (e.g., SF6, CFCs, O2, N2) from a single water sample. The new method substantially improves ground water dating by SF6 and CFCs as excess air is quantified from the same sample and hence can adequately be corrected for [3]. Portable membrane-inlet mass spectrometers enable the quasi-continuous and real-time analysis of noble gases and other dissolved gases directly in the field, allowing, for instance, quantification of O2 turnover rates on small time scales [4]. C. New technical developments perfect 222Rn analysis in water by the synchronous the determination of the short-lived 220Rn. The combined 220,222Rn analysis sheds light on the emanation behaviour of radon by identifying soil water content to be the crucial control of 220Rn occurrence in the environment

A portable gas recirculation unit for gaseous detectors

Science.gov (United States)

Guida, R.; Mandelli, B.

2017-10-01

The use of greenhouse gases (usually C2H2F4, CF4 and SF6) is sometimes necessary to achieve the required performance for some gaseous detectors. The consumption of these gases in the LHC systems is reduced by recycling the gas mixture thanks to a complex gas recirculation system. Beyond greenhouse gas consumption due to LHC systems, a considerable contribution is generated by setups used for LHC detector upgrade projects, R&D activities, detector quality assurance or longevity tests. In order to minimise this emission, a new flexible and portable gas recirculation unit has been developed. Thanks to its low price, flexibility and user-friendly operation it can be easily adapted for the different types of detector systems and set-ups.

Transport Properties of operational gas mixtures used at LHC

CERN Document Server

Assran, Yasser

2011-01-01

This report summarizes some useful data on the transport characteristics of gas mixtures which are required for detection of charged particles in gas detectors. We try to replace Freon used for RPC detector in the CMS experiment with another gas while maintaining the good properties of the Freon gas mixture unchanged. We try to switch to freonless gas mixture because Freon is not a green gas, it is very expensive and its availability is decreasing. Noble gases like Ar, He, Ne and Xe (with some quenchers like carbon dioxide, methane, ethane and isobutene) are investigated. Transport parameters like drift velocity, diffusion, Townsend coefficient, attachment coefficient and Lorentz angle are computed using Garfield software for different gas mixtures and compared with experimental data.

Pressure disequilibria induced by rapid valve closure in noble gas extraction lines

Science.gov (United States)

Morgan, Leah; Davidheiser-Kroll, Brett

2015-01-01

Pressure disequilibria during rapid valve closures can affect calculated molar quantities for a range of gas abundance measurements (e.g., K-Ar geochronology, (U-Th)/He geochronology, noble gas cosmogenic chronology). Modeling indicates this effect in a system with a 10 L reservoir reaches a bias of 1% before 1000 pipette aliquants have been removed from the system, and a bias of 10% before 10,000 aliquants. Herein we explore the causes and effects of this problem, which is the result of volume changes during valve closure. We also present a solution in the form of an electropneumatic pressure regulator that can precisely control valve motion. This solution reduces the effect to ∼0.3% even after 10,000 aliquants have been removed from a 10 L reservoir.

Pressure disequilibria induced by rapid valve closure in noble gas extraction lines

Science.gov (United States)

Morgan, Leah E.; Davidheiser-Kroll, Brett

2015-06-01

Pressure disequilibria during rapid valve closures can affect calculated molar quantities for a range of gas abundance measurements (e.g., K-Ar geochronology, (U-Th)/He geochronology, noble gas cosmogenic chronology). Modeling indicates this effect in a system with a 10 L reservoir reaches a bias of 1% before 1000 pipette aliquants have been removed from the system, and a bias of 10% before 10,000 aliquants. Herein we explore the causes and effects of this problem, which is the result of volume changes during valve closure. We also present a solution in the form of an electropneumatic pressure regulator that can precisely control valve motion. This solution reduces the effect to ˜0.3% even after 10,000 aliquants have been removed from a 10 L reservoir.

Gas position sensitive x-ray detectors

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Barbosa, A.F.

1994-12-01

The construction of gas x-ray detectors used to count and localize x-ray photons in one and two dimensions is reported. The principles of operation of the detectors are described, as well as the electronic modules comprised in the data acquisition system. Results obtained with detectors built at CBPF are shown, illustrating the performance of the Linear Position Sensitive Detectors. (author). 6 refs, 14 figs

Noble gases in nuclear medicine

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Calderon, M.; Burdine, J.A.

1973-01-01

Radioactive noble gases have made a significant contribution to diagnostic nuclear medicine. In the area of regional assessment of pulmonary function, 133 Xe has had its greatest clinical impact. Following a breath of 133 Xe gas, pulmonary ventilation can be measured using a scintillation camera or other appropriate radiation detector. If 133 Xe dissolved in saline is injected intravenously, both pulmonary capillary perfusion and ventilation can be measured since 90 percent of the highly insoluble xenon escapes into the alveoli during the first passage through the lungs. Radionuclide pulmonary function tests provide the first qualitative means of assessing lung ventilation and blood flow on a regional basis, and have recently been extended to include quantification of various parameters of lung function by means of a small computer interfaced to the scintillation camera. 133 Xe is also used in the measurement of organ blood flow following injection into a vessel leading into an organ such as the brain, heart kidneys, or muscles

Method to separate fission noble gases from gaseous wastes of a reprocessing plant for nuclear fuel material

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Schnez, H.

1977-01-01

In order to avoid the high cost expenditure in the separation of fission noble gases from waste gas of the head end, the following economical method is suggested: The fission noble gases released in the solvent - after grinding and burn-up of the nuclear fuel elements and dissolving in HNO 3 - are purified in a known method and collected in an equalizing tank. From here, the fission noble gas quantity necessary as washing gas is recycled into the solvent, so that a part of the fission noble gas quantity flows in a circuit. The quantity of fission noble gas not required for the above is separated from the circuit, compressed and put into a storage container from where it can be put into gas flashs or be recycled in the gas circuit where necessary. Furthermore, the method involves that to separate krypton, the filtered fission noble gas is compressed, cooled and rectified, whereby the krypton mixture taken from the rectification column is stored under high pressure and the gas part containing xenon, occuring as liquid, is at least partly fed back to the solvent. (HPH) [de

Noble gas studies in vapor-growth diamonds: Comparison with shock-produced diamonds and the origin of diamonds in ureilites

Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

Matsuda, Junichi; Fukunaga, Kazuya; Ito, Keisuke (Kobe Univ. (Japan))

1991-07-01

The authors synthesized vapor-trowth diamonds by two kinds of Chemical Vapor Deposition (CVD) using microwave (MWCVD) and hot filament (HFCVD) ionization of gases, and examined elemental abundances and isotopic compositions of the noble gases trapped in the diamonds. It is remarkable that strong differences existed in the noble gas concentrations in the two kinds of CVD diamonds: large amounts of noble gases were trapped in the MWCVD diamonds, but not in the HFCVD diamonds. The heavy noble gases (Ar to Xe) in the MWCVD diamonds were highly fractionated compared with those in the ambient atmosphere, and are in good agreement with the calculated fractionation patterns for plasma at an electron temperature of 7,000-9,000 K. These results strongly suggest that the trapping mechanism of noble gases in CVD diamonds is ion implantation during diamond growth. The degrees of fractionation of heavy noble gases were also in good agreement with those in ureilites. The vapor-growth hypothesis is discussed in comparison with the impact-shock hypothesis as a better model for the origin of diamonds in ureilites. The diamond (and graphite, amorphous carbon, too) may have been deposited on early condensates such as Re, Ir, W, etc. This model explains the chemical features of vein material in ureilites; the refractory siderophile elements are enriched in carbon and noble gases and low in normal siderophiles. The vapor-growth model is also compatible with the oxygen isotopic data of ureilites which suggests that nebular processes are primarily responsible for the composition of ureilites.

The development of gaseous detectors with solid photocathodes for low temperature applications

CERN Document Server

Periale, L.; Iacobaeus, C.; Francke, T.; Lund-Jensen, B.; Pavlopoulos, N.; Picchi, P.; Pietropaolo, F.

2004-01-01

There are several applications and fundamental research areas which require the detection of VUV light at cryogenic temperatures. For these applications we have developed and successfully tested special designs of gaseous detectors with solid photocathodes able to operate at low temperatures: sealed gaseous detectors with MgF2 windows and windowless detectors. We have experimentally demonstrated, that both primary and secondary (due to the avalanche multiplication inside liquids) scintillation lights could be recorded by photosensitive gaseous detectors. The results of this work may allow one to significantly improve the operation of some noble liquid gas TPCs.

Pressure regulation system for modern gas-filled detectors

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

McDonald, R.J.

1986-08-01

A gas pressure and flow regulation system has been designed and constructed to service a wide variety of gas-filled detectors which operate at pressures of ∼2 to 1000 Torr and flow rate of ∼5 to 200 standard cubic centimeters per minute (sccm). Pressure regulation is done at the detector input by a pressure transducer linked to a solenoid leak valve via an electronic control system. Gas flow is controlled via a mechanical leak valve at the detector output. Interchangeable transducers, flowmeters, and leak valves allow for different pressure and flow ranges. The differential pressure transducer and control system provide automatic let-up of vacuum chambers to atmospheric pressure while maintaining a controlled overpressure in the detector. The gas system is constructed on a standard 19'' rack-mounted panel from commercially available parts. Five of these systems have been built and are routinely used for both ionization chambers and position-sensitive avalanche detectors

A novel method for fission product noble gas sampling

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Jain, S.K.; Prakash, Vivek; Singh, G.K.; Vinay, Kr.; Awsthi, A.; Bihari, K.; Joyson, R.; Manu, K.; Gupta, Ashok

2008-01-01

Noble gases occur to some extent in the Earth's atmosphere, but the concentrations of all but argon are exceedingly low. Argon is plentiful, constituting almost 1 % of the air. Fission Product Noble Gases (FPNG) are produced by nuclear fission and large parts of FPNG is produced in Nuclear reactions. FPNG are b-j emitters and contributing significantly in public dose. During normal operation of reactor release of FPNG is negligible but its release increases in case of fuel failure. Xenon, a member of FPNG family helps in identification of fuel failure and its extent in PHWRs. Due to above reasons it becomes necessary to assess the FPNG release during operation of NPPs. Presently used methodology of assessment of FPNG, at almost all power stations is Computer based gamma ray spectrometry. This provides fission product Noble gases nuclide identification through peak search of spectra. The air sample for the same is collected by grab sampling method, which has inherent disadvantages. An alternate method was developed at Rajasthan Atomic Power Station (RAPS) - 3 and 4 for assessment of FPNG, which uses adsorption phenomena for collection of air samples. This report presents details of sampling method for FPNG and noble gases in different systems of Nuclear Power Plant. (author)

Noble gas mass spectrometry. Application to earth sciences

Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

Takaoka, Nobuo [Yamagata Univ. (Japan). Faculty of Science

1983-03-01

The method for the isotopic analysis of trace noble gas is described briefly, and the theoretical background of the application to earth science is discussed. Furthermore, the measured results of /sup 3/He//sup 4/He ratio in volcanic gases and hot spring gases from various areas in Japan, and /sup 3/He//sup 4/He and /sup 40/Ar//sup 36/Ar ratios in mantle-origi nated rocks and minerals are presented. The examples of the application of these results to the field of earth science are introduced. The magma activity which is specific to the considered volcano is identified from the decrease in /sup 3/He//sup 4/He ratio with the process of volcanic activity. The possibility of earthquake prediction by the measurement of /sup 3/He//sup 4/He ratio is suggested from the measured results of /sup 3/He//sup 4/He ratio in the gas sampled from an earthquake fault. The isotopes of He and Ar in a diamond were analyzed, and from these results, the isotope composition in mantle when the diamond had been formed was estimated. The mantle model that the mantle is constituted from upper depleted mantle and lower fertile mantle is explained, based on the results of the analysis of He and Ar isotopes in various volcanic eruptions.

The influence of noble-gas ion bombardment on the electrical and optical properties of clean silicon surfaces

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Martens, J.W.D.

1980-01-01

A study of the effect of argon and helium ion bombardment on the electrical and optical properties of the clean silicon (211) surface is described. The objective of the study was to determine the effect of noble gas ions on the density of surface states at the clean silicon surface. (Auth.)

Minimisation of noble gas discharge from 99Mo production at ANSTO

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Blagojevic, N.; Izard, M.

2001-01-01

Full text: Molybdenum-99 is one of the most important radionuclides in modem medicine. When loaded on a chromatographic column it forms a generator that produces high specific activity 99m Tc, a radionuclide widely used in nuclear medical imaging. ANSTO has been a main producer of 99 Mo in the Australasian region since the late 1960's and currently ranks as one of the major suppliers of 99m Tc/ 99 Mo generators. At ANSTO 99 Mo is produced from enriched uranium oxide (2.2% 235 U) after a nominal seven day irradiation period in HIFAR, Australia's high flux research reactor. Between four and six targets are processed, four to five times each week depending on the reactor operation timetable. After irradiation the targets are allowed to decay for approximately 6 hours before the uranium dioxide pellets are removed and dissolved in a fully enclosed heated vessel equipped with a reflux column. The dissolver off-gas containing noble gases and iodine isotopes released during this process are vented through a caustic scrubber, a number of iodine traps and finally through a charcoal based Noble Gas Trap (NGT). The uranium solution is passed through an alumina column to separate molybdenum from other elements. The 99 Mo product is eluted from the column with relatively concentrated ammonium hydroxide solution. The product recovery process consists of a volume reduction procedure followed by a recovery step designed to retrieve the product in a minimum volume of dilute nitric acid. The radioactive Xe and Kr discharge was monitored using a Nal(TI) detector based gamma-ray spectrometer system that was interfaced to the internal computer network. The data was collected and sent to the network server at 15-minute intervals using locally written programs that process and database the information. The discharge data is displayed in real time by the use of web browsers found on all networked workstations. The network program is also capable of interrogating the database so that the

NG09 And CTBT On-Site Inspection Noble Gas Sampling and Analysis Requirements

Science.gov (United States)

Carrigan, Charles R.; Tanaka, Junichi

2010-05-01

A provision of the Comprehensive Test Ban Treaty (CTBT) allows on-site inspections (OSIs) of suspect nuclear sites to determine if the occurrence of a detected event is nuclear in origin. For an underground nuclear explosion (UNE), the potential success of an OSI depends significantly on the containment scenario of the alleged event as well as the application of air and soil-gas radionuclide sampling techniques in a manner that takes into account both the suspect site geology and the gas transport physics. UNE scenarios may be broadly divided into categories involving the level of containment. The simplest to detect is a UNE that vents a significant portion of its radionuclide inventory and is readily detectable at distance by the International Monitoring System (IMS). The most well contained subsurface events will only be detectable during an OSI. In such cases, 37 Ar and radioactive xenon cavity gases may reach the surface through either "micro-seepage" or the barometric pumping process and only the careful siting of sampling locations, timing of sampling and application of the most site-appropriate atmospheric and soil-gas capturing methods will result in a confirmatory signal. The OSI noble gas field tests NG09 was recently held in Stupava, Slovakia to consider, in addition to other field sampling and analysis techniques, drilling and subsurface noble gas extraction methods that might be applied during an OSI. One of the experiments focused on challenges to soil-gas sampling near the soil-atmosphere interface. During withdrawal of soil gas from shallow, subsurface sample points, atmospheric dilution of the sample and the potential for introduction of unwanted atmospheric gases were considered. Tests were designed to evaluate surface infiltration and the ability of inflatable well-packers to seal out atmospheric gases during sample acquisition. We discuss these tests along with some model-based predictions regarding infiltration under different near

Binary-collision-approximation simulation for noble gas irradiation onto plasma facing materials

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Saito, Seiki; Nakamura, Hiroaki; Takayama, Arimichi; Ito, Atsushi M

2014-01-01

A number of experiments show that helium plasma constructs filament (fuzz) structures whose diameter is in nanometer-scale on the tungsten material under the suitable experimental condition. In this paper, binary-collision-approximation-based simulation is performed to reveal the mechanism and the conditions of fuzz formation of tungsten material under plasma irradiation. The irradiation of the plasma of hydrogen, deuterium, and tritium, and also the plasma of noble gas such as helium, neon, and argon atoms are investigated. The possibility of fuzz formation is discussed on the simulation result of penetration depth of the incident atoms

Conceptual Engineering Method for Attenuating He Ion Interactions on First Wall Components in the Fusion Test Facility (FTF) Employing a Low-Pressure Noble Gas

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Gentile, C.A.; Blanchard, W.R.; Kozub, T.; Priniski, C.; Zatz, I.; Obenschain, S.

2009-01-01

It has been shown that post detonation energetic helium ions can drastically reduce the useful life of the (dry) first wall of an IFE reactor due to the accumulation of implanted helium. For the purpose of attenuating energetic helium ions from interacting with first wall components in the Fusion Test Facility (FTF) target chamber, several concepts have been advanced. These include magnetic intervention (MI), deployment of a dynamically moving first wall, use of a sacrificial shroud, designing the target chamber large enough to mitigate the damage caused by He ions on the target chamber wall, and the use of a low pressure noble gas resident in the target chamber during pulse power operations. It is proposed that employing a low-pressure (∼ 1 torr equivalent) noble gas in the target chamber will thermalize energetic helium ions prior to interaction with the wall. The principle benefit of this concept is the simplicity of the design and the utilization of (modified) existing technologies for pumping and processing the noble ambient gas. Although the gas load in the system would be increased over other proposed methods, the use of a 'gas shield' may provide a cost effective method of greatly extending the first wall of the target chamber. An engineering study has been initiated to investigate conceptual engineering methods for implementing a viable gas shield strategy in the FTF.

Noble gas and carbon isotopes in Mariana Trough basalt glasses

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Bernard, M.; Jambon, A.; Gamo, T.; Nishio, Y.; Sano, Y.

1998-01-01

Noble gas elemental and isotopic compositions have been measured as well as the abundance of C and its isotopic ratios in 11 glasses from submarine pillow basalts collected from the Mariana Trough. The 3 He/ 4 He ratios of 8.22 and 8.51 R atm of samples dredged from the central Mariana Trough (similar18N) agree well with that of the Mid-Ocean Ridge Basalt (MORB) glasses (8.4±0.3 R atm ), whereas a mean ratio of 8.06±0.35 R atm in samples from the northern Mariana Trough (similar20N) is slightly lower than those of MORB. One sample shows apparent excess of 20 Ne and 21 Ne relative to atmospheric Ne, suggesting incorporation of solar-type Ne in the magma source. There is a positive correlation between 3 He/ 4 He and 40 Ar/ 36 Ar ratios, which may be explained by mixing between MORB-type and atmospheric noble gases. Excess 129 Xe is observed in the sample which also shows 20 Ne and 21 Ne excesses. Observed δ 13 C values of similar20N samples vary from -3.76 per thousand to -2.80 per thousand, and appear higher than those of MORB, and the corresponding CO 2 / 3 He ratios are higher than those of MARA samples at similar18N, suggesting C contribution from the subducted slab. (Copyright (c) 1998 Elsevier Science B.V., Amsterdam. All rights reserved.)

The interpretation of ellipsometric measurements of ion bombardment of noble gases on semiconductor surfaces

NARCIS (Netherlands)

Holtslag, A.H.M.; Slager, U.C.; van Silfhout, Arend

1985-01-01

Low energy noble gas ion bombardment and thermal desorption studies were carried out on Si(111) and analysed, in situ, using spectroscopic ellipsometry. The amorphous layer thickness and implanted noble gas fraction were calculated.

Large area liquid argon detectors for interrogation systems

Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

Gary, Charles; Kane, Steve; Firestone, Murray I.; Smith, Gregory [Adelphi Technology LLC, Purdue Technology Center, 5225 Exploration Drive, Indianapolis, IN 46241 (United States); Gozani, Tsahi; Brown, Craig; Kwong, John; King, Michael J. [Rapiscan Laboratories, 520 Almanor Avenue, Sunnyvale, CA 94085 (United States); Nikkel, James A.; McKinsey, Dan [Physics Department, Yale University, New Haven, CT 06520 (United States)

2013-04-19

Measurements of the efficiency, pulse shape, and energy and time resolution of liquid argon (LAr) detectors are presented. Liquefied noble gas-based (LNbG) detectors have been developed for the detection of dark matter and neutrinoless double-beta decay. However, the same qualities that make LNbG detectors ideal for these applications, namely their size, cost, efficiency, pulse shape discrimination and resolution, make them promising for portal screening and the detection of Special Nuclear Materials (SNM). Two 18-liter prototype detectors were designed, fabricated, and tested, one with pure LAr and the other doped with liquid Xe (LArXe). The LArXe detector presented the better time and energy resolution of 3.3 ns and 20% at 662 KeV, respectively. The total efficiency of the detector was measured to be 35% with 4.5% of the total photons detected in the photopeak.

Large area liquid argon detectors for interrogation systems

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Gary, Charles; Kane, Steve; Firestone, Murray I.; Smith, Gregory; Gozani, Tsahi; Brown, Craig; Kwong, John; King, Michael J.; Nikkel, James A.; McKinsey, Dan

2013-01-01

Measurements of the efficiency, pulse shape, and energy and time resolution of liquid argon (LAr) detectors are presented. Liquefied noble gas-based (LNbG) detectors have been developed for the detection of dark matter and neutrinoless double-beta decay. However, the same qualities that make LNbG detectors ideal for these applications, namely their size, cost, efficiency, pulse shape discrimination and resolution, make them promising for portal screening and the detection of Special Nuclear Materials (SNM). Two 18-liter prototype detectors were designed, fabricated, and tested, one with pure LAr and the other doped with liquid Xe (LArXe). The LArXe detector presented the better time and energy resolution of 3.3 ns and 20% at 662 KeV, respectively. The total efficiency of the detector was measured to be 35% with 4.5% of the total photons detected in the photopeak.

The Successful Operation of Hole-type Gaseous Detectors at Cryogenic Temperatures

CERN Document Server

Pereiale, L.; Iacobaeus, C.; Francke, T.; Lund-Jensen, B.; Pavlopoulos, P.; Picchi, P.; Pietropaolo, F.; Tokanai, F.

2004-01-01

We have demonstrated that hole-type gaseous detectors, GEMs and capillary plates, can operate up to 77 K. For example, a single capillary plate can operate at gains of above 10E3 in the entire temperature interval between 300 until 77 K. The same capillary plate combined with CsI photocathodes could operate perfectly well at gains (depending on gas mixtures) of 100-1000. Obtained results may open new fields of applications for capillary plates as detectors of UV light and charge particles at cryogenic temperatures: noble liquid TPCs, WIMP detectors or LXe scintillating calorimeters and cryogenic PETs.

Development of Micro-Pattern Gas Detectors Technologies

CERN Multimedia

Richer, J; Barsuk, S; Shah, M K; Catanesi, M G; Colaleo, A; Maggi, M; Loddo, F; Berardi, V; Bagliesi, M; Menon, G; Richter, R; Lahonde-hamdoun, C; Dris, M; Chechik, R; Ochi, A; Hartjes, F; Lopes, I M; Deshpande, A; Franz, A; Fiutowski, T A; Ferreira, A; Bastos de oliveira, C A; Miller, B W; Monrabal-capilla, F; Liubarsky, I; Plazas de pinzon, M C; Tsarfati, T; Voss, B J R; Carmona martinez, J M; Stocchi, A; Dinu, N; Semeniouk, I; Giebels, B; Marton, K; De leo, R; De lucia, E; Alviggi, M; Bellerive, A; Herten, L G; Zimmermann, S U; Giomataris, I; Peyaud, A; Schune, P; Delagnes, E; Delbart, A; Charles, G; Wang, W; Markou, A; Arazi, L; Cibinetto, G; Edo, Y; Neves, F F; Solovov, V; Stoll, S; Sampsonidis, D; Dabrowski, W; Mindur, B; Sauli, F; Calapez de albuquerque veloso, J F; Kahlaoui, N; Sharma, A; Zenker, K; Cebrian guajardo, S V; Luzon marco, G M; Guillaudin, O J H; Cornebise, P; Lounis, A; Bruel, P J; Laszlo, A; Mukerjee, K; Nappi, E; Nuzzo, S V; Bencivenni, G; Tessarotto, F; Levorato, S; Dixit, M S; Riallot, M; Jeanneau, F; Nizery, F G; Maltezos, S; Kyriakis, A; Lyashenko, A; Van der graaf, H; Ferreira marques, R; Alexa, C; Liyanage, N; Dehmelt, K; Hemmick, T K; Polychronakos, V; Cisbani, E; Garibaldi, F; Koperny, S Z; Das neves dias carramate, L F; Munoz-vidal, J; Gutierrez, R; Van stenis, M; Resnati, F; Lupberger, M; Desch, K K; Chefdeville, M; Vouters, G; Ranieri, A; Lami, S; Shekhtman, L; Dolgov, A; Bamberger, A; Landgraf, U; Kortner, O; Ferrero, A; Aune, S; Attie, D M; Bakas, G; Balossino, I; Tsigaridas, S; Surrow, B; Gnanvo, K A K; Feege, N M; Woody, C L; Bhattacharya, S; Capogni, M; Veenhof, R J; Tapan, I; Dangendorf, V; Monteiro bernades, C M; Castro serrato, H F; De oliveira, R; Ropelewski, L; Behnke, T; Boudry, V; Radicioni, E; Lai, A; Shemyakina, E; Giganon, A E; Titov, M; Papakrivopoulos, I; Komai, H; Van bakel, N A; Tchepel, V; Repond, J O; Li, Y; Kourkoumelis, C; Tzamarias, S; Majumdar, N; Kowalski, T; Da rocha azevedo, C D; Serra diaz cano, L; Alvarez puerta, V; Trabelsi, A; Riegler, W; Ketzer, B F; Rosemann, C G; Herrera munoz, D C; Drancourt, C; Mayet, F; Geerebaert, Y; De robertis, G; Felici, G; Scribano memoria, A; Cecchi, R; Dalla torre, S; Gregori, M; Buzulutskov, A; Schwegler, P; Sanchez nieto, F J; Colas, P M A; Gros, M; Neyret, D; Zito, M; Ferrer ribas, E; Breskin, A; Martoiu, V S; Purschke, M L; Loomba, D; Gasik, P J; Petridou, C; Kordas, K; Mukhopadhyay, S; Bucciantonio, M; Biagi, S F; Ji, X; Kanaki, K; Zavazieva, D; Capeans garrido, M D M; Schindler, H; Kaminski, J; Krautscheid, T; Lippmann, C; Arora, R; Dafni, T; Garcia irastorza, I; Puill, V; Wicek, F B; Burmistrov, L; Singh, K P; Kroha, H; Kunne, F; Alexopoulos, T; Daskalakis, G; Geralis, T; Bettoni, D; Heijhoff, K; Xiao, Z; Tzanakos, G; Leisos, A; Frullani, S; Sahin, O; Kalkan, Y; Giboni, K; Krieger, C; Breton, D R; Bhattacharyya, S; Abbrescia, M; Erriquez, O; Paticchio, V; Cardini, A; Aloisio, A; Turini, N; Bressan, A; Tikhonov, Y; Schumacher, M; Simon, F R; Nowak, S; Herlant, S; Chaus, A; Fanourakis, G; Bressler, S; Homma, Y; Timmermans, J; Fonte, P; Underwood, D G; Azmoun, B; Fassouliotis, D; Wiacek, P; Dos santos covita, D; Monteiro da silva, A L; Yahlali haddou, N; Marques ferreira dos santos, J; Domingues amaro, F

The proposed R&D collaboration, RD51, aims at facilitating the development of advanced gas-avalanche detector technologies and associated electronic-readout systems, for applications in basic and applied research. Advances in particle physics have always been enabled by parallel advances in radiation-detector technology. Radiation detection and imaging with gas-avalanche detectors, capable of economically covering large detection volumes with a low material budget, have been playing an important role in many fields. Besides their widespread use in particle-physics and nuclear-physics experiments, gaseous detectors are employed in many other fields: astro-particle research and applications such as medical imaging, material science, and security inspection. While extensively employed at the LHC, RHIC, and other advanced HEP experiments, present gaseous detectors (wire-chambers, drift-tubes, resistive-plate chambers and others) have limitations which may prevent their use in future experiments. Present tec...

Noble gases recycled into the mantle through cold subduction zones

Science.gov (United States)

Smye, Andrew J.; Jackson, Colin R. M.; Konrad-Schmolke, Matthias; Hesse, Marc A.; Parman, Steve W.; Shuster, David L.; Ballentine, Chris J.

2017-08-01

Subduction of hydrous and carbonated oceanic lithosphere replenishes the mantle volatile inventory. Substantial uncertainties exist on the magnitudes of the recycled volatile fluxes and it is unclear whether Earth surface reservoirs are undergoing net-loss or net-gain of H2O and CO2. Here, we use noble gases as tracers for deep volatile cycling. Specifically, we construct and apply a kinetic model to estimate the effect of subduction zone metamorphism on the elemental composition of noble gases in amphibole - a common constituent of altered oceanic crust. We show that progressive dehydration of the slab leads to the extraction of noble gases, linking noble gas recycling to H2O. Noble gases are strongly fractionated within hot subduction zones, whereas minimal fractionation occurs along colder subduction geotherms. In the context of our modelling, this implies that the mantle heavy noble gas inventory is dominated by the injection of noble gases through cold subduction zones. For cold subduction zones, we estimate a present-day bulk recycling efficiency, past the depth of amphibole breakdown, of 5-35% and 60-80% for 36Ar and H2O bound within oceanic crust, respectively. Given that hotter subduction dominates over geologic history, this result highlights the importance of cooler subduction zones in regassing the mantle and in affecting the modern volatile budget of Earth's interior.

Organ protection by the noble gas helium

NARCIS (Netherlands)

Smit, K.F.

2017-01-01

The aims of this thesis were to investigate whether helium induces preconditioning in humans, and to elucidate the mechanisms behind this possible protection. First, we collected data regarding organ protective effects of noble gases in general, and of helium in particular (chapters 1-3). In chapter

Experience of iodine, caesium and noble gas release from AGR failures

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Chapman, C.J.; Harris, A.M.; Phillips, M.E.

1985-01-01

In the event of a fuel failure in an Advanced Gas Cooled Reactor (AGR), the quantity of fission products available for release to the environment is determined by the transport of fission products in the UO 2 fuel, by the possible retention of fission products in the fuel can interspace and by the deposition of fission products on gas circuit surfaces ('plate-out'). The fission products of principal radiological concern are radioactive caesium (Cs-137 and Cs-134) and iodine (principally I-131). Results are summarised of a number of experiments which were designed to study the release of these fission products from individual fuel failures in the prototype AGR at Windscale. Results are also presented of fission product release from failures in commercial AGRs. Comparisons of measured releases of caesium and iodine relative to the release of the noble gas fission products show that, for some fuel failures, there is a significant retention of caesium and iodine within the fuel can interspace. Under normal conditions circuit deposition reduces caesium and iodine gas concentrations by several orders of magnitude. Differing release behaviour of caesium and iodine from the failures is examined together with subsequent deposition within the sampling equipment. These observations are important factors which must be considered in developing an understanding of the mechanisms involved in circuit deposition. (author)

Photoionization of the outer electrons in noble gas endohedral atoms

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Amusia, M. Ya.; Baltenkov, A. S.; Chernysheva, L. V.

2008-01-01

We suggest a prominent modification of the outer shell photoionization cross section in noble gas (NG) endohedral atoms NG-C n under the action of the electron shell of fullerene C n . This shell leads to two important effects: a strong enhancement of the cross section due to fullerene shell polarization under the action of the incoming electromagnetic wave and to prominent oscillation of this cross section due to the reflection of a photoelectron from the NG by the fullerene shell. Both factors lead to powerful maxima in the outer shell ionization cross sections of NG-C n , which we call giant endohedral resonances. The oscillator strength reaches a very large value in the atomic scale, 25. We consider atoms of all noble gases except He. The polarization of the fullerene shell is expressed in terms of the total photoabsorption cross section of the fullerene. The photoelectron reflection is taken into account in the framework of the so-called bubble potential, which is a spherical δ-type potential. It is assumed in the derivations that the NG is centrally located in the fullerene. It is also assumed, in accordance with the existing experimental data, that the fullerene radius R C is much larger than the atomic radius r A and the thickness Δ C of the fullerene shell. As was demonstrated recently, these assumptions allow us to represent the NG-C n photoionization cross section as a product of the NG cross section and two well-defined calculated factors

Gas-discharge particle detector with ball-tipped anodes

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Travkin, V.I.; Khazins, D.M.

1987-01-01

A new gas-discharge particle detector, whose anode is a set of balls 2mm in diameter is investigated. The chamber is blowing down by the argon-methane-methylal gas mixture with the ratio 3:1:1. The detector operates in the self-quenching streamer mode, has high efficiency and a wide counting characteristic plateau. The maximum counting rate of particles at one ball is ∼ 2.5x10 4 s -1 . The ball-tipped anodes allow making reliable complex-shaped detectors. Two-coordinate detection of multiparticle events can be naturally organized in detectors like that

Targets Involved in Cardioprotection by the Non-Anesthetic Noble Gas Helium

NARCIS (Netherlands)

Weber, Nina C.; Smit, Kirsten F.; Hollmann, Markus W.; Preckel, Benedikt

2015-01-01

Research data from the past decade indicate that noble gases like xenon and helium exert profound cardioprotection when applied before, during or after organ ischemia. Of all noble gases, especially helium, has gained interest in the past years because it does not have an anesthetic "side effect"

Reconstructing temperatures in the Maritime Alps, Italy, since the Last Glacial Maximum using cosmogenic noble gas paleothermometry

Science.gov (United States)

Tremblay, Marissa; Spagnolo, Matteo; Ribolini, Adriano; Shuster, David

2016-04-01

The Gesso Valley, located in the southwestern-most, Maritime portion of the European Alps, contains an exceptionally well-preserved record of glacial advances during the late Pleistocene and Holocene. Detailed geomorphic mapping, geochronology of glacial deposits, and glacier reconstructions indicate that glaciers in this Mediterranean region responded to millennial scale climate variability differently than glaciers in the interior of the European Alps. This suggests that the Mediterranean Sea somehow modulated the climate of this region. However, since glaciers respond to changes in temperature and precipitation, both variables were potentially influenced by proximity to the Sea. To disentangle the competing effects of temperature and precipitation changes on glacier size, we are constraining past temperature variations in the Gesso Valley since the Last Glacial Maximum (LGM) using cosmogenic noble gas paleothermometry. The cosmogenic noble gases 3He and 21Ne experience diffusive loss from common minerals like quartz and feldspars at Earth surface temperatures. Cosmogenic noble gas paleothermometry utilizes this open-system behavior to quantitatively constrain thermal histories of rocks during exposure to cosmic ray particles at the Earth's surface. We will present measurements of cosmogenic 3He in quartz sampled from moraines in the Gesso Valley with LGM, Bühl stadial, and Younger Dryas ages. With these 3He measurements and experimental data quantifying the diffusion kinetics of 3He in quartz, we will provide a preliminary temperature reconstruction for the Gesso Valley since the LGM. Future work on samples from younger moraines in the valley system will be used to fill in details of the more recent temperature history.

Separation of the fission product noble gases krypton and xenon from dissolver off-gas in reprocessing HTGR-fuel

Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

Bohnenstingl, J.; Djoa, S. H.; Laser, M.; Mastera, S.; Merz, E.; Morschl, P.

1976-04-15

This paper describes a process developed for the retainment and separation of volatile (³H, ^{129 +131}I) and gaseous (⁸⁵Kr, Xe) fission products from the off-gas produced during dissolution of HTGR-fuel. To prevent unnecessary dilution of liberated noble gases by surrounding atmosphere, a helium purge-gas cycle is applied to enable a coarse fractionating of krypton and xenon by cold-trapping at about 80 deg K after precleaning the gas stream. The process consists of the following steps: deposition of droplets and solid aerosols; chemisorption of iodine on silver impregnated silica gel; catalytic removal of nitrogen oxides and oxygen; drying of the process gas stream; final filtering of abraded solids; deposition of xenon in solid form at 80 deg K and low subpressure; deposition of krypton in solid form at 80 deg K after compression to about 6 bar; decontamination of ⁸⁵krypton-containing xenon by batch distillation for eventual industrial utilization; and removal of nitrogen and argon enrichment during continuous operation in the purge-gas stream by inleaking air with charcoal. A continuously operating dissolver vessel, closed to the surrounding atmosphere, yields a very high content of noble gases, e.g., 0.35 vol % krypton and 2.0 vol % xenon. The presented off-gas treatment unit is operated in cold runs with 1/3 of the full capacity and can treat about 1 m³ STP/h helium, corresponding to a quantity of about 10,000 MW(e) HTGR-fuel reprocessing plant.

Separation of the fission product noble gases krypton and xenon from dissolver off-gas in reprocessing HTGR-fuel

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Bohnenstingl, J.; Djoa, S.H.; Laser, M.; Mastera, S.; Merz, E.; Morschl, P.

1976-01-01

This paper describes a process developed for the retainment and separation of volatile ( 3 H, 129+131 I) and gaseous ( 85 Kr, Xe) fission products from the off-gas produced during dissolution of HTGR-fuel. To prevent unnecessary dilution of liberated noble gases by surrounding atmosphere, a helium purge-gas cycle is applied to enable a coarse fractionating of krypton and xenon by cold-trapping at about 80 0 K after precleaning the gas stream. The process consists of the following steps: deposition of droplets and solid aerosols; chemisorption of iodine on silver impregnated silica gel; catalytic removal of nitrogen oxides and oxygen; drying of the process gas stream; final filtering of abraded solids; deposition of xenon in solid form at 80 0 K and low subpressure; deposition of krypton in solid form at 80 0 K after compression to about 6 bar; decontamination of 85 Kr-containing xenon by batch distillation for eventual industrial utilization; and removal of nitrogen and argon enrichment during continuous operation in the purge-gas stream by inleaking air with charcoal. A continuously operating dissolver vessel, closed to the surrounding atmosphere, yields a very high content of noble gases, i.e., 0.35 vol % krypton and 2.0 vol % xenon. The presented off-gas treatment unit is operated in cold runs with 1 / 3 of the full capacity and can treat about 1 m 3 STP/h helium, corresponding to a quantity of about 10,000 MW/sub e/ HTGR-fuel reprocessing plant

Tracing enhanced oil recovery signatures in casing gases from the Lost Hills oil field using noble gases

Science.gov (United States)

Barry, Peter H.; Kulongoski, Justin; Landon, Matthew K.; Tyne, R.L.; Gillespie, Janice; Stephens, Michael; Hillegonds, D.J.; Byrne, D.J.; Ballentine, C.J.

2018-01-01

Enhanced oil recovery (EOR) and hydraulic fracturing practices are commonly used methods to improve hydrocarbon extraction efficiency; however the environmental impacts of such practices remain poorly understood. EOR is particularly prevalent in oil fields throughout California where water resources are in high demand and disposal of high volumes of produced water may affect groundwater quality. Consequently, it is essential to better understand the fate of injected (EOR) fluids in California and other subsurface petroleum systems, as well as any potential effect on nearby aquifer systems. Noble gases can be used as tracers to understand hydrocarbon generation, migration, and storage conditions, as well as the relative proportions of oil and water present in the subsurface. In addition, a noble gas signature diagnostic of injected (EOR) fluids can be readily identified. We report noble gas isotope and concentration data in casing gases from oil production wells in the Lost Hills oil field, northwest of Bakersfield, California, and injectate gas data from the Fruitvale oil field, located within the city of Bakersfield. Casing and injectate gas data are used to: 1) establish pristine hydrocarbon noble-gas signatures and the processes controlling noble gas distributions, 2) characterize the noble gas signature of injectate fluids, 3) trace injectate fluids in the subsurface, and 4) construct a model to estimate EOR efficiency. Noble gas results range from pristine to significantly modified by EOR, and can be best explained using a solubility exchange model between oil and connate/formation fluids, followed by gas exsolution upon production. This model is sensitive to oil-water interaction during hydrocarbon expulsion, migration, and storage at reservoir conditions, as well as any subsequent modification by EOR.

Gas chromatography: mass selective detector

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Lapinskas, R.

1988-01-01

The mechanism of mass spectrometry technique directed for detecting molecular structures is described, with some considerations about its operational features. This mass spectrometer is used as a gas chromatography detector. (author)

Computational phase diagrams of noble gas hydrates under pressure

Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

Teeratchanan, Pattanasak, E-mail: s1270872@sms.ed.ac.uk; Hermann, Andreas, E-mail: a.hermann@ed.ac.uk [Centre for Science at Extreme Conditions and SUPA, School of Physics and Astronomy, The University of Edinburgh, Edinburgh EH9 3FD (United Kingdom)

2015-10-21

We present results from a first-principles study on the stability of noble gas-water compounds in the pressure range 0-100 kbar. Filled-ice structures based on the host water networks ice-I{sub h}, ice-I{sub c}, ice-II, and C{sub 0} interacting with guest species He, Ne, and Ar are investigated, using density functional theory (DFT) with four different exchange-correlation functionals that include dispersion effects to various degrees: the non-local density-based optPBE-van der Waals (vdW) and rPW86-vdW2 functionals, the semi-empirical D2 atom pair correction, and the semi-local PBE functional. In the He-water system, the sequence of stable phases closely matches that seen in the hydrogen hydrates, a guest species of comparable size. In the Ne-water system, we predict a novel hydrate structure based on the C{sub 0} water network to be stable or at least competitive at relatively low pressure. In the Ar-water system, as expected, no filled-ice phases are stable; however, a partially occupied Ar-C{sub 0} hydrate structure is metastable with respect to the constituents. The ability of the different DFT functionals to describe the weak host-guest interactions is analysed and compared to coupled cluster results on gas phase systems.

Intercomparison of radon gas detectors 1997 at PSI

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Schuler, Christoph; Butterweck-Dempewolf, Gernot

1998-05-01

Between Nov 14 and Nov 20, 1997, the Reference Laboratory for Radon Gas Activity Concentration Measurements at Paul Scherrer Institut performed the 1997 Radon Intercomparison Exercise. Radon gas detectors and instruments were exposed in the PSI Radon Chamber during seven days in a reference atmosphere with an average radon gas concentration of 3860 Bqm -3 . The majority of the participants at this intercomparison were Swiss Radon Gas Measurement Laboratories acknowledged by the Swiss Federal Office for Health. Criteria for this acknowledgement are a deviation of the measurement results to the reference value below 15% (traceability criterion) and a standard deviation of the mean of five detector measurement results below 15% (reproducibility criterion). With the exception of three participants, the results of electret ionisation chambers, track etch detectors and measuring instruments fulfilled the demanded traceability and reproducibility criteria. (author)

Gas detectors: recent developments and future perspectives

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Sauli, F.

1998-01-01

Thirty years after the invention of the multi-wire proportional chamber, and 20 from the first Vienna Wire Chamber Conference, the interest and research efforts devoted to gas detectors are still conspicuous, as demonstrated by the number of papers submitted to this conference. Innovative and performing devices have been perfected over the years, used in experiments, and still developed today. Introduced 10 years ago, the micro-strip gas chamber appears to fulfill the needs of high-luminosity trackers; progress in this field will be reported, followed by a discussion on discharge problems encountered and possible solutions. Recent and potentially more powerfull devices such as the micro-gap, narrow-gap and micro-dot chambers will be described. A new generation of detectors exploiting avalanche multiplication in narrow gaps has emerged recently, namely micromegas, CAT (compteur a trous) and the Gas Electron Multiplier (GEM); whilst still in their infancy, they have promising performances with increased reliability in harsh operating conditions. I will describe also some 'tools of trade' used to model the counting action and to analyze the properties of the detectors, discuss limitations to their performances, and suggest ways to improvement. Several still controversial subjects of study (as for example, aging), and imaginative efforts of the experimenters ensure a continuing progress in the field of gas detectors, and new editions of this conference for years to come. (author)

Comparison of various stopping gases for 3He-based position sensitive neutron detectors

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Doumas, A.; Smith, G.C.

2012-01-01

A range of solid state, scintillator and gas based detectors are being developed for use at the next generation of high flux neutron facilities. Since gas detectors are expected to continue to play a key role in future specific thermal neutron experiments, a comparison of the performance characteristics of prospective stopping gases is beneficial. Gas detectors typically utilize the reaction 3 He(n,p)t to detect thermal neutrons; the 3 He gas is used in a mixture containing a particular stopping gas in order to maintain relatively short ranges for the proton and triton pair emitted from the n- 3 He reaction. Common stopping gases include hydrocarbons (e.g. propane), carbon tetrafluoride, and noble gases such as argon and xenon. For this study, we utilized the Monte Carlo simulation code “Stopping and Range of Ions in Matter” to analyze the expected behavior of argon, xenon, carbon dioxide, difluoroethane and octafluoropropane as stopping gases for thermal neutron detectors. We also compare these findings to our previously analyzed performance of propane, butane and carbon tetrafluoride. A discussion of these gases includes their behavior in terms of proton and triton range, ionization distribution and straggle.

Comparison of various stopping gases for 3He-based position sensitive neutron detectors

Science.gov (United States)

Doumas, A.; Smith, G. C.

2012-05-01

A range of solid state, scintillator and gas based detectors are being developed for use at the next generation of high flux neutron facilities. Since gas detectors are expected to continue to play a key role in future specific thermal neutron experiments, a comparison of the performance characteristics of prospective stopping gases is beneficial. Gas detectors typically utilize the reaction 3He(n,p)t to detect thermal neutrons; the 3He gas is used in a mixture containing a particular stopping gas in order to maintain relatively short ranges for the proton and triton pair emitted from the n-3He reaction. Common stopping gases include hydrocarbons (e.g. propane), carbon tetrafluoride, and noble gases such as argon and xenon. For this study, we utilized the Monte Carlo simulation code "Stopping and Range of Ions in Matter" to analyze the expected behavior of argon, xenon, carbon dioxide, difluoroethane and octafluoropropane as stopping gases for thermal neutron detectors. We also compare these findings to our previously analyzed performance of propane, butane and carbon tetrafluoride. A discussion of these gases includes their behavior in terms of proton and triton range, ionization distribution and straggle.

Noble gas and hydrocarbon tracers in multiphase unconventional hydrocarbon systems: Toward integrated advanced reservoir simulators

Science.gov (United States)

Darrah, T.; Moortgat, J.; Poreda, R. J.; Muehlenbachs, K.; Whyte, C. J.

2015-12-01

Although hydrocarbon production from unconventional energy resources has increased dramatically in the last decade, total unconventional oil and gas recovery from black shales is still less than 25% and 9% of the totals in place, respectively. Further, the majority of increased hydrocarbon production results from increasing the lengths of laterals, the number of hydraulic fracturing stages, and the volume of consumptive water usage. These strategies all reduce the economic efficiency of hydrocarbon extraction. The poor recovery statistics result from an insufficient understanding of some of the key physical processes in complex, organic-rich, low porosity formations (e.g., phase behavior, fluid-rock interactions, and flow mechanisms at nano-scale confinement and the role of natural fractures and faults as conduits for flow). Noble gases and other hydrocarbon tracers are capably of recording subsurface fluid-rock interactions on a variety of geological scales (micro-, meso-, to macro-scale) and provide analogs for the movement of hydrocarbons in the subsurface. As such geochemical data enrich the input for the numerical modeling of multi-phase (e.g., oil, gas, and brine) fluid flow in highly heterogeneous, low permeability formations Herein we will present a combination of noble gas (He, Ne, Ar, Kr, and Xe abundances and isotope ratios) and molecular and isotopic hydrocarbon data from a geographically and geologically diverse set of unconventional hydrocarbon reservoirs in North America. Specifically, we will include data from the Marcellus, Utica, Barnett, Eagle Ford, formations and the Illinois basin. Our presentation will include geochemical and geological interpretation and our perspective on the first steps toward building an advanced reservoir simulator for tracer transport in multicomponent multiphase compositional flow (presented separately, in Moortgat et al., 2015).

Noble gas binary mixtures for gas-cooled reactor power plants

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

El-Genk, Mohamed S.; Tournier, Jean-Michel

2008-01-01

This paper examines the effects of using noble gases and binary mixtures as reactor coolants and direct closed Brayton cycle (CBC) working fluids on the performance of terrestrial nuclear power plants and the size of the turbo-machines. While pure helium has the best transport properties and lowest pumping power requirement of all noble gases and binary mixtures, its low molecular weight increases the number of stages of the turbo-machines. The heat transfer coefficient for a He-Xe binary mixture having a molecular weight of 15 g/mole is 7% higher than that of helium, and the number of stages in the turbo-machines is 24-30% of those for He working fluid. However, for the same piping and heat exchange components design, the loop pressure losses with He-Xe are ∼3 times those with He. Consequently, for the same reactor exit temperature and pressure losses in piping and heat exchange components, the higher pressure losses in the nuclear reactor decrease the net peak efficiency of the plant with He-Xe working fluid (15 g/mole) by a little more than ∼2% points, at higher cycle compression ratio than with He working fluid

Advancing the use of noble gases in fluid inclusions of speleothems as a palaeoclimate proxy. Method and standardization

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Papp, L.; Palcsu, L.; Major, Z.; Svingor, E.

2010-01-01

Complete text of publication follows. Continental carbonates are essential archives of the past geological and climatological occurrences. Recently, fluid inclusions of carbonates have got into focus of palaeoclimate research. A new approach using temperature dependent gas solubilities might be a way that uses only physical laws, e.g. the Henry's law of solubility and gas partitioning models. The so-called noble gas temperature (NGT) can be calculated from the measured noble gas concentrations. This report describes how our first advancing steps towards obtaining NGT's from fluid inclusions and tiny water amounts have been preformed. To extract the water inclusions from the carbonate matrix, the most suitable treatment is to crush the carbonate under vacuum. The water released from the inclusions is then collected in a cold finger by freezing. The amount of the liberated water is measured via its vapour pressure in a certain volume (Fig. 1). The liberated dissolved noble gases which were in the fluid inclusions are separated by a cryo system, and then admitted into the static mode noble gas mass spectrometer sequentially. The calibration of the noble gas mass spectrometric measurements is performed by means of well known air aliquots. To check the reliability of the whole measurement procedure standard water samples have to be measured. As for standard samples, first we have prepared air equilibrated water (AEW) in conditioned circumstances. We fill copper capillaries with AEW. Having completed the copper capillary assemblage, the AEW is letting flow through the capillary (Fig. 2). The error of such a water determination is less than 1% in case of 1 μl of liquid water (Fig. 1) that allows us to determine accurate noble gas concentrations. The reproducibility of 40 Ar measurements is better than 0.6 %, while those of neon, krypton and xenon isotopes are 0.6-1.6 %, 0.9-2.2 % and 0.8-2.0 %, respectively. Theoretically, these precisions for noble gas concentrations

Long-range interactions of excited He atoms with ground-state noble-gas atoms

KAUST Repository

Zhang, J.-Y.

2013-10-09

The dispersion coefficients C6, C8, and C10 for long-range interactions of He(n1,3S) and He(n1,3P), 2≤n≤10, with the ground-state noble-gas atoms Ne, Ar, Kr, and Xe are calculated by summing over the reduced matrix elements of multipole transition operators. The large-n expansions for the sums over the He oscillator strength divided by the corresponding transition energy are presented for these series. Using the expansions, the C6 coefficients for the systems involving He(131,3S) and He(131,3P) are calculated and found to be in good agreement with directly calculated values.

Origin and Processes Highlighted By Noble Gases Geochemistry of Submarine Gas Emissions from Seeps at the Aquitaine Shelf (Bay of Biscay):

Science.gov (United States)

Battani, A.; Ruffine, L.; Donval, J. P.; Bignon, L.; Pujol, M.; Levaché, D.

2014-12-01

Noble gases are widely used as tracers to both determine fluid origin and identify transfer processes governing fluid flow in natural systems. This work presents the preliminary results and interpretations from submarine gas samples collected during the GAZCOGNE2 cruise (2013). The seepage activity and the spatial distribution of the widespread emission sites encountered at this area are described by (Dupré et al. 2014). Gas composition shows that methane is the dominant species compared to the C2+. The associated δ13C and δD signatures point to a biogenic origin- through CO2 reduction- of the gas. Helium concentrations are very low, ranging from 0.1 and 2.3 ppm, indicating a low residence time of the fluids in the subsurface. However, the resulting helium isotopic ratios are mostly crustal fingerprinted (around 0.02). The R/Ra values sometimes exhibit higher value of 0.2, indicative either an ASW (air saturated water) value, or the fingerprint of ancient mantle helium, the later in agreement with the geological structural context of the Parentis Basin. Most of the samples exhibit a mixing between ASW and air, probably by excess air addition to the initial ASW concentration. The elemental Ne/Ar ratio is remarkably constant for the totality of the samples, with a value typical of ASW (0.2). This result implies that the migrating gas phase is "stripping" the original water matrix from its noble gas content, as described by Gillfillian et al., 2008. This further indicates that an intermediate reservoir of biogenic gas should be present at depth. The GAZCOGNE study is co-funded by TOTAL and IFREMER as part of the PAMELA (Passive Margin Exploration Laboratories) scientific project. References: Dupré, S., L. Berger, N. Le Bouffant, C. Scalabrin, and J. F. Bourillet (2014), Fluid emissions at the Aquitaine Shelf (Bay of Biscay, France): a biogenic origin or the expression of hydrocarbon leakage?, Continental Shelf Research, doi:10.1016/j.csr.2014.07.004. Gilfillan S

A scintillation detector for measuring inert gas beta rays

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Shi Hengchang; Yu Yunchang

1989-10-01

The inert gas beta ray scintillation detector, which is made of organic high polymers as the base and coated with compact fluorescence materials, is a lower energy scintillation detector. It can be used in the nuclear power plant and radioactive fields as a lower energy monitor to detect inert gas beta rays. Under the conditions of time constant 10 minutes, confidence level is 99.7% (3σ), the intensity of gamma rays 2.6 x 10 -7 C/kg ( 60 Co), and the minimum detectable concentration (MDC) of this detector for 133 Xe 1.2 Bq/L. The measuring range for 133 Xe is 11.1 ∼ 3.7 x 10 4 Bq/L. After a special measure is taken, the device is able to withstand 3 x 10 5 Pa gauge pressure. In the loss-of-cooolant-accident, it can prevent the radioactive gas of the detector from leaking. This detector is easier to be manufactured and decontaminated

Characterization of a glass GEM for sealed detectors application and reduction of charging-up effects

CERN Document Server

Erdal, Eran

2014-01-01

Apart from high energy physics experiments, there has been a great effort in recent years to incorporate MPGDs in many other applications i.e. medical treatments and imaging and home land security. However, MPGDs (as most gaseous detectors) are normally operated under a constant flushing of the gas. Their use thus turns them expensive since they rely on a constant gas supply and a suitable infrastructure, but most important is the loss of their portability. These reasons have pushed the community to search for other solutions, aiming for the development of sealed detectors. The demands for such is to be made out of low outgassing rate materials and possibly the use of only noble gas to avoid aging due to chemical activity of the ionized gas of the avalanche. The default material for GEM detectors - Polyimide (Kapton), is not suitable for a sealed detector because of its high outgassing rate, thus calling for new solutions. Moreover, GEMs, being essentially made out of an insulating material, pose a problem in...

Development of multiwire gas detectors for X-rays; Desenvolvimento de detectores a gas multifilares para raios-X

Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

Sales, Eraldo de

2015-06-01

This work presents the prototype of a 2D position sensitive gas detector for application in X-ray scattering and diffraction experiments. Starting from a detector initially developed for other applications and will show the required changes on the original concept of this device. The strategy used to determine the necessary adaptations were based on searching in the literature for the overall characteristics of a multi-wire X-ray detector (choice of gas, pressure, window, etc.), the use of simulations, implementation of the changes and finally operational tests. Computational tools were used to calculate the mechanical strength and attenuation of the X-ray photons that helped to determine the most appropriate material for the construction of the entrance window. Detector simulations were built with Garfield software and were used to study the overall properties of the detector, and to determine the optimum parameters for the equipment operation. Typical parameters are the distance between the wires, wire diameter, high voltage to be used, among several other parameters. The results obtained showed that the multi-wire detector concept with the implemented adaptations allowed the detection of X-rays. However, depending on the application, it may be necessary improve the resolution of the equipment, in order to have a better description of the collected data. Several ideas are suggested for this improvement. It is also presented interesting results obtained with a microscopic pattern detector called triple GEM. This device belongs to the Gas Detectors Development group (GDD group) at CERN and was used in my training at this institution. The results showed the potential of the equipment for detection of X-rays. The results and simulations presented in this work, confirmed that the changes in the concept of the original detector permitted it use on X-ray detection applications. Also, it was possible to obtain several indications for further optimization, which may

Comparison of various stopping gases for {sup 3}He-based position sensitive neutron detectors

Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

Doumas, A. [United States Merchant Marine Academy, Steamboat Road, Kings Point, NY 11024 (United States); Smith, G.C., E-mail: gsmith@bnl.gov [Instrumentation Division, Brookhaven National Laboratory, Upton, NY 11973 (United States)

2012-05-21

A range of solid state, scintillator and gas based detectors are being developed for use at the next generation of high flux neutron facilities. Since gas detectors are expected to continue to play a key role in future specific thermal neutron experiments, a comparison of the performance characteristics of prospective stopping gases is beneficial. Gas detectors typically utilize the reaction {sup 3}He(n,p)t to detect thermal neutrons; the {sup 3}He gas is used in a mixture containing a particular stopping gas in order to maintain relatively short ranges for the proton and triton pair emitted from the n-{sup 3}He reaction. Common stopping gases include hydrocarbons (e.g. propane), carbon tetrafluoride, and noble gases such as argon and xenon. For this study, we utilized the Monte Carlo simulation code 'Stopping and Range of Ions in Matter' to analyze the expected behavior of argon, xenon, carbon dioxide, difluoroethane and octafluoropropane as stopping gases for thermal neutron detectors. We also compare these findings to our previously analyzed performance of propane, butane and carbon tetrafluoride. A discussion of these gases includes their behavior in terms of proton and triton range, ionization distribution and straggle.

The micro slit gas detector

Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

Claude Labbe, J.; Gomez, F. E-mail: fgomez@cern.ch; Nunez, T.; Pazos, A.; Vazquez, P

1999-06-01

We describe the first tests with a new proportional gas detector. Its geometry consists of slits opened in a copper metallized kapton foil with 30 {mu}m anode strips suspended in these openings. In this way, the multiplication process is similar to a standard MSGC. The fundamental difference is the absence of an insulating substrate around the anode. Also the material budget is significantly reduced, and the problems related to charging-up or polarization are removed. Ageing properties of this detector are under study.

The micro slit gas detector

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Claude Labbe, J.; Gomez, F.; Nunez, T.; Pazos, A.; Vazquez, P.

1999-01-01

We describe the first tests with a new proportional gas detector. Its geometry consists of slits opened in a copper metallized kapton foil with 30 μm anode strips suspended in these openings. In this way, the multiplication process is similar to a standard MSGC. The fundamental difference is the absence of an insulating substrate around the anode. Also the material budget is significantly reduced, and the problems related to charging-up or polarization are removed. Ageing properties of this detector are under study

Dissolved stable noble gas measurements from primary water of Paks NPP

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Palcsu, L.; Molnar, M.; Szanto, Zs.; Svingor, E.; Futo, I.; Pinter, T.

2001-01-01

A sampling and measuring method of noble gases from the primary water circuit of a VVER type NPP was developed to provide relevant information about the kilter of heating rods and detailed additional information about some working parameters. The helium concentrations and 3 He/ 4 He ratios was used to estimate the content of tritium and alpha emitting isotopes of the primary water. By argon content measurements the air penetration and the required hydrazine amount for the oxygen absorption could be estimated with high accuracy. Continuous monitoring of the concentration and isotope ratios of Xe and Kr in the dissolved gas is proved to be a good tool for high sensitivity detection of small leakage of fuel elements. In case of block-3 xenon surplus was detected. The results indicate possible leakage of fuel rods.(author)

Development of a sodium ionization detector for sodium-to-gas leaks

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Swaminathan, K.; Elumalai, G.

1984-01-01

A sensitive sodium-to-gas leak detector has been indigenously developed for use in liquid metal cooled fast breeder reactor. The detector relies on the relative ease with which sodium vapour or its aerosols including its oxides and hydroxides can be thermally ionized compared with other possible constituents such as nitrogen, oxygen, water vapour etc. in a carrier gas and is therefore called sodium ionization detector (SID). The ionization current is a measure of sodium concentration in the carrier gas sampled through the detector. Different sensor designs using platinum and rhodium as filament materials in varying sizes were constructed and their responses to different sodium aerosol concentrations in the carrier gas were investigated. Nitrogen was used as the carrier gas. Both the background current and speed of response were found to depend on the diameter of the filament. There was also a particular collector voltage which yielded maximum sensitivity of the detector. The sensor was therefore optimised considering influence of above factors and a detector has been built which demonstrates a sensitivity better than 0.3 nanogram of sodium per cubic centimetre of carrier gas for a signal to background ratio of 1:1. Its usefulness in detecting sodium fires in experimental area was also demonstrated. Currently efforts are under way to improve the life time of the filament used in the above detector. (author)

Probing the interaction of noble gases with pristine and nitrogen-doped graphene through Raman spectroscopy

Science.gov (United States)

Cunha, Renato; Perea-López, Néstor; Elías, Ana Laura; Fujisawa, Kazunori; Carozo, Victor; Feng, Simin; Lv, Ruitao; dos Santos, Maria Cristina; Terrones, Mauricio; Araujo, Paulo T.

2018-05-01

The interactions of adsorbates with graphene have received increasing attention due to its importance in the development of applications involving graphene-based coatings. Here, we present a study of the adsorption of noble gases on pristine and nitrogen-doped graphene. Single-layer graphene samples were synthesized by chemical vapor deposition (CVD) and transferred to transmission electron microscopy (TEM) grids. Several noble gases were allowed to adsorb on the suspended graphene substrate at very low temperatures. Raman spectra show distinct frequency blue shifts in both the 2D and G bands, which are induced by gas adsorption onto high quality single layer graphene (1LG). These shifts, which we associate with compressive biaxial strain in the graphene layers induced by the noble gases, are negligible for nitrogen-doped graphene. Additionally, a thermal depinning transition, which is related to the desorption of a noble gas layer from the graphene surface at low temperatures (ranging from 20 to 35 K), was also observed at different transition temperatures for different noble gases. These transition temperatures were found to be 25 K for argon and 35 K for xenon. Moreover, we were able to obtain values for the compressive biaxial strain in graphene induced by the adsorbed layer of noble gases, using Raman spectroscopy. Ab initio calculations confirmed the correlation between the noble gas-induced strain and the changes in the Raman features observed.

FGLD A novel and compact micro-pattern gas detector

CERN Document Server

Dick, Louis; Watts, David

2004-01-01

A new gas detector which combines in the same structure the gas amplification mechanism and the position sensitive readout, named the field gradient lattice detector (FGLD), is being developed at CERN. The detector, reminiscent in geometry of a multi-wire proportional chamber but with a different field configuration can be fabricated as two or more layers of micro-patterned parallel tracks on a variety of substrate materials. Two preliminary proof-of-concept designs without position sensitivity have been fabricated as copper tracks of 50 mum width and 150 mum pitch on polyimide in a 3D geometry and on epoxy in a 2D geometry. They have been shown to detect the 5.9 keV X-rays of an $^{55}Fe$ source with a stable gain ranging from 500 to 5000 in a 3 mm drift chamber containing an argon carbon-dioxide gas mixture. The elegance and compactness of the FGLD design make it a very attractive gas detector solution both economically and mechanically. Most interestingly, the 3D FGLD design on flexible polyimide should gr...

Intercomparison of radon gas detectors 1999 and 2000 at PSI

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Schuler, Christoph; Butterweck, Gernot

2000-10-01

This report describes the results of two radon intercomparison exercises performed by the Reference Laboratory for Radon Gas Activity Concentration Measurements at Paul Scherrer Institut from Sep 9th to Oct 6th, 1999, and from March 21st to 28th, 2000. Radon gas detectors and instruments were exposed in the PSI Radon Chamber in reference atmospheres to 1060 kBqhm -3 radon gas exposure at an average radon gas concentration of 6400 Bqm -3 and to 2050 kBqhm -3 radon gas exposure at an average radon gas concentration of 12500 Bqm -3 , respectively. These intercomparison exercises determined the performance of electret ionisation chambers, track etch detectors and measuring instruments at high humidity (1999 Intercomparison Exercise) and at a high radon gas exposure (2000 Intercomparison Exercise). In the 1999 Intercomparison Exercise, electret ionisation chambers revealed an influence on high humidity. This effect may be due to impurities on a microscopic scale on the electrets of these detectors. With few exceptions, in both the 1999 and the 2000 Radon Intercomparison Exercise the deviations of the measurement results to the reference radon gas concentration values were less than 15% (traceability criterion) and the standard deviation of the results of five detectors less than 15% (reproducibility criterion). (author) [de

Developing and evaluating new micropattern gas detectors

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Villa, Marco

2014-02-01

Micropattern gas detectors (MPGDs) were introduced in the late 1980s in order to overcome the limited rate capability of traditional proportional counters. Thanks to their microscopic electrode structures, MPGDs are faster and more precise than the previous gas detectors and soon gained popularity. Two of the most successful MPGDs are the gas electron multiplier (GEM) and the micro-mesh gaseous structure (Micromegas). In this thesis I present the features of GEMs and Micromegas, some of their current applications and the research and development that I have done on these technologies. My activity covered two main topics: the test and enhancement of single-mask GEMs for large-area applications and the study of spark-tolerant Micromegas for the upgrade of the ATLAS Small Wheels.

Reservoir Characterization using geostatistical and numerical modeling in GIS with noble gas geochemistry

Science.gov (United States)

Vasquez, D. A.; Swift, J. N.; Tan, S.; Darrah, T. H.

2013-12-01

The integration of precise geochemical analyses with quantitative engineering modeling into an interactive GIS system allows for a sophisticated and efficient method of reservoir engineering and characterization. Geographic Information Systems (GIS) is utilized as an advanced technique for oil field reservoir analysis by combining field engineering and geological/geochemical spatial datasets with the available systematic modeling and mapping methods to integrate the information into a spatially correlated first-hand approach in defining surface and subsurface characteristics. Three key methods of analysis include: 1) Geostatistical modeling to create a static and volumetric 3-dimensional representation of the geological body, 2) Numerical modeling to develop a dynamic and interactive 2-dimensional model of fluid flow across the reservoir and 3) Noble gas geochemistry to further define the physical conditions, components and history of the geologic system. Results thus far include using engineering algorithms for interpolating electrical well log properties across the field (spontaneous potential, resistivity) yielding a highly accurate and high-resolution 3D model of rock properties. Results so far also include using numerical finite difference methods (crank-nicholson) to solve for equations describing the distribution of pressure across field yielding a 2D simulation model of fluid flow across reservoir. Ongoing noble gas geochemistry results will also include determination of the source, thermal maturity and the extent/style of fluid migration (connectivity, continuity and directionality). Future work will include developing an inverse engineering algorithm to model for permeability, porosity and water saturation.This combination of new and efficient technological and analytical capabilities is geared to provide a better understanding of the field geology and hydrocarbon dynamics system with applications to determine the presence of hydrocarbon pay zones (or

Radon chamber for soil gas detectors

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Andersson, P.

1987-01-01

Swedish Geological Co (SGAB) has designed and constructed a chamber for the calibration of detectors and instruments intended for the measurement of radon-222 in soil gas. In the chamber radon detectors may be exposed in a model environment which simulates ground conditions with respect to radon concentration, temperature and humidity. Also included in the research project is the development of methods for calibration procedures, together with test measurements. In general, these measurements indicate that the radon detectors tested are sufficiently accurate and reliable for radon measurements in Swedish soils if they are calibrated in an environment which simulates ground conditions. (orig./HP)

Gas microstrip detectors based on flexible printed circuit

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Salomon, M.; Crowe, K.; Faszer, W.; Lindsay, P.; Curran Maier, J.M.

1995-09-01

Microstrip Gas Detectors (MSGC's) were introduced some years ago as position sensitive detectors capable of operating at very high rates. The authors have studied the properties of a new type of Gas Microstrip Counter built using flexible printed circuit technology. They describe the manufacturing procedures, the assembly of the device, as well as its operation under a variety of conditions, gases and types of radiation. They also describe two new passivation materials, tantalum and niobium, which produce effective surfaces

A risk-based approach to flammable gas detector spacing.

Science.gov (United States)

Defriend, Stephen; Dejmek, Mark; Porter, Leisa; Deshotels, Bob; Natvig, Bernt

2008-11-15

Flammable gas detectors allow an operating company to address leaks before they become serious, by automatically alarming and by initiating isolation and safe venting. Without effective gas detection, there is very limited defense against a flammable gas leak developing into a fire or explosion that could cause loss of life or escalate to cascading failures of nearby vessels, piping, and equipment. While it is commonly recognized that some gas detectors are needed in a process plant containing flammable gas or volatile liquids, there is usually a question of how many are needed. The areas that need protection can be determined by dispersion modeling from potential leak sites. Within the areas that must be protected, the spacing of detectors (or alternatively, number of detectors) should be based on risk. Detector design can be characterized by spacing criteria, which is convenient for design - or alternatively by number of detectors, which is convenient for cost reporting. The factors that influence the risk are site-specific, including process conditions, chemical composition, number of potential leak sites, piping design standards, arrangement of plant equipment and structures, design of isolation and depressurization systems, and frequency of detector testing. Site-specific factors such as those just mentioned affect the size of flammable gas cloud that must be detected (within a specified probability) by the gas detection system. A probability of detection must be specified that gives a design with a tolerable risk of fires and explosions. To determine the optimum spacing of detectors, it is important to consider the probability that a detector will fail at some time and be inoperative until replaced or repaired. A cost-effective approach is based on the combined risk from a representative selection of leakage scenarios, rather than a worst-case evaluation. This means that probability and severity of leak consequences must be evaluated together. In marine and

Paleotemperatures derived from noble gases dissolved in groundwater and in relation to soil temperature

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Stute, M.; Sonntag, C.

1992-01-01

Measurements of He, Ne, Ar, Kr and Xe dissolved in groundwater at two sites (Bocholt, Germany, and the Great Hungarian Plain) were taken to prove the reliability of noble gas temperatures as indicators of paleotemperatures. Noble gas temperatures of groundwater of Holocene age were found to reflect the annual mean soil temperature in the recharge are with an accuracy close to the precision of measurement (1σ approx. ±0.5 deg. C). Noble gas temperature data demonstrate the influence of vegetation cover on the soil temperature in the infiltration area. Groundwater formed in forests at the Bocholt site shows noble gas temperatures that are 2.2 deg. C lower than the groundwater formed in fields or meadows. The temperature data obtained from groundwater of the Great Hungarian Plain for the last glaciation are ≥ 8.6 deg. C lower than data from recent groundwater for maximum glaciation (approx. 18,000 years ago) and 4.7 ± 1 deg. C lower for the preceding interstadial (approx. 28,000-35,000 years ago). These data permit independent reconstruction of paleoclimatic conditions. (author). 19 refs, 3 figs, 1 tab

Noble Gas Surface Flux Simulations And Atmospheric Transport

Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

Carrigan, Charles R. [Lawrence Livermore National Lab. (LLNL), Livermore, CA (United States); Sun, Yunwei [Lawrence Livermore National Lab. (LLNL), Livermore, CA (United States); Simpson, Matthew D. [Lawrence Livermore National Lab. (LLNL), Livermore, CA (United States)

2017-09-30

Signatures from underground nuclear explosions or UNEs are strongly influenced by the containment regime surrounding them. The degree of gas leakage from the detonation cavity to the surface obviously affects the magnitude of surface fluxes of radioxenon that might be detected during the course of a Comprehensive Test Ban Treaty On-Site Inspection. In turn, the magnitude of surface fluxes will influence the downwind detectability of the radioxenon atmospheric signature from the event. Less obvious is the influence that leakage rates have on the evolution of radioxenon isotopes in the cavity or the downwind radioisotopic measurements that might be made. The objective of this letter report is to summarize our attempt to better understand how containment conditions affect both the detection and interpretation of radioxenon signatures obtained from sampling at the ground surface near an event as well as at greater distances in the atmosphere. In the discussion that follows, we make no attempt to consider other sources of radioactive noble gases such as natural backgrounds or atmospheric contamination and, for simplicity, only focus on detonation-produced radioxenon gases. Summarizing our simulations, they show that the decay of radioxenon isotopes (e.g., Xe-133, Xe-131m, Xe-133m and Xe-135) and their migration to the surface following a UNE means that the possibility of detecting these gases exists within a window of opportunity. In some cases, seeps or venting of detonation gases may allow significant quantities to reach the surface and be released into the atmosphere immediately following a UNE. In other release scenarios – the ones we consider here – hours to days may be required for gases to reach the surface at detectable levels. These release models are most likely more characteristic of “fully contained” events that lack prompt venting, but which still leak gas slowly across the surface for periods of months.

Anatomy of a cluster IDP. Part 2: Noble gas abundances, trace element geochemistry, isotopic abundances, and trace organic chemistry of several fragments from L2008#5

Science.gov (United States)

Thomas, K. L.; Clemett, S. J.; Flynn, G. J.; Keller, L. P.; Mckay, David S.; Messenger, S.; Nier, A. O.; Schlutter, D. J.; Sutton, S. R.; Walker, R. M.

1994-01-01

The topics discussed include the following: noble gas content and release temperatures; trace element abundances; heating summary of cluster fragments; isotopic measurements; and trace organic chemistry.

Relativistic effects in photoionization time delay near the Cooper minimum of noble-gas atoms

Science.gov (United States)

Saha, Soumyajit; Mandal, Ankur; Jose, Jobin; Varma, Hari R.; Deshmukh, P. C.; Kheifets, A. S.; Dolmatov, V. K.; Manson, S. T.

2014-11-01

Time delay of photoemission from valence n s , n p3 /2 , and n p1 /2 subshells of noble-gas atoms is theoretically scrutinized within the framework of the dipole relativistic random phase approximation. The focus is on the variation of time delay in the vicinity of the Cooper minima in photoionization of the outer subshells of neon, argon, krypton, and xenon, where the corresponding dipole matrix element changes its sign while passing through a node. It is revealed that the presence of the Cooper minimum in one photoionization channel has a strong effect on time delay in other channels. This is shown to be due to interchannel coupling.

Overview of the physical-chemical properties of the noble gases

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

McKinley, C.

1973-01-01

This paper lists the concentrations of noble gases in the atmosphere and the relative abundance of the stable isotopes. Selected physical properties are tabulated; solubilities of noble gases in water and other liquids, and liquid-vapor equilibria data for binary systems containing a noble gas are presented. Adsorption data are tabulated for illustrative conventional adsorbents and are also presented by a Polanyi correlation. Clathration, biochemical effects, and chemical reactivity are highlighted. Analytical procedures are briefly described. Other relatively non-reactive gases present in the atmosphere in trace quantities are mentioned: methane, carbon tetrafluoride, and sulfur hexafluoride.

Monte Carlo simulation of gas Cerenkov detectors

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Mack, J.M.; Jain, M.; Jordan, T.M.

1984-01-01

Theoretical study of selected gamma-ray and electron diagnostic necessitates coupling Cerenkov radiation to electron/photon cascades. A Cerenkov production model and its incorporation into a general geometry Monte Carlo coupled electron/photon transport code is discussed. A special optical photon ray-trace is implemented using bulk optical properties assigned to each Monte Carlo zone. Good agreement exists between experimental and calculated Cerenkov data in the case of a carbon-dioxide gas Cerenkov detector experiment. Cerenkov production and threshold data are presented for a typical carbon-dioxide gas detector that converts a 16.7 MeV photon source to Cerenkov light, which is collected by optics and detected by a photomultiplier

Multi-angle gas and Si detector particle telescope

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

McDonald, R.J.; Sobotka, L.G.; Wozniak, G.J.

1984-01-01

A simple gas ΔE and multiple Si E detector telescope (called a WEDGE detector) has been constructed, which is particularly suitable for angular distribution studies of light ion emission from fragments following heavy ion reactions. This inexpensive detector was designed to have a low detection threshold, large dynamic range and constant ΔE path length. The detector has been used in studies of complex fragment emission (typically 2 < Z < 10) following compound nucleus and deep-inelastic heavy ion reactions

Noble Gas Measurement and Analysis Technique for Monitoring Reprocessing Facilities

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

William S. Charlton

1999-01-01

An environmental monitoring technique using analysis of stable noble gas isotopic ratios on-stack at a reprocessing facility was developed. This technique integrates existing technologies to strengthen safeguards at reprocessing facilities. The isotopic ratios are measured using a mass spectrometry system and are compared to a database of calculated isotopic ratios using a Bayesian data analysis method to determine specific fuel parameters (e.g., burnup, fuel type, fuel age, etc.). These inferred parameters can be used by investigators to verify operator declarations. A user-friendly software application (named NOVA) was developed for the application of this technique. NOVA included a Visual Basic user interface coupling a Bayesian data analysis procedure to a reactor physics database (calculated using the Monteburns 3.01 code system). The integrated system (mass spectrometry, reactor modeling, and data analysis) was validated using on-stack measurements during the reprocessing of target fuel from a U.S. production reactor and gas samples from the processing of EBR-II fast breeder reactor driver fuel. These measurements led to an inferred burnup that matched the declared burnup with sufficient accuracy and consistency for most safeguards applications. The NOVA code was also tested using numerous light water reactor measurements from the literature. NOVA was capable of accurately determining spent fuel type, burnup, and fuel age for these experimental results. Work should continue to demonstrate the robustness of this system for production, power, and research reactor fuels

Theoretical prediction of the noble gas complexes HeAuF and NeAuF

Institute of Scientific and Technical Information of China (English)

无

2009-01-01

Ab initio calculations were carried out to investigate the structures and the stability of the noble gas complexes HeAuF and NeAuF through MP2 and CCSD(T) methods.The HeAuF was predicted to have a linear structure with weak He-Au covalent bonding,the distance of which is closer to the covalent limit in comparison with the corresponding van der Waals limit.The dissociation energy with respect to He + AuF was found to be 24 and 26 kJ·mol-1 at the CCSD(T)/basis set B and B’ levels,respectively.However,similar calculations for NeAuF indicate that NeAuF is not a stable species.

The desorption behaviour of implanted noble gases at low energy on silicon surfaces

NARCIS (Netherlands)

Holtslag, A.H.M.; van Silfhout, Arend

1987-01-01

Under UHV conditions, clean crystalline Si(111) surfaces have been bombarded mass-selectively at room temperature with noble gas ions, Ne+, Ar+, Kr+, at normal incidence. By means of stepwise heating up to 1050 K the activation energies and desorbed doses of the noble gases have been straight

Noble gas confinement for reactor fuel melting accidents

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Monson, P.R.

1984-01-01

In the unlikely event of a fuel melting accident, radioactive material would be released into the reactor room. This radioactive material would consist of particulate matter, iodine, tritium, and the noble gases krypton and xenon. In the case of reactors with containment domes the gases would be contained for subsequent cleanup. For reactors without contaiment the particulates and the iodine can be effectively removed with HEPA and carbon filters of current technology; however, noble gases cannot be easily removed and would be released to the atmosphere. In either case, it would be highly desirable to have a system that could be brought online to treat this contaminated air to minimize the population dose. A low temperature adsorption system has been developed at the Savannah River Laboratory to remove the airborne radioactive material from such a fuel melting accident. Over two dozen materials have been tested in extensive laboratory studies, and hydrogen mordenite and silver mordenite were found to be the most promising adsorbents. A full-scale conceptual design has also been developed. Results of the laboratory studies and the conceptual design are discussed along with plans for further development of this concept

Noble gas confinement for reactor fuel melting accidents

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Monson, P.R.

1985-01-01

In the unlikely event of a fuel melting accident radioactive material would be released into the reactor room. This radioactive material would consist of particulate matter, iodine, tritium, and the noble gases krypton and xenon. In the case of reactors with containment domes, the gases would be contained for subsequent cleanup. For reactors without containment the particulates and the iodine can be effectively removed with HEPA and carbon filters of current technology; however, noble gases cannot be easily removed and would be released to the atmosphere. In either case, it would be highly desirable to have a system that could be brought online to treat this contaminated air to minimize the population dose. A low temperature adsorption system has been developed at the Savannah River Laboratory to remove the airborne radioactive material from such a fuel melting accident. Over two dozen materials have been tested in extensive laboratory studies, and hydrogen mordensite and silver mordenite were found to be the most promising absorbents. A full-scale conceptual design has also been developed. Results of the laboratory studies and the conceptual design will be discussed along with plans for further development of this concept

Isotopic and noble gas geochemistry in geothermal research

Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

Kennedy, B.M.; DePaolo, D.J. [Lawrence Berkeley National Lab., CA (United States)

1997-12-31

The objective of this program is to provide, through isotopic analyses of fluids, fluid inclusions, and rocks and minerals coupled with improved methods for geochemical data analysis, needed information regarding sources of geothermal heat and fluids, the spatial distribution of fluid types, subsurface flow, water-rock reaction paths and rates, and the temporal evolution of geothermal systems. Isotopic studies of geothermal fluids have previously been limited to the light stable isotopes of H, C, and O. However, other isotopic systems such as the noble gases (He, Ne, Ar, Kr and Xe) and reactive elements (e.g. B, N, S, Sr and Pb) are complementary and may even be more important in some geothermal systems. The chemistry and isotopic composition of a fluid moving through the crust will change in space and time in response to varying chemical and physical parameters or by mixing with additional fluids. The chemically inert noble gases often see through these variations, making them excellent tracers for heat and fluid sources. Whereas, the isotopic compositions of reactive elements are useful tools in characterizing water-rock interaction and modeling the movement of fluids through a geothermal reservoir.

The development of an electrochemical technique for in situ calibrating of combustible gas detectors

Science.gov (United States)

Shumar, J. W.; Lantz, J. B.; Schubert, F. H.

1976-01-01

A program to determine the feasibility of performing in situ calibration of combustible gas detectors was successfully completed. Several possible techniques for performing the in situ calibration were proposed. The approach that showed the most promise involved the use of a miniature water vapor electrolysis cell for the generation of hydrogen within the flame arrestor of a combustible gas detector to be used for the purpose of calibrating the combustible gas detectors. A preliminary breadboard of the in situ calibration hardware was designed, fabricated and assembled. The breadboard equipment consisted of a commercially available combustible gas detector, modified to incorporate a water vapor electrolysis cell, and the instrumentation required for controlling the water vapor electrolysis and controlling and calibrating the combustible gas detector. The results showed that operation of the water vapor electrolysis at a given current density for a specific time period resulted in the attainment of a hydrogen concentration plateau within the flame arrestor of the combustible gas detector.

Noble Gases as tracers of fluid migration in the Haynesville shale and overlying strata

Science.gov (United States)

Byrne, D. J.; Barry, P. H.; Lawson, M.; Ballentine, C. J.

2017-12-01

Noble gases are ideal tracers of physical processes and fluid provenance in crustal systems. Due to their inert nature, they are unaffected by chemical alteration, redox, or biological phenomena that fractionate other geochemical tracers. Noble gas analysis has been used to quantify fluid provenance, interactions, and ages in petroleum systems [1,2], but the effects of hydrocarbon migration on noble gas signatures have not been directly observed. The Haynesville Shale (East Texas & Louisiana), is exploited commercially for unconventional shale gas, but also acts as the source-rock for overlying conventional reservoirs. We present noble gas isotope and abundance data in samples collected from 9 natural gas wells sourced from the Haynesville Shale, as well as 21 from reservoirs in the overlying Cotton Valley (n=7), Travis Peak (n=9), and James (n=5) groups. Using a stratigraphic model, we observe systematic changes in the noble gas signatures as the fluids migrate from the Haynesville source rock to the overlying conventional accumulations. Helium isotope ratios (3He/4He) are strongly radiogenic in the Haynesville and stratigraphically older conventional reservoirs, with the younger reservoirs showing evidence of a mantle helium input. Argon isotope ratios (40Ar/36Ar) are strongly correlated with high 3He/4He, suggesting a similar provenance for radiogenic 40Ar and mantle 3He. Concentrations of groundwater-derived 36Ar are consistently higher in the conventional reservoirs than in the Haynesville shale, reflecting the greater interaction with groundwater during migration. However, 20Ne/36Ar ratios are not significantly different, suggesting that solubility-dependent partitioning is not simply dependent on vertical or horizontal migration distance. Krypton and xenon abundances are higher than expected for groundwater in all samples, a phenomenon that has been observed in many other hydrocarbon accumulations [3]. The excess Xe/Kr ratio is highest in the Haynesville

Fluorescence emissions from mixtures of Hg with the noble gases

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Woodworth, J.R.

1977-01-01

Fluorescence emissions from mixtures of Hg with high pressure Xe, Kr, and Ar (approx.1 torr Hg, 10 3 --10 4 torr noble gas) have been studied using a short-pulse relativistic electron beam as an excitation source. Hg--noble gas molecular bands were observed on the red sides of the Hg lines (1849 and 2537 A) as well as on the red sides of the Hg visible lines (7 3 S 1 →6 3 P 0 , 1 , 2 ). Temporal histories and production efficiencies of the molecular emissions were determined and a model was formulated for the time histories of the HgXe 2600 A bands. Possible applications to high power laser systems are discussed

Noble-gas ion sputtering yield of gold and copper: Dependence on the energy and angle of incidence of the projectiles

Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

Oliva-Florio, A.; Baragiola, R.A.; Jakas, M.M.; Alonso, E.V.; Ferron, J.

1987-02-15

We have measured the sputtering yield of Au and Cu targets as a function of energy and the angle of incidence of noble-gas projectiles in the energy range 2--50 keV. The experimental results were compared with the analytical theory of sputtering and with computer simulations. Our study indicates that the linear-cascade model is applicable only asymptotically for low nuclear stopping powers.

A gas pixel detector for X-ray imaging

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Bateman, J.E.; Connolly, J.F.

1991-11-01

A simple, robust form of gas pixel detector is discussed which is based on the use of electronic connector pins as the gain elements. With a rate capability of >10 5 counts/s per pin, an X-ray imaging detector system capable of counting at global rates of the order of 10 10 counts/s is foreseen. (author)

The degassing history of the Earth: Noble gas studies of Archaean cherts and zero age glassy submarine basalts

Science.gov (United States)

Hart, R.; Hogan, L.

1985-01-01

Recent noble gas studies suggests the Earth's atmosphere outgassed from the Earth's upper mantle synchronous with sea floor spreading, ocean ridge hydrothermal activity and the formation of continents by partial melting in subduction zones. The evidence for formation of the atmosphere by outgassing of the mantle is the presence of radionuclides H3.-4, Ar-040 and 136 Xe-136 in the atmosphere that were produced from K-40, U and Th in the mantle. How these radionuclides were formed is reviewed.

New detector techniques

CERN Document Server

Iarocci, Enzo

1994-03-14

The intense R&D effort being carried out in view of LHC has given rise in a relatively short time to a wide spectrum of new detector concepts and technologies. Subject of the lectures will be some of the most interesting new ideas and developments, in the field of noble liquid, crystal and scintillating fiber trackers. The emphasis will be on the basic aspects of detector operation.

An X-ray gas position sensitive detector: construction and characterization

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Barbosa, A.F.; Gabriel, A.; Gabriel, A.; Craievich, A.

1988-01-01

A linear x-ray gas position sensitive detector with delay line readout has been constructed. The detector is described, characterized and used for detecting x-ray diffraction patterns from polycrystals. (author) [pt

Development of multiwire gas detectors for X-rays

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Sales, Eraldo de

2015-01-01

This work presents the prototype of a 2D position sensitive gas detector for application in X-ray scattering and diffraction experiments. Starting from a detector initially developed for other applications and will show the required changes on the original concept of this device. The strategy used to determine the necessary adaptations were based on searching in the literature for the overall characteristics of a multi-wire X-ray detector (choice of gas, pressure, window, etc.), the use of simulations, implementation of the changes and finally operational tests. Computational tools were used to calculate the mechanical strength and attenuation of the X-ray photons that helped to determine the most appropriate material for the construction of the entrance window. Detector simulations were built with Garfield software and were used to study the overall properties of the detector, and to determine the optimum parameters for the equipment operation. Typical parameters are the distance between the wires, wire diameter, high voltage to be used, among several other parameters. The results obtained showed that the multi-wire detector concept with the implemented adaptations allowed the detection of X-rays. However, depending on the application, it may be necessary improve the resolution of the equipment, in order to have a better description of the collected data. Several ideas are suggested for this improvement. It is also presented interesting results obtained with a microscopic pattern detector called triple GEM. This device belongs to the Gas Detectors Development group (GDD group) at CERN and was used in my training at this institution. The results showed the potential of the equipment for detection of X-rays. The results and simulations presented in this work, confirmed that the changes in the concept of the original detector permitted it use on X-ray detection applications. Also, it was possible to obtain several indications for further optimization, which may

Substrate-induced instability in gas microstrip detectors

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Bateman, J.E.; Connolly, J.F.

1992-12-01

The results of a programme of research into substrate-induced gain instability in gas microstrip detectors are reported. Information has been collected on a wide range of substrates including many commonly available glasses and ceramics. A theoretical model of the gain instability is proposed. While we have not yet found an acceptable substrate for the construction of high flux detectors our experience points to electronically conductive glasses as the most promising source of a stable substrate. (Author)

Development of intense high-energy noble gas ion beams from in-terminal ion injector of tandem accelerator using an ECR ion source

Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

Matsuda, M., E-mail: matsuda.makoto@jaea.go.jp [Japan Atomic Energy Agency (JAEA), Tokai Research and Development Center, 2-4 Shirakata-shirane, Tokai, Naka, Ibaraki 319-1195 (Japan); Nakanoya, T.; Hanashima, S.; Takeuchi, S. [Japan Atomic Energy Agency (JAEA), Tokai Research and Development Center, 2-4 Shirakata-shirane, Tokai, Naka, Ibaraki 319-1195 (Japan)

2011-10-21

An ECRIS-based heavy ion injector was constructed in the high-voltage terminal of JAEA-Tokai Tandem Accelerator to develop new beam species of highly charged noble gas ions. This work was associated with a lot of development to operate the ion source on the 20UR Pelletron high voltage terminal in high pressure SF{sub 6} gas environment. Highly charged ions of N, O, Ne, Ar, Kr and Xe have been accelerated satisfactorily. Operating data integrated during many years long beam delivery service are summarized.

A first-principles study on the interaction of biogas with noble metal (Rh, Pt, Pd) decorated nitrogen doped graphene as a gas sensor: A DFT study

Science.gov (United States)

Zhao, Chunjiang; Wu, Huarui

2018-03-01

Density functional theory calculations are carried out to investigate the adsorption characteristics of methane (CH4), carbon dioxide (CO2), hydrogen (H2), hydrogen sulfide (H2S), nitrogen (N2), and oxygen (O2) on the surface of pyridine-like nitrogen doped graphene (PNG) as well as noble metal (Rh, Pt, Pd) decorated PNG to elaborate their potentials as gas sensors. The adsorption intensities of biogas on noble metal (Rh, Pt, Pd) decorated PNG are in the order of O2> H2S> N2> CH4> CO2> H2, which are corresponded to the order of their sensitivity on surface. Compared with biogas adsorption on pristine PNG, there exist higher adsorption ability, higher charge transfer and higher orbital hybridization upon adsorption on noble metal (Rh, Pt, Pd) decorated PNG. Consequently, the noble metal (Rh, Pt, Pd) decorated PNG can transform the existence of CH4, CO2, H2, H2S, N2, and O2 molecules into electrical signal and they could potentially be used as ideal sensors for detection of biogas in ambient situation.

High gain gas microstrip detectors for soft x-ray detection

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Bateman, J.; Barlow, R.; Derbyshire, G.

2001-01-01

This report describes development work in which systematic changes in the pitch of the electrode pattern of a Gas Microstrip Detector are explored in the search for higher avalanche gains and enhanced stability. With the cathode width set to half of the pitch, gas gains of >50 000 are comfortably attainable with low detector noise so that x-rays can potentially be detected down to the limit of a single x-ray-produced photoelectron. (author)

Features and performance of a large gas Cherenkov detector with threshold regulation

Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

Alberdi, J.; Alvarez-Taviel, J.; Asenjo, L.; Colino, N.; Diez-Hedo. F.; Duran, I.; Gonzalez, J.; Hernandez, J.J.; Ladron de Guevara, P.; Marquina, M.A.

1988-01-15

We present here the development, main features and calibration procedures for a new type of gas Cherenkov detector, based upon the ability to control its threshold by regulating the temperature of the gas used as radiator. We also include the performance of this detector in particle identification.

A gas microstrip X-ray detector for soft energy fluorescence EXAFS

CERN Document Server

Smith, A D; Derbyshire, G E; Duxbury, D M; Lipp, J; Spill, E J; Stephenson, R

2001-01-01

Gas microstrip detectors have been previously developed by the particle physics community, where their robustness, compactness and high counting speed have been recognised. These features are particularly attractive to synchrotron radiation use. In this paper, we describe a gas microstrip detector employing multi-element readout and specifically developed for high count rate fluorescence EXAFS at soft X-ray energies below 4 keV.

A TPC-like readout method for high precision muon-tracking using GEM-detectors

Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

Flierl, Bernhard; Biebel, Otmar; Bortfeldt, Jonathan; Hertenberger, Ralf; Klitzner, Felix; Loesel, Philipp; Mueller, Ralph [Ludwig-Maximilians-Universitaet Muenchen (Germany); Zibell, Andre [Julius-Maximilians-Universitaet Wuerzburg (Germany)

2016-07-01

Gaseous electron multiplier (GEM) detectors are well suited for tracking of charged particles. Three dimensional tracking in a single layer can be achieved by application of a time-projection-chamber like readout mode (μTPC), if the drift time of the electrons is measured and the position dependence of the arrival time is used to calculate the inclination angle of the track. To optimize the tracking capabilities for ion tracks drift gas mixtures with low drift velocity have been investigated by measuring tracks of cosmic muons in a compact setup of four GEM-detectors of 100 x 100 x 6 mm{sup 3} active volume each and an angular acceptance of -25 to 25 . The setup consists of three detectors with two-dimensional strip readout layers of 0.4 mm pitch and one detector with a single strip readout layer of 0.25 mm pitch. All strips are readout by APV25 frontend boards and the amplification stage in the detectors consists of three GEM-foils. Tracks are reconstructed by the μTPC-method in one of the detectors and are then compared to the prediction from the other three detectors defined by the center of charge in every detector. We report our study of Argon and Helium based noble gas mixtures with carbon-dioxide as quencher.

Detection of a noble gas molecular ion, 36ArH+, in the Crab Nebula.

Science.gov (United States)

Barlow, M J; Swinyard, B M; Owen, P J; Cernicharo, J; Gomez, H L; Ivison, R J; Krause, O; Lim, T L; Matsuura, M; Miller, S; Olofsson, G; Polehampton, E T

2013-12-13

Noble gas molecules have not hitherto been detected in space. From spectra obtained with the Herschel Space Observatory, we report the detection of emission in the 617.5- and 1234.6-gigahertz J = 1-0 and 2-1 rotational lines of (36)ArH(+) at several positions in the Crab Nebula, a supernova remnant known to contain both molecular hydrogen and regions of enhanced ionized argon emission. Argon-36 is believed to have originated from explosive nucleosynthesis in massive stars during core-collapse supernova events. Its detection in the Crab Nebula, the product of such a supernova event, confirms this expectation. The likely excitation mechanism for the observed (36)ArH(+) emission lines is electron collisions in partially ionized regions with electron densities of a few hundred per centimeter cubed.

X-ray detector for automatic exposure control using ionization chamber filled with xenon gas

CERN Document Server

Nakagawa, A; Yoshida, T

2003-01-01

This report refers to our newly developed X-ray detector for reliable automatic X-ray exposure control, which is to be widely used for X-ray diagnoses in various clinical fields. This new detector utilizes an ionization chamber filled with xenon gas, in contrast to conventional X-ray detectors which use ionization chambers filled with air. Use of xenon gas ensures higher sensitivity and thinner design of the detector. The xenon gas is completely sealed in the chamber, so that the influence of the changes in ambient environments is minimized. (author)

Gas Pixel Detectors for low energy X-ray polarimetry

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Spandre, Gloria

2007-01-01

Gas Pixel Detectors are position-sensitive proportional counters in which a complete integration between the gas amplification structure and the read-out electronics has been reached. Various generation of Application-Specific Integrated Circuit (ASIC) have been designed in deep submicron CMOS technology to realize a monolithic device which is at the same time the charge collecting electrode and the analog amplifying and charge measuring front-end electronics. The experimental response of a detector with 22060 pixels at 80 μm pitch to polarized and un-polarized X-ray radiation is shown and the application of this device for Astronomical X-ray Polarimetry discussed

A scintillating gas detector for 2D dose measurements in clinical carbon beams.

Science.gov (United States)

Seravalli, E; de Boer, M; Geurink, F; Huizenga, J; Kreuger, R; Schippers, J M; van Eijk, C W E; Voss, B

2008-09-07

A two-dimensional position sensitive dosimetry system based on a scintillating gas detector has been developed for pre-treatment verification of dose distributions in hadron therapy. The dosimetry system consists of a chamber filled with an Ar/CF4 scintillating gas mixture, inside which two cascaded gas electron multipliers (GEMs) are mounted. A GEM is a thin kapton foil with copper cladding structured with a regular pattern of sub-mm holes. The primary electrons, created in the detector's sensitive volume by the incoming beam, drift in an electric field towards the GEMs and undergo gas multiplication in the GEM holes. During this process, photons are emitted by the excited Ar/CF4 gas molecules and detected by a mirror-lens-CCD camera system. Since the amount of emitted light is proportional to the dose deposited in the sensitive volume of the detector by the incoming beam, the intensity distribution of the measured light spot is proportional to the 2D hadron dose distribution. For a measurement of a 3D dose distribution, the scintillating gas detector is mounted at the beam exit side of a water-bellows phantom, whose thickness can be varied in steps. In this work, the energy dependence of the output signal of the scintillating gas detector has been verified in a 250 MeV/u clinical 12C ion beam by means of a depth-dose curve measurement. The underestimation of the measured signal at the Bragg peak depth is only 9% with respect to an air-filled ionization chamber. This is much smaller than the underestimation found for a scintillating Gd2O2S:Tb ('Lanex') screen under the same measurement conditions (43%). Consequently, the scintillating gas detector is a promising device for verifying dose distributions in high LET beams, for example to check hadron therapy treatment plans which comprise beams with different energies.

Understanding and modulating the high-energy properties of noble-gas hydrides from their long-bonding: an NBO/NRT investigation on HNgCO+/CS+/OSi+ and HNgCN/NC (Ng = He, Ar, Kr, Xe, Rn) molecules.

Science.gov (United States)

Zhang, Guiqiu; Song, Junjie; Fu, Lei; Tang, Kongshuang; Su, Yue; Chen, Dezhan

2018-04-18

The noble-gas hydrides, HNgX (X is an electronegative atom or fragment), represent potential high-energy materials because their two-body decomposition process, HNgX → Ng + HX, is strongly exoergic. Our previous studies have shown that each member of the HNgX (X = halogen atom or CN/NC fragment) molecules is composed of three leading resonance structures: two ω-bonding structures (H-Ng+ :X- and H:- Ng+-X) and one long-bonding structure (H∧X). The last one paints a novel [small sigma, Greek, circumflex]-type long-bonding picture. The present study focuses on the relationship between this novel bonding motif and the unusual energetic properties. We chose HNgCO+/CS+/OSi+/CN/NC, with the formula HNgAB (Ng = He, Ar, Kr, Xe, Rn; AB = CO+/CS+/OSi+/CN/NC) as the research system. We first investigated the bonding of HNgCO+ and its analogous HNgCS+/OSi+ species using NBO/NRT methods, and quantitatively compared the bonding with that in HNgCN/NC molecules. NBO/NRT results showed that each of the HNgCO+/CS+/OSi+ molecules could be better represented as a resonance hybrid of ω-bonding and long-bonding structures, but the long-bonding is much weaker than that in HNgCN/NC molecules. Furthermore, we introduced the long-bonding concept into the rationalization of the high-energy properties, and found a good correlation between the highly exothermic two-body dissociation channel and the long-bond order, bH-A. We also found that the long-bond order is highly tunable for these noble-gas hydrides due to its dependence on the nature of the electronegative AB fragments or the central noble-gas atoms, Ng. On the basis of these results, we could optimize the energetic properties by changing the long-bonding motif of our studied molecules. Overall, this study shows that the long-bonding model provides an easy way to rationalize and modulate the unusual energy properties of noble-gas hydrides, and that it is helpful to predict some noble-gas hydrides as potential energetic materials.

Recent developments and applications of fast position-sensitive gas detectors

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Sauli, Fabio

1999-01-01

The introduction, 30 years ago, of the multiwire proportional chamber initiated a very active and fruitful period of development of fast gas detectors. Performing position-sensitive devices have been perfected, for the needs of elementary particle physics and for applications in medical diagnostics, biology, material analysis. The high rate performance of wire counters, limited by positive ions accumulation, was largely improved with the introduction of the micro-strip gas chamber, capable of achieving position accuracies of few tens of microns at radiation fluxes exceeding 1 MHz/mm 2 . The micro-strip chamber properties have been extensively studied in view of large scale use in high luminosity experiments; some interesting applications in other fields will be described here. Originally conceived as a gain booster to solve reliability problems met with micro-strips, the gas electron multiplier was invented about a year and a half ago. Progress made with high gain models is leading to a new concept in gas detectors, powerful yet cheap and reliable. Possible developments and applications will be discussed: large area position-sensitive photo detectors and X-ray imagers, including devices with non-planar geometry suited to spectrometers and crystal diffraction studies

Structural Stability and Performance of Noble Metal-Free SnO2-Based Gas Sensors

Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

Antonio Tricoli

2012-05-01

Full Text Available The structural stability of pure SnO2 nanoparticles and highly sensitive SnO2-SiO2 nanocomposites (0–15 SiO2 wt% has been investigated for conditions relevant to their utilization as chemoresistive gas sensors. Thermal stabilization by SiO2 co-synthesis has been investigated at up to 600 °C determining regimes of crystal size stability as a function of SiO2-content. For operation up to 400 °C, thermally stable crystal sizes of ca. 24 and 11 nm were identified for SnO2 nanoparticles and 1.4 wt% SnO2-SiO2 nanocomposites, respectively. The effect of crystal growth during operation (TO = 320 °C on the sensor response to ethanol has been reported, revealing possible long-term destabilization mechanisms. In particular, crystal growth and sintering-neck formation were discussed with respect to their potential to change the sensor response and calibration. Furthermore, the effect of SiO2 cosynthesis on the cross-sensitivity to humidity of these noble metal-free SnO2-based gas sensors was assessed.

A Study of the Operation of Especially Designed Photosensitive Gaseous Detectors at Cryogenic Temperatures

CERN Document Server

Periale, L; Lund-Jensen, B; Pavlopoulos, P; Peskov, Vladimir; Picchi, P; Pietropaolo, F

2006-01-01

In some experiments and applications there is need for large-area photosensitive detectors to operate at cryogenic temperatures. Nowadays, vacuum PMs are usually used for this purpose. We have developed special designs of planar photosensitive gaseous detectors able to operate at cryogenic temperatures. Such detectors are much cheaper PMs and are almost insensitive to magnetic fields. Results of systematic measurements of their quantum efficiencies, the maximum achievable gains and long-term stabilities will be presented. The successful operation of these detectors open realistic possibilities in replacing PMs by photosensitive gaseous detectors in some applications dealing with cryogenic liquids; for example in experiments using noble liquid TPCs or noble liquid scintillating calorimeters.

Online gas analysis and diagnosis for RPC detectors in the ATLAS experiment

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

De Asmundis, Riccardo

2007-01-01

Resistive Plate Counters (RPC) detectors need a very strict control of gas parameters: motivations for this statement come from both the request of stability in the detector working point, and chemical consideration concerning potentially aggressive materials generated during the ionization processes into the sensitive gap; the latter point can be relevant because of a possible damage to the internal surface of the detector that has to be avoided in order to ensure an high detection efficiency of the RPC during their ten years or more of operation in ATLAS. In order to understand these aspects, detailed studies on gas behavior have been carried on at the GIF-X5 at CERN (2002-2005), based on Gas Chromatographic and spectroscopy techniques. Main results of these analysis are presented here, together with the design of the online analyzer to be installed on ATLAS conceived to keep control of gas quality and to trigger maintenance interventions on the gas system, in particular on the purification subsystem

Volatile elements - water, carbon, nitrogen, noble gases - on Earth

Science.gov (United States)

Marty, B.

2017-12-01

Understanding the origin and evolution of life-bearing volatile elements (water, carbon, nitrogen) on Earth is a fruitful and debated area of research. In his pioneering work, W.W. Rubey inferred that the terrestrial atmosphere and the oceans formed from degassing of the mantle through geological periods of time. Early works on noble gas isotopes were consistent with this view and proposed a catastrophic event of mantle degassing early in Earth's history. We now have evidence, mainly from noble gas isotopes, that several cosmochemical sources contributed water and other volatiles at different stages of Earth's accretion. Potential contributors include the protosolar nebula gas that equilibrated with magma oceans, inner solar system bodies now represented by chondrites, and comets. Stable isotope ratios suggest volatiles where primarily sourced by planetary bodies from the inner solar system. However, recent measurements by the European Space Agency Rosetta probe on the coma of Comet 67P/Churyumov-Gerasimenko permit to set quantitative constraints on the cometary contribution to the surface of our planet. The surface and mantle reservoirs volatile elements exchanged volatile elements through time, with rates that are still uncertain. Some mantle regions remained isolated from whole mantle convection within the first tens to hundreds million years after start of solar system formation. These regions, now sampled by some mantle plumes (e.g., Iceland, Eifel) preserved their volatile load, as indicated by extinct and extant radioactivity systems. The abundance of volatile elements in the mantle is still not well known. Different approaches, such as high pressure experimental petrology, noble gas geochemistry, modelling, resulted in somewhat contrasted estimates, varying over one order of magnitude for water. Comparative planetology, that is, the study of volatiles on the Moon, Venus, Mars, Vesta, will shed light on the sources and strengths of these elements in the

Optimising the design of gas microstrip detectors for soft x-ray detection

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Bateman, J.; Barlow, R.; Derbyshire, G.

2001-01-01

This report describes development work in which systematic changes in the electrode pattern of a Gas Microstrip Detector are explored in the search for higher avalanche gains and enhanced stability. It is found that the width of the cathode structure is the main determinant of the detector stability. With the correct cathode width, gas gains of >50 000 are comfortably attainable with low detector noise so that x-rays can potentially be detected down to the limit of a single x-ray-produced photoelectron. (author)

Production yields of noble-gas isotopes from ISOLDE UC$_{x}$/graphite targets

CERN Document Server

Bergmann, U C; Catherall, R; Cederkäll, J; Diget, C A; Fraile-Prieto, L M; Franchoo, S; Fynbo, H O U; Gausemel, H; Georg, U; Giles, T; Hagebø, E; Jeppesen, H B; Jonsson, O C; Köster, U; Lettry, Jacques; Nilsson, T; Peräjärvi, K; Ravn, H L; Riisager, K; Weissman, L; Äystö, J

2003-01-01

Yields of He, Ne, Ar, Kr and Xe isotopic chains were measured from UC$_{x}$/graphite and ThC$_{x}$/graphite targets at the PSB-ISOLDE facility at CERN using isobaric selectivity achieved by the combination of a plasma-discharge ion source with a water-cooled transfer line. %The measured half-lives allowed %to calculate the decay losses of neutron-rich isotopes in the %target and ion-source system, and thus to obtain information on the in-target %productions from the measured yields. The delay times measured for a UC$_x$/graphite target allow for an extrapolation to the expected yields of very neutron-rich noble gas isotopes, in particular for the ``NuPECC reference elements'' Ar and Kr, at the next-generation radioactive ion-beam facility EURISOL. \\end{abstract} \\begin{keyword} % keywords here, in the form: keyword \\sep keyword radioactive ion beams \\sep release \\sep ion yields \\sep ISOL (Isotope Separation On-Line) \\sep uranium and thorium carbide targets. % PACS codes here, in the form: \\PACS code \\sep code...

A comparative study on full diagonalization of Hessian matrix and Gradient-only technique to trace out reaction path in doped noble gas clusters using stochastic optimization

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Biring, Shyamal Kumar; Chaudhury, Pinaki

2012-01-01

Highlights: ► Estimation of critical points in Noble-gas clusters. ► Evaluation of first order saddle point or transition states. ► Construction of reaction path for structural change in clusters. ► Use of Monte-Carlo Simulated Annealing to study structural changes. - Abstract: This paper proposes Simulated Annealing based search to locate critical points in mixed noble gas clusters where Ne and Xe are individually doped in Ar-clusters. Using Lennard–Jones (LJ) atomic interaction we try to explore the search process of transformation through Minimum Energy Path (MEP) from one minimum energy geometry to another via first order saddle point on the potential energy surface of the clusters. Here we compare the results based on diagonalization of the full Hessian all through the search and quasi-gradient only technique to search saddle points and construction of reaction path (RP) for three sizes of doped Ar-clusters, (Ar) 19 Ne/Xe,(Ar) 24 Ne/Xe and (Ar) 29 Ne/Xe.

Determining CO2 storage potential during miscible CO2 enhanced oil recovery: Noble gas and stable isotope tracers

Science.gov (United States)

Shelton, Jenna L.; McIntosh, Jennifer C.; Hunt, Andrew; Beebe, Thomas L; Parker, Andrew D; Warwick, Peter D.; Drake, Ronald; McCray, John E.

2016-01-01

Rising atmospheric carbon dioxide (CO2) concentrations are fueling anthropogenic climate change. Geologic sequestration of anthropogenic CO2 in depleted oil reservoirs is one option for reducing CO2 emissions to the atmosphere while enhancing oil recovery. In order to evaluate the feasibility of using enhanced oil recovery (EOR) sites in the United States for permanent CO2 storage, an active multi-stage miscible CO2flooding project in the Permian Basin (North Ward Estes Field, near Wickett, Texas) was investigated. In addition, two major natural CO2 reservoirs in the southeastern Paradox Basin (McElmo Dome and Doe Canyon) were also investigated as they provide CO2 for EOR operations in the Permian Basin. Produced gas and water were collected from three different CO2 flooding phases (with different start dates) within the North Ward Estes Field to evaluate possible CO2 storage mechanisms and amounts of total CO2retention. McElmo Dome and Doe Canyon were sampled for produced gas to determine the noble gas and stable isotope signature of the original injected EOR gas and to confirm the source of this naturally-occurring CO2. As expected, the natural CO2produced from McElmo Dome and Doe Canyon is a mix of mantle and crustal sources. When comparing CO2 injection and production rates for the CO2 floods in the North Ward Estes Field, it appears that CO2 retention in the reservoir decreased over the course of the three injections, retaining 39%, 49% and 61% of the injected CO2 for the 2008, 2010, and 2013 projects, respectively, characteristic of maturing CO2 miscible flood projects. Noble gas isotopic composition of the injected and produced gas for the flood projects suggest no active fractionation, while δ13CCO2 values suggest no active CO2dissolution into formation water, or mineralization. CO2 volumes capable of dissolving in residual formation fluids were also estimated along with the potential to store pure-phase supercritical CO2. Using a combination

Gas microstrip detectors for X-ray tomographic flow imaging

CERN Document Server

Key, M J; Luggar, R D; Kundu, A

2003-01-01

A investigation into the suitability of gas microstrip detector technology for a high-speed industrial X-ray tomography system is reported. X-ray energies in the region 20-30 keV are well suited to the application, which involves imaging two-dimensional slices through gas/liquid multiphase pipeline flows for quantitative component fraction measurement. Stable operation over a period representing several hundred individual tomographic scans at gas gains of 500 is demonstrated using a Penning gas mixture of krypton/propylene.

Near Detectors based on gas TPCs for neutrino long baseline experiments

CERN Document Server

Blondel, A

2017-01-01

Time Projection Chambers have been used with success for the T2K ND280 near detector and are proposed for an upgrade of the T2K near detector. High pressure TPCs are also being considered for future long-baseline experiments like Hyper-Kamiokande and DUNE. A High Pressure TPC would be a very sensitive detector for the detailed study of neutrino-nucleus interactions, a limiting factor for extracting the ultimate precision in long baseline experiments. The requirements of TPCs for neutrino detectors are quite specific. We propose here the development of state-of-the-art near detectors based on gas TPC: atmospheric pressure TPCs for T2K-II and a high-pressure TPC for neutrino experiments. The project proposed here benefits from a strong involvement of the European (CERN) members of the T2K collaboration and beyond. It is a strongly synergetic precursor of other projects of near detectors using gas TPCs that are under discussion for the long baseline neutrino projects worldwide. It will help maintain and develop...

Application of Gas Chromatographic analysis to RPC detectors in the ATLAS experiment at CERN-LHC

CERN Document Server

De Asmundis, R

2007-01-01

Starting from 2007 a large number (1200) Resistive Plate Chambers (RPC) detectors will be used as muon trigger detectors in the ATLAS Experiment at CERN-LHC accelerator. RPC are gaseous detector in which the quality and the stability of the gas mixture as well as the design of the gas supplying system, play a fundamental role in their functioning. RPC are foreseen to work more than ten years in the high radiation environment of ATLAS and the gas mixture acts really as a "lifeguard" for the detectors. For this reason a great attention has been devoted to the gas studies in order to optimize RPC performance, robustness and reliability in a high radiation environment. In this paper we describe the work done to decide how to supply and control in an optimal way the gas to the detectors, in order to ensure their best performance for a long time. The activity, based on Gas Chromatographic (GC) analysis, has been carried on a sample of final RPC working in radiation conditions much more intense than those foreseen f...

EDO, Doses to Man and Organs from Reactor Operation Noble Gas and Liquid Waste Release

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Rodenas Diago, Jose; Serradell Garcia, Vicente

1983-01-01

1 - Description of problem or function: EDO evaluates individual and collective doses to man from atmospheric releases of noble gases and other gaseous effluents. 2 - Method of solution: The dose calculations are carried out by following the guide- lines of USNRC Regulatory Guide 1.109. Radiation exposure for maximum individuals and population are estimated within 30 km from the nuclear plant. This area is divided into 160 circular trapezoids, to which computations are referred. Four age groups, seven organs for internal dose and two for external dose have been considered. Dose calculations are done through 14 pathways, 7 for liquid effluents, one for noble gases, and 6 for the rest of gaseous effluents. 3 - Restrictions on the complexity of the problem: The following are the maximum dimension sizes preset in the code: 73 radionuclides (other than noble gases); 15 noble gases; 160 circular trapezoids; 31 chemical elements; 4 types of aquatic foods; 15 points of exposure for shorelines; 15 trapezoids influenced by each point; 4 terrestrial food pathways; 100 centres of population. Some of these limits can be varied

EDO, Doses to Man and Organs from Reactor Operation Noble Gas and Liquid Waste Release

Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

Rodenas Diago, Jose; Serradell Garcia, Vicente [Departamento de Ingenieria Nuclear, Escuela Tecnica Superior de Ingenieros Industriales, Universidad Politecnica, Camino de Vera 2/n Apartado 2012, Valencia (Spain)

1983-10-18

1 - Description of problem or function: EDO evaluates individual and collective doses to man from atmospheric releases of noble gases and other gaseous effluents. 2 - Method of solution: The dose calculations are carried out by following the guide- lines of USNRC Regulatory Guide 1.109. Radiation exposure for maximum individuals and population are estimated within 30 km from the nuclear plant. This area is divided into 160 circular trapezoids, to which computations are referred. Four age groups, seven organs for internal dose and two for external dose have been considered. Dose calculations are done through 14 pathways, 7 for liquid effluents, one for noble gases, and 6 for the rest of gaseous effluents. 3 - Restrictions on the complexity of the problem: The following are the maximum dimension sizes preset in the code: 73 radionuclides (other than noble gases); 15 noble gases; 160 circular trapezoids; 31 chemical elements; 4 types of aquatic foods; 15 points of exposure for shorelines; 15 trapezoids influenced by each point; 4 terrestrial food pathways; 100 centres of population. Some of these limits can be varied.

Micro controller based system for characterizing gas detector operating parameters

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Thakur, Vaishali M.; Verma, Amit K.; Anilkumar, S.; Babu, D.A.R.; Sharma, D.N.; Harikumar, M.

2011-01-01

The estimation and analysis of radioactivity levels in samples from environment and from various stages of nuclear fuel cycle operations has become a matter of concern for the implementation of radiological safety procedures. Gas filled/ flow detectors play crucial role in achieving this objective. Since these detectors need high voltage for their operation, the operating characteristics of each detector for optimum performance has to be determined before incorporating into the systems. The operating voltages of these detectors are ranging from few hundred volts to few kilo volts. Present paper describes the design of microcontroller based system to control two HV modules (Electron tubes make: PS2001/12P) independently and acquire data from different gas filled radiation detectors simultaneously. The system uses Philips 80C552 microcontroller based Single Board Computer (SBC). The inbuilt DAC and ADC of microcontroller were used to control HV from 0-2000 with less than ± 1 %, error 1000V. The starting HV, HV step size, decision making intelligence to terminate HV increment (for preset plateau slope) and data acquisition (for preset time), data acquisition time etc., can be programmed. Nearly 200 detectors data (20 data points per detector) can be stored and transferred to PC on request. Data collected by the system for LND 719 GM detectors with starting voltage from 500 V, HV step size of 24 V and 100 seconds counting time to find out the plateau length. The plateau slope and length obtained with this system for LND 719 GM detectors are 3-5%/100V and ∼ 150V respectively. (author)

Line emissions from sonoluminescence in aqueous solutions of halide salts without noble gases

Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

Liang, Jinfu, E-mail: liang.shi2007@163.com [The Key Laboratory of Modern Acoustics, Ministry of Education, Institution of Acoustics, Nanjing University, Nanjing 210093 (China); School of Physics and Electronic Science, Guizhou Normal University, Guiyang 550001 (China); Chen, Weizhong, E-mail: wzchen@nju.edu.cn [The Key Laboratory of Modern Acoustics, Ministry of Education, Institution of Acoustics, Nanjing University, Nanjing 210093 (China); Zhou, Chao; Cui, Weicheng; Chen, Zhan [The Key Laboratory of Modern Acoustics, Ministry of Education, Institution of Acoustics, Nanjing University, Nanjing 210093 (China)

2015-02-20

Line emissions of trivalent terbium (Tb{sup 3+}) ion were observed from single-bubble sonoluminescence (SL) in an aqueous solution of terbium chloride (TbCl{sub 3}) that contained no noble gas. In addition, sodium (Na) lines were observed in multi-bubble SL in aqueous solutions of various halide salts that contained no noble gas. These observations show that the halide ions, such as Cl{sup −}, Br{sup −}, and I{sup −}, help for line emissions as the noble gases. The intensity of a line emission depends on both the chemical species produced by cavitation bubbles and the temperature of SL bubble that responds to the driving ultrasound pressure. With the increase of driving pressure, some line emissions attached to the continuous spectrum may become increasingly clear, while other line emissions gradually become indistinct. - Highlights: • Line emissions of Tb(III) ions were observed without the presence of noble gases. • The halide ions help to generate a line emission during sonoluminescence. • The intensity of a line emission mainly depends on the bubble's temperature. • The definition of a line emission is related to the temperature of caviation bubble and the kind of host liquid.

Analysis of calculated neutron flux response at detectors of G.A. Siwabessy multipurpose reactor (RSG-GAS Reactor)

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Taryo, Taswanda

2002-01-01

Multi Purpose Reactor G.A. Siwabessy (RSG-GAS) reactor core possesses 4 fission-chamber detectors to measure intermediate power level of RSG-GAS reactor. Another detector, also fission-chamber detector, is intended to measure power level of RSG-GAS reactor. To investigate influence of space to the neutron flux values for each detector measuring intermediate and power levels has been carried out. The calculation was carried out using combination of WIMS/D4 and CITATION-3D code and focused on calculation of neutron flux at different detector location of RSG-GAS typical working core various scenarios. For different scenarios, all calculation results showed that each detector, located at different location in the RSG-GAS reactor core, causes different neutron flux occurred in the reactor core due to spatial time effect

Notification determining technical standards concerning prevention of radiation injuries by electron capture detectors for gas chromatography

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

1981-01-01

This rule is established under the provisions of the law on the prevention of radiation injuries by radioisotopes, the ordinance and the regulation for the execution of the law. This rule is applied to electron capture detectors for gas chromatography under the law. Basic terms are defined, such as detector radiation source, detector container and carrier gas. The detectors shall consist of detector radiation sources and containers, and the containers must be such that the radiation sources can not be easily taken away and never cause the danger to fall off. The induction and discharge mouths of the detector containers shall be shut tightly with caps, etc. The main structures and radiation sources of detectors shall be made of materials, which are difficult to corrode, and do not melt and easily cause chemical change below 800 deg. C. Detector radiation sources shall be made of metals plated with nickel 63 less than 20 milli-curie. The radiation dose rate on the surface of a detector shall be shielded to less than 0.06 milli-rem an hour. The temperature of detectors and carrier gas shall not exceed 350 deg. C. Corrosive gas shall not be used as carrier gas. The period of effective indication is 5 years. The method of washing, and the conditions of leak, heat-resistance and shock-resistance examinations are defined, respectively. (Okada, K.)

Design of a readout ASIC for gas detectors with self-amplification

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Deng Zhi; Liu Yinong

2009-01-01

A readout ASIC has been designed for gas detectors with self-amplification such as GEM and RPC. It provides amplification and shaping of the detector signals and buffers them to the free running ADCs. The charge gain and the shaping time can be adjusted. The programmability of gain and shaping time is very convenient for studying detector performance under different gas gain and also expands the application range of the chip. The ENC increases as charge gain decreases below 10 mV/fC because the noise from the shaper becomes significant. The chip is designed in Chartered 0.35μm 2P4M CMOS process. Detailed design and simulation results are described in the paper. (authors)

Passivation of gas microstrip detectors and stability of long-term operation

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Salomon, M.; Armitage, J.; Chapman, G.; Dixit, M.; Dubeau, J.; Faszer, W.; Hamel, L.A.; Oakham, G.

1994-01-01

We have studied the long-term operation of gas microstrip detectors which have been passivated with a layer of nickel oxide. We have used as the active gas CF 4 /isobutane (80 : 20) and three different types of substrates: Tedlar, glass and Upilex. In all three cases we found that the detectors are stable after passivation and can operate for a month without changes in gain at rates of MHz. The total accumulated charge was approximately 100 mC. ((orig.))

Operating Instructions for the Cryogenics in the Liquid Argon Detector at CIEMAT; Operacion de la Criogenia del Detector de Argon Liquido del CIEMAT

Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

Romero, L; Leal, M D; Prado, M del; Ramirez, J L

2009-12-19

Ciemat has wide experience in designing and developing gaseous particle detectors. It has taken part in the building of experiments for CERN accelerators, constructing shares of the muon chambers for L3 experiment in LEP and CMS experiment in LHC. Recently, new concepts for particle detectors have been developed, as a natural evolution from the ones built at Ciemat. These new radiation detectors use liquefied noble gases as active media. A testing system for these kind of liquefied argon detectors has been built at Ciemat, and includes a supporting cryogenic system for the liquefaction and maintenance of the liquid argon needed for operating the detector. This document describes the technical features of this cryogenic system. Besides the documentation of the cryogenic system, this technical report can be of help for the management and upgrading of the detector. As well as an introduction, the report includes the following chapters: The second one is a description of the cryogenics and gas systems. The third chapter shows the controlling electronics. The fourth chapter deals with the important topic that is security, its systems and protocols. The fifth describes the cryogenic operations possible in this equipment. The report is completed with diagrams, schemes, pictures and tables for the easier management of the setup. (Author)

Effect of plasma oscillations of C60 collectivized electrons on photoionization of endohedral noble-gas atoms

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Amusia, M. Ya.; Baltenkov, A. S.

2006-01-01

It is demonstrated that outer and inner electron shells, including that formed by collectivized electrons of the fullerene C 60 , affects dramatically the cross section of the subvalent ns subshells of the noble-gas endohedral atoms A-C 60 . The calculations are performed within the framework of a very simple, so-called ''orange skin,'' model that makes it possible, in spite of its simplicity, to take into account the modification of the ns subshell due to its interaction with inner and outer atomic shells, as well as with the collectivized electrons of the C 60 . As a concrete example, we consider the Xe 5s electrons completely collectivized by the powerful action of the Xe close and remote multielectron neighboring shells

TANGR2015 Heidelberg. Second international workshop on tracer applications of noble gas radionuclides in the geosciences

Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

NONE

2015-07-01

TANGR2015 is a workshop on the progress in the technique and application of Atom Trap Trace Analyis (ATTA). It is a follow-up to the first TANGR workshop, TANGR2012, which was held at the Argonne National Laboratory, Argonne, USA, in June 2012. It is organized in response to recent technical advances and new applications of Atom Trap Trace Analysis (ATTA), an analytical method for measuring the isotopes {sup 81}Kr, {sup 85}Kr, and {sup 39}Ar. The primary aim of the workshop is to discuss the technical progress of ATTA and thereby enable innovative and timely applications of the noble gas radionuclides to important scientific problems in earth and environmental sciences, e.g. in the fields of groundwater hydrology, glaciology, oceanography, and paleoclimatology.

Modeling the transport and fate of radioactive noble gases in very dry desert alluvium: Realistic scenarios

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Lindstrom, F.T.; Cawlfield, D.E.; Donahue, M.E.; Emer, D.F.; Shott, G.J.

1992-01-01

US DOE Order 5820.2A (1988) requires that a performance assessment of all new and existing low-level radioactive waste management sites be made. An integral part of every performance assessment is the mathematical modeling of the transport and fate of noble gas radionuclides in the gas phase. Current in depth site characterization of the high desert alluvium in Area 5 of the Nevada Test Site (NTS) is showing that the alluvium is very very dry all the way to the water table (240 meters below land surface). The potential for radioactive noble gas (e.g. Rn-220 and Rn-222) transport to the atmosphere from shallow land burial of Thorium and Uranium waste is very high. Objectives of this modeling effort include: Construct a physics based sits specific noble gas transport model; Include induced advection due to barometric pressure changes at the atmospheric boundary layer (thin) - dry desert alluvium interface; User selected option for use of NOAA barometric pressure or a ''home brewed'' barometric pressure wave made up of up to 15 sinusoids and cosinusoids; Use the model to help make engineering decisions on the design of the burial pits and associated closure caps

Growth responses of Neurospora crassa to increased partial pressures of the noble gases and nitrogen.

Science.gov (United States)

Buchheit, R G; Schreiner, H R; Doebbler, G F

1966-02-01

Buchheit, R. G. (Union Carbide Corp., Tonawanda, N.Y.), H. R. Schreiner, and G. F. Doebbler. Growth responses of Neurospora crassa to increased partial pressures of the noble gases and nitrogen. J. Bacteriol. 91:622-627. 1966.-Growth rate of the fungus Neurospora crassa depends in part on the nature of metabolically "inert gas" present in its environment. At high partial pressures, the noble gas elements (helium, neon, argon, krypton, and xenon) inhibit growth in the order: Xe > Kr> Ar > Ne > He. Nitrogen (N(2)) closely resembles He in inhibitory effectiveness. Partial pressures required for 50% inhibition of growth were: Xe (0.8 atm), Kr (1.6 atm), Ar (3.8 atm), Ne (35 atm), and He ( approximately 300 atm). With respect to inhibition of growth, the noble gases and N(2) differ qualitatively and quantitatively from the order of effectiveness found with other biological effects, i.e., narcosis, inhibition of insect development, depression of O(2)-dependent radiation sensitivity, and effects on tissue-slice glycolysis and respiration. Partial pressures giving 50% inhibition of N. crassa growth parallel various physical properties (i.e., solubilities, solubility ratios, etc.) of the noble gases. Linear correlation of 50% inhibition pressures to the polarizability and of the logarithm of pressure to the first and second ionization potentials suggests the involvement of weak intermolecular interactions or charge-transfer in the biological activity of the noble gases.

Noble gas geochemistry to monitor CO{sub 2} geological storages; Apports de la geochimie des gaz rares a la surveillance des sites de sequestration geologique de CO{sub 2}

Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

Lafortune, St

2007-11-15

According to the last IPCC (Intergovernmental Panel on Climate Change) report, a probability of 90 % can be now established for the responsibility of the anthropogenic CO{sub 2} emissions for the global climate change observed since the beginning of the 20. century. To reduce these emissions and keep producing energy from coal, oil or gas combustions, CO{sub 2} could be stored in geological reservoirs like aquifers, coal beds, and depleted oil or gas fields. Storing CO{sub 2} in geological formations implies to control the efficiency and to survey the integrity of the storages, in order to be able to detect the possible leaks as fast as possible. Here, we study the feasibility of a geochemical monitoring through noble gas geochemistry. We present (1) the development of a new analytical line, Garodiox, developed to extract quantitatively noble gas from water samples, (2) the testing of Garodiox on samples from a natural CO{sub 2} storage analogue (Pavin lake, France) and (3) the results of a first field work on a natural CO{sub 2} accumulation (Montmiral, France). The results we obtain and the conclusions we draw, highlight the interest of the geochemical monitoring we suggest. (author)

Developments in gas detectors for synchrotron x-ray radiation

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Fischer, J.; Radeka, V.; Smith, G.C.

1985-09-01

New results on the physical limitations to position resolution in gas detectors for x-rays (approx. =3 to 20 keV) due to the range of photoelectrons and Auger electrons are discussed. These results were obtained with a small gap detector in which position readout was accomplished by using a very low noise centroid finding technique. A description is given of position sensitive detectors for medium rates (a few x 10 5 photons per second), using delay line readout, and for very high rates (approx. =10 8 photons per second), using fast signal shaping on the output of each anode wire

Detector for recoil nuclei stopping in the spark chamber gas

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Aleksanyan, A.S.; Asatiani, T.L.; Ivanov, V.I.; Mkrtchyan, G.G.; Pikhtelev, R.N.

1974-01-01

A detector consisting of the combination of a drift and a wide gap spark chambers and designed to detect recoil nuclei stopping in the spark chamber gas is described. It is shown, that by using an appropriate discrimination the detector allows to detect reliably the recoil nuclei in the presence of intensive electron and γ-quanta beams

A radioactive noble gas quantitative analysis of gaseous effluents from NPP

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Yanev, Y.; Georgiev, K.; Mavrodiev, V.; Kikarin, B.

1993-01-01

The radioactive isotopes of argon, krypton and xenon comprise a substantial part of the gaseous emission of a NPP. A quantitative determination of their specific activity in the controlled area and the gaseous effluents requires a special sampling technique, as well as measurement method. The zeolites and the activated charcoals have a differentiated behaviour towards radioisotopes of argon, krypton and xenon. The isotope fractionation is often a problem, especially with argon and xenon. Some additional difficulties arise due to the irreproductibility of temperature and atmospheric moisture. The present paper describes a method for a spectrometric determination of radioactive noble gases after the cryogenic sampling developed at the Radiochemical laboratory of the Sofia University. The quality control of the method, as well as some special difficulties in its performing are discussed. The estimated minimum detectable activity is 5-10 Bq/m 3 for radioactive noble gases with half-life > 1 hour and sampling time for (resp. gamma-spectrometry) 1 hour. (author)

Gas Release as a Deformation Signal

Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

Bauer, Stephen J. [Sandia National Lab. (SNL-NM), Albuquerque, NM (United States)

2017-09-01

Radiogenic noble gases are contained in crustal rock at inter and intra granular sites. The gas composition depends on lithology, geologic history, fluid phases, and the aging effect by decay of U, Th, and K. The isotopic signature of noble gases found in rocks is vastly different than that of the atmosphere which is contributed by a variety of sources. When rock is subjected to stress conditions exceeding about half its yield strength, micro-cracks begin to form. As rock deformation progresses a fracture network evolves, releasing trapped noble gases and changing the transport properties to gas migration. Thus, changes in gas emanation and noble gas composition from rocks could be used to infer changes in stress-state and deformation. The purpose of this study has been to evaluate the effect of deformation/strain rate upon noble gas release. Four triaxial experiments were attempted for a strain rate range of %7E10-8 /s (180,000s) to %7E 10-4/s (500s); the three fully successful experiments (at the faster strain rates) imply the following: (1) helium is measurably released for all strain rates during deformation, this release is in amounts 1-2 orders of magnitude greater than that present in the air, and (2) helium gas release increases with decreasing strain rate.

Emitter depletion studies on electrodes of 50 Hz mercury/noble gas discharge lamps during ignition

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Hoek, W.J. van den; Thijssen, T.L.G.; Heijden, A.J.H. van der; Buijsse, B.; Haverlag, M.

2002-01-01

The depletion of emitter from the oxide cathodes during the glow switch starting of the discharge in 50 Hz operated low-pressure mercury/noble gas discharge lamps (fluorescent lamps) has been studied. It follows from pulse ignition studies and computer-controlled ignition experiments that two plasma modes exist during ignition: a glow discharge and a vapour-arc discharge. The occurrence of these modes depends on the point of interruption with respect to the phase of the 50 Hz preheat current. The vapour arc appears to be the dominant mechanism of emitter depletion. The average emitter loss per vapour-arc pulse has been quantified by radioactive Ba tracer experiments. The nature of the vapour arc has been studied by fast photography and SEM. The vapour arc involves dielectric breakdown over the non-conducting oxide mass and gives rise to explosive emitter vapourization. (author)

Optimizing detection of noble gas emission at a former UNE site: sample strategy, collection, and analysis

Science.gov (United States)

Kirkham, R.; Olsen, K.; Hayes, J. C.; Emer, D. F.

2013-12-01

Underground nuclear tests may be first detected by seismic or air samplers operated by the CTBTO (Comprehensive Nuclear-Test-Ban Treaty Organization). After initial detection of a suspicious event, member nations may call for an On-Site Inspection (OSI) that in part, will sample for localized releases of radioactive noble gases and particles. Although much of the commercially available equipment and methods used for surface and subsurface environmental sampling of gases can be used for an OSI scenario, on-site sampling conditions, required sampling volumes and establishment of background concentrations of noble gases require development of specialized methodologies. To facilitate development of sampling equipment and methodologies that address OSI sampling volume and detection objectives, and to collect information required for model development, a field test site was created at a former underground nuclear explosion site located in welded volcanic tuff. A mixture of SF-6, Xe127 and Ar37 was metered into 4400 m3 of air as it was injected into the top region of the UNE cavity. These tracers were expected to move towards the surface primarily in response to barometric pumping or through delayed cavity pressurization (accelerated transport to minimize source decay time). Sampling approaches compared during the field exercise included sampling at the soil surface, inside surface fractures, and at soil vapor extraction points at depths down to 2 m. Effectiveness of various sampling approaches and the results of tracer gas measurements will be presented.

Development of data logger for atmospheric pressure, temperature and relative humidity for gas-filled detector

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Sahu, S.; Sahu, P.K.; Bhuyan, M.R.; Biswas, S.; Mohanty, B.

2014-01-01

At IoP-NISER an initiative has been taken to build and test micro-pattern gas detector such as Gas Electron Multiplier (GEM) for several upcoming High-Energy Physics (HEP) experiment projects. Temperature (t), atmospheric pressure (p) and relative humidity (RH) monitor and recording is very important for gas filled detector development. A data logger to monitor and record the ambient parameters such as temperature, relative humidity and pressure has been developed. With this data logger continuous recording of t, p, RH and time stamp can be done with a programmable sampling interval. This data is necessary to correct the gain of a gas filled detector

Low pressure gas detectors for molecular-ion break up studies

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Breskin, A.; Chechik, R.; Zwang, N.

1981-01-01

Two detector systems for Molecular ions like OH + and CH 2 + and like H 2 + and H 3 + were developed and are described. The first detector is installed in a magnetic spectrometer. Both systems are made of various types of gas detectors operating at low pressures. In the study of the Coulomb explosion of molecular ions like OH + , CH 2 + or H 3 + these detectors provide the position and time coordinates of all the fragments of the molecular ion, in coincidence, in order to determine their energy and angular distribution. In the case of molecules containing atoms other than hydrogen, information on the electronic charge state is obtained. (H.K.)

Solvation theory to provide a molecular interpretation of the hydrophobic entropy loss of noble-gas hydration

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Irudayam, Sheeba Jem; Henchman, Richard H

2010-01-01

An equation for the chemical potential of a dilute aqueous solution of noble gases is derived in terms of energies, force and torque magnitudes, and solute and water coordination numbers, quantities which are all measured from an equilibrium molecular dynamics simulation. Also derived are equations for the Gibbs free energy, enthalpy and entropy of hydration for the Henry's law process, the Ostwald process, and a third proposed process going from an arbitrary concentration in the gas phase to the equivalent mole fraction in aqueous solution which has simpler expressions for the enthalpy and entropy changes. Good agreement with experimental hydration free energies is obtained in the TIP4P and SPC/E water models although the solute's force field appears to affect the enthalpies and entropies obtained. In contrast to other methods, the approach gives a complete breakdown of the entropy for every degree of freedom and makes possible a direct structural interpretation of the well-known entropy loss accompanying the hydrophobic hydration of small non-polar molecules under ambient conditions. The noble-gas solutes experience only a small reduction in their vibrational entropy, with larger solutes experiencing a greater loss. The vibrational and librational entropy components of water actually increase but only marginally, negating any idea of water confinement. The term that contributes the most to the hydrophobic entropy loss is found to be water's orientational term which quantifies the number of orientational minima per water molecule and how many ways the whole hydrogen-bond network can form. These findings help resolve contradictory deductions from experiments that water structure around non-polar solutes is similar to bulk water in some ways but different in others. That the entropy loss lies in water's rotational entropy contrasts with other claims that it largely lies in water's translational entropy, but this apparent discrepancy arises because of different

A gas microstrip wide angle X-ray detector for application in synchrotron radiation experiments

CERN Document Server

Bateman, J E; Derbyshire, G E; Duxbury, D M; Lipp, J; Mir, J A; Simmons, J E; Spill, E J; Stephenson, R; Dobson, B R; Farrow, R C; Helsby, W I; Mutikainen, R; Suni, I

2002-01-01

The Gas Microstrip Detector has counting rate capabilities several orders of magnitude higher than conventional wire proportional counters while providing the same (or better) energy resolution for X-rays. In addition the geometric flexibility provided by the lithographic process combined with the self-supporting properties of the substrate offers many exciting possibilities for X-ray detectors, particularly for the demanding experiments carried out on Synchrotron Radiation Sources. Using experience obtained in designing detectors for Particle Physics we have developed a detector for Wide Angle X-ray Scattering studies. The detector has a fan geometry which makes possible a gas detector with high detection efficiency, sub-millimetre spatial resolution and good energy resolution over a wide range of X-ray energy. The detector is described together with results of experiments carried out at the Daresbury Laboratory Synchrotron Radiation Source.

Near transferable phenomenological n-body potentials for noble metals.

Science.gov (United States)

Pontikis, Vassilis; Baldinozzi, Gianguido; Luneville, Laurence; Simeone, David

2017-09-06

We present a semi-empirical model of cohesion in noble metals with suitable parameters reproducing a selected set of experimental properties of perfect and defective lattices in noble metals. It consists of two short-range, n-body terms accounting respectively for attractive and repulsive interactions, the former deriving from the second moment approximation of the tight-binding scheme and the latter from the gas approximation of the kinetic energy of electrons. The stability of the face centred cubic versus the hexagonal compact stacking is obtained via a long-range, pairwise function of customary use with ionic pseudo-potentials. Lattice dynamics, molecular statics, molecular dynamics and nudged elastic band calculations show that, unlike previous potentials, this cohesion model reproduces and predicts quite accurately thermodynamic properties in noble metals. In particular, computed surface energies, largely underestimated by existing empirical cohesion models, compare favourably with measured values, whereas predicted unstable stacking-fault energy profiles fit almost perfectly ab initio evaluations from the literature. All together the results suggest that this semi-empirical model is nearly transferable.

Gas pixel detector for X-ray observation

CERN Document Server

Attié, D; Chefdeville, M; Colas, P; Delagnes, E; Giomataris, Y; van der Graaf, H; Llopart, X; Timmermans, J; Visschers, J

2009-01-01

We report on the status of the R&D for a digital Time Projection Chamber (TPC) based on Micromegas (MICRO MEsh GAseous Structure) detectors using the CMOS chip TimePix as a direct readout anode protected by highly resistive a-Si:H layer. A small chamber was built as a demonstrator of the 2-D and 3-D imaging capabilities of this technique. We illustrate the new capabilities of this detector for X-ray observation with data taken from radioactive sources. This small TPC is a very useful tool both for studying gas properties thanks to its good efficiency for single electrons, and for reconstructing photoelectron direction for use as a soft X-ray polarimeter.

A Concept for a Low Pressure Noble Gas Fill Intervention in the IFE Fusion Test Facility (FTF) Target Chamber

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Gentile, C.A.; Blanchard, W.R.; Kozub, T.A.; Aristova, M.; McGahan, C.; Natta, S.; Pagdon, K.; Zelenty, J.

2010-01-01

An engineering evaluation has been initiated to investigate conceptual engineering methods for implementing a viable gas shield strategy in the Fusion Test Facility (FTF) target chamber. The employment of a low pressure noble gas in the target chamber to thermalize energetic helium ions prior to interaction with the wall could dramatically increase the useful life of the first wall in the FTF reactor1. For the purpose of providing flexibility, two target chamber configurations are addressed: a five meter radius sphere and a ten meter radius sphere. Experimental studies at Nike have indicated that a low pressure, ambient gas resident in the target chamber during laser pulsing does not appear to impair the ability of laser light from illuminating targets2. In addition, current investigations into delivering, maintaining, and processing low pressure gas appear to be viable with slight modification to current pumping and plasma exhaust processing technologies3,4. Employment of a gas fill solution for protecting the dry wall target chamber in the FTF may reduce, or possibly eliminate the need for other attenuating technologies designed for keeping He ions from implanting in first wall structures and components. The gas fill concept appears to provide an effective means of extending the life of the first wall while employing mostly commercial off the shelf (COTS) technologies. Although a gas fill configuration may provide a methodology for attenuating damage inflicted on chamber surfaces, issues associated with target injection need to be further analyzed to ensure that the gas fill concept is viable in the integrated FTF design5. In the proposed system, the ambient noble gas is heated via the energetic helium ions produced by target detonation. The gas is subsequently cooled by the chamber wall to approximately 800oC, removed from the chamber, and processed by the chamber gas processing system (CGPS). In an optimized scenario of the above stated concept, the chamber

CASAGEM: a readout ASIC for micro pattern gas detectors

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

He Li; Deng Zhi; Liu Yinong

2012-01-01

A readout ASIC for micro pattern gas detectors has been designed This ASIC integrates 16 channels for anode readout and 1 channel for cathode readout which can make use of the signal of detector's cathode to generate a trigger Every channel can provide amplification and shaping of detector signals. The ASIC can also provide adjustable gain which can be adjusted from 2 mV/fC to 40 mV/fC, and adjustable shaping time which can be adjusted from 20 ns to 80 ns; so this ASIC can be applied to detectors with wide range output signal and different counting rate. The ASIC is fabricated with Chartered 0.35 μm CMOS process More circuit design Details and test results will be presented. (authors)

Performance of microstrip and microgap gas detectors at high pressure

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Fraga, F.A.F.; Fraga, M.M.F.R.; Marques, R.F.; Margato, L.M.S.; Goncalo, J.R.; Policarpo, A.J.P.L.

1997-01-01

A study of the operation of microstrip and microgap detectors at various gas pressures up to 6 bar with Kr-CO 2 , Xe-CO 2 and Xe-CH 4 is presented. The data were collected with a microstrip (1000 μm pitch) and a microgap (200 μm pitch) detector using a clean chamber and gas system. It is shown that maximum gain is strongly dependent on pressure and gains as high as 9 x 10 3 were obtained with Kr-CO 2 at 6 bar with a MSGC. With the smaller-pitch MGC we could get a gain of 180 with Xe-CH 4 at 6 bar; the typical energy resolution at 22 keV being about 15%. From the present work one can conclude that microstructures can operate at high pressure and that their application in high-efficiency, low-granularity X-ray detectors with an energy range up to a few tens of keV can be seriously considered. (orig.)

The first example of commensurate adsorption of atomic gas in a MOF and effective separation of xenon from other noble gases

KAUST Repository

Wang, Hao

2014-01-01

In industry, cryogenic rectification for separating xenon from other noble gases such as krypton and argon is an energy and capital intensive process. Here we show that a microporous metal-organic framework, namely Co 3(HCOO)6 is capable of effective capture and separation of xenon from other noble gases. Henry\\'s constant, isosteric heat of adsorption (Qst), and IAST selectivity are calculated based on single component sorption isotherms. Having the highest Qst reported to date, Co 3(HCOO)6 demonstrates high adsorption capacity for xenon and its IAST selectivity for Xe-Kr is the largest among all MOFs investigated to date. To mimic real world conditions, breakthrough experiments are conducted on Xe-Kr binary mixtures at room temperature and 1 atmosphere. The results are consistent with the calculated data. These findings show that Co 3(HCOO)6 is a promising candidate for xenon capture and purification. Our gas adsorption measurements and molecular simulation study also reveal that the adsorption of xenon represents the first example of commensurate adsorption of atomic gases near ambient conditions. © 2014 The Royal Society of Chemistry.

Laser-polarized noble gases: a powerful probe for biology, medicine, and subatomic physics

Science.gov (United States)

Cates, Gordon

2010-03-01

For over a decade, laser-polarized noble gases such as ^3He and ^129Xe have proven useful for a wide range of scientific inquiries. These include investigations of pulmonary disease using the polarized gas as a signal source for magnetic resonance imaging (MRI), measurements of various aspects of nucleon structure, and tests of fundamental symmetries. Early efforts were often limited by expensive and bulky laser systems, but ongoing advancements in solid-state lasers have enabled increasingly large volumes of polarized gas to be produced with steadily improved polarization. Equally important have been advances in the fundamental understanding of spin exchange. This has led, for example, to the introduction of hybrid mixtures of alkali metals that can increase the efficiency of spin exchange by an order of magnitude. As a consequence of these advances, the figure of merit for polarized nuclear targets has increased by roughly three orders of magnitude in comparison to early accelerator-based experiments. And in MRI applications, it has become possible to pursue increasingly sophisticated imaging protocols that provide a wide range of diagnostic information. Even the earliest noble-gas MR images of the gas space of the human lung provided unprecedented resolution. More recent work includes the use of diffusion-sensitizing pulse sequences to study lung microstructure, and tagging techniques that enable the visualization (in real-time MRI movies) of gas flow during breathing. The range of applications of laser-polarized noble gases is continuing to grow, and it is notable that with an improved understanding of the underlying physics, it is quite likely that the capabilities of this useful technology will expand for some time to come.

3He/4He ratio, noble gas abundance and K-Ar dating of diamonds - an attempt to search for the records of early terrestrial history

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Ozima, M.; Zashu, S.; Nitoh, O.

1983-01-01

The 3 He/ 4 He ratios measured in 27 Southern Africa diamond stones, four from Premier Mine and the rest of unidentified origin, range from 4.2 x 10 -8 to 3.2 x 10 -4 , with three stones above 1 x 10 -4 . We conclude that the initial helium isotopic ratio ( 3 He/ 4 He) 0 in the earth was significantly higher than that of the planetary helium-A ( 3 He/ 4 He = 1.42 x 10 -4 ), but close to the solar helium ( 3 He/ 4 He = approx. 4 x 10 -4 ). The apparent K-Ar ages for the twelve diamonds of unidentified origin show enormously old age, indicating excess argon-40. 3 He/ 4 He evolution in diamonds suggests that the diamonds with the high 3 He/ 4 He ratio (> 2 x 10 -4 ) may be as old as the earth. Noble gas elemental abundance in the diamonds relative to the air noble gas abundance shows monotonic decrease with a decreasing mass number. This paper discusses the implications of these observations on the early solar system and the origin of diamonds. (author)

Noble gases in ten stone meteorites from Antarctica

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Weber, H.W.; Schultz, L.

1980-01-01

The concentrations and isotopic composition of noble gases have been determined in all ten stone meteorites recovered in Antarctica during 1976-1977 by a U.S.-Japanese expedition. From a comparison of spallogenic and radiogenic gas components it is concluded that the chondrites Mt. Baldr (a) and Mt. Baldr (b) belong to the same fall but that all other stone meteorites are individual finds. (orig.)

A gas proportional scintillation counter for use in large area detector systems without photomultipliers

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Baruch, J.E.F.; Brooke, G.; Kellermann, E.W.; Bateman, J.E.; Connolly, J.F.

1978-03-01

The properties of a prototype gas proportional scintillation detector, for use in large numbers, are examined. The detector is designed to focus a light signal, which is proportional to ionisation loss, into a fibre optic lightguide. It is shown that a single charged particle traversing the detector produces enough light out of the lightguide to be seen by a TV camera. Problems of lifetime and large scale detector production are discussed. Properties of saturation, linearity, position sensitivity, and operating limits are examined. It is shown that an array of gas proportional scintillation detectors when used with fibre optic lightguides and TV camera readout could offer significant improvements in cost per area and reliability over a scintillator plus photomultiplier or a wire proportional chamber array. (author)

Selective noble gases monitoring

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Janecka, S.; Jancik, O.; Kapisovsky, V.; Kubik, I.; Sevecka, S.

1995-01-01

The monitoring of leak releases from ventilation stack of NPP requires a system by several orders more sensitive then currently used radiometer Kalina, designed to cover the range up to a design-based accident. To reach this goal a noble gases monitor with a germanium detector (MPVG) has been developed. It enables nuclide selective monitoring of current value of volume activity of particular nuclides in ventilation stack and daily releases of noble gases (balancing). MPVG can be viewed as a system build of three levels of subsystem: measuring level; control level; presentation level. Measuring level consists of gamma-spectroscopy system and operational parameters monitoring unit (flow rate, temperature, humidity). Control level provides communication between presentation and measuring level, acquisition of operational parameters and power supply. The presentation level of MPVG enables: 1) the measured data storage in predetermined time intervals; 2) the presentation of measured and evaluated values of radiation characteristics. The monitored radionuclides - default set: argon-41, krypton-85m, krypton-87, krypton-88, krypton-89, xenon-131m, xenon-133, xenon-133m, xenon-135, xenon-135m, xenon-137 and xenon-138. The values of volume activities observed at maximum releases have been approximately ten times higher. In that case in balancing some other nuclides exceed corresponding detection limits: 88 Kr(67; 22) Bq/m 3 ; 85m Kr(17; 7) Bq/m 3 ; 135m Xe(7.1; 0.5) Bq/m 3 ; 138 Xe(5.9; 0.9) Bq/m 3 . (J.K.)

Selective noble gases monitoring

Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

Janecka, S; Jancik, O; Kapisovsky, V; Kubik, I; Sevecka, S [Nuclear Power Plants Research Institute, a.s., Trnava (Slovakia)

1996-12-31

The monitoring of leak releases from ventilation stack of NPP requires a system by several orders more sensitive then currently used radiometer Kalina, designed to cover the range up to a design-based accident. To reach this goal a noble gases monitor with a germanium detector (MPVG) has been developed. It enables nuclide selective monitoring of current value of volume activity of particular nuclides in ventilation stack and daily releases of noble gases (balancing). MPVG can be viewed as a system build of three levels of subsystem: measuring level; control level; presentation level. Measuring level consists of gamma-spectroscopy system and operational parameters monitoring unit (flow rate, temperature, humidity). Control level provides communication between presentation and measuring level, acquisition of operational parameters and power supply. The presentation level of MPVG enables: 1) the measured data storage in predetermined time intervals; 2) the presentation of measured and evaluated values of radiation characteristics. The monitored radionuclides - default set: argon-41, krypton-85m, krypton-87, krypton-88, krypton-89, xenon-131m, xenon-133, xenon-133m, xenon-135, xenon-135m, xenon-137 and xenon-138. The values of volume activities observed at maximum releases have been approximately ten times higher. In that case in balancing some other nuclides exceed corresponding detection limits: {sup 88}Kr(67; 22) Bq/m{sup 3}; {sup 85m}Kr(17; 7) Bq/m{sup 3}; {sup 135m}Xe(7.1; 0.5) Bq/m{sup 3}; {sup 138}Xe(5.9; 0.9) Bq/m{sup 3}. (J.K.).

Radon gas detector

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Madnick, P.A.; Sherwood, R.W.

1990-01-01

This patent describes a radon gas detector. It comprises: a housing having an interior chamber, the interior chamber being completely closed to ambient light, the interior chamber being divided into an environment connecting chamber and a radiation ascertaining chamber; radiation sensitive means mounted between the environment connecting chamber and the radiation ascertaining chamber; air movement means mounted in connection with the environment connecting chamber. The air movement means for moving ambient air through the environment connecting chamber; electronic means for detecting radiation within the air which is passing through the environment connecting chamber. The electronic means also including radiation counting means. The electronic means producing an output based on the type and quantity of radiation in the environment connecting chamber; and display electronics for receiving the output and displaying accordingly a display representative of the amount and type of radiation located within the environment connecting chamber and hence within the ambient air

Detector for the liquid carried over in a gas

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Delisle, J.P.; Eperonnat, P.; Lions, N.

1965-01-01

This report describes an optical detector for the detection of a liquid carried over by a gas. The device is sensitive to a cumulated quantity of liquid equal to a few cubic millimetres and is capable of operating an alarm from a distance. The prototype was constructed and tested as detector for the oil leaking in the argon compressed by a diaphragm compressor. A patent for this apparatus under the number: P.V.954.703, has been deposited on 22.11.1963. (authors) [fr

Ultrabright multikilovolt x-ray source: saturated amplification on noble gas transition arrays from hollow atom states

Science.gov (United States)

Rhodes, Charles K.; Boyer, Keith

2004-02-17

An apparatus and method for the generation of ultrabright multikilovolt x-rays from saturated amplification on noble gas transition arrays from hollow atom states is described. Conditions for x-ray amplification in this spectral region combine the production of cold, high-Z matter, with the direct, selective multiphoton excitation of hollow atoms from clusters using ultraviolet radiation and a nonlinear mode of confined, self-channeled propagation in plasmas. Data obtained is consistent with the presence of saturated amplification on several transition arrays of the hollow atom Xe(L) spectrum (.lambda..about.2.9 .ANG.). An estimate of the peak brightness achieved is .about.10.sup.29 .gamma..multidot.s.sup.-1.multidot.mm.sup.-2.multidot.mr.sup.-2 (0.1% Bandwidth).sup.-1, that is .about.10.sup.5 -fold higher than presently available synchotron technology.

Properties of potential eco-friendly gas replacements for particle detectors in high-energy physics

Science.gov (United States)

Saviano, G.; Ferrini, M.; Benussi, L.; Bianco, S.; Piccolo, D.; Colafranceschi, S.; KjØlbro, J.; Sharma, A.; Yang, D.; Chen, G.; Ban, Y.; Li, Q.; Grassini, S.; Parvis, M.

2018-03-01

Gas detectors for elementary particles require F-based gases for optimal performance. Recent regulations demand the use of environmentally unfriendly F-based gases to be limited or banned. This work studies properties of potential eco-friendly gas replacements by computing the physical and chemical parameters relevant for use as detector media, and suggests candidates to be considered for experimental investigation.

EFFECTS OF ALTERNATE ANTIFOAM AGENTS, NOBLE METALS, MIXING SYSTEMS AND MASS TRANSFER ON GAS HOLDUP AND RELEASE FROM NONNEWTONIAN SLURRIES

Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

Guerrero, H; Mark Fowley, M; Charles Crawford, C; Michael Restivo, M; Robert Leishear, R

2007-12-24

Gas holdup tests performed in a small-scale mechanically-agitated mixing system at the Savannah River National Laboratory (SRNL) were reported in 2006. The tests were for a simulant of waste from the Hanford Tank 241-AZ-101 and featured additions of DOW Corning Q2-3183A Antifoam agent. Results indicated that this antifoam agent (AFA) increased gas holdup in the waste simulant by about a factor of four and, counter intuitively, that the holdup increased as the simulant shear strength decreased (apparent viscosity decreased). These results raised questions about how the AFA might affect gas holdup in Hanford Waste Treatment and Immobilization Plant (WTP) vessels mixed by air sparging and pulse-jet mixers (PJMs). And whether the WTP air supply system being designed would have the capacity to handle a demand for increased airflow to operate the sparger-PJM mixing systems should the AFA increase retention of the radiochemically generated flammable gases in the waste by making the gas bubbles smaller and less mobile, or decrease the size of sparger bubbles making them mix less effectively for a given airflow rate. A new testing program was developed to assess the potential effects of adding the DOW Corning Q2-3183A AFA to WTP waste streams by first confirming the results of the work reported in 2006 by Stewart et al. and then determining if the AFA in fact causes such increased gas holdup in a prototypic sparger-PJM mixing system, or if the increased holdup is just a feature of the small-scale agitation system. Other elements of the new program include evaluating effects other variables could have on gas holdup in systems with AFA additions such as catalysis from trace noble metals in the waste, determining mass transfer coefficients for the AZ-101 waste simulant, and determining whether other AFA compositions such as Dow Corning 1520-US could also increase gas holdup in Hanford waste. This new testing program was split into two investigations, prototypic sparger

A comparative study of the broadening effect on rotational lines by methane and noble gases

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Kircz, J.G.

1979-01-01

Line broadening measurements for the mixtures HCl-CH 4 and HCl-CD 4 have been performed and the results of these experiments are reported. Current theoretical models for the systems studied are briefly discussed. In order to identify specific effects the authors have tried to find a generalisation for linewidth cross-sections for the HCl-noble gas systems. This is done in the spirit of the well known corresponding state treatment in statistical mechanics in an attempt to find, in terms of reduced variables, a generalised intermolecular potential for these systems. Extensive calculations on the HCl-Ar and HCl-Kr intermolecular potentials, as derived from linewidth measurements, are reported in an attempt to extract a more exact potential for these systems. The results are compared with other recent results from the literature. The use of a semi-empirical method for the evaluation of the experimental data is described. This empirical method has been used in a comparison between the HCl-noble gas experiments and the present experiments of HCl-methane. The possibility of splitting the observed data into a 'noble gas' part and a 'extra' part due to the intermolecular interactions which result from the coupling of the HCl rotations with the internal degrees of freedom of the methane molecules is discussed. (Auth.)

Of vacuum and gas

CERN Multimedia

Katarina Anthony

2015-01-01

A new LHCb programme is delving into uncharted waters for the LHC: exploring how protons interact with noble gases inside the machine pipe. While, at first glance, it may sound risky for the overall quality of the vacuum in the machine, the procedure is safe and potentially very rich in rewards. The results could uncover the high-energy helium-proton cross-section (with all the implications thereof), explore new boundaries of the quark-gluon plasma and much more.   As the beam passes through LHCb, interactions with neon gas allow the experiment to measure the full beam profile. In this diagram, beam 1 (blue) and beam 2 (red) are measured by the surrounding VELO detector. It all begins with luminosity. In 2011, LHCb set out to further improve its notoriously precise measurements of the beam profile, using the so-called Beam-Gas Imaging (BGI) method. BGI does exactly what it says on the tin: a small amount of gas is inserted into the vacuum, increasing the rate of collisions around the interaction ...

Performance of gas electron multiplier (GEM) detector

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Han, S. H.; Moon, B. S.; Kim, Y. K.; Chung, C. E.; Kang, H. D.; Cho, H. S.

2002-01-01

We have investigated in detail the operating properties of Gas Electron Multiplier (GEM) detectors with a double conical and a cylindrical structure in a wide range of external fields and GEM voltages. With the double conical GEM, the gain gradually increased with time by 10%; whereas this surface charging was eliminated with the cylindrical GEM. Effective gains above 1000 were easily observed over a wide range of collection field strengths in a gas mixture of Ar/CO 2 (70/30). The transparency and electron collection efficiency were found to depend on the ratio of external field and the applied GEM voltage; the mutual influence of both drift and collection fields was found to be trivial

Collection of a radioactive source of $^{83}$Kr to study the gas distribution dynamics in a large GRPC detector

CERN Multimedia

An ultra-granular hadronic calorimeter was built using Glass Resistive Plate Chamber (GRPC) detectors as the sensitive medium. The gas of those detectors of $1 \\times 1$ m$^{2}$ each is constrained to be on one side of the detector. To ensure good gas distribution a prototype was built. Such a scheme could be extended to larger GRPC detectors of more than 2 m$^{2}$ if found efficient. To check the performance a radioactive gas could be used in association with the usual gas mixture used to operate the GRPC. The distribution of the radioactive gas can be monitored thanks to the 1 cm$^2$ resolution provided by the embedded electronics used to read out the detector. The radioactive $^{83}$Kr source (obtained from $^{83}$Rb decay) could be produced at the ISOLDE facility and will be used to study larger GRPC detectors at CERN.

Operating Instructions for the Cryogenics in the Liquid Argon Detector at CIEMAT

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Romero, L.; Leal, M. D.; Prado, M. del; Ramirez, J. L.

2009-01-01

Ciemat has wide experience in designing and developing gaseous particle detectors. It has taken part in the building of experiments for CERN accelerators, constructing shares of the muon chambers for L3 experiment in LEP and CMS experiment in LHC. Recently, new concepts for particle detectors have been developed, as a natural evolution from the ones built at Ciemat. These new radiation detectors use liquefied noble gases as active media. A testing system for these kind of liquefied argon detectors has been built at Ciemat, and includes a supporting cryogenic system for the liquefaction and maintenance of the liquid argon needed for operating the detector. This document describes the technical features of this cryogenic system. Besides the documentation of the cryogenic system, this technical report can be of help for the management and upgrading of the detector. As well as an introduction, the report includes the following chapters: The second one is a description of the cryogenics and gas systems. The third chapter shows the controlling electronics. The fourth chapter deals with the important topic that is security, its systems and protocols. The fifth describes the cryogenic operations possible in this equipment. The report is completed with diagrams, schemes, pictures and tables for the easier management of the setup. (Author)

Calibration of new measuring systems to detect emissions of radioactive noble gases

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Winkelmann, I.; Kreiner, H.J.

1977-12-01

This report describes the calibration of different systems for the integral measurement of radioactive noble gases and the calibration of a measuring chamber for the detection of individual nuclides of radioactive noble gases in the gaseous effluent of nuclear power plants. For these measuring chambers the calibration factors for Kr-85 and Xe-133 are given as well as the detection limits to be obtained with these measuring systems for several radioactive noble gases present in the gaseous effluent at the stack of nuclear power plants. Calibration factors for Kr-85 and Xe-133 and the detection limits of this measuring method for the detections of individual nuclides of radioactive noble gases in air samples are defined taken wirh a high pressure compressor in pressure flasks an measured on a Ge(Li)-semiconductor spectrometer (pressure flask measuring method). A measuring equipment is described and calibrated which allows simultaneous measurement of activity concentration of radioactive noble gases and radioactive aerosols with a sensitivity of 2 x 10 -7 Ci/m 3 for radioactive gases and 1 x 10 -9 Ci/m 3 for radioactive particulates at a background radiation of 1 R/h. This paper is an additional report to our STH-Bericht 3/76, 'Calibration of measuring equipment for monitoring of gaseous effluents from nuclear power plants', which specifies a procedure for the calibration of measuring chambers for monitoring of gaseous radioactive effluents from nuclear power plants /1/. The calibration system used here makes it possible to simultaneously calibrate several noble gas measuring devices. (orig.) [de

A gas ionisation Direct-STIM detector for MeV ion microscopy

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Norarat, Rattanaporn; Guibert, Edouard; Jeanneret, Patrick; Dellea, Mario; Jenni, Josef; Roux, Adrien; Stoppini, Luc; Whitlow, Harry J.

2015-01-01

Direct-Scanning Transmission Ion Microscopy (Direct-STIM) is a powerful technique that yields structural information in sub-cellular whole cell imaging. Usually, a Si p-i-n diode is used in Direct-STIM measurements as a detector. In order to overcome the detrimental effects of radiation damage which appears as a broadening in the energy resolution, we have developed a gas ionisation detector for use with a focused ion beam. The design is based on the ETH Frisch grid-less off-axis Geiger–Müller geometry. It is developed for use in a MeV ion microscope with a standard Oxford Microbeams triplet lens and scanning system. The design has a large available solid angle for other detectors (e.g. proton induced fluorescence). Here we report the performance for imaging ReNcells VM with μm resolution where energy resolutions of <24 keV fwhm could be achieved for 1 MeV protons using isobutane gas

Behaviour of quadrupole mass spectrometer towards noble gases

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Hasibullah

1980-01-01

This paper describes a quadrupole mass spectrometric set-up for noble gas analysis with its potential application to material accountancy at the input accountability tank of a reprocessing facility. Linear dependence of ion source pressure on the inlet pressure was considered to be practicable criterion for the functionality of the instrument. Short term and long term sensitivity variations have also been discussed. No memory effect was observed under the experimental conditions. (author)

Radiology utilizing a gas multiwire detector with resolution enhancement

Science.gov (United States)

Majewski, Stanislaw; Majewski, Lucasz A.

1999-09-28

This invention relates to a process and apparatus for obtaining filmless, radiological, digital images utilizing a gas multiwire detector. Resolution is enhanced through projection geometry. This invention further relates to imaging systems for X-ray examination of patients or objects, and is particularly suited for mammography.

A simple alkali-metal and noble gas ion source for SIMS equipments with mass separation of the primary ions

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Duesterhoeft, H.; Pippig, R.

1986-01-01

An alkali-metal ion source working without a store of alkali-metals is described. The alkali-metal ions are produced by evaporation of alkali salts and ionization in a low-voltage arc discharge stabilized with a noble gas plasma or in the case of small alkali-metal ion currents on the base of the well known thermic ionization at a hot tungsten wire. The source is very simple in construction and produces a stable ion current of 0.3 μA for more than 100 h. It is possible to change the ion species in a short time. This source is applicable to all SIMS equipments using mass separation for primary ions. (author)

Recent advances with a hybrid micro-pattern gas detector operated in low pressure H2 and He, for AT-TPC applications

Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

Cortesi Marco

2018-01-01

Full Text Available In view of a possible application as a charge-particle track readout for an Active-Target Time Projection Chamber (AT-TPC, the operational properties and performances of a hybrid Micro-Pattern Gaseous Detector (MPGD were investigated in pure low-pressure Hydrogen (H2 and Helium (He. The detector consists of a MICROMEsh GAseous Structure (MICROMEGAS coupled to a two-cascade THick Gaseous Electron Multiplier (THGEM as a pre-amplification stage. This study reports the effective gain dependence of the hybrid-MPGD at relevant pressure (in the range of 200-760 torr for different detector arrangements. The results of this work are relevant in the field of avalanche mechanism in low-pressure, low-mass noble gases, in particularly for applications of MPGD end-cap readout for active-target Time Projection Chambers (TPC in the field of nuclear physics and nuclear astrophysics.

Backfitting of existing nuclear power plants with particulate, iodine and noble gas monitors

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Marley, M.R.; Geiger, E.L.

1978-01-01

A stand-alone microcomputer complete with hardware and software to measure airborne particulate iodine and noble gases is described. This system meets the need at power plants and effluent monitoring. The equipment will accommodate up to 192 channels of input

Development and characterization of micro-pattern gas detectors for intense beams of hadrons

Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

Vandenbroucke, Maxence

2012-07-02

This thesis work is dedicated to the design, development and characterization of Micro-Pattern Gas Detectors. The performances of a Time Projection Chamber (TPC) equipped with a triple Gas Electron Multiplier (GEM) amplification structure are reported. The intrinsic ion backflow suppression of GEM foils drastically reduces the space charge produced by wire readout in traditional TPC. The GEM solution allows the operation of a TPC at much higher event rate. The second part of this thesis describes the development of a 40 x 40 cm{sup 2} Micromegas detector with a highly segmented central area. A reduction of discharges compared to conventional Micromegas detectors is needed for stable operation in intense beams of hadrons. Spark reduction technologies have been successfully studied and results are presented.

Development and characterization of micro-pattern gas detectors for intense beams of hadrons

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Vandenbroucke, Maxence

2012-01-01

This thesis work is dedicated to the design, development and characterization of Micro-Pattern Gas Detectors. The performances of a Time Projection Chamber (TPC) equipped with a triple Gas Electron Multiplier (GEM) amplification structure are reported. The intrinsic ion backflow suppression of GEM foils drastically reduces the space charge produced by wire readout in traditional TPC. The GEM solution allows the operation of a TPC at much higher event rate. The second part of this thesis describes the development of a 40 x 40 cm 2 Micromegas detector with a highly segmented central area. A reduction of discharges compared to conventional Micromegas detectors is needed for stable operation in intense beams of hadrons. Spark reduction technologies have been successfully studied and results are presented.

Gas system Upgrade for the BaBar IFR Detector at SLAC

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Foulkes, S

2004-01-01

A new gas distribution and monitoring system was installed as part of an upgrade of the forward endcap muon detection system (IFR) of the BaBar detector at SLAC. Over 300 gas circuits are controlled and monitored. The return gas flow is monitored by digital bubblers which use photo-gate electronics to count the bubbling rate. The rates are monitored in real time and recorded in a history database allowing studies of flow rate versus chamber performance

Two-phase xenon detector with gas amplification and electroluminescent signal detection

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Akimov, D.Yu.; Burenkov, A.A.; Grishkin, Yu.L.; Kovalenko, A.G.; Lebedenko, V.N.; Stekhanov, V.N.

2008-01-01

An optical technique for detecting ionization electrons produced during ionization of the liquid phase has been experimentally tested in two-phase (liquid-gas) xenon. The effects of gas and electroluminescent amplifications at the wire anode are simultaneously used for detection. This method allows construction of a supersensitive detector of small ionization signals-down to those corresponding to the detection of single electrons [ru

Making channeling visible: keV noble gas ion trails on Pt(111)

Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

Redinger, A; Standop, S; Michely, T [II Physikalisches Institut, Universitaet zu Koeln, D-50937 Koeln (Germany); Rosandi, Y; Urbassek, H M, E-mail: urbassek@rhrk.uni-kl.de [Fachbereich Physik und Forschungszentrum OPTIMAS, Universitaet Kaiserslautern, Erwin-Schroedinger-Strasse, D-67663 Kaiserslautern (Germany)

2011-01-15

The impact of argon and xenon noble gas ions on Pt(111) in grazing incidence geometry are studied through direct comparison of scanning tunneling microscopy images and molecular dynamics simulations. The energy range investigated is 1-15 keV and the angles of incidence with respect to the surface normal are between 78.5{sup 0} and 88{sup 0}. The focus of the paper is on events where ions gently enter the crystal at steps and are guided in channels between the top most layers of the crystal. The trajectories of the subsurface channeled ions are visible as trails of surface damage. The mechanism of trail formation is analyzed using simulations and analytical theory. Significant differences between Xe{sup +} and Ar{sup +} projectiles in damage, in the onset energy of subsurface channeling as well as in ion energy dependence of trail length and appearance are traced back to the projectile and ion energy dependence of the stopping force. The asymmetry of damage production with respect to the ion trajectory direction is explained through the details of the channel shape and subchannel structure as calculated from the continuum approximation of the channel potential. Measured and simulated channel switching in directions normal and parallel to the surface as well as an increase of ions entering into channels from the perfect surface with increasing angles of incidence are discussed.

Gain limits of a Thick GEM in high-purity Ne, Ar and Xe

CERN Document Server

Miyamoto, J; Peskov, V

2010-01-01

The dependence of the avalanche charge gain in Thick Gas Electron Multipliers (THGEM) on the purity of Ne, Ar and Xe filling gases was investigated. The gain, measured with alpha-particles in standard conditions (atmospheric pressure, room temperature), was found to considerably drop in gases purified by non-evaporable getters. On the other hand, small N2 admixtures to noble gases resulted in high reachable gains. The results are of general relevance in the operation of gas-avalanche detectors in noble gases, particularly that of two-phase cryogenic detectors for rare events.

High spatial and time resolutions with gas ionization detectors

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Pouthas, J.

2001-09-01

This document presents the principles and the characteristics of the gaseous ionisation detectors used in position and timing measurements. The first two parts recall the main notions (electron and ion motions, gaseous amplification, signal formation) and their applications to the proportional counter and the wire chamber. The explanation of the signal formation makes use of the Ramo theorem. The third part is devoted to the different types of wire chambers: drift or cathode strip chambers, TPC (time projection chamber). Some aspects on construction and ageing are also presented. Part 4 is on the detectors in which the multiplication is performed by a 'Parallel Plate' system (PPAC, Pestov counter). Special attention is paid to the RPCs (Resistive Plate Chambers) and their timing resolutions. Part 5 concentrates on 'Micro-pattern detectors' which use different kinds of microstructure for gaseous amplification. The new detectors MICROMEGAS, CAT (compteur a trous) and GEM (gas electron multiplier) and some of their applications are presented. The last part is a bibliography including some comments on the documents. (author)

Alpha–beta monitoring system based on pair of simultaneous Multi-Wire Proportional Counters

Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

Wengrowicz, U.; Amidan, D. [Department of Nuclear Engineering, Ben Gurion University of the Negev, Beer-Sheva 84105 (Israel); NRC-Negev, P.O. Box 9001, Beer-Sheva 84190 (Israel); Orion, I. [Department of Nuclear Engineering, Ben Gurion University of the Negev, Beer-Sheva 84105 (Israel)

2016-08-11

A new approach for a simultaneous alpha–beta Multi-wire Proportional Counter (MWPC) is presented. The popular approach for alpha–beta monitoring systems consists of a large area MWPC using noble gas flow such as Argon Methane. This method of measurement is effective but requires large-scale and expensive maintenance due to the needs of gas flow control and periodic replacements. In this work, a pair of simultaneous MWPCs for alpha–beta measuring is presented. The developed detector consists of a sealed gas MWPC sensor for beta particles, behind a free air alpha sensor. This approach allows effective simultaneous detection and discrimination of both alpha and beta radiation without the maintenance cost noble gas flow required for unsealed detectors.

Gas scintillation glass GEM detector for high-resolution X-ray imaging and CT

Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

Fujiwara, T., E-mail: fujiwara-t@aist.go.jp [Research Institute for Measurement and Analytical Instrumentation, National Institute of Advanced Industrial Science and Technology (AIST), Tsukuba, Ibaraki 305-8568 (Japan); Mitsuya, Y. [Nuclear Professional School, The University of Tokyo, Tokai, Naka, Ibaraki 319-1188 (Japan); Fushie, T. [Radiment Lab. Inc., Setagaya, Tokyo 156-0044 (Japan); Murata, K.; Kawamura, A.; Koishikawa, A. [XIT Co., Naruse, Machida, Tokyo 194-0045 (Japan); Toyokawa, H. [Research Institute for Measurement and Analytical Instrumentation, National Institute of Advanced Industrial Science and Technology (AIST), Tsukuba, Ibaraki 305-8568 (Japan); Takahashi, H. [Institute of Engineering Innovation, School of Engineering, The University of Tokyo, Bunkyo, Tokyo 113-8654 (Japan)

2017-04-01

A high-spatial-resolution X-ray-imaging gaseous detector has been developed with a single high-gas-gain glass gas electron multiplier (G-GEM), scintillation gas, and optical camera. High-resolution X-ray imaging of soft elements is performed with a spatial resolution of 281 µm rms and an effective area of 100×100 mm. In addition, high-resolution X-ray 3D computed tomography (CT) is successfully demonstrated with the gaseous detector. It shows high sensitivity to low-energy X-rays, which results in high-contrast radiographs of objects containing elements with low atomic numbers. In addition, the high yield of scintillation light enables fast X-ray imaging, which is an advantage for constructing CT images with low-energy X-rays.

Domestic Preparedness Program: Evaluation of the Agilent Gas Chromatograph - Flame Photometric Detector/Mass Selective Detector (GC-FPD/MSD) System Against Chemical Warfare Agents Summary Report

National Research Council Canada - National Science Library

Longworth, Terri

2003-01-01

This report characterizes the chemical warfare agent (CWA) detection potential of the commercially available Agilent gas chromatograph-flame photometric detector/mass selective detector (GC-FPD/MSD...

Pad readout for gas detectors using 128-channel integrated preamplifiers

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Fischer, P.; Drees, A.; Glassel, P.

1988-01-01

A novel two-dimensional readout scheme for gas detectors is presented which uses small metal pads with 2.54 mm pitch as an anode. The pads are read out via 128-channel VLSI low-noise preamplifier/multiplexer chips. These chips are mounted on 2.8x2.8 cm/sup 2/ modules which are directly plugged onto the detector backplane, daisy-chained with jumpers and read out sequentially. The readout has been successfully tested with a low-pressure, two-step, TMAE-filled UV-RICH detector prototype. A single electron efficiently of >90% was observed at moderate chamber gains (<10/sup 6/). The method offers high electronic amplification, low noise, and high readout speed with a very flexible and compact design, suited for space-limited applications

Thermoregulated Nitric Cryosystem for Cooling Gas-Filled Detectors of Ionizing Radiation

Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

Zharkov I.P.

2015-09-01

Full Text Available Cryosystem for cooling and filling of gas-filled detectors of ionizing radiation with compressed inert gas on the basis of wide-nitrogen cryostat, which provides detetector temperature control in a range of 173 — 293 K and its stabilization with accuracy of ± 1°. The work was carried out within the Ukraine — NATO Program of Collaboration, Grant SfP #984655.

Gas Time-of-Flight Cherenkov Detector with Radiofrequency Phototube for FP420

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Margaryan, A.

2011-01-01

In this paper, the gas Cherenkov detector with radiofrequency phototube is considered as a fast-timing detector for FP420 project. The detector serves for precise Time-of-Flight measurements of forward going protons, capable of accurate vertex reconstruction and background rejection at high luminosities. The proposed technique is a high resolution (∼ 5 ps FWHM for a single proton), high rate (∼ MHz) and highly stable (less than 1 ps) timing technique capable to detect up to several tens events in a short (∼ 1 ns) time interval. (author)

Development of a cost efficient methodology to perform allocation of flammable and toxic gas detectors applying CFD tools

Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

Storch, Rafael Brod; Rocha, Gean Felipe Almeida [Det Norske Veritas (DNV), Rio de Janeiro, RJ (Brazil); Nalvarte, Gladys Augusta Zevallos [Det Norske Veritas (DNV), Novik (Norway)

2012-07-01

This paper is aimed to present a computational procedure for flammable and toxic gas detector allocation and quantification developed by DNV. The proposed methodology applies Computational Fluid Dynamics (CFD) simulations as well as operational and safety characteristics of the analyzed region to assess the optimal number of toxic and flammable gas detectors and their optimal location. A probabilistic approach is also used when applying the DNV software ThorEXPRESSLite, following NORSOK Z013 Annex G and presented in HUSER et al. 2000 and HUSER et al. 2001, when the flammable gas detectors are assessed. A DNV developed program, DetLoc, is used to run in an iterative way the procedure described above leading to an automatic calculation of the gas detectors location and number. The main advantage of the methodology presented above is the independence of human interaction in the gas detector allocation leading to a more precise and free of human judgment allocation. Thus, a reproducible allocation is generated when comparing several different analyses and a global criteria appliance is guaranteed through different regions in the same project. A case study is presented applying the proposed methodology. (author)

Integrated DWPF Melter System (IDMS) campaign report: The first two noble metals operations

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Hutson, N.D.; Zamecnik, J.R.; Smith, M.E.; Miller, D.H.; Ritter, J.A.

1991-01-01

The Integrated DWPF Melter System (IDMS) is designed and constructed to provide an engineering-scale representation of the DWPF melter and its associated feed preparation and off-gas systems. The facility is the first pilot-scale melter system capable of processing mercury, and flowsheet levels of halides and noble metals. In order to characterize the processing of noble metals (Pd, Rh, Ru, and Ag) on a large scale, the IDMS will be operated batchstyle for at least nine feed preparation cycles. The first two of these operations are complete. The major observation to date occurred during the second run when significant amounts of hydrogen were evolved during the feed preparation cycle. The runs were conducted between June 7, 1990 and March 8, 1991. This time period included nearly six months of ''fix-up'' time when forced air purges were installed on the SRAT MFT and other feed preparation vessels to allow continued noble metals experimentation

The development of a gas-filled time-of-flight detector

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Guan Yongjing; He Ming; Ruan Xiangdong; Wang Huijuan; Wu Shaoyong; Dong Kejun; Lin Min; Yuan Jian; Jiang Shan

2007-01-01

A gas-filled time-of-flight (GF-TOF) detector system for isobaric identification has been developed at the AMS facility of the China Institute of Atomic Energy (CIAE). The newly built GF-TOF detector was tested by using a 36 Cl standard sample ( 36 Cl/Cl = 2.88 x 10 -11 ) with the 36 Cl ion energies of 64, 49 and 33 MeV. Time resolutions of 350 ps, 580 ps and 920 ps were obtained for 64, 49 and 33 MeV 36 S, respectively, without gas. 36 Cl and 36 S particles were successfully separated in the TOF spectra from the GF-TOF detector at the three different incident energies. The dependence of time resolution and separation power of GF-TOF method on the incidence energy and the residual energy is discussed. The comparison of separation power for isobars between the GF-TOF method and the ΔE-E method is described. A combination of GF-TOF method and ΔE-E method may further improve the separation power for isobars. The results show that the sensitivity for 36 Cl AMS measurements is 10 -14 at the energy of 33 MeV. Some results obtained with the GF-TOF method are given

The radiation gas detectors with novel nanoporous converter for medical imaging applications

Science.gov (United States)

Zarei, H.; Saramad, S.

2018-02-01

For many reason it is tried to improve the quantum efficiency (QE) of position sensitive gas detectors. For energetic X-rays, the imaging systems usually consist of a bulk converter and gas amplification region. But the bulk converters have their own limitation. For X-rays, the converter thickness should be increased to achieve a greater detection efficiency, however in this case, the chance of escaping the photoelectrons is reduced. To overcome this limitation, a new type of converter, called a nanoporous converter such as Anodizing Aluminum Oxide (AAO) membrane with higher surface to volume ratio is proposed. According to simulation results with GATE code, for this nanoporous converter with the 1 mm thickness and inter pore distance of 627 nm, for 20-100 keV X-ray energies with a reasonable gas pressure and different pore diameters, the QE can be one order of magnitude greater than the bulk ones, which is a new approach for proposing high QE position sensitive gas detectors for medical imaging application and also high energy physics.

Operating the GridPix detector in dark matter search experiments

NARCIS (Netherlands)

Schön, R.; Alfonsi, M.; Hemink, G.; Decowski, M.P.; van Bakel, N.; van der Graaf, H.

2013-01-01

The DARWIN (dark matter WIMP search with noble liquids) design study aims to use liquid argon and liquid xenon targets to look for nuclear recoils due to weakly interacting massive particles (WIMPs). To measure the recoil energy in dual-phase noble gas time projection chambers the combination of

In search of the noble gas 3.52 Ga atmospheric signatures

Science.gov (United States)

Pujol, M.; Marty, B.; Philippot, P.

2008-12-01

nuclear reactions on Xe isotope production, barite from 30m shallower depth in the same core were analyzed. Variable excesses can be linked to spallogenic and cosmogenic reactions ([4] [5] [6]) which allow the primitive Xe isotopic signature to be isolated from subsequent secondary production. Models of the archaean atmospheric noble gas signature can thereby be compared with different theories on primitive atmospheric composition. [1] Staudacher T. Allègre C.J. (1982) EPSL 60, p 389-406 [2] Van Kranendonk MJ., Hickman A.H., Williams I.R. and Nijman W. (2001) Rec.-Geol. Surv. West. Aust. 2001/9, 134 [3] Foriel J., Philippot P., Rey P., Somogyi A., Banks D. and Ménez B. (2004) EPSL, 228, 451-463 [4]Srinivasan B. (1976) EPSL, 31, 129-141 [5]Charalambus S. (1971) Nuclear Physics, A166, 145 [6]Meshik A. P., Hohenberg C. M., Pravdivtseva O. V. and Kapusta Y. (2001) Phys. Rev., C 64, 035205-1 035205-6

Aging measurements on triple-GEM detectors operated with $CF_{4}$-based gas mixtures

CERN Document Server

Alfonsi, M; De Simone, P; Murtas, F; Poli Lener, M P; Bonivento, W; Cardini, A; Raspino, D; Saitta, B; Pinci, D; Baccaro, S; 10.1016/j.nuclphysbps.2005.03.054

2006-01-01

We present the results of a global irradiation test of full size triple-GEM detectors operated with CF/sub 4/-based gas mixtures. This study has been performed in the framework of an R&D activity on detectors for the innermost region of the first muon station of the LHCb experiment. The prototypes have been irradiated at the Calliope facility of the ENEA-Casaccia with a high intensity 1.25 MeV detectors performances have been measured with X-rays and with a 3 Ge V pion beam at CERN. A SEM analysis on several samples of the detectors has been performed to complete the understanding of the physical processes occurring in a GEM detector during a strong irradiation.

Noble gases in basalt glasses from a Mid-Atlantic Ridge topographic high at 14deg N - geodynamic consequences

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Staudacher, T.; Sarda, P.; Richardson, S.H.; Allegre, C.J.; Sagna, I.; Dmitriev, L.V.

1989-01-01

We present a complete noble gas study of mid-oceanic ridge basalt glasses (MORB) from a small ridge segment, centered on an along-strike topographic elevation of the Mid-Atlantic Ridge at about 14deg N. We have found the highest 40 Ar/ 36 Ar ratio ever observed for a MORB glass, i.e. 28,150±330 for sample 2ΠD40, correlated with high 129 Xe/ 130 Xe ratios and the highest noble gas concentrations in a so-called popping-rock, labeled 2ΠD43. The latter sample displays a 4 He/ 40 Ar * ratio of 2.0-2.7, which is close to the production ratio in the mantle due to the radioactive decay of U, Th and K. Hence, this sample probably best represents the elemental noble gas ratios in the mantle, from which we have computed the 4 He concentration in the mantle source of MORB to be 1.5x10 -5 cm 3 STP g -1 . High 4 He/ 3 He ratios in two of the samples from the summit of the topographic high indicate the presence of a U, Th-rich component in the mantle source, possibly old subducted oceanic crust and/or sediments, which could originate in the so-called mesosphere boundary layer. (orig.)

Light Readout for a 1 ton Liquid Argon Dark Matter Detector

CERN Document Server

Boccone, Vittorio; Baudis, Laura; Otyugova, Polina; Regenfus, Christian

2010-01-01

Evidence for dark matter (DM) has been reported using astronomical observations in systems such as the Bullet cluster. Weakly interactive massive particles (WIMPs), in particular the lightest neutralino, are the most popular DM candidates within the Minimal Supersymmetric Standard Model (MSSM). Many groups in the world are focussing their attention on the direct detection of DM in the laboratory. The detectors should have large target masses and excellent noise rejection capabilities because of the small cross section between DM and ordinary matter (σWIMP−nucleon < 4 · 10−8 pb). Noble liquids are today considered to be one of the best options for large-size DM experiments, as they have a relatively low ionization energy, good scintillation properties and long electron lifetime. Moreover noble liquid detectors are easily scalable to large masses. This thesis deals with the development of a large (1 ton) LAr WIMP detector (ArDM) which could measure simultaneously light and charge from the scintilla...

EXTERNAL PHOTOEVAPORATION OF THE SOLAR NEBULA: JUPITER's NOBLE GAS ENRICHMENTS

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Monga, Nikhil; Desch, Steven

2015-01-01

We present a model explaining the elemental enrichments in Jupiter's atmosphere, particularly the noble gases Ar, Kr, and Xe. While He, Ne, and O are depleted, seven other elements show similar enrichments (∼3 times solar, relative to H). Being volatile, Ar is difficult to fractionate from H 2 . We argue that external photoevaporation by far-ultraviolet (FUV) radiation from nearby massive stars removed H 2 , He, and Ne from the solar nebula, but Ar and other species were retained because photoevaporation occurred at large heliocentric distances where temperatures were cold enough (≲ 30 K) to trap them in amorphous water ice. As the solar nebula lost H, it became relatively and uniformly enriched in other species. Our model improves on the similar model of Guillot and Hueso. We recognize that cold temperatures alone do not trap volatiles; continuous water vapor production is also necessary. We demonstrate that FUV fluxes that photoevaporated the disk generated sufficient water vapor in regions ≲ 30 K to trap gas-phase species in amorphous water ice in solar proportions. We find more efficient chemical fractionation in the outer disk: whereas the model of Guillot and Hueso predicts a factor of three enrichment when only <2% of the disk mass remains, we find the same enrichments when 30% of the disk mass remains. Finally, we predict the presence of ∼0.1 M ⊕ of water vapor in the outer solar nebula and protoplanetary disks in H II regions

Recovery and use of fission product noble metals

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Jensen, G.A.; Rohmann, C.A.; Perrigo, L.D.

1980-06-01

Noble metals in fission products are of strategic value. Market prices for noble metals are rising more rapidly than recovery costs. A promising concept has been developed for recovery of noble metals from fission product waste. Although the assessment was made only for the three noble metal fission products (Rh, Pd, Ru), there are other fission products and actinides which have potential value

Gas support systems for hadronic high-rate detectors The example of the Inner Tracker of HERA-B

CERN Document Server

Dreis, H B

2003-01-01

The challenge to avoid aging in the new generation of hadronic high- rate detectors at DESY and CERN requires that new and higher standards for material quality and cleanliness be maintained, not only for the new detectors but also for the gas support systems. The effort that is necessary to test materials for detectors must also be extended to all parts of the system that come into contact with the gas. These detailed and critical investigations must also include the traditional materials and equipment that have been used up to now without any problems. It appears that a number of parts contain outgassing material, which has been negligible so far, but can cause fast aging under high-rate conditions. In addition, quenchers in these conditions can become chemically reactive and limit the number of usable gas system components even further. The gas systems for HERA-B fulfill those requirements, and the Inner Tracker gas system is presented as an example.

Graphene–Noble Metal Nano-Composites and Applications for Hydrogen Sensors

Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

Sukumar Basu

2017-10-01

Full Text Available Graphene based nano-composites are relatively new materials with excellent mechanical, electrical, electronic and chemical properties for applications in the fields of electrical and electronic devices, mechanical appliances and chemical gadgets. For all these applications, the structural features associated with chemical bonding that involve other components at the interface need in-depth investigation. Metals, polymers, inorganic fibers and other components improve the properties of graphene when they form a kind of composite structure in the nano-dimensions. Intensive investigations have been carried out globally in this area of research and development. In this article, some salient features of graphene–noble metal interactions and composite formation which improve hydrogen gas sensing properties—like higher and fast response, quick recovery, cross sensitivity, repeatability and long term stability of the sensor devices—are presented. Mostly noble metals are effective for enhancing the sensing performance of the graphene–metal hybrid sensors, due to their superior catalytic activities. The experimental evidence for atomic bonding between metal nano-structures and graphene has been reported in the literature and it is theoretically verified by density functional theory (DFT. Multilayer graphene influences gas sensing performance via intercalation of metal and non-metal atoms through atomic bonding.

Calibration factor determination for solid nuclear track detectors CR-39 type exposed to Rn-222

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Cazula, Camila Dias; Campos, Marcia Pires de; Mazzilli, Barbara Paci

2014-01-01

In the detection method with solid nuclear track detector, when a heavy particle rests on the detector surface, causes a breakdown in their molecular structure forming a trace. One of the typical applications of these detectors is the measurement of the concentration of Rn -222 in air, a noble radioactive gas, part of the U-238 series, emitting alpha particles and important in epidemiological studies to protect individuals from natural radiation. To determine the concentration of Rn -222 in the air in a room is necessary to know the density of lines (traces / cm 2 ) on the detector surface, the exposure time and the calibration factor. The determination of the calibration factor for CR-39 detectors was taken from the exposure of these to a known concentration of Rn-222. Therefore, the detectors were placed inside a cell of Lucas adapted and subsequently exposed to a concentration of Rn-222 15 kBq / m 3 , by means of the apparatus RN-150 Pylon Electronics Incorporation, which has a source of Ra-226 and releases known concentrations of Rn-222. Six calibration factor determinations were performed, the average value obtained was 0.0534 ±0.0021 (traces / cm 2 per Bq / m 3 day). The results are consistent with literature values for the same type of detector and showed good reproducibility

Noble Gases in Insoluble Organic Matter in the Very Primitive Meteorites Bells, EET 92042 and GRO 95577

Science.gov (United States)

Busemann, H.; Alexander, C. M. O'd.; Nittler, L. R.; Wieler, R.

2008-03-01

Noble gas carrier phase Q in several primitive meteorites is not attacked by Pyridine, in contrast to Orgueil, as reported previously. IOM in CR chondrites does not indicate high-temperature alteration in the nebula.

Description of the SAltro-16 chip for gas detector readout

CERN Document Server

Aspell, P; Garcia Garcia, E; de Gaspari, M; Mager, M; Musa, L; Rehman, A; Trampitsch, G

2010-01-01

The S-ALTRO prototype chip is a mixed-signal integrated circuit designed to be one of the building blocks of the readout electronics for gas detectors. Its architecture is based in the ALTRO (ALICE TPC Read Out) chip, being its main difference the integration of the charge shaping amplifier in the same IC. Just like ALTRO chip, the prototype architecture and programmability make it suitable for the readout of a wider class of detectors. In one single chip, 16 analogue signals from the detector are shaped, digitised, processed, compressed and stored in a multi-acquisition memory. The Analogue-to- Digital converters embedded in the chip have a 10-bit dynamic range and a maximum sampling rate up to 40MHz. After digitisation, a pipelined Data Processor is able to remove from the input signal a wide range of perturbations, related to the non- ideal behaviour of the detector, temperature variation of the electronics, environmental noise, etc. Moreover, the Data Processor is able to suppress the pulse tail within 1�...

Gas microstrip detectors on resistive plastic substrates

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Dixit, M.S.; Oakham, F.G.; Armitage, J.C.

1993-01-01

Plastics are desirable as substrates for gas microstrip detectors (GMDs) because of their flexibility, low density and long radiation length. GMDs have been fabricated on white Tedlar which has bulk electrical conductivity and ion-implanted Upilex which has a thin electrically conductive layer on the surface of an insulator. The effect of back plane voltage on the gain of such GMDs is investigated. Three 200 μm pitch, ion-implanted Upilex GMDs were recently tested in a high intensity beam at CERN. The anode signals were read out using fast, low noise, high gain amplifiers. Preliminary results of the test are presented

Comparison of the tensile bond strength of high-noble, noble, and base metal alloys bonded to enamel.

Science.gov (United States)

Sen, D; Nayir, E; Pamuk, S

2000-11-01

Although the bond strengths of various resin composite luting materials have been reported in the literature, the evaluation of these systems with various cast alloys of different compositions has not been completely clarified. To evaluate the tensile bond strength of sandblasted high-noble, noble, and base metal alloys bonded to etched enamel by 2 different bonding agents of different chemical composition: Panavia-Ex (BIS-GMA) and Super-Bond (4-META acrylic). Flat enamel surfaces were prepared on buccal surfaces of 60 extracted noncarious human incisors. Teeth were divided into 3 groups of 20 each. Twenty circular disks of 5 mm diameter were prepared for casting for each group. Group I was cast with a high-noble, group II with a noble, and group III with a base metal alloy. The surfaces of the disks were sandblasted with 250 microm Al(2)O(3). Ten disks of each group were bonded to exposed enamel surfaces with Super-Bond and 10 disks with Panavia-Ex as recommended by the manufacturer. The tensile bond strength was measured with an Instron universal testing machine with a crosshead speed of 0.5 mm/min until failure occurred. Two-way ANOVA was used to evaluate the results. The differences in bond strengths of Super-Bond and Panavia-Ex with different alloys were not significant. The highest bond strengths were obtained in base metal alloys, followed by noble and high-noble alloys. These results were significant. Panavia-Ex and Super-Bond exhibited comparable tensile bond strengths. For both luting agents, the highest bond strengths were achieved with base metal alloys and the lowest with high-noble alloys.

On the difference in oscillator strengths of inner shell excitations in noble gases and their alkali neighbors

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Amusia, M.Y.; Baltenkov, A.S.; Zhuravleva, G.I.

1995-01-01

It is demonstrated that the oscillator strength of resonant inner-shell excitation in a noble gas atom is considerably smaller than that in its alkali neighbor because in the latter case the effective charge acting upon excited electron is much bigger. With increase of the excitation's principal quantum number the difference between line intensities in noble gases and their alkali neighbors rapidly disappears. The calculations are performed in the Hartree-Fock approximation and with inclusion of rearrangement effects due to inner vacancy creation and its Auger decay. A paper has been submitted for publication

Detectors for alpha particles and X-rays operating in ambient air in pulse counting mode and/or with gas amplification

CERN Document Server

Charpak, Georges; Breuil, P; Peskov, Vladimir

2008-01-01

Ionization chambers working in ambient air in current detection mode are widely used in several applications such as smoke detection, dosimetry, therapeutic beam monitoring and cetera. The aim of this work was to investigate if gaseous detectors can operate in ambient air in pulse counting mode as well as with gas amplification. . To investigate the feasibility of this method two types of open- end gaseous detectors were build and successfully tested. The first one was a single wire or multiwire cylindrical geometry detector operating in pulse mode at a gas gain of 1. The second type alpha detector was an innovative GEM-like detector with resistive electrodes operating in air in avalanche mode at high gas gains (up to 10E4). A detailed comparison between these two detectors is given as well as comparison with the commercially available alpha detectors. The main advantages of gaseous detectors operating in air in a pulse detection mode are their simplicity, low cost and high sensitivity. One of the possible ap...

Small angle X-ray scattering experiments with three-dimensional imaging gas detectors

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

La Monaca, A.; Iannuzzi, M.; Messi, R.

1985-01-01

Measurements of small angle X-ray scattering of lupolen - R, dry collagen and dry cornea are presented. The experiments have been performed with synchrotron radiation and a new three-dimensional imaging drif-chamber gas detector

Aging measurements on triple-GEM detectors operated with $CF_{4}$- based gas mixtures

CERN Document Server

Alfonsi, M; Bencivenni, G; Bonivento, W; Cardini, A; Lener, M P; Murtas, F; Pinci, D; Raspino, D; Saitta, B; De Simone, P

2004-01-01

We present the results of a global irradiation test of full size triple-GEM detectors operated with CF/sub 4/-based gas mixtures. This study has been performed in the framework of an R&D activity on detectors for the innermost region of the first muon station of the LHCb experiment. The prototypes have been irradiated at the Calliope facility of the ENEA-Casaccia with a high intensity 1.25 MeV gamma from a /sup 60/Co source. After the irradiation test the detectors performances have been measured with X-rays and with a 3 GeV pion beam at CERN. A SEM analysis on several samples of the detectors has been performed to complete the understanding of the physical processes occurring in the GEM detector during the strong irradiation.

Geochemistry of reduced gas related to serpentinization of the Zambales ophiolite, Philippines

Science.gov (United States)

Abrajano, T.A.; Sturchio, N.C.; Kennedy, B.M.; Lyon, G.L.; Muehlenbachs, K.; Böhlke, J.K.

1990-01-01

Methane-hydrogen gas seeps with mantle-like C and noble gas isotopic characteristics issue from partially serpentinized ultramafic rocks in the Zambales ophiolite, Philippines. New measurements of noble gas and 14C isotope abundances, rock/mixed-volatile equilibrium calculations, and previous chemical and isotopic data suggest that these reduced gases are products of periodotite hydration. The gas seeps are produced in rock-dominated zones of serpentinization, and similar gases may be ubiquitous in ultramafic terranes undergoing serpentinization.

Radiation detectors

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

2013-01-01

This sixth chapter presents the operational principles of the radiation detectors; detection using photographic emulsions; thermoluminescent detectors; gas detectors; scintillation detectors; liquid scintillation detectors; detectors using semiconductor materials; calibration of detectors; Bragg-Gray theory; measurement chain and uncertainties associated to measurements

Study of a microstrip gas detector for the Compact Muon Solenoid experiment

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Clergeau, J. F.

1997-01-01

The micro-strip gas chambers (MSGC) were realized due to the technological advances in the field of micro-electronics. The wire of usual gas counters is replaced in these detectors by metallic stripes as a periodic sequence of electrodes (anodes and cathodes) spaced by around 200 μm. At a distance of 3 mm above the strip containing substrate, a metallic plane is placed, thus defining the gaseous room where the passage of a charged particle produces by ionization a primary electron signal collected by the detector anodes. Due to its granularity a MSGC can operate under very high particle fluxes since charge can be collected very rapidly. Also, the impact parameters can be determined with high accuracy due to the high space and time resolutions. The Compact Muon Solenoid (CMS) or the MSGC detectors planned to equip one of the experiments proposed for LHC should detect, in extreme operational conditions, the particle impacts in a 4 Tesla magnetic field, for around ten years and for a particle flux of around 10 4 Hz/mm 2 . The CMS detector is described in chapter 2. The operation principle and the problems encountered in the development of MSGC detectors are summarized in chapter 3. The chapter 4 is dedicated to the study of the performances of MSGCs in magnetic fields. In the chapters 5 to 7 the processing of the signal from detectors of this type is described, particularly, the performances of various ways of treat the signal in terms of detection efficiency and counting loads are presented.The chapter 8 presents the results obtained with the prototype obtained at IPNL while the chapter 9 gives the conclusions of the performed works. (author)

Accurate and precise 40Ar/39Ar dating by high-resolution, multi-collection, mass spectrometry

DEFF Research Database (Denmark)

Storey, Michael; Rivera, Tiffany; Flude, Stephanie

New generation, high resolution, multi-collector noble gas mass spectrometers equipped with ion-counting electron multipliers provide opportunities for improved accuracy and precision in 40Ar/39Ar dating. Here we report analytical protocols and age cross-calibration studies using a NU-Instruments......New generation, high resolution, multi-collector noble gas mass spectrometers equipped with ion-counting electron multipliers provide opportunities for improved accuracy and precision in 40Ar/39Ar dating. Here we report analytical protocols and age cross-calibration studies using a NU......-Instruments multi-collector Noblesse noble gas mass spectrometer configured with a faraday detector and three ion-counting electron multipliers. The instrument has the capability to measure several noble gas isotopes simultaneously and to change measurement configurations instantaneously by the use of QUAD lenses...... (zoom optics). The Noblesse offer several advantages over previous generation noble gas mass spectrometers and is particularly suited for single crystal 40Ar/39Ar dating because of: (i) improved source sensitivity (ii) ion-counting electron multipliers, which have much lower signal to noise ratios than...

Carbon and Noble Gas Isotopes in the Tengchong Volcanic Geothermal Area, Yunnan, Southwestern China

Institute of Scientific and Technical Information of China (English)

XU Sheng; Shun'ich NAKAI; Hiroshi WAKITA; WANG Xianbin

2004-01-01

Carbon and noble gas isotope analyses are reported for bubbling gas samples from the Tengchong volcanic geothermal area near the Indo-Eurasian suture zone. All samples contain a resolvable component of mantle-derived 3He.Occurrence of mantle-derived 3He coincides with surface volcanism. However, 3He occurs over a larger geographic area than do surface volcanics. δ13C values for CO2 and CH4 vary from -33.4 ‰ to 1.6 ‰ and from -52.8 ‰ to -2.8 ‰,respectively. He and C isotope systematics indicate that CO2 and CH4 in the CO2-rich gases originated predominantly from magmatic component mixed with crustal CO2 produced from carbonate. However, breakdown of organic matter and nearsurface processes accounts for the CH4 and CO2 in N2-rich gases. 3He/4He ratio distribution pattern suggests that mantlederived He and heat sources of high-temperature system in central Tengchong originate from a hidden magma reservoir at subsurface. CO2-rich gases with the highest 3He/4He ratio (5.2 Ra) may be representative of the Tengchong magmatic component. Compared with MORB, this relative low 3He/4He ratio could be fully attributed to either deep crustal contamination, or radioactive aging, or past contamination of the local mantle by U- and Th-rich subducted crustal material.However, a combination of low 3He/4He, high radiogenic 4He/40Ar ratio and identical CO2/3He and δ13Cco2 relative to MORB may suggest addition of prior subductedd crsustal material (ca 1%-2%) to the MORB reservoir around 1.3 Ga ago,which is essentially compatible with the LIL-elements, and Sr-Nd-Pb isotopes of volcanic rocks.

A gas proportional scintillation counter for use in large area detector systems without photomultipliers

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Baruch, J.E.F.; Brooke, G.; Kellerman, E.W.; Bateman, J.E.; Connolly, J.F.

1979-01-01

The properties of a prototype gas proportional scintillation (GPS) detector module are described. The module (25X25X14cm 3 ) is intended to form the basic unit of large area (up to approximately 100 m 2 ) calorimetric cosmic ray burst detector. Ionisation from particle tracks in the module is collected onto a point electrode where the GPS signal is generated. A concave mirror focusses this point source onto the end of a fibre optic light guide. In the proposed large area detector these fibres are brought together onto a low light level TV camera which performs the readout. The prototype module has demonstrated an adequate light output for the detection of single muons by such a readout system and also permitted the investigation of the main operating parameters (gas mixture, EHT, pressure, etc) and operational requirements such as proportionality and long term stability. (Auth.)

Design and Characterization of the VMM1 ASIC for Micropattern Gas Detectors

CERN Document Server

Metcalfe, J; The ATLAS collaboration; Fried, J; Li, S; Nambiar, N; Polychronakos, V; Vernon, E

2013-01-01

We present here the measurements of the first prototype VMM1 ASIC designed at Brookhaven National Laboratory in 130 nm CMOS and fabricated in spring 2012. The 64-channel ASIC features a novel design for use with several types of micropattern gas detectors. The data driven system measures peak amplitude and timing information in tracking mode and first channel hit address in trigger mode. Several programmable gain and integration times allows the flexibility to work with Micromegas, Thin Gap Chambers (TGCs), and Gas Electron Multiplier (GEM) detectors. The IC design architecture and features will be presented along with measurements characterizing the performance of the VMM1 such as noise, linearity of the response, time walk, and calibration range. The concept for use with Micromegas in ATLAS Upgrade will also be covered including characterization under test beam conditions.

Gas microstrip detectors on polymer, silicon and glass substrates

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Barasch, E.F.; Demroff, H.P.; Drew, M.M.; Elliott, T.S.; Gaedke, R.M.; Goss, L.T.; Kasprowicz, T.B.; Lee, B.; Mazumdar, T.K.; McIntyre, P.M.; Pang, Y.; Smith, D.D.; Trost, H.J.; Vanstraelen, G.; Wahl, J.

1993-01-01

We present results on the performance of Gas Microstrip Detectors on various substrates. These include a 300 μm anode-anode pitch pattern on Tempax borosilicate glass and ABS/copolyether, a 200 μm pattern on Upilex ''S'' polyimide, Texin 4215, Tedlar, ion-implanted Kapton, orientation-dependent etched flat-topped silicon (''knife-edge chamber''), and iron-vanadium glass, and a 100 μm pitch pattern on Upilex ''S'' and ion-implanted Kapton. (orig.)

GOSSIP: A vertex detector combining a thin gas layer as signal generator with a CMOS readout pixel array

Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

Campbell, M. [CERN/MediPix Consortium, Geneva (Switzerland); Heijne, E.H.M. [CERN/MediPix Consortium, Geneva (Switzerland); Llopart, X. [CERN/MediPix Consortium, Geneva (Switzerland); Colas, P. [DAPNIA, CEA Saclay, 91191 Gif sur Yvette Cedex (France); Giganon, A. [DAPNIA, CEA Saclay, 91191 Gif sur Yvette Cedex (France); Giomataris, Y. [DAPNIA, CEA Saclay, 91191 Gif sur Yvette Cedex (France); Chefdeville, M. [NIKHEF, Amsterdam (Netherlands); Colijn, A.P. [NIKHEF, Amsterdam (Netherlands); Fornaini, A. [NIKHEF, Amsterdam (Netherlands); Graaf, H. van der [NIKHEF, Amsterdam (Netherlands)]. E-mail: vdgraaf@nikhef.nl; Kluit, P. [NIKHEF, Amsterdam (Netherlands); Timmermans, J. [NIKHEF, Amsterdam (Netherlands); Visschers, J.L. [NIKHEF, Amsterdam (Netherlands); Schmitz, J. [University of Twente/MESA (Netherlands)

2006-05-01

A small TPC has been read out by means of a Medipix2 chip as direct anode. A Micromegas foil was placed 50{mu}m above the chip, and electron multiplication occurred in the gap. With a He/isobutane 80/20 mixture, gas multiplication factors up to tens of thousands were achieved, resulting in an efficiency for detecting single electrons of better than 90%. With this new readout technology for gas-filled detectors we recorded many image frames containing 2D images with tracks from cosmic muons. Along these tracks, electron clusters were observed, as well as {delta}-rays. With a gas layer thickness of only 1mm, the device could be applied as vertex detector, outperforming all Si-based detectors.

GOSSIP: A vertex detector combining a thin gas layer as signal generator with a CMOS readout pixel array

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Campbell, M.; Heijne, E.H.M.; Llopart, X.; Colas, P.; Giganon, A.; Giomataris, Y.; Chefdeville, M.; Colijn, A.P.; Fornaini, A.; Graaf, H. van der; Kluit, P.; Timmermans, J.; Visschers, J.L.; Schmitz, J.

2006-01-01

A small TPC has been read out by means of a Medipix2 chip as direct anode. A Micromegas foil was placed 50μm above the chip, and electron multiplication occurred in the gap. With a He/isobutane 80/20 mixture, gas multiplication factors up to tens of thousands were achieved, resulting in an efficiency for detecting single electrons of better than 90%. With this new readout technology for gas-filled detectors we recorded many image frames containing 2D images with tracks from cosmic muons. Along these tracks, electron clusters were observed, as well as δ-rays. With a gas layer thickness of only 1mm, the device could be applied as vertex detector, outperforming all Si-based detectors

GOSSIP: A vertex detector combining a thin gas layer as signal generator with a CMOS readout pixel array

Science.gov (United States)

Campbell, M.; Heijne, E. H. M.; Llopart, X.; Colas, P.; Giganon, A.; Giomataris, Y.; Chefdeville, M.; Colijn, A. P.; Fornaini, A.; van der Graaf, H.; Kluit, P.; Timmermans, J.; Visschers, J. L.; Schmitz, J.

2006-05-01

A small TPC has been read out by means of a Medipix2 chip as direct anode. A Micromegas foil was placed 50 μm above the chip, and electron multiplication occurred in the gap. With a He/isobutane 80/20 mixture, gas multiplication factors up to tens of thousands were achieved, resulting in an efficiency for detecting single electrons of better than 90%. With this new readout technology for gas-filled detectors we recorded many image frames containing 2D images with tracks from cosmic muons. Along these tracks, electron clusters were observed, as well as δ-rays. With a gas layer thickness of only 1 mm, the device could be applied as vertex detector, outperforming all Si-based detectors.

A sensitive gas chromatography detector based on atmospheric pressure chemical ionization by a dielectric barrier discharge.

Science.gov (United States)

Kirk, Ansgar T; Last, Torben; Zimmermann, Stefan

2017-02-03

In this work, we present a novel concept for a gas chromatography detector utilizing an atmospheric pressure chemical ionization which is initialized by a dielectric barrier discharge. In general, such a detector can be simple and low-cost, while achieving extremely good limits of detection. However, it is non-selective apart from the use of chemical dopants. Here, a demonstrator manufactured entirely from fused silica capillaries and printed circuit boards is shown. It has a size of 75×60×25mm 3 and utilizes only 2W of power in total. Unlike other known discharge detectors, which require high-purity helium, this detector can theoretically be operated using any gas able to form stable ion species. Here, purified air is used. With this setup, limits of detection in the low parts-per-billion range have been obtained for acetone. Copyright © 2017 Elsevier B.V. All rights reserved.

Light Noble Gases and a Cosmic Ray Exposure Age for the Bunburra Rockhole Meteorite

Czech Academy of Sciences Publication Activity Database

Meier, M.M.M.; Bland, P.A.; Welten, K.C.; Spurný, Pavel; Baur, H.; Wieler, R.

2009-01-01

Roč. 44, Supplement (2009), A138-A138 ISSN 1086-9379. [Annual Meeting of the Meteoritical Society /72./. Nancy, 13.06.2009-18.06.2009] Institutional research plan: CEZ:AV0Z10030501 Keywords : Bunburra Rockhole * light noble gas * concentration Subject RIV: BN - Astronomy, Celestial Mechanics, Astrophysics Impact factor: 3.253, year: 2009

Development of high pressure-high vacuum-high conductance piston valve for gas-filled radiation detectors

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Prasad, D N; Ayyappan, R; Kamble, L P; Singh, J P; Muralikrishna, L V; Alex, M; Balagi, V; Mukhopadhyay, P K

2008-01-01

Gas-filled radiation detectors need gas filling at pressures that range from few cms of mercury to as high as 25kg/cm 2 at room temperature. Before gas-filling these detectors require evacuation to a vacuum of the order of ∼1 x 10 -5 mbar. For these operations of evacuation and gas filling a system consisting of a vacuum pump with a high vacuum gauge, gas cylinder with a pressure gauge and a valve is used. The valve has to meet the three requirements of compatibility with high-pressure and high vacuum and high conductance. A piston valve suitable for the evacuation and gas filling of radiation detectors has been designed and fabricated to meet the above requirements. The stainless steel body (80mmx160mm overall dimensions) valve with a piston arrangement has a 1/2 inch inlet/outlet opening, neoprene/viton O-ring at piston face and diameter for sealing and a knob for opening and closing the valve. The piston movement mechanism is designed to have minimum wear of sealing O-rings. The valve has been hydrostatic pressure tested up to 75bars and has Helium leak rate of less than 9.6x10 -9 m bar ltr/sec in vacuum mode and 2x10 -7 mbar ltr/sec in pressure mode. As compared to a commercial diaphragm valve, which needed 3 hours to evacuate a 7 litre chamber to 2.5x10 -5 mbar, the new valve achieved vacuum 7.4x10 -6 mbar in the same time under the same conditions

Development of an in situ calibration technique for combustible gas detectors

Science.gov (United States)

Shumar, J. W.; Wynveen, R. A.; Lance, N., Jr.; Lantz, J. B.

1977-01-01

This paper describes the development of an in situ calibration procedure for combustible gas detectors (CGD). The CGD will be a necessary device for future space vehicles as many subsystems in the Environmental Control/Life Support System utilize or produce hydrogen (H2) gas. Existing calibration techniques are time-consuming and require support equipment such as an environmental chamber and calibration gas supply. The in situ calibration procedure involves utilization of a water vapor electrolysis cell for the automatic in situ generation of a H2/air calibration mixture within the flame arrestor of the CGD. The development effort concluded with the successful demonstration of in situ span calibrations of a CGD.

Josephinite. A terrestrial alloy with radiogenic xenon-129 and the noble gas imprint of iron meteorites

Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

Downing, R G; Hennecke, E W; Manuel, O K [Missouri Univ., Rolla (USA). Dept. of Chemistry

1977-12-01

Analyses of noble gases released by stepwise heating of Josephinite reveal two radiogenic components, radiogenic /sup 129/Xe asymptotically equals 1 x 10/sup -12/ ccSTP/g and radiogenic /sup 40/Ar asymptotically equals 1 x 10/sup -6/ cc STP/g, and the following components of trapped noble gases: He with /sup 3/He//sup 4/He asymptotically equals 4 x 10/sup -5/, Ne with /sup 20/Ne//sup 22/Ne=10.5, Ar with /sup 40/Ar//sup 36/Ar=3 x 10/sup 2/, and Kr and Xe with isotopic compositions similar to those observed in iron meteorites. The excess of /sup 40/Ar and literature values of K in bulk Josephinite yield and apparent K-Ar age of asymptotically equals 4.6 x 10/sup 9/ years.

Measuring the noble metal and iodine composition of extracted noble metal phase from spent nuclear fuel using instrumental neutron activation analysis

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Palomares, R.I.; Dayman, K.J.; Landsberger, S.; Biegalski, S.R.; Soderquist, C.Z.; Casella, A.J.; Brady Raap, M.C.; Schwantes, J.M.

2015-01-01

Masses of noble metal and iodine nuclides in the metallic noble metal phase extracted from spent fuel are measured using instrumental neutron activation analysis. Nuclide presence is predicted using fission yield analysis, and radionuclides are identified and the masses quantified using neutron activation analysis. The nuclide compositions of noble metal phase derived from two dissolution methods, UO 2 fuel dissolved in nitric acid and UO 2 fuel dissolved in ammonium-carbonate and hydrogen-peroxide solution, are compared. - Highlights: • The noble metal phase was chemically extracted from spent nuclear fuel and analyzed non-destructively. • Noble metal phase nuclides and long-lived iodine were identified and quantified using neutron activation analysis. • Activation to shorter-lived radionuclides allowed rapid analysis of long-lived fission products in spent fuel using gamma spectrometry

Comparative measurements of soil gas radon concentration using thermoluminescent and track detectors

Czech Academy of Sciences Publication Activity Database

Turek, Karel; Gelev, M.; Dimov, I.

2004-01-01

Roč. 38, spec. iss. (2004), s. 843-846 ISSN 1350-4487 Institutional research plan: CEZ:AV0Z1048901 Keywords : soil gas * radon concentration * thermoluminescent detectors Subject RIV: BG - Nuclear, Atomic and Molecular Physics, Colliders Impact factor: 0.664, year: 2004

Record of the solar corpuscular radiation in minerals from lunar soils - A comparative study of noble gases and tracks

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Wieler, R.; Etique, P.

1980-01-01

A comparative study is made of trapped light noble gases and solar flare tracks in mineral separates from lunar soils in an investigation aimed at detecting possible temporal variations of the ratio between solar flare and solar wind activity. He, Ne, Ar and solar flare tracks are measured on plagioclase separates of 12 surface soils and two Apollo 15 drill core samples, and track density histograms are compared with gas concentration distributions obtained from aliquot samples. Results show that solar wind Ar is probably well retained in all minerals. He, Ne, and Ar are not saturated macroscopically, and semi-microscopic or microscopic saturation is very rare for Ar, even in gas-rich plagioclase populations. All grains contain trapped noble gases, even in relatively gas-poor mineral populations, and for clean minerals in the size range of 150-200 microns, the time between the first and last surface exposure is in the order of 10 to the 7th to 10 to the 8th years

Tracing ancient hydrogeological fracture network age and compartmentalisation using noble gases

Science.gov (United States)

Warr, Oliver; Sherwood Lollar, Barbara; Fellowes, Jonathan; Sutcliffe, Chelsea N.; McDermott, Jill M.; Holland, Greg; Mabry, Jennifer C.; Ballentine, Christopher J.

2018-02-01

We show that fluid volumes residing within the Precambrian crystalline basement account for ca 30% of the total groundwater inventory of the Earth (> 30 million km3). The residence times and scientific importance of this groundwater are only now receiving attention with ancient fracture fluids identified in Canada and South Africa showing: (1) microbial life which has existed in isolation for millions of years; (2) significant hydrogen and hydrocarbon production via water-rock reactions; and (3) preserving noble gas components from the early atmosphere. Noble gas (He, Ne, Ar, Kr, Xe) abundance and isotopic compositions provide the primary evidence for fluid mean residence time (MRT). Here we extend the noble gas data from the Kidd Creek Mine in Timmins Ontario Canada, a volcanogenic massive sulfide (VMS) deposit formed at 2.7 Ga, in which fracture fluids with MRTs of 1.1-1.7 Ga were identified at 2.4 km depth (Holland et al., 2013); to fracture fluids at 2.9 km depth. We compare here the Kidd Creek Mine study with noble gas compositions determined in fracture fluids taken from two mines (Mine 1 & Mine 2) at 1.7 and 1.4 km depth below surface in the Sudbury Basin formed by a meteorite impact at 1.849 Ga. The 2.9 km samples at Kidd Creek Mine show the highest radiogenic isotopic ratios observed to date in free fluids (e.g. 21Ne/22Ne = 0.6 and 40Ar/36Ar = 102,000) and have MRTs of 1.0-2.2 Ga. In contrast, resampled 2.4 km fluids indicated a less ancient MRT (0.2-0.6 Ga) compared with the previous study (1.1-1.7 Ga). This is consistent with a change in the age distribution of fluids feeding the fractures as they drain, with a decreasing proportion of the most ancient end-member fluids. 129Xe/136Xe ratios for these fluids confirm that boreholes at 2.4 km versus 2.9 km are sourced from hydrogeologically distinct systems. In contrast, results for the Sudbury mines have MRTs of 0.2-0.6 and 0.2-0.9 Ga for Mines 1 and 2 respectively. While still old compared to almost all

Light absorption during alkali atom-noble gas atom interactions at thermal energies: a quantum dynamics treatment.

Science.gov (United States)

Pacheco, Alexander B; Reyes, Andrés; Micha, David A

2006-10-21

The absorption of light during atomic collisions is treated by coupling electronic excitations, treated quantum mechanically, to the motion of the nuclei described within a short de Broglie wavelength approximation, using a density matrix approach. The time-dependent electric dipole of the system provides the intensity of light absorption in a treatment valid for transient phenomena, and the Fourier transform of time-dependent intensities gives absorption spectra that are very sensitive to details of the interaction potentials of excited diatomic states. We consider several sets of atomic expansion functions and atomic pseudopotentials, and introduce new parametrizations to provide light absorption spectra in good agreement with experimentally measured and ab initio calculated spectra. To this end, we describe the electronic excitation of the valence electron of excited alkali atoms in collisions with noble gas atoms with a procedure that combines l-dependent atomic pseudopotentials, including two- and three-body polarization terms, and a treatment of the dynamics based on the eikonal approximation of atomic motions and time-dependent molecular orbitals. We present results for the collision induced absorption spectra in the Li-He system at 720 K, which display both atomic and molecular transition intensities.

Development and simulation of a Ge/Si multi-detector spectrometer for fission products traces detection in the environment

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Cagniant, Antoine

2015-01-01

For the verification of the Comprehensive nuclear Test Ban Treaty (CTBT), the measurement of fission products trace levels in the environment is fundamental. Such measurement is a key indicator of a nuclear explosion. For constant amelioration of these measurements, the CEA/DAM-Ile de France has developed and installed a new dedicated surface spectrometer. Named GAMMA3, it is equipped with three germanium detectors, two silicon detectors (integrated in a dedicated gas cell, the PIPSBox) and includes an optimized shielding.This shielding reduces greatly the interference of environmental photons, muons and neutrons with the detectors. The residual radiological background measured inside the shielding is the community's lowest for a surface laboratory. This set of high energy resolution detectors allows the operator to optimize a measurement according to the sample geometry, activity or nature. More precisely, a radioactive noble gas can be measured by photon/electron coincidence, an active sample can be measured by photon/photon coincidence, and a low-active sample can be measured in a high-efficiency configuration. Combining optimized shielding and optimized measurement, Minimum Detectable Activities required for CTBT certification are obtained quickly. Specifically, MDA is reached in 5 hours for 140-Ba (24 mBq), in 6h30 hours for 131m/133m-Xe (5 mBq) and in 7h15 for 133-Xe (5 mBq), when CTBT requirement is in 6 days. (author) [fr

Multi-detector system approach for unattended uranium enrichment monitoring at gas centrifuge enrichment plants

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Favalli, A.; Lombardi, M.; MacArthur, D. W.; McCluskey, C.; Moss, C. E.

2017-01-01

Improving the quality of safeguards measurements at Gas Centrifuge Enrichment Plants while reducing the inspection effort is an important objective given the number of existing and new plants that need to be safeguarded. A useful tool in many safeguards approaches is the on-line monitoring of enrichment in process pipes. One requirement of such a monitor is a simple, reliable and precise passive measurement of the 186-keV line from 235 U. The other information required is the amount of gas in the pipe, which can be obtained by a transmission or pressure measurement. Here, we describe our research to develop such a passive measurement system. Unfortunately, a complication arises in the interpretation of the gamma measurements, from the contribution of uranium deposits on the wall of the pipe to the 186-keV peak. A multi-detector approach to address this complication is presented where two measurements, one with signal primarily from gas and one with signal primarily from deposits, are performed simultaneously with different detectors and geometries. This allows a correction to be made to the 186-keV peak for the contribution from the deposit. Finally, we present the design of the multi-detector system and the results of the experimental calibration of the proof-of-principle prototype built at LANL.

Multi-detector system approach for unattended uranium enrichment monitoring at gas centrifuge enrichment plants

Science.gov (United States)

Favalli, A.; Lombardi, M.; MacArthur, D. W.; McCluskey, C.; Moss, C. E.; Paffett, M. T.; Ianakiev, K. D.

2018-01-01

Improving the quality of safeguards measurements at Gas Centrifuge Enrichment Plants while reducing the inspection effort is an important objective given the number of existing and new plants that need to be safeguarded. A useful tool in many safeguards approaches is the on-line monitoring of enrichment in process pipes. One requirement of such a monitor is a simple, reliable and precise passive measurement of the 186-keV line from 235U. The other information required is the amount of gas in the pipe, which can be obtained by a transmission or pressure measurement. We describe our research to develop such a passive measurement system. Unfortunately, a complication arises in the interpretation of the gamma measurements, from the contribution of uranium deposits on the wall of the pipe to the 186-keV peak. A multi-detector approach to address this complication is presented where two measurements, one with signal primarily from gas and one with signal primarily from deposits, are performed simultaneously with different detectors and geometries. This allows a correction to be made to the 186-keV peak for the contribution from the deposit. We present the design of the multi-detector system and the results of the experimental calibration of the proof-of-principle prototype built at LANL.

The influence of the dispersion corrections on the performance of DFT method in modeling HNgY noble gas molecules and their complexes

Science.gov (United States)

Cukras, Janusz; Sadlej, Joanna

2018-01-01

The letter reports a comparative assessment of the usefulness of the two different Grimme's corrections for evaluating dispersion interaction (DFT-D3 and DFT-D3BJ) for the representative molecules of the family of noble-gas hydrides HXeY and their complexes with the HZ molecules, where Y and Z are F/Cl/OH/SH. with special regard to the dispersion term calculated by means of the symmetry-adapted perturbation theory (at the SAPT0 level). The results indicate that despite differences in the total interactions energy (DFT + corrections) versus SAPT0 results, the sequence of contributions of the individual dispersion terms is still maintained. Both dispersion corrections perform similarly and they improve the results suggesting that it is worthwhile to include them in calculations.

Analysis of neonicotinoids by gas chromatography coupled to nuclide 63Ni - Electron Capture Detector - GC/ECD

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Amaral, Priscila O.; Leao, Claudio; Redigolo, Marcelo M.; Crepaldi, Caike; Bustillos, Oscar V.

2015-01-01

Recently, several reports have been published discussing reduction in bee population which polymerizes cultures around the world this phenomenon is known as Colony Collapse Disorder (CCD). The phenomenon describes the lack of worker honeybees in the colony despite having pups and food. The causes of this problem are unknown but there are studies that claim that reduction of population of bees is linked to poisoning through insecticides specifically neonicotinoids. Among this type of pesticide are imidacloprid (C 9 H 10 ClN 5 O 2 ), clothianidin (C 6 H 8 ClN 5 O 2 S) and thiamethoxam (C 8 H 10 ClN 5 O 3 S). This paper presents the analysis of neonicotinoids - clothianidin, imidacloprid and thiamethoxam - by the technique of gas chromatography coupled to nuclide 63 Ni electron capture detector (GC/ECD). The electron capture detector (ECD) is a gas chromatography detector that has been used for the detection of organic halogens, nitriles, nitrates and organometallic compounds. The ECD detector ionizes the analytes by the beta particles from the nuclide sources 63 Ni within carrier gas N 2 . The electrons produced in this process are collected and create a current that are amplified and generates a chromatographic peak. Methodology and details of the analysis are present in this work. (author)

Study of spatial resolution of coordinate detectors based on Gas Electron Multipliers

Science.gov (United States)

Kudryavtsev, V. N.; Maltsev, T. V.; Shekhtman, L. I.

2017-02-01

Spatial resolution of GEM-based tracking detectors is determined in the simulation and measured in the experiments. The simulation includes GEANT4 implemented transport of high energy electrons with careful accounting of atomic relaxation processes including emission of fluorescent photons and Auger electrons and custom post-processing with accounting of diffusion, gas amplification fluctuations, distribution of signals on readout electrodes, electronics noise and particular algorithm of final coordinate calculation (center of gravity). The simulation demonstrates that the minimum of spatial resolution of about 10 μm can be achieved with a gas mixture of Ar -CO2 (75-25 %) at a strips pitch from 250 μm to 300 μm. At a larger pitch the resolution quickly degrades reaching 80-100 μm at a pitch of 460-500 μm. Spatial resolution of low-material triple-GEM detectors for the DEUTERON facility at the VEPP-3 storage ring is measured at the extracted beam facility of the VEPP-4 M collider. One-coordinate resolution of the DEUTERON detector is measured with electron beam of 500 MeV, 1 GeV and 3.5 GeV energies. The determined value of spatial resolution varies in the range from approximately 35 μm to 50 μm for orthogonal tracks in the experiments.

The Behavior and Effects of the Noble Metals in the DWPF Melter System

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Smith, M.E.; Bickford, D.F.

1997-01-01

Governments worldwide have committed to stabilization of high-level nuclear waste (HLW) by vitrification to a durable glass form for permanent disposal. All of these nuclear wastes contain the fission-product noble metals: ruthenium, rhodium, and palladium. SRS wastes also contain natural silver from iodine scrubbers. Closely associated with the noble metals are the fission products selenium and tellurium which are chemical analogs of sulfur and which combine with noble metals to influence their behavior and properties. Experience has shown that these melt insoluble metals and their compounds tend to settle to the floor of Joule-heated ceramic melters. In fact, almost all of the major research and production facilities have experienced some operational problem which can be associated with the presence of dense accumulations of these relatively conductive metals and/or their compounds. In most cases, these deposits have led to a loss of production capability, in some cases, to the point that melter operation could not continue. HLW nuclear waste vitrification facilities in the United States are the Department of Energy's Defense Waste Processing Facility (DWPF) at the Savannah River Site, the planned Hanford Waste Vitrification Plant (HWVP) at the Hanford Site and the operating West Valley Demonstration Project (WVDP) at West Valley, NY. The Integrated DWPF Melter System (IDMS) is a vitrification test facility at the Savannah River Technology Center (SRTC). It was designed and constructed to provide an engineering-scale representation of the DWPF melter and its associated feed preparation and off-gas treatment systems. An extensive noble metals testing program was begun in 1990. The objectives of this task were to explore the effects of the noble metals on the DWPF melter feed preparation and waste vitrification processes. This report focuses on the vitrification portion of the test program

H3(+) as a trap for noble gases-3: multiple trapping of neon, argon, and krypton in X(n)H3(+) (n = 1-3).

Science.gov (United States)

Pauzat, F; Ellinger, Y; Pilmé, J; Mousis, O

2009-05-07

Recent studies on the formation of XH(3)(+) noble gas complexes have shown strategic implications for the composition of the atmospheres of the giant planets as well as for the composition of comets. One crucial factor in the astrophysical process is the relative abundances of the noble gases versus H(3)(+). It is the context in which the possibility for clustering with more than one noble gas (X(n)H(3)(+) up to n = 3) has been investigated for noble gases X ranging from neon to krypton. In order to assert our results, a variety of methods have been used including ab initio coupled cluster CCSD and CCSD(T), MP2, and density functional BH&HLYP levels of theory. All complexes with one, two, and three noble gases are found to be stable in the Ne, Ar, and Kr families. These stable structures are planar with the noble gases attached to the apices of the H(3)(+) triangle. The binding energy of the nth atom, defined as the X(n)H(3)(+) --> X(n-1)H(3)(+) + X reaction energy, increases slightly with n varying from 1 to 3 in the neon series, while it decreases in the argon series and shows a minimum for n = 2 in the krypton series. The origin of this phenomenon is to be found in the variations in the respective vibrational energies. A topological analysis of the electron localization function shows the importance of the charge transfer from the noble gases toward H(3)(+) as a driving force in the bonding along the series. It is also consistent with the increase in the atomic polarizabilities from neon to krypton. Rotational constants and harmonic frequencies are reported in order to provide a body of data to be used for the detection in laboratory prior to space observations. This study strongly suggests that the noble gases could be sequestered even in an environment where the H(3)(+) abundance is small.

Charge Transfer Properties Through Graphene Layers in Gas Detectors

CERN Document Server

Thuiner, P.; Jackman, R.B.; Müller, H.; Nguyen, T.T.; Oliveri, E.; Pfeiffer, D.; Resnati, F.; Ropelewski, L.; Smith, J.A.; van Stenis, M.; Veenhof, R.

2016-01-01

Graphene is a single layer of carbon atoms arranged in a honeycomb lattice with remarkable mechanical, electrical and optical properties. For the first time graphene layers suspended on copper meshes were installed into a gas detector equipped with a gaseous electron multiplier. Measurements of low energy electron and ion transfer through graphene were conducted. In this paper we describe the sample preparation for suspended graphene layers, the testing procedures and we discuss the preliminary results followed by a prospect of further applications.

The PASERO Project: parallel and serial readout systems for gas proportional synchrotron radiation X-ray detectors

CERN Document Server

Koch, M H J; Briquet-Laugier, F; Epstein, A; Sheldon, S; Beloeuvre, E; Gabriel, A; Hervé, C; Kocsis, M; Koschuch, A; Laggner, P; Leingartner, W; Raad-Iseli, C D; Reimann, T; Golding, F; Torki, K

2001-01-01

A project aiming at producing more efficient position sensitive gas proportional detectors and readout systems is presented. An area detector with reduced electrode spacing and a spatial resolution of 0.5 mm and two time to digital convertors (TDC) based on ASICs were produced. The first TDC, intended for use with linear detectors, relies on time to space conversion, whereas the second one, for area detectors, uses a ring oscillator with a phase locked loop. A parallel readout system for multi-anode detectors aiming at a maximum count rate extensively uses RISC microcontrollers. An electronic simulator of linear detectors built for test purposes and a mechanical chopper used for attenuation of the X-ray beam are also briefly described.

arXiv Simulation of gain stability of THGEM gas-avalanche particle detectors

CERN Document Server

Correia, P.M.M.; Azevedo, C.D.R.; Breskin, A.; Bressler, S.; Oliveira, C.A.B.; Silva, A.L.M.; Veenhof, R.; Veloso, J.F.C.A.

2018-01-19

Charging-up processes affecting gain stability in Thick Gas Electron Multipliers (THGEM) were studied with a dedicated simulation toolkit. Integrated with Garfield++, it provides an effective platform for systematic phenomenological studies of charging-up processes in MPGD detectors. We describe the simulation tool and the fine-tuning of the step-size required for the algorithm convergence, in relation to physical parameters. Simulation results of gain stability over time in THGEM detectors are presented, exploring the role of electrode-thickness and applied voltage on its evolution. The results show that the total amount of irradiated charge through electrode's hole needed for reaching gain stabilization is in the range of tens to hundreds of pC, depending on the detector geometry and operational voltage. These results are in agreement with experimental observations presented previously.

Band-structure calculations of noble-gas and alkali halide solids using accurate Kohn-Sham potentials with self-interaction correction

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Li, Y.; Krieger, J.B.; Norman, M.R.; Iafrate, G.J.

1991-01-01

The optimized-effective-potential (OEP) method and a method developed recently by Krieger, Li, and Iafrate (KLI) are applied to the band-structure calculations of noble-gas and alkali halide solids employing the self-interaction-corrected (SIC) local-spin-density (LSD) approximation for the exchange-correlation energy functional. The resulting band gaps from both calculations are found to be in fair agreement with the experimental values. The discrepancies are typically within a few percent with results that are nearly the same as those of previously published orbital-dependent multipotential SIC calculations, whereas the LSD results underestimate the band gaps by as much as 40%. As in the LSD---and it is believed to be the case even for the exact Kohn-Sham potential---both the OEP and KLI predict valence-band widths which are narrower than those of experiment. In all cases, the KLI method yields essentially the same results as the OEP

The atmospheric inventory of Xenon and noble cases in shales The plastic bag experiment

Science.gov (United States)

Bernatowicz, T. J.; Podosek, F. A.; Honda, M.; Kramer, F. E.

1984-01-01

A novel trapped gas analysis protocol is applied to five shales in which the samples are sealed in air to eliminate the possibility of gas loss in the preanalysis laboratory vacuum exposure of a conventional protocol. The test is aimed at a determination concerning the hypothesis that atmospheric noble gases occur in the same proportion as planetary gases in meteorites, and that the factor-of-23 deficiency of air Xe relative to planetary Xe is made up by Xe stored in shales or other sedimentary rocks. The results obtained do not support the shale hypothesis.

Simultaneous acquisition of X-ray spectra using a multi-wire, position-sensitive gas flow detector

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Beaven, Peter A.; Marmotti, Mauro; Kampmann, Reinhard; Knoth, Joachim; Schwenke, Heinrich

2003-01-01

A multi-wire, gas-filled position-sensitive detector has been developed for the simultaneous recording of wavelength-dispersed X-ray signals that enables X-ray fluorescence spectrometry with a limited multi-element capability in the low Z element range. Details of the modular construction of the detector are given. The detector performance was characterized using Al-Kα radiation and a variable slit system. The detector has been applied in a laboratory spectrometer equipped with an electron source and a double multilayer mirror device as the wavelength-dispersing element. Spectra from Al and Si obtained in the simultaneous acquisition mode show good agreement with calculations performed using a ray-tracing model

Fixing noble gas in zeolites

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Rocha Dorea, A.L. da.

1980-09-01

In order to increase safety during the long-term storage of Kr-85 it has been proposed to encaosulate this gas in zeolite 5A. Due to the decay heat of Kr-85 it is expected, however, that the inorganic matrix will be at an increased temperature over several decades. Below 600 0 C only very small Kr-desorption rates are observed when a linear temperature gradient is applied to a loaded 5A zeolite sample. If heating is interrupted and the temperature kept konstant at a certain value (>600 0 C), it is observed that the desorption rate either decreased below the detection limit or stayed constant at some measurable value. The overall activation energy in the temperature range 570 0 C-745 0 C is found to be 250 kJ/mol. At temperature above 790 0 C the total encapsulated gas is rapidly liberated. No significant leakage was apparent from zeolite 5A samples containing between 19 and 57 cm 3 STP Kr/g kept at 200 0 C for up to 2500 h and 400 0 C for up to 3500 h. From these studies it is found that type 5A zeolites are particularly suitable as a matrix for the inmobilization of Kr-85. (Author) [pt

Analysis of JKT01 Neutron Flux Detector Measurements In RSG-GAS Reactor Using LabVIEW

Science.gov (United States)

Rokhmadi; Nur Rachman, Agus; Sujarwono; Taryo, Taswanda; Sunaryo, Geni Rina

2018-02-01

The RSG-GAS Reactor, one of the Indonesia research reactors and located in Serpong, is owned by the National Nuclear Energy Agency (BATAN). The RSG-GAS reactor has operated since 1987 and some instrumentation and control systems are considered to be degraded and ageing. It is therefore, necessary to evaluate the safety of all instrumentation and controls and one of the component systems to be evaluated is the performance of JKT01 neutron flux detector. Neutron Flux Detector JKT01 basically detects neutron fluxes in the reactor core and converts it into electrical signals. The electrical signal is then forwarded to the amplifier (Amplifier) to become the input of the reactor protection system. One output of it is transferred to the Main Control Room (RKU) showing on the analog meter as an indicator used by the reactor operator. To simulate all of this matter, a program to simulate the output of the JKT01 Neutron Flux Detector using LabVIEW was developed. The simulated data is estimated using a lot of equations also formulated in LabVIEW. The calculation results are also displayed on the interface using LabVIEW available in the PC. By using this simulation program, it is successful to perform anomaly detection experiments on the JKT01 detector of RSG-GAS Reactor. The simulation results showed that the anomaly JKT01 neutron flux using electrical-current-base are respectively, 1.5×,1.7× and 2.0×.

Martian fluid and Martian weathering signatures identified in Nakhla, NWA 998 and MIL 03346 by halogen and noble gas analysis

Science.gov (United States)

Cartwright, J. A.; Gilmour, J. D.; Burgess, R.

2013-03-01

We report argon (Ar) noble gas, Ar-Ar ages and halogen abundances (Cl, Br, I) of Martian nakhlites Nakhla, NWA 998 and MIL 03346 to determine the presence of Martian hydrous fluids and weathering products. Neutron-irradiated samples were either crushed and step-heated (Nakhla only), or simply step-heated using a laser or furnace, and analysed for noble gases using an extension of the 40Ar-39Ar technique to determine halogen abundances. The data obtained provide the first isotopic evidence for a trapped fluid that is Cl-rich, has a strong correlation with 40ArXS (40ArXS = 40Armeasured - 40Arradiogenic) and displays 40ArXS/36Ar of ˜1000 - consistent with the Martian atmosphere. This component was released predominantly in the low temperature and crush experiments, which may suggest a fluid inclusion host. For the halogens, we observe similar Br/Cl and I/Cl ratios between the nakhlites and terrestrial reservoirs, which is surprising given the absence of crustal recycling, organic matter and frequent fluid activity on Mars. In particular, Br/Cl ratios in our Nakhla samples (especially olivine) are consistent with previously analysed Martian weathering products, and both low temperature and crush analyses show a similar trend to the evaporation of seawater. This may indicate that surface brines play an important role on Mars and on halogen assemblages within Martian meteorites and rocks. Elevated I/Cl ratios in the low temperature NWA 998 and MIL 03346 releases may relate to in situ terrestrial contamination, though we are unable to distinguish between low temperature terrestrial or Martian components. Whilst estimates of the amount of water present based on the 36Ar concentrations are too high to be explained by a fluid component alone, they are consistent with a mixed-phase inclusion (gas and fluid) or with shock-implanted Martian atmospheric argon. The observed fluid is dilute (low salinity, but high Br/Cl and I/Cl ratios), contains a Martian atmospheric component

Vermont Yankee advanced off-gas system (AOG)

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Littlefield, P.S.; Miller, S.R.; DerHagopian, H.

1975-01-01

Early in 1971 the Vermont Yankee Nuclear Power Corporation decided to modify the existing off-gas delay system to reduce the release of noble gas isotopes from its boiling water reactor. This modification included a subsystem for recombining the radiolytic hydrogen and oxygen from the reactor and a series of adsorber tanks filled with activated carbon to delay the noble gas isotopes from the condenser air ejectors. The off-gas system and its operating history from initial operation in November 1973 to the present time are described. Data are also presented on the measured dynamic adsorption coefficient of the ambient carbon subsystem. Laboratory adsorption tests were conducted on the carbon prior to AOG startup and the results are compared with the effective coefficients obtained under operating conditions. (U.S.)

Ab initio molecular orbital studies of the vibrational spectra of the van der Waals complexes of boron trifluoride with the noble gases.

Science.gov (United States)

Ford, Thomas A

2005-05-01

The molecular structures, interaction energies, charge transfer properties and vibrational spectra of the van der Waals complexes formed between boron trifluoride and the noble gases neon, argon, krypton and xenon have been computed using second and fourth order Møller-Plesset perturbation theory and the Los Alamos National Laboratory LANL2DZ basis set. The complexes are all symmetric tops, with the noble gas atom acting as a sigma electron donor along the C3 axis of the BF3 molecule. The interaction energies are all vanishingly small, and the amount of charge transferred in each case is of the order of 0.01e. The directions of the wavenumber shifts of the symmetric bending (nu2) and antisymmetric stretching (nu3) modes of the BF3 fragment confirm those determined experimentally, and the shifts are shown to correlate well with the polarizability of the noble gas atom and the inverse sixth power of the intermonomer separation. The nu2 mode is substantially more sensitive to complexation than the nu3 vibration.

Study of gel materials as radioactive 222Rn gas detectors

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Espinosa, G.; Golzarri, J. I.; Rickards, J.; Gammage, R. B.

2006-01-01

Commercial hair gel material (polyvinyl pyrolidone triethanolamine carbo-pol in water) and bacteriological agar (phycocolloid extracted from a group of red-purple algae, usually Gelidium sp.) have been studied as radioactive radon gas detectors. The detection method is based on the diffusion of the radioactive gas in the gel material, and the subsequent measurement of trapped products of the natural decay of radon by gamma spectrometry. From the several radon daughters with gamma radiation emission ( 214 Pb, 214 Bi, 214 Po, 210 Pb, 210 Po), two elements, 214 Pb (0.352 MeV) and 214 Bi (0.609 MeV), were chosen for the analysis in this work; in order to determine the best sensitivity, corrections were made for the short half-life of the analysed isotopes. For the gamma spectrometry analysis, a hyper-pure germanium solid state detector was used, associated with a PC multichannel analyser card with Maestro R and Microsoft R Excel R software. The results show the viability of the method: a linear response in a wide radon concentration range (450-10,000 Bq m -3 ), reproducibility of data, easy handling and low cost of the gel material. This detection methodology opens new possibilities for measurements of radon and other radioactive gases. (authors)

Noble magnetic barriers in the ASDEX UG tokamak

Science.gov (United States)

Ali, Halima; Punjabi, Alkesh; Vazquez, Justin

2010-02-01

The second-order perturbation method of creating invariant tori inside chaos in Hamiltonian systems (Ali, H.; Punjabi, A. Plasma Phys. Contr. F. 2007, 49, 1565-1582) is applied to the axially symmetric divertor experiment upgrade (ASDEX UG) tokamak to build noble irrational magnetic barriers inside chaos created by resonant magnetic perturbations (m, n)=(3, 2)+(4, 3), with m and n the poloidal and toroidal mode numbers of the Fourier expansion of the magnetic perturbation. The radial dependence of the Fourier modes is ignored. The modes are considered to be locked and have the same amplitude δ. A symplectic mathematical mapping in magnetic coordinates is used to integrate magnetic field line trajectories in the ASDEX UG. Tori with noble irrational rotational transform are the last ones to be destroyed by perturbation in Hamiltonian systems. For this reason, noble irrational magnetic barriers are built inside chaos, and the strongest noble irrational barrier is identified. Three candidate locations for the strongest noble barrier in ASDEX UG are selected. All three candidate locations are chosen to be roughly midway between the resonant rational surfaces ψ32 and ψ43. ψ is the magnetic coordinate of the flux surface. The three candidate surfaces are the noble irrational surfaces close to the surface with q value that is a mediant of q=3/2 and 4/3, q value of the physical midpoint of the two resonant surfaces, and the q value of the surface where the islands of the two perturbing modes just overlap. These q values of the candidate surfaces are denoted by q MED, q MID, and q OVERLAP. The strongest noble barrier close to q MED has the continued fraction representation (CFR) [1;2,2,1∞] and exists for δ≤2.6599×10-4; the strongest noble barrier close to q MID has CFR [1;2,2,2,1∞] and exists for δ≤4.6311×10-4; and the strongest noble barrier close to q OVERLAP has CFR [1;2,2,6,2,1∞] and exists for δ≤1.367770×10-4. From these results, the strongest

Mitigating gas emissions at signalised intersections using wireless vehicle detectors

Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

Moses Kwasi Torkudzor

2015-09-01

Full Text Available Traffic congestion on roads wastes travel times and increases fuel consumption as well as gas emissions which are dangerous to human health. This has led to growing concern about environmental protection and energy conservation and a number of studies to increase fuel economy and reduce gas emissions. To increase travel times so as to reduce fuel consumption and gas emissions, traffic signals at intersections must be well implemented. It is therefore necessary to employ the current technology of wireless sensor networks to enhance the optimisation of the signalised intersections so as to address such a concern. In this study, a vehicular traffic control model was developed to optimise a signalised intersection, using wireless vehicle detectors. Real-time traffic volume gathered were analysed to obtain the peak hour traffic volume causing congestion. The intersection was modelled and simulated in Synchro7 as an actuated signalised model using results from the analysed data. The model for morning peak and evening peak periods gave optimal cycle lengths which result in the reduction of gas emissions, fuel consumption and delay at the intersection.

Noble-Metal Chalcogenide Nanotubes

Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

Nourdine Zibouche

2014-10-01

Full Text Available We explore the stability and the electronic properties of hypothetical noble-metal chalcogenide nanotubes PtS2, PtSe2, PdS2 and PdSe2 by means of density functional theory calculations. Our findings show that the strain energy decreases inverse quadratically with the tube diameter, as is typical for other nanotubes. Moreover, the strain energy is independent of the tube chirality and converges towards the same value for large diameters. The band-structure calculations show that all noble-metal chalcogenide nanotubes are indirect band gap semiconductors. The corresponding band gaps increase with the nanotube diameter rapidly approaching the respective pristine 2D monolayer limit.

Design and fabrication of a window for the gas Cherenkov detector 3

Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

Fatherley, V. E., E-mail: vef@lanl.gov; Bingham, D. A.; Cartelli, M. D.; Griego, J. R.; Herrmann, H. W.; Lopez, F. E.; Oertel, J. A. [Los Alamos National Laboratory, Los Alamos, New Mexico 87545 (United States); DiDomizio, R. A.; Pollack, M. J. [EnvirOptics, Inc., Colmar, Pennsylvania 18915 (United States)

2016-11-15

The gas Cherenkov detector 3 was designed at Los Alamos National Laboratory for use in inertial confinement fusion experiments at both the Omega Laser Facility and the National Ignition Facility. This instrument uses a low-Z gamma-to-electron convertor plate and high pressure gas to convert MeV gammas into UV/visible Cherenkov photons for fast optical detection. This is a follow-on diagnostic from previous versions, with two notable differences: the pressure of the gas is four times higher, and it allows the use of fluorinated gas, requiring metal seals. These changes force significant changes in the window component, having a unique set of requirements and footprint limitations. The selected solution for this component, a sapphire window brazed into a stainless steel flange housing, is described.

77 FR 70159 - Marble River, LLC v. Noble Clinton Windpark I, LLC, Noble Ellenburg Windpark, LLC, Noble...

Science.gov (United States)

2012-11-23

... DEPARTMENT OF ENERGY Federal Energy Regulatory Commission [Docket No. EL13-20-000] Marble River... Commission's (Commission) Rules of Practice and Procedure, Marble River, LLC (Marble River or Complainant.... (NYISO or Respondent), alleging that Noble failed to pay Marble River for headroom created by common...

Triple GEM gas detectors as real time fast neutron beam monitors for spallation neutron sources

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Murtas, F; Claps, G; Croci, G; Tardocchi, M; Pietropaolo, A; Cippo, E Perelli; Rebai, M; Gorini, G; Frost, C D; Raspino, D; Rhodes, N J; Schooneveld, E M

2012-01-01

A fast neutron beam monitor based on a triple Gas Electron Multiplier (GEM) detector was developed and tested for the ISIS spallation neutron source in U.K. The test on beam was performed at the VESUVIO beam line operating at ISIS. The 2D fast neutron beam footprint was recorded in real time with a spatial resolution of a few millimeters thanks to the patterned detector readout.

Submarine Alkalic Lavas Around the Hawaiian Hotspot; Plume and Non-Plume Signatures Determined by Noble Gases

Science.gov (United States)

Hanyu, T.; Clague, D. A.; Kaneoka, I.; Dunai, T. J.; Davies, G. R.

2004-12-01

Noble gas isotopic ratios were determined for submarine alkalic volcanic rocks distributed around the Hawaiian islands to constrain the origin of such alkalic volcanism. Samples were collected by dredging or using submersibles from the Kauai Channel between Oahu and Kauai, north of Molokai, northwest of Niihau, Southwest Oahu, South Arch and North Arch volcanic fields. Sites located downstream from the center of the hotspot have 3He/4He ratios close to MORB at about 8 Ra, demonstrating that the magmas erupted at these sites had minimum contribution of volatiles from a mantle plume. In contrast, the South Arch, located upstream of the hotspot on the Hawaiian Arch, has 3He/4He ratios between 17 and 21 Ra, indicating a strong plume influence. Differences in noble gas isotopic characteristics between alkalic volcanism downstream and upstream of the hotspot imply that upstream volcanism contains incipient melts from an upwelling mantle plume, having primitive 3He/4He. In combination with lithophile element isotopic data, we conclude that the most likely source of the upstream magmatism is depleted asthenospheric mantle that has been metasomatised by incipient melt from a mantle plume. After major melt extraction from the mantle plume during production of magmas for the shield stage, the plume material is highly depleted in noble gases and moderately depleted in lithophile elements. Partial melting of the depleted mantle impregnated by melts derived from this volatile depleted plume source may explain the isotopic characteristics of the downstream alkalic magmatism.

Harsh-Environment Solid-State Gamma Detector for Down-hole Gas and Oil Exploration

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Peter Sandvik; Stanislav Soloviev; Emad Andarawis; Ho-Young Cha; Jim Rose; Kevin Durocher; Robert Lyons; Bob Pieciuk; Jim Williams; David O'Connor

2007-01-01

The goal of this program was to develop a revolutionary solid-state gamma-ray detector suitable for use in down-hole gas and oil exploration. This advanced detector would employ wide-bandgap semiconductor technology to extend the gamma sensor's temperature capability up to 200 C as well as extended reliability, which significantly exceeds current designs based on photomultiplier tubes. In Phase II, project tasks were focused on optimization of the final APD design, growing and characterizing the full scintillator crystals of the selected composition, arranging the APD device packaging, developing the needed optical coupling between scintillator and APD, and characterizing the combined elements as a full detector system preparing for commercialization. What follows is a summary report from the second 18-month phase of this program

Structural energetics of noble metals

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Mujibur Rahman, S.M.

1982-06-01

Structural energetics of the noble metals, namely Cu, Ag, and Au are investigated by employing a single-parameter pseudopotential. The calculations show that the lowest energy for all of these metals corresponds to FCC - their observed crystal structure. The one-electron contribution to the free energy is found to dominate the structural prediction for these metals. The present investigation strongly emphasizes that the effects due to band hybridization and core-core exchange play a significant role on the structural stability of the noble metals. (author)

Laser heating of large noble gas clusters: from the resonant to the relativistic interaction regimes

Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

Gumbrell, E T; Moore, A S; Clark, E L; Garbett, W J; Comley, A J; Edwards, R D; Eagleton, R E [Plasma Physics Division, AWE Aldermaston, Reading RG7 4PR (United Kingdom); Lazarus, J A; Nilson, P M; Robinson, J S; Hohenberger, M; Symes, D R; Smith, R A [Blackett Laboratory, Imperial College, London SW7 2BZ (United Kingdom); Clarke, R J [Rutherford Appleton Laboratory, Chilton OX11 0QX (United Kingdom)], E-mail: edward.gumbrell@awe.co.uk, E-mail: r.a.smith@imperial.ac.uk

2008-12-15

Wide-ranging measurements of sub-picosecond laser interactions with large noble gas cluster targets have been conducted in order to help clarify the nature and extent of the underlying laser-plasma heating. Within the sub-relativistic vacuum irradiance range of 10{sup 16}-10{sup 17} W cm{sup -2}, we find that electron temperatures measured with continuum x-ray spectroscopy exhibit a pronounced multi-keV enhancement. Analysis indicates this behaviour to be consistent with collisional or collisionless resonant heating mechanisms. We also present the first measurements of laser-to-cluster energy deposition at relativistic vacuum irradiances, our data demonstrating absorption fractions of 90% or more. Optical probing was used to resolve the onset of a supersonic ionization front resulting from this very high absorption, and shows that despite significant pre-focus heating, the greatest plasma energy densities can be generated about the vacuum focus position. Electron energy spectra measurements confirm that laser-plasma super-heating occurs, and together with ion data establish that relativistic laser-plasma coupling in atomic clusters can take place without significant MeV particle beam production. In conjunction with optical self-emission data, the optical probing also indicates laser pre-pulse effects at peak vacuum irradiance of 5 x 10{sup 19} W cm{sup -2}. Laser absorption, plasma heating and energy transport data are supported throughout with analytical and numerical modelling.

Noble Gas Inventory of Micrometeorites Collected at the Transantarctic Mountains (TAM) and Indications for Their Provenance

Science.gov (United States)

Ott, U.; Baecker, B.; Folco, L.; Cordier, C.

2016-01-01

A variety of processes have been considered possibly contributing the volatiles including noble gases to the atmospheres of the terrestrial planets (e.g., [1-3]). Special consideration has been given to the concept of accretion of volatile-rich materials by the forming planets. This might include infalling planetesimals and dust, and could include material from the outer asteroid belt, as well as cometary material from the outer solar system. Currently, the dominant source of extraterrestrial material accreted by the Earth is represented by micrometeorites (MMs) with sizes mostly in the 100-300 micron range [3, 4]). Their role has been assessed by [3], who conclude that accretion of early micrometeorites played a major role in the formation of the terrestrial atmosphere and oceans. We have therefore set out to investigate in more detail the inventory of noble gases in MMs. Here we summarize some of our results obtained on MMs collected in micrometeorite traps of the Transantarctic Mountains [5].

Detectors for alpha particles and X-rays operating in ambient air in pulse counting mode or/and with gas amplification

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Charpak, G; Benaben, P; Breuil, P; Peskov, V

2008-01-01

Ionization chambers working in ambient air in current detection mode are attractive due to their simplicity and low cost and are widely used in several applications such as smoke detection, dosimetry, therapeutic beam monitoring and so on. The aim of this work was to investigate if gaseous detectors can operate in ambient air in pulse counting mode as well as with gas amplification which potentially offers the highest possible sensitivity in applications like alpha particle detection or high energy X-ray photon or electron detection. To investigate the feasibility of this method two types of open- end gaseous detectors were build and successfully tested. The first one was a single wire or multiwire cylindrical geometry detector operating in pulse mode at a gas gain of one (pulse ionization chamber). This detector was readout by a custom made wide -band charge sensitive amplifier able to deal with slow induced signals generated by slow motion of negative and positive ions. The multiwire detector was able to detect alpha particles with an efficiency close to 22%. The second type of an alpha detector was an innovative GEM-like detector with resistive electrodes operating in air in avalanche mode at high gas gains (up to 10 4 ). This detector can also operate in a cascaded mode or being combined with other detectors, for example with MICROMEGAS. This detector was readout by a conventional charge -sensitive amplifier and was able to detect alpha particles with 100% efficiency. This detector could also detect X-ray photons or fast electrons. A detailed comparison between these two detectors is given as well as a comparison with commercially available alpha detectors. The main advantages of gaseous detectors operating in air in a pulse detection mode are their simplicity, low cost and high sensitivity. One of the possible applications of these new detectors is alpha particle background monitors which, due to their low cost can find wide application not only in houses, but

Adsorption of Dissolved Gases (CH4, CO2, H2, Noble Gases) by Water-Saturated Smectite Clay Minerals

Science.gov (United States)

Bourg, I. C.; Gadikota, G.; Dazas, B.

2016-12-01

Adsorption of dissolved gases by water-saturated clay minerals plays important roles in a range of fields. For example, gas adsorption in on clay minerals may significantly impact the formation of CH4 hydrates in fine-grained sediments, the behavior of CH4 in shale, CO2 leakage across caprocks of geologic CO2 sequestration sites, H2 leakage across engineered clay barriers of high-level radioactive waste repositories, and noble gas geochemistry reconstructions of hydrocarbon migration in the subsurface. Despite its importance, the adsorption of gases on clay minerals remains poorly understood. For example, some studies have suggested that clay surfaces promote the formation of CH4 hydrates, whereas others indicate that clay surfaces inhibit the formation of CH4 hydrates. Here, we present molecular dynamics (MD) simulations of the adsorption of a range of gases (CH4, CO2, H2, noble gases) on clay mineral surfaces. Our results indicate that the affinity of dissolved gases for clay mineral surfaces has a non-monotone dependence on the hydrated radius of the gas molecules. This non-monotone dependence arises from a combination of two effects: the polar nature of certain gas molecules (in particular, CO2) and the templating of interfacial water structure by the clay basal surface, which results in the presence of interfacial water "cages" of optimal size for intermediate-size gas molecules (such as Ne or Ar).

Cryogenic separation of krypton and xenon from dissolver off-gas

Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

Bohnenstingl, J.; Heidendael, M.; Laser, M.; Mastera, S.; Merz, E.

1976-03-15

Although the release of fission product noble gas Kr-85 has not posed a health problem to date, a process is being developed for the removal and storage of fission product noble gases from dissolution process stream of fuel reprocessing. The separation process described for noble gas in air being proved in semi-technical scale includes cryogenic distillation and consists of the following steps: (1) removal of ^{129 +131}iodine on silver-coated silica gel; (2) deposition of particulate materials by HEPA-filters; (3) elimination of O₂ and NO_x by catalytic conversion with H₂/ to N₂ and H₂O; (4) drying of the gas stream with molecular sieve; (5) deposition of xenon in solid form at about 80 K, while the remaining gas components are liquified; (6) enrichment of Kr by low temperature distillation of liquid-gas mixture; (7) withdrawal of the highly enriched Kr-fraction at the bottom of the still to be bottled in pressurized steel cylinders for final disposal; and (8) purification of Kr-85 contaminated Xe for further industrial reuse by batch distillation.

Natural gas pipeline leak detector based on NIR diode laser absorption spectroscopy.

Science.gov (United States)

Gao, Xiaoming; Fan, Hong; Huang, Teng; Wang, Xia; Bao, Jian; Li, Xiaoyun; Huang, Wei; Zhang, Weijun

2006-09-01

The paper reports on the development of an integrated natural gas pipeline leak detector based on diode laser absorption spectroscopy. The detector transmits a 1.653 microm DFB diode laser with 10 mW and detects a fraction of the backscatter reflected from the topographic targets. To eliminate the effect of topographic scatter targets, a ratio detection technique was used. Wavelength modulation and harmonic detection were used to improve the detection sensitivity. The experimental detection limit is 50 ppmm, remote detection for a distance up to 20 m away topographic scatter target is demonstrated. Using a known simulative leak pipe, minimum detectable pipe leak flux is less than 10 ml/min.

Size versus polarizability in protein-ligand interactions: binding of noble gases within engineered cavities in phage T4 lysozyme.

Science.gov (United States)

Quillin, M L; Breyer, W A; Griswold, I J; Matthews, B W

2000-09-29

To investigate the relative importance of size and polarizability in ligand binding within proteins, we have determined the crystal structures of pseudo wild-type and cavity-containing mutant phage T4 lysozymes in the presence of argon, krypton, and xenon. These proteins provide a representative sample of predominantly apolar cavities of varying size and shape. Even though the volumes of these cavities range up to the equivalent of five xenon atoms, the noble gases bind preferentially at highly localized sites that appear to be defined by constrictions in the walls of the cavities, coupled with the relatively large radii of the noble gases. The cavities within pseudo wild-type and L121A lysozymes each bind only a single atom of noble gas, while the cavities within mutants L133A and F153A have two independent binding sites, and the L99A cavity has three interacting sites. The binding of noble gases within two double mutants was studied to characterize the additivity of binding at such sites. In general, when a cavity in a protein is created by a "large-to-small" substitution, the surrounding residues relax somewhat to reduce the volume of the cavity. The binding of xenon and, to a lesser degree, krypton and argon, tend to expand the volume of the cavity and to return it closer to what it would have been had no relaxation occurred. In nearly all cases, the extent of binding of the noble gases follows the trend xenon>krypton>argon. Pressure titrations of the L99A mutant have confirmed that the crystallographic occupancies accurately reflect fractional saturation of the binding sites. The trend in noble gas affinity can be understood in terms of the effects of size and polarizability on the intermolecular potential. The plasticity of the protein matrix permits repulsion due to increased ligand size to be more than compensated for by attraction due to increased ligand polarizability. These results have implications for the mechanism of general anesthesia, the migration

Detectors - Electronics

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Bregeault, J.; Gabriel, J.L.; Hierle, G.; Lebotlan, P.; Leconte, A.; Lelandais, J.; Mosrin, P.; Munsch, P.; Saur, H.; Tillier, J.

1998-01-01

The reports presents the main results obtained in the fields of radiation detectors and associated electronics. In the domain of X-ray gas detectors for the keV range efforts were undertaken to rise the detector efficiency. Multiple gap parallel plate chambers of different types as well as different types of X → e - converters were tested to improve the efficiency (values of 2.4% at 60 KeV were reached). In the field of scintillators a study of new crystals has been carried out (among which Lutetium orthosilicate). CdTe diode strips for obtaining X-ray imaging were studied. The complete study of a linear array of 8 CdTe pixels has been performed and certified. The results are encouraging and point to this method as a satisfying solution. Also, a large dimension programmable chamber was used to study the influence of temperature on the inorganic scintillators in an interval from -40 deg. C to +150 deg. C. Temperature effects on other detectors and electronic circuits were also investigated. In the report mentioned is also the work carried out for the realization of the DEMON neutron multidetector. For neutron halo experiments different large area Si detectors associated with solid and gas position detectors were realized. In the frame of a contract with COGEMA a systematic study of Li doped glasses was undertaken aiming at replacing with a neutron probe the 3 He counters presently utilized in pollution monitoring. An industrial prototype has been realised. Other studies were related to integrated analog chains, materials for Cherenkov detectors, scintillation probes for experiments on fundamental processes, gas position sensitive detectors, etc. In the field of associated electronics there are mentioned the works related to the multidetector INDRA, data acquisition, software gamma spectrometry, automatic gas pressure regulation in detectors, etc

μ+ thermalization and muonium formation in noble gases

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Fleming, D.G.; Mikula, R.J.; Garner, D.M.; British Columbia Univ., Vancouver

1981-01-01

One energy loss mechanism in μ + thermalization (in gases) is that due to charge exchange, in which muonium is repeatedly formed and lost in a series of charge-exchange cycles μ + +e - reversible Mu, a process which depends on the ionization potential of the moderator gas but one in which no depolarization of the μ + is expected at approx. 1 atm. pressure. However, if the time between collisions in a given energy regime can be made sufficiently long then additional depolarization may occur, which can provide further information on the charge-exchange process itself. Extensive data showing this effect has been found in gases; results for the noble gases are presented. (orig.)

On the effect of oxygen flooding on the detection of noble gas ions in a SIMS instrument

Czech Academy of Sciences Publication Activity Database

Williams, P.; Franzreb, K.; Sobers Jr., R. C.; Lorinčík, Jan

2010-01-01

Roč. 268, 17-18 (2010), s. 2758-2765 ISSN 0168-583X Institutional research plan: CEZ:AV0Z20670512 Keywords : SIMS * noble gases * uranium Subject RIV: JA - Electronics ; Optoelectronics, Electrical Engineering Impact factor: 1.042, year: 2010

Test beam studies of Gas Electron Multiplier (GEM) detectors for the upgrade of CMS endcap muon system

CERN Document Server

Sharma, Ram Krishna

2017-01-01

The High Luminosity LHC (HL-LHC) will provide exceptional high instantaneous and integrated luminosity. The forward region $\\mid \\eta \\mid \\geq 1.5$ of the CMS detector will face extremely high particle rates in tens of $KHz/cm^{2}$ and hence it will affect the momentum resolution and longevity of the muon detectors. To overcome these issues the CMS collaboration has decided to install new large size rate capable Triple Gas Electron Multiplier (GEM) detectors in the forward region of CMS muon system. The first set of Triple GEM detectors will be installed in the GE1/1 region $(1.5 \\leq \\eta \\leq 2.2)$ of muon endcap during the LS2 of the LHC and the next one will be installed in the GE2/1 region $(1.6 \\leq \\eta \\leq 2.5)$, during the LS3. Towards this goal, full-size CMS Triple GEM prototype chambers have been fabricated and put under the test beam at the CERN SPS test beam facility. The GEM detectors were operated with two gas mixtures $Ar/CO_{2}$ (70/30) and $Ar/CO_{2}/CF_{4}$ (40/15/45). In 2014 and 2016, ...

Pressure effect in the X-ray intrinsic position resolution in noble gases and mixtures

CERN Document Server

Azevedo, C.D.R.

2016-12-13

A study of the gas pressure effect in the position resolution of an interacting X- or gamma-ray photon in a gas medium is performed. The intrinsic position resolution for pure noble gases (Argon and Xenon) and their mixtures with CO2 and CH4 were calculated for several gas pressures (1-10bar) and for photon energies between 5.4 and 60.0 keV, being possible to establish a linear match between the intrinsic position resolution and the inverse of the gas pressure in that energy range. In order to evaluate the quality of the method here described, a comparison between the available experimental data and the calculated one in this work, is done and discussed. In the majority of the cases, a strong agreement is observed.

Harsh-Environment Solid-State Gamma Detector for Down-hole Gas and Oil Exploration

Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

Peter Sandvik; Stanislav Soloviev; Emad Andarawis; Ho-Young Cha; Jim Rose; Kevin Durocher; Robert Lyons; Bob Pieciuk; Jim Williams; David O' Connor

2007-08-10

The goal of this program was to develop a revolutionary solid-state gamma-ray detector suitable for use in down-hole gas and oil exploration. This advanced detector would employ wide-bandgap semiconductor technology to extend the gamma sensor's temperature capability up to 200 C as well as extended reliability, which significantly exceeds current designs based on photomultiplier tubes. In Phase II, project tasks were focused on optimization of the final APD design, growing and characterizing the full scintillator crystals of the selected composition, arranging the APD device packaging, developing the needed optical coupling between scintillator and APD, and characterizing the combined elements as a full detector system preparing for commercialization. What follows is a summary report from the second 18-month phase of this program.

Fission signal detection using helium-4 gas fast neutron scintillation detectors

Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

Lewis, J. M., E-mail: lewisj@ufl.edu; Kelley, R. P.; Jordan, K. A. [Nuclear Engineering Program, University of Florida, Gainesville, Florida 32611 (United States); Murer, D. [Arktis Radiation Detectors Ltd., 8045 Zurich (Switzerland)

2014-07-07

We demonstrate the unambiguous detection of the fission neutron signal produced in natural uranium during active neutron interrogation using a deuterium-deuterium fusion neutron generator and a high pressure {sup 4}He gas fast neutron scintillation detector. The energy deposition by individual neutrons is quantified, and energy discrimination is used to differentiate the induced fission neutrons from the mono-energetic interrogation neutrons. The detector can discriminate between different incident neutron energies using pulse height discrimination of the slow scintillation component of the elastic scattering interaction between a neutron and the {sup 4}He atom. Energy histograms resulting from this data show the buildup of a detected fission neutron signal at higher energies. The detector is shown here to detect a unique fission neutron signal from a natural uranium sample during active interrogation with a (d, d) neutron generator. This signal path has a direct application to the detection of shielded nuclear material in cargo and air containers. It allows for continuous interrogation and detection while greatly minimizing the potential for false alarms.

A New GEM-like Imaging Detector with Electrodes Coated with Resistive Layers

CERN Document Server

Di Mauro, Antonio; Martinengo, Paolo; Napri, Eugenio; Peskov, Vladimir; Periale, Luciano; Picchi, P.; Pietropaolo, Francesco; Rodionov, I.

We have developed and tested several prototypes of GEM-like detectors with electrodes coated with resistive layers: CuO or CrO. These detectors can operate stably at gains close to 10E5 and they are very robust. We discovered that the cathodes of these detectors could be coated by CsI layers and in such a way the detectors gain high efficiency for the UV photons. We also demonstrated that such detectors can operate stably in the cascade mode and high overall gains (~10E6) are reachable. This opens applications in several areas, for example in RICH or in noble liquid TPCs. Results from the first applications of these devices for UV photon detection at room and cryogenic temperatures are given.

Volatiles (H, C, N, O, noble gases) in comets as tracers of early solar system events (Invited)

Science.gov (United States)

Marty, B.

2013-12-01

Volatiles (H, C, N, O, noble gases) present the largest variations in their relative abundances and, importantly, in their isotopic ratios, among solar system elements. The original composition of the protosolar nebula has been investigated through the measurements of primitive meteorites and of in-situ (e.g. Galileo probe analysis of the Jupiter's atmosphere) and sample-return (Genesis, recovery and analysis of solar wind) missions. The protosolar gas was poor in deuterium, in 15N and in 17,18O. Variations among solar system reservoir reach several hundreds of percents for the D/H and 15N/14N ratios. These variations are possibly : (i) due to interactions between XUV photons of the proto-Sun and the-dust, (ii) result from low temperature ion-molecule reactions, or (iii) constitute an heritage on interstellar volatiles trapped in dust (e.g., organics). Likewise, noble gases are elementally and isotopically (1% per amu for xenon) fractionated with respect to the composition of the solar wind (our best proxy for the protosolar nebula composition). Cometary matter directly measured on coma, or in Stardust material, or in IDPs, seems to present among the largest heterogeneities in their stable isotope compositions but knowledge on their precise compositions of the different phases and species is partial and mosty lacking. Among the several important issues requiring a better knowledge of cometary volatiles are the origin(s) of volatile elements on Earth and Moon, on Mars and on Venus, understanding large scale circulation of matter between hot and frozen zones, and the possibility of interstellar heritage for organics. Critical measurements to be made by the next cometary missions include the value of the D/H ratio in water ice, in NH3 and organics. Nitrogen is particularly interesting as cometary HCN and CN are rich in 15N, but an isotoppe mass balance will require to measure the main host species (N2 ?). Noble gases are excellent tracers of physical processes

SRD Exhibits ONR Funded Chemical Detector Technology & Supporting Gas Delivery Systems (GDS) AT PITTCON 2005

National Research Council Canada - National Science Library

Harmon, Andrew

2005-01-01

SRD attended PITTCON 2005 in Orlando, Florida with an exhibitor booth to showcase their chemical detector technology being developed for The Office of Naval Research as well as gas delivery systems (GDS...

The ALTRO Chip A 16-channel A/D Converter and Digital Processor for Gas Detectors

CERN Document Server

Esteve-Bosch, R; Mota, B; Musa, L

2003-01-01

The ALTRO (ALICE TPC Read Out) chip is a mixed-signal integrated circuit designed to be one of the building blocks of the readout electronics for gas detectors. Originally conceived and optimised for the Time Projection Chamber (TPC) of the ALICE experiment at the CERN LHC, its architecture and programmability makes it suitable for the readout of a wider class of gas detectors. In one single chip, the analogue signals from 16 channels are digitised, processed, compressed and stored in a multi-acquisition memory. The Analogue-to- Digital converters embedded in the chip have a 10-bit dynamic range and a maximum sampling rate in the range of 20 to 40MHz. After digitisation, a pipelined hardwired Processor is able to remove from the input signal a wide range of systematic and non-systematic perturbations, related to the non-ideal behaviour of the detector, temperature variation of the electronics, environmental noise, etc. Moreover, the Processor is able to suppress the signal tail within 1mus after the pulse pea...

Analysis of neonicotinoids by gas chromatography coupled to nuclide {sup 63}Ni - Electron Capture Detector - GC/ECD

Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

Amaral, Priscila O.; Leao, Claudio; Redigolo, Marcelo M.; Crepaldi, Caike; Bustillos, Oscar V., E-mail: priscilaoamaral@gmail.com, E-mail: claudio.leao@usp.br, E-mail: marceloredigolo@gmail.com, E-mail: caike1995@gmail.com, E-mail: ovega@ipen.bremails [Instituto de Pesquisas Energeticas e Nucleares (IPEN/CNEN-SP), Sao Paulo, SP (Brazil)

2015-07-01

Recently, several reports have been published discussing reduction in bee population which polymerizes cultures around the world this phenomenon is known as Colony Collapse Disorder (CCD). The phenomenon describes the lack of worker honeybees in the colony despite having pups and food. The causes of this problem are unknown but there are studies that claim that reduction of population of bees is linked to poisoning through insecticides specifically neonicotinoids. Among this type of pesticide are imidacloprid (C{sub 9}H{sub 10}ClN{sub 5}O{sub 2}), clothianidin (C{sub 6}H{sub 8}ClN{sub 5}O{sub 2}S) and thiamethoxam (C{sub 8}H{sub 10}ClN{sub 5}O{sub 3}S). This paper presents the analysis of neonicotinoids - clothianidin, imidacloprid and thiamethoxam - by the technique of gas chromatography coupled to nuclide {sup 63}Ni electron capture detector (GC/ECD). The electron capture detector (ECD) is a gas chromatography detector that has been used for the detection of organic halogens, nitriles, nitrates and organometallic compounds. The ECD detector ionizes the analytes by the beta particles from the nuclide sources {sup 63}Ni within carrier gas N{sub 2}. The electrons produced in this process are collected and create a current that are amplified and generates a chromatographic peak. Methodology and details of the analysis are present in this work. (author)

Determination of tolerances of mirror displacement and radiator gas impurity for the CBM RICH detector

Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

Adamczewski-Musch, J. [GSI Darmstadt (Germany); Becker, K.-H. [University Wuppertal (Germany); Belogurov, S. [ITEP Moscow (Russian Federation); Boldyreva, N. [PNPI Gatchina (Russian Federation); Chernogorov, A. [ITEP Moscow (Russian Federation); Deveaux, C. [University Gießen (Germany); Dobyrn, V. [PNPI Gatchina (Russian Federation); Dürr, M. [University Gießen (Germany); Eom, J. [Pusan National University (Korea, Republic of); Eschke, J. [GSI Darmstadt (Germany); Höhne, C. [University Gießen (Germany); Kampert, K.-H. [University Wuppertal (Germany); Kleipa, V. [GSI Darmstadt (Germany); Kochenda, L. [PNPI Gatchina (Russian Federation); Kolb, B. [GSI Darmstadt (Germany); Kopfer, J. [University Wuppertal (Germany); Kravtsov, P. [PNPI Gatchina (Russian Federation); Lebedev, S.; Lebedeva, E. [University Gießen (Germany); Leonova, E. [PNPI Gatchina (Russian Federation); and others

2014-12-01

The CBM experiment at the future FAIR facility will explore nuclear matter at high net-baryon densities. One of the key observables is di-leptons as they penetrate the created matter without further strong interactions. A gaseous RICH detector in a standard projective geometry using spherical mirrors is one of two detector elements for the required electron identification. The mirror system consists of about 72 trapezoidal mirror tiles. Any misalignment between the tiles relative to the nominal common spherical surface leads to reduction of the reconstruction efficiency of Cherenkov rings and deterioration of their resolution. To determine tolerances in mirror misalignment extensive simulation and measurement studies were carried out. Pure CO{sub 2} will be used as radiator gas. Gas contamination, mainly moisture and Oxygen, reduces the number of detected photons per ring and worsens the quality of reconstructed Cherenkov rings. Therefore a study was carried out to determine tolerances in radiator gas contamination. - Highlights: • Mirror misalignment leads to ring deformation in a RICH detector. • Radiator contamination leads to resolution deterioration of fitted rings. • To determine tolerances measurements and simulations were carried out. • Mirror displacements of up to 0.32 mm at any mirror side can be tolerated. • Oxygen (moisture) contamination of up to 1% (0.0011%) can be safely tolerated.

Diffusion and release of noble gas and halogen fission products with several days half-life in UO2 particle

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Fang Chao

2013-01-01

The exact solutions of diffusion and release model of noble gas and halogen fission products in UO 2 particle of HTGR were built under the conditions of adsorption effect and other physical processes. The corresponding release fractions (F(t)) and the ratio of release and productive amounts (R(t)/B (t)) of fission products were also derived. Furthermore, the F(t) and R(t)/B(t) of 131 I, 131 IXe m , 133 Xe and 133 Xe m whose half-lifes are several days in UO 2 particle with the exact solutions, approximate solutions and corresponding numerical solutions under different temperature histories of reactor core were investigated. The results show that the F(t) and R(t)/B(t) are different in numerical values unless the time of release is long enough. The properties of conservation of exact solutions are much more reasonable than the ones of approximate solutions. It is also found that the results of exact solutions approach the actual working conditions more than the approximate and numerical solutions. (author)

Gas Cerenkov detector for measuring 16.7-MeV gamma rays from the D(T,γ)5He reaction

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Brolley, J.E.; Ladish, J.S.; Lyons, P.B.

1983-01-01

A gas Cerenkov detector has been developed for measuring radiation from the 16.7-MeV gamma branch of the D-T reaction. This has useful applications as a diagnostic tool for weapons tests at the Nevada Test Site (NTS), as well as for evaluation of ICF targets and Tokomak plasmas. The Cerenkov process was chosen because of excellent time response. A gas radiator allows threshold control to eliminate low-energy background, such as gamma radiation produced by a neutron capture or scattering. The detector consists of a thin aluminum converter to provide energetic pair and Compton electrons, a deflecting magnet, a Cerenkov radiator, and an optical system for collection and detection of Cerenkov light. The radiator is a gas chamber filled with approximately one atmosphere of carbon dioxide. A photodiode is used for light detection. The electron beam from the DOE/EG and G electron linear accelerator at EG and G's Santa Barbara Operations has been used to measure the detector response as functions of electron energy and gas pressure. A Monte Carlo production-transport code is used to calculate geometrical properties of the pair and Compton electron distributions as they enter the Cerenkov radiator. Fluorescence, transition radiation, and other optical backgrounds produced by subthreshold electrons are being evaluated in order to optimize the detector design

Noble Metal Nanoparticles for Biosensing Applications

Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

Pedro V. Baptista

2012-02-01

Full Text Available In the last decade the use of nanomaterials has been having a great impact in biosensing. In particular, the unique properties of noble metal nanoparticles have allowed for the development of new biosensing platforms with enhanced capabilities in the specific detection of bioanalytes. Noble metal nanoparticles show unique physicochemical properties (such as ease of functionalization via simple chemistry and high surface-to-volume ratios that allied with their unique spectral and optical properties have prompted the development of a plethora of biosensing platforms. Additionally, they also provide an additional or enhanced layer of application for commonly used techniques, such as fluorescence, infrared and Raman spectroscopy. Herein we review the use of noble metal nanoparticles for biosensing strategies—from synthesis and functionalization to integration in molecular diagnostics platforms, with special focus on those that have made their way into the diagnostics laboratory.

Demonstration of motionless Knudsen pump based micro-gas chromatography featuring micro-fabricated columns and on-column detectors.

Science.gov (United States)

Liu, Jing; Gupta, Naveen K; Wise, Kensall D; Gianchandani, Yogesh B; Fan, Xudong

2011-10-21

This paper reports the investigation of a micro-gas chromatography (μGC) system that utilizes an array of miniaturized motionless Knudsen pumps (KPs) as well as microfabricated separation columns and optical detectors. A prototype system was built to achieve a flow rate of 1 mL min(-1) and 0.26 mL min(-1) for helium and dry air, respectively, when they were used as carrier gas. This system was then employed to evaluate GC performance compromises and demonstrate the ability to separate and detect gas mixtures containing analytes of different volatilities and polarities. Furthermore, the use of pressure programming of the KP array was demonstrated to significantly shorten the analysis time while maintaining a high detection resolution. Using this method, we obtained a high resolution detection of 5 alkanes of different volatilities within 5 min. Finally, we successfully detected gas mixtures of various polarities using a tandem-column μGC configuration by installing two on-column optical detectors to obtain complementary chromatograms.

The Induction of Noble Rot (Botrytis cinerea Infection during Postharvest Withering Changes the Metabolome of Grapevine Berries (Vitis vinifera L., cv. Garganega

Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

Stefano Negri

2017-06-01

Full Text Available The natural or induced development of noble rot caused by the fungus Botrytis cinerea during the late stages of grapevine (Vitis vinifera L. berry ripening is used in some traditional viticulture areas to produce high-quality wines such as Sauternes and Tokaji. In this research, we wanted to verify if by changing the environmental conditions during post-harvest withering we could induce the noble rot development on harvested berries in order to positively change the wine produced from withered Garganega berries. Therefore, we exposed the berries to postharvest withering under normal or artificially humid conditions, the latter to induce noble rot. The presence of noble rot symptoms was associated with the development of B. cinerea in the berries maintained under humid conditions. The composition of infected and non-infected berries was investigated by untargeted metabolomics using liquid chromatography/mass spectrometry. We also explored the effects of the two withering methods on the abundance of volatile organic compounds in wine by yeast-inoculated micro-fermentation followed by targeted gas chromatography/mass spectrometry. These experiments revealed significant metabolic differences between berries withered under normal and humid conditions, indicating that noble rot affects berry metabolism and composition. As well as well-known botrytization markers, we detected two novel lipids that have not been observed before in berries infected with noble rot. Unraveling the specific metabolic profile of berries infected with noble rot may help to determine the compounds responsible for the organoleptic quality traits of botrytized Garganega wines.

Modeling the cathode region of noble gas mixture discharges using Monte Carlo simulation

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Donko, Z.; Janossy, M.

1992-10-01

A model of the cathode dark space of DC glow discharges was developed in order to study the effects caused by mixing small amounts (≤2%) of other noble gases (Ne, Ar, Kr and Xe) to He. The motion of charged particles was described by Monte Carlo simulation. Several discharge parameters (electron and ion energy distribution functions, electron and ion current densities, reduced ionization coefficients, and current density-voltage characteristics) were obtained. Small amounts of admixtures were found to modify significantly the discharge parameters. Current density-voltage characteristics obtained from the model showed good agreement with experimental data. (author) 40 refs.; 14 figs

Express method and radon gas measurement detector

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Khajdarov, R.A.; Khajdarov, R.R.

2004-01-01

The purpose of this work was to improve the activated charcoal adsorption method. The detector consisted of an electronic unit (200 mm x 180 mm x 80 mm) and a scintillation cell (a tube 200 mm long, 60 mm diam.). The electronic unit contained a power supply, amplifier, discriminator, timer, counter and indicator. The scintillation cell contained a zinc sulfide scintillator, photomultiplier, preamplifier, high voltage power supply and a 200 ml chamber above the scintillator. This chamber was intended to situate activated carbon fibrous absorber and air compressor. In this method, air is drawn through a filter to remove radon decay products and then through the activated carbon cloth by using a compressor. Sampling takes between 5 and 15 minutes. After the sampling, the cloth is heated for 5-10 sec up to 200-250 deg C by electric current passing through the fiber. Radon gas evaporates from the cloth and the device detects scintillation pulses. Owing to a high radon preconcentration factor (by adsorption of radon on the activated carbon cloth from 50-150 L of air of and evaporation into the small volume of the chamber), the detection limit of the method is 2-4 Bq/m 3 . Since the distance between the filter, cloth and scintillator is over 80 mm, the detector only measures radiation from radon without interference from the radon decay products, remaining in the filter and cloth

Vented fuel experiment for gas-cooled fast reactor application

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Longest, A.W.; Gat, U.; Conlin, J.A.; Campana, R.J.

1976-01-01

A pressure-equalized and vented fuel rod is being irradiated in an instrumented capsule designated GB-10 to approximately 100MWd/kg-heavy metal. The fuel is a sol-gel-derived 88 at.% uranium (approximately 9% 235 U) and 12 at.% plutonium oxide, and the cladding is 20% cold-worked 316 stainless steel. The capsule is being irradiated in the Oak Ridge Research Reactor (ORR) and has exceeded a burnup of 70MWd/kg. The fuel has been operated at linear power rates of 39 and 44kW/m, and peak outer cladding temperature of 565 and 630 0 C respectively. A similar fuel rod in a previous capsule (GB-9) was subjected to 48kW/m (685 0 C). Helium gas sweeps through any portion of the three regions of the fuel rod, namely: fuel, blanket, and charcoal trap. The charcoal trap is operated at about 300 0 C. An on-line Ge(Li) detector is used to analyse release rates of several gamma-emitting noble gas isotopes. Analyses are performed primarily on sweep gas flowing through the entire fuel rod, and for sweeps over the top of the charcoal trap. Sweep gas samples are analyzed for stable noble gas isotopes. Results in the form of ratios of release rate over birth rate (R/B) and venting rate over birth rate (V/B) are derived. R/B rates range from 10 -4 % to 30% while V/B ranges from 10 -6 % to 30%. Flow conductance in the capsule was monitored by recording the flow rate and pressure drop across the fuel rod and inlet sweep line. The flow conductance has been falling with increasing burnup, currently restricting the flow to about 20ml (s.t.p.)/min at a pressure difference of about 1.5MPa. Venting rates of the gaseous fission products as a function of gas pressure in the range 6.9 to 1.4MPa have also been measured. Planned future experiments include the monitoring of tritium release, venting and cladding permeation rates, and its molecular form. First measurements have been made. A simulated leak experiment will determine the mixture of fission gases as a function of flow rate and the most

A gas-phase reactor powered by solar energy and ethanol for H2 production

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Ampelli, Claudio; Genovese, Chiara; Passalacqua, Rosalba; Perathoner, Siglinda; Centi, Gabriele

2014-01-01

In the view of H 2 as the future energy vector, we presented here the development of a homemade photo-reactor working in gas phase and easily interfacing with fuel cell devices, for H 2 production by ethanol dehydrogenation. The process generates acetaldehyde as the main co-product, which is more economically advantageous with respect to the low valuable CO 2 produced in the alternative pathway of ethanol photoreforming. The materials adopted as photocatalysts are based on TiO 2 substrates but properly modified with noble (Au) and not-noble (Cu) metals to enhance light harvesting in the visible region. The samples were characterized by BET surface area analysis, Transmission Electron Microscopy (TEM) and UV–visible Diffusive Reflectance Spectroscopy, and finally tested in our homemade photo-reactor by simulated solar irradiation. We discussed about the benefits of operating in gas phase with respect to a conventional slurry photo-reactor (minimization of scattering phenomena, no metal leaching, easy product recovery, etc.). Results showed that high H 2 productivity can be obtained in gas phase conditions, also irradiating titania photocatalysts doped with not-noble metals. - Highlights: • A gas-phase photoreactor for H 2 production by ethanol dehydrogenation was developed. • The photocatalytic behaviours of Au and Cu metal-doped TiO 2 thin layers are compared. • Benefits of operating in gas phase with respect to a slurry reactor are presented. • Gas phase conditions and use of not-noble metals are the best economic solution

A gas microstrip detector for X-ray imaging with readout of the anode by resistive division

CERN Document Server

Bateman, J E; Lodge, A B; Stephenson, R; Mutikainen, R; Suni, I; Morse, J

2002-01-01

The results are presented of a development programme aimed at the validation of the key concepts and technologies for the construction of a two-dimensional X-ray detector based on gas microstrip detector technology using resistive division along the anode to achieve the second dimension. A prototype detector and its associated electronic readout system have been developed which demonstrate the capability of a spatial resolution (standard deviation) of approximately ((1)/(1000)) of the working aperture combined with readout rates of up to 400 kHz per anode. Test results and a description of the position sensing circuitry are given.

Production of noble gas isotopes by proton-induced reactions on bismuth

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Leya, I.; David, J.-C.; Leray, S.; Wieler, R.; Michel, R.

2008-01-01

We measured integral thin target cross sections for the proton-induced production of He-, Ne-, Ar-, Kr- and Xe-isotopes from bismuth (Bi) from the respective reaction thresholds up to 2.6 GeV. Here we present 275 cross sections for 23 nuclear reactions. The production of noble gas isotopes from Bi is of special importance for design studies of accelerator driven systems (EA/ADS) and nuclear spallation sources. For experiments with proton energies above 200 MeV the mini-stack approach was used instead of the stacked-foil technique in order to minimise the influences of secondary particles on the residual nuclide production. Comparing the cross sections for Bi to the data published recently for Pb indicates that for 4 He the cross sections for Bi below 200 MeV are up to a factor of 2-3 higher than the Pb data, which can be explained by the production of α-decaying Po-isotopes from Bi but not from Pb. Some of the cross sections for the production of 21 Ne from Bi are affected by recoil effects from neighboured Al-foils, which compromises a study of a possible lowering of the effective Coulomb-barrier. The differences in the excitation functions between Pb and Bi for Kr- and Xe-isotopes can be explained by energy-dependent higher fission cross sections for Bi compared to Pb. The experimental data are compared to results from the theoretical nuclear model codes INCL4/ABLA and TALYS. The INCL4/ABLA system describes the cross sections for the production of 4 He-, Kr- and Xe-isotopes reasonably well, i.e. mostly within a factor of a few. In contrast, the model completely fails describing 21 Ne, 22 Ne, 36 Ar and 38 Ar, which are produced via spallation and/or multifragmentation. The TALYS code is only able to accurately predict reaction thresholds. The absolute values are either significantly over- or underestimated. Consequently, the comparison of measured and modelled thin target cross sections clearly indicates that experimental data are still needed because the

Dissociative electron attachment negative ion mass spectrometry: a chlorine-specific detector for gas chromatography

Science.gov (United States)

Curtis, Jonathan M.; Boyd, Robert K.

1997-11-01

This work describes the application of negative ion chemical ionization, optimized for dissociative electron attachment (DEA), to location of unknown trace chlorinated compounds in complex gas chromatograms by selected ion recording (SIR) of m / z 35 and 37. The DEA-SIR technique is compared with other GC detectors, including the electron capture detector, electrolytic conductivity detector, the atomic emission detector and the chemical reaction interface mass spectrometry method, with respect to selectivity for chlorine, sensitivity, linear dynamic range, and general robustness and ease of use. When applied to quantitative analysis of target analytes such as polychlorobiphenyls, the DEA-SIR method has potential problems arising from the possibility of suppression effects due to abundant co-eluting components, and possible alleviating measures are discussed. In addition to these practical investigations, literature information on the fundamental physical and chemical phenomena underlying the DEA process is summarized in order to guide future work on extension to other compound types and on general improvements to the technique.

Development and first tests of GEM-like detectors with resistive electrodes

CERN Document Server

Peskov, Vladimir; Centro, Sandro; Di Mauro, A; Lund-Jensen, B; Martinengo, P; Nappi, E; Oliveira, R; Pietropaolo, F; Picchi, P; Periale, L; Rodionov, I; Ventura, Sandro

2007-01-01

We have developed and tested several prototypes of GEM-like detectors with electrodes coated with resistive layers or completely made of resistive materials. These detectors can operate stably at gains close to 105. The resistive layers limit the energy of discharges appearing at higher gains thus making the detectors very robust. We demonstrated that the cathodes of some of these detectors could be coated by CsI or SbCs layers to enhance the detection efficiency for the UV and visible photons. We also discovered that such detectors can operate stably in the cascade mode and high overall gains ($~10^{6}$) are reachable. Applications in several areas, for example in RICH or in noble liquid TPCs are therefore possible. The first results from the detection of UV photons at room and cryogenic temperatures will be given.

Image simulation of high-speed imaging by high-pressure gas ionization detector

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Miao Jichen; Liu Ximing; Wu Zhifang

2005-01-01

The signal of the neighbor pixels is cumulated in Freight Train Inspection System because data fetch time is shorter than ion excursion time. This paper analyzes the pertinency of neighbor pixels and designs computer simulation method to generate some emulate images such as indicator image. The result indicates the high-pressure gas ionization detector can be used in high-speed digital radiography field. (authors)

Magneto-optical Kerr spectroscopy of noble metals

Science.gov (United States)

Uba, L.; Uba, S.; Antonov, V. N.

2017-12-01

Magneto-optical (MO) response of the noble metals Cu, Ag, and Au in the joint experimental and ab initio theoretical study is reported. The magneto-optical polar Kerr effect (MOKE) spectra of the noble-metal films were measured with the high sensitivity in the applied magnetic field of 1.5 T over the photon energy range 0.74-5.8 eV. Complete set of the optical conductivity tensor elements was determined precisely from the MOKE and the optical spectra measured at the same energy points. The importance of the off-diagonal intraband Drude-type transitions is demonstrated explicitly for each noble metal and found to be a substantial contribution to the observed spectra. It is shown that the first-principles calculations using the spin-polarized fully relativistic Dirac linear-muffin-tin-orbital method with the inclusion of correlation effects by GGA+U approach reproduce well the experimental spectra and allow to explain the microscopic origin of the noble metals' magneto-optical response in terms of interband transitions. Although the energy band structures of Cu, Ag, and Au are very similar, there are some distinctive differences in bandwidths and the energy positions of the bands (especially in X and L symmetry points), mainly due to different spin-orbit splitting and differences in the spatial extent of 3 d , 4 d , and 5 d valence wave functions of noble metals. It was found that the small differences in the band positions lead to significant differences in the MO properties of three noble metals. Although the spin-orbit interaction in Au is about six times larger than in Cu, and approximately two times larger than in Ag, the absolute value of Kerr rotation in Au is of the same magnitude as in Cu and one order of magnitude smaller as compared to Ag. The sharp Kerr effect spectral peak in Ag is not due to the electronic interband transitions, but rather to the plasma-edge splitting. The band-by-band decomposition of the Cu, Ag, and Au MO spectra is presented and the

On the neutralization of noble gas ions in low energy ion scattering

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Draxler, M.

2003-04-01

The set-up ACOLISSA has been set to operation. It was thoroughly tested and found to completely fulfill the requirements for the measurement of charge integrated and of ion TOF-LEIS spectra. Charge integrated scattering spectra in LEIS exhibit a surface peak in many experimental conditions. It was shown that the appearance of this peak is due to a reduced energy width of the contribution from the surface layer and partly due to a reduced energy loss in the surface layer as compared to deeper layers. In the regime of strong multiple scattering, both reasons reflect the fact, that scattering from surface atoms occurs practically exclusively by single binary collisions, while plural and multiple scattering set in in the subsurface layers. As a consequence, only the surface layer and to some extent also the second layer will contribute to the surface peak. Experiment as well as simulation show this behavior, so that other possible reasons for the appearance of a surface peak (e.g. channeling) can safely be ruled out. At high energies, when the multiple scattering half width angle is small, surface effects are mainly caused by electronic stopping and become small, as observed in both, experiment and simulation. In this regime, the energy spectrum is well described by the single scattering spectrum. From the present thesis one can draw the following conclusions concerning the neutralization of noble gas ions at metal surfaces: below the threshold for collision induced processes (CIN, CIR) Ε Εth), P+ is governed by local processes (collision induced neutralization and collision induced reionization) and by a non-local process (Auger neutralization), and thus depends on the energy as well as on vperp. From experiments like the one presented here, where the ion energy as well as the scattering geometry are varied, the process parameters of the neutralization can uniquely be determined for any system. These findings are generally valid and reveal the relevance of different

Acoustic dew point and bubble point detector for gas condensates and reservoir fluids

Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

Sivaraman, A.; Hu, Y.; Thomas, F. B.; Bennion, D. B.; Jamaluddin, A. K. M. [Hycal Energy Research Labs. Ltd., Calgary, AB (Canada)

1997-08-01

Detailed knowledge of bubblepoint and dewpoint pressures at reservoir temperature are crucial for natural gas processing, transportation, metering and utilization. This paper introduces a new acoustic dewpoint and bubblepoint detector that can be applied to a broad range of phase transitions, including very lean gas systems and opaque heavy oils. The system uses two acoustic transducers, one to stimulate and the other to detect normal mode vibrations of reservoir fluids in a small cylindrical resonator. The acoustic spectra are recorded at close intervals throughout the phase envelope, along with temperature, pressure and volume measurements, and the data is processed to obtain the specific condition of phase transition. Results of two systems, a binary mixture and live reservoir fluid, are presented. The detector system is claimed to be capable of operation in an isothermal mode with variable volume, and in a constant volume mode with variable temperatures. Interpretation of results is free of operator subjectivity; they show excellent agreement with results obtained by visual methods and equations of state calculations. 4 refs., 2 tabs., 4 figs.

Integrated environmental modeling system for noble gas releases at the Savannah River Plant

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Cooper, R.E.

1973-01-01

The Savannah River Plant (SRP) is a large nuclear complex engaged in varied activities and is the AEC's major site for the production of weapons material. As a result of these activities, there are continuous and intermittent releases of radioactive gases to the atmosphere. Of these releases, the noble gases constitute about 11 percent of the total man-rem exposure to the population out to a distance of 100 km. Although SRP has an extensive radiological monitoring program, an environmental modeling system is necessary for adequately estimating effects on the environment. The integrated environmental modeling system in use at SRP consists of a series of computer programs that generate and use a library of environmental effects data as a function of azimuth and distance. Annual average atmospheric dispersion and azimuthal distribution of material assumed to be released as unit sources is estimated from a 2-year meteorological data base--assuming an arbitrary point of origin. The basic library of data consists of: ground-level concentrations according to isotope, and whole body gamma dose calculations that account for the total spatial distribution at discrete energy levels. These data are normalized to tritium measurements, and are subsequently used to generate similar library data that pertain to specific source locations, but always with respect to the same population grid. Thus, the total additive effects from all source points, both on- and off-site, can be estimated. The final program uses the library data to estimate population exposures for specified releases and source points for the nuclides of interest (including noble gases). Multiple source points are considered within a single pass to obtain the integrated effects from all sources

Utilization of the noble gases in studies of underground nuclear detonations

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Smith, C.F.

1973-01-01

The Livermore Gas Diagnostics Program employs a number of rare gas isotopes, both stable and radioactive, in its investigations of the phenomenology of underground nuclear detonations. Radioactive gases in a sample are radiochemically purified by elution chromatography, and the separated gases are radioassayed by gamma-ray spectrometry and by internal or thin-window beta proportional counting. Concentrations of the stable gases are determined by mass-spectrometry, following chemical removal of the reactive gases in the sample. The most general application of the noble gases is as device fraction indicators to provide a basis for estimating totals of chimney-gas components. All of the stable rare gases, except argon, have been used as tracers, as have xenon-127 and krypton-85. Argon-37 and krypton-85 have proven to be of particular value in the absence of a good tracer material as reference species for studies of chimney-gas chemistry. The rate of mixing of chimney gases, and the degree to which the sampled gas truly represents the underground gas mixture, can be studied with the aid of the fission-product gases. Radon-222 and helium are released to the cavity from the surrounding rock, and are, therefore, useful in studies of the interaction of the detonation with the surrounding medium

Gas jet disruption mitigation studies on Alcator C-Mod

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Granetz, R.; Whyte, D.G.; Izzo, V.A.; Biewer, T.; Reinke, M.L.; Terry, J.; Bader, A.; Bakhtiari, M.; Jernigan, T.; Wurden, G.

2006-01-01

Damaging effects of disruptions are a major concern for Alcator C-Mod, ITER and future tokamak reactors. High-pressure noble gas jet injection is a mitigation technique which potentially satisfies the operational requirements of fast response time and reliability, while still being benign to subsequent discharges. Disruption mitigation experiments using an optimized gas jet injection system are being carried out on Alcator C-Mod to study the physics of gas jet penetration into high pressure plasmas, as well as the ability of the gas jet impurities to convert plasma energy into radiation on timescales consistent with C-Mod's fast quench times, and to reduce halo currents given C-Mod's high-current density. The dependence of impurity penetration and effectiveness on noble gas species (He, Ne, Ar, Kr) is also being studied. It is found that the high-pressure neutral gas jet does not penetrate deeply into the C-Mod plasma, and yet prompt core thermal quenches are observed on all gas jet shots. 3D MHD modelling of the disruption physics with NIMROD shows that edge cooling of the plasma triggers fast growing tearing modes which rapidly produce a stochastic region in the core of the plasma and loss of thermal energy. This may explain the apparent effectiveness of the gas jet in C-Mod despite its limited penetration. The higher-Z gases (Ne, Ar, Kr) also proved effective at reducing halo currents and decreasing thermal deposition to the divertor surfaces. In addition, noble gas jet injection proved to be benign for plasma operation with C-Mod's metal (Mo) wall, actually improving the reliability of the startup in the following discharge

Visual detection of gas shows from coal core and cuttings using liquid leak detector

Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

Barker, C.E. [United States Geological Survey, Denver, CO (United States)

2006-09-15

Coal core descriptions are difficult to obtain, as they must be obtained immediately after the core is retrieved and before the core is closed in a canister. This paper described a method of marking gas shows on a core surface by coating the core with a water-based liquid leak detector and photographing the subsequent foam developed on the core surface while the core is still in the core tray. Coals from a borehole at the Yukon Flats Basin in Alaska and the Maverick Basin in Texas were used to illustrate the method. Drilling mud and debris were removed from the coal samples before the leak detector solution was applied onto the core surfaces. A white froth or dripping foam developed rapidly at gas shows on the sample surfaces. A hand-held lens and a binocular microscope were used to magnify the foaming action. It was noted that foaming was not continuous across the core surface, but was restricted to localized points along the surface. It was suggested that the localized point foaming may have resulted from the coring process. However, the same tendency toward point gas show across the sample surface was found in some hard, well-indurated samples that still had undisturbed bedding and other sedimentary structures. It was concluded that gas shows marked as separate foam centres may indicate a real condition of local permeability paths. Results suggested that the new gas show detection method could be used in core selection studies to reduce the costs of exploration programs. 6 refs., 4 figs.

New simulated gas detector offers realistic training for mine rescue teams

Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

Bealko, S.B.; Alexander, D.; Chasko, L.L. [National Inst. for Occupational Safety and Health, Pittsburgh, PA (United States). Office of Mine Safety and Health Research; Holtan, J. [LightsOn Safety Solutions, Spring, TX (United States)

2010-07-01

The National Institute for Occupational Safety and Health, together with LightsOn Safety Solutions, evaluated 2 versions of a multi-gas simulated gas monitor system (GMS) in separate field trials with mine rescue teams. This paper described the GMS wireless simulation tool along with its development and testing. It also described the GMS functions for the initial phase of testing as well as plans for the next phase of research which may introduce tracking and automation features. The GMS requires a personal computer and uses a wireless local area network. The GMS teaches mine rescue members about gas detection and helps them understand the importance of gas concentrations. In addition, it promotes decision-making actions by team members and offers a more realistic method of receiving gas concentration readings using a simulated hand-held gas detector. The purpose of the evaluation was to determine if the electronic placard in the GMS could be used by mine rescue teams instead of the currently used cardboard placards, and if the functionality of the device was suitable, reliable and practical. Results from the second field trial demonstrated improvements with the GMS over the original prototype technology, particularly with regards to wireless and connectivity issues. The GMS was successfully incorporated into the mine rescue exercises as planned, with very few problems encountered. 4 refs., 2 figs.

New simulated gas detector offers realistic training for mine rescue teams

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Bealko, S.B.; Alexander, D.; Chasko, L.L.

2010-01-01

The National Institute for Occupational Safety and Health, together with LightsOn Safety Solutions, evaluated 2 versions of a multi-gas simulated gas monitor system (GMS) in separate field trials with mine rescue teams. This paper described the GMS wireless simulation tool along with its development and testing. It also described the GMS functions for the initial phase of testing as well as plans for the next phase of research which may introduce tracking and automation features. The GMS requires a personal computer and uses a wireless local area network. The GMS teaches mine rescue members about gas detection and helps them understand the importance of gas concentrations. In addition, it promotes decision-making actions by team members and offers a more realistic method of receiving gas concentration readings using a simulated hand-held gas detector. The purpose of the evaluation was to determine if the electronic placard in the GMS could be used by mine rescue teams instead of the currently used cardboard placards, and if the functionality of the device was suitable, reliable and practical. Results from the second field trial demonstrated improvements with the GMS over the original prototype technology, particularly with regards to wireless and connectivity issues. The GMS was successfully incorporated into the mine rescue exercises as planned, with very few problems encountered. 4 refs., 2 figs.

A density functional theory study of magneto-electric Jones birefringence of noble gases, furan homologues, and mono-substituted benzenes

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Fahleson, Tobias; Norman, Patrick; Coriani, Sonia; Rizzo, Antonio; Rikken, Geert L. J. A.

2013-01-01

We report on the results of a systematic ab initio study of the Jones birefringence of noble gases, of furan homologues, and of monosubstituted benzenes, in the gas phase, with the aim of analyzing the behavior and the trends within a list of systems of varying size and complexity, and of identifying candidates for a combined experimental/theoretical study of the effect. We resort here to analytic linear and nonlinear response functions in the framework of time-dependent density functional theory. A correlation is made between the observable (the Jones constant) and the atomic radius for noble gases, or the permanent electric dipole and a structure/chemical reactivity descriptor as the para Hammett constant for substituted benzenes

A combined application of hydrochemical, isotope and noble gas methods for determining the origin and age of mineral waters; Kompleksowe zastosowanie metod hydrochemicznych, izotopowych i gazow szlachetnych dla okreslenia genezy i wieku wod mineralnych

Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

Zuber, A. [Institute of Nuclear Physics, Cracow (Poland); Weise, S.M. [GSF-Institut fuer Hydrologie, Oberscheissheim (Germany); Osenbruck, K. [Heidelberg Univ. (Germany); Matenko, T. [P.O. Uzdrowisko Busko-Solec, Busko-Zdroj (Poland); Grabczak, J. [Akademia Ekonomiczna, Wroclaw (Poland)

1996-12-31

Chemical data indicate that mineral waters of Busko and Solec Spas are related to leaching of gypsum and salt inclusions at the some time. Sulfide rich shallow water is shown by isotope and noble gas methods to be of an interglacial or interstadial origin, whereas deep saline water(sulfate reach in Busko and Sulfide reach in Solec) is of the pre-Quaternary origin, from the periods after the last sea transgression in the Badenian. (author). 10 refs, 2 figs.

Long-term deconditioning of gas-filled surge arresters