Solar neutrino cross sections and nuclear beta decay.
Neutrino production in sun, predicting fluxes and absorption cross sections for transitions from ground states, with reference to beta decay rates
ABSORPTION CROSS SECTION↗
SEARCH · Engineering Papers
Results for “radiative decays”
Search indexed NASA NTRS and DOE OSTI research on propulsion, heat transfer, battery materials and energy systems. Follow report and document links to the original sources.
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Observations of the van allen radiation regions during august and september 1959. 2- the capetown anomaly and the shape of the outer belt
Observations of Van Allen radiation regions by Explorer VI satellite - Capetown anomaly and shape of outer belt, particle trajectories, and neutron albedo decays
GEOMAGNETIC ANOMALY↗
Intensity of a weak 519-keV γ ray following β decay of the superallowed emitter 34 Ar determined via the 33 S(p,γ) 34 Cl reaction
The predominant branch in the β decay of 34 Ar is the superallowed 0 + → 0 + transition to the ground state of 34 Cl. To determine its important branching ratio one must first establish the ratios for the competing Gamow-Teller branches based on the measured intensities of γ rays subsequently emitted from the excited states they populate in 34 Cl. The strongest of these branches populates the 1 + state at 666 keV in 34 Cl, which has three possible γ-decay paths. Here, we report here a measurement of the decay of this state, which we populated via resonant proton capture in the reaction 33 S(p,γ) 34 Cl. We find that the intensity of the 519-keV γ-ray path is 1.46(19)% relative to that of the 666-keV path. This result is critical to new precise measurements of the superallowed decay of 34 Ar.
20 ≤ A ≤ 38↗
System and method for passive assay of holdup deposits in nuclear piping
Disclosed herein are a method, apparatus, and software for passive, non-destructive assay of holdup deposits in nuclear piping by in-pipe apparatus. A detector deployed within a pipe is collimated to observe radiation impinging radially inward from decay of deposits that lie on the pipe wall. A radiation detector is centered in the pipe and collimated by a pair of coaxial shielding discs disposed equidistant from the detector. This arrangement causes radiation from a truncated cylinder of pipe deposit within a field of regard to impinge on the detector, while precluding radiation emanating from pipe walls beyond the field of regard from reaching the detector. Hence, observations are unique to a known cylindrical length of pipe. The detector assembly is translated through pipes by an autonomous mobile robotic apparatus. Computer software controls the robotic apparatus, logs data, and post-processes to assay deposits.
Whittaker, William Lawrence↗
The observed outer-belt electron distribution and the neutron decay hypothesis
Comparison of neutron decay theory and observed outer radiation belt electron distribution
NEUTRON DECAY↗
Nuclear level density and γ -decay strength of Sr 93
This work presents the first experimentally determined nuclear level density and γ-ray strength function of the short-lived fission product 93 Sr, accomplished using the β-Oslo method. Direct measurement of the 92 Sr(n, γ) 93 Sr cross section is not currently possible, as the half-life of 2.66 hours is too short; instead, 93 Sr was formed through β decay of 93 Rb to excitation energies around the neutron separation energy. The γ-ray spectra were measured using a total absorption spectrometer at the National Superconducting Cyclotron Laboratory (NSCL) at Michigan State University (MSU). The statistical properties of the 93 Sr nucleus were experimentally determined, including the γ-ray strength function and nuclear level density. At low energies, the γ-ray strength function exhibits a constant γ-decay strength, rather than a slightly increasing strength with decreasing γ-ray energy as had been previously observed for several nuclei in this mid-mass region. Finally, these statistical properties were then implemented in the reaction code TALYS1.95 to calculate the 92 Sr(n, γ) 93 Sr cross section.
73 NUCLEAR PHYSICS AND RADIATION PHYSICS↗
Elucidating the Radiation-Induced Redox Chemistry of Plutonium Under Used Nuclear Fuel Reprocessing Conditions
Plutonium plays a critical role in the development of sustainable nuclear fuel cycles, and yet, our fundamental understanding of this element’s inherent radiation-induced redox chemistry and associated impacts on nuclear fuel cycle technologies is limited. Unanticipated changes in oxidation state distribution can influence the speciation and transport of plutonium in a given process. Control of these parameters is especially important for used nuclear fuel reprocessing technologies, wherein the separation and recovery of plutonium is typically achieved by the selective formation, maintenance, and complexation of specific oxidation states. Furthermore, plutonium’s inherent radiation-induced redox chemistry has the capacity to influence the radiolytic behavior of its complexes, the longevity of which are critical in the design of efficient and cost-effective advanced reprocessing technologies. These radiation-induced processes are unavoidable under fuel cycle conditions owing to the inherency of ionizing radiation fields to the decay of plutonium’s isotopes and to the various other radioisotopes generated by nuclear fission and neutron-capture process and the subsequent radioactive decay of their products. As such, mechanistically understanding the response of plutonium’s multiple oxidation states to multi-component ionizing radiation fields is essential for predicting the behavior of this critical element under used nuclear fuel reprocessing conditions. Here, through a combination of time-resolved (electron pulse) and steady-state (alpha and gamma) irradiation experiments complemented by quantitative, multiscale modeling calculations, we present advances in our understanding of radiation-induced plutonium redox chemistry!
37 INORGANIC, ORGANIC, PHYSICAL, AND ANALYTICAL CH↗
Decay spectroscopy of 160 Eu: Quasiparticle configurations of excited states and structure of K π = 4 + bandheads in 160 Gd
Background: Detailed spectroscopy of neutron-rich, heavy, deformed nuclei is of broad interest for nuclear astrophysics and nuclear structure. Nuclei in the r-process path and following freeze-out region impact the resulting r-process abundance distribution, and the structure of nuclei midshell in both proton and neutron number helps to understand the evolution of subshell gaps and large deformation in these nuclei. Purpose: We aim to improve the understanding of the nuclear structure of 160 Gd, specifically the K π = 4 + bands, as well as study the β decay of 160 Eu into 160 Gd. Methods: High-statistics decay spectroscopy of 160 Gd resulting from the β-decay of 160 Eu was collected using the GRIFFIN spectrometer at the TRIUMF-ISAC facility. Results: Two new excited states and ten new transitions were observed in 160 Gd. The β-decaying half-lives of the low- and high-spin isomers in 160 Eu were determined, and the low-spin state's half-life was measured to be t 1/2 = 26.0 (8) s, ≈ 16% shorter than previous measurements. Lifetimes of the two K π = 4 + bandheads in 160 Gd were measured for the first time, as well as γ – γ angular correlations and mixing ratios of intense transitions out of those bandheads. Conclusions: Lifetimes and mixing ratios suggest that the hexadecapole phonon model of the K π = 4 + bandheads in 160 Gd is preferred over a simple two-state strong mixing scenario, although further theoretical calculations are needed to fully understand these states. Additionally, the 1999.0-keV state in 160 Gd heavily populated in β decay is shown to have positive parity, which raises questions regarding the structure of the high-spin β-decaying state in 160 Eu.
150 ≤ A ≤ 189↗
Radiative (anti)neutrino energy spectra from muon, pion, and kaon decays
Not Available
72 PHYSICS OF ELEMENTARY PARTICLES AND FIELDS↗
Pseudo-neutrino versus recoil formalism for 4-body phase space and applications to nuclear decay
It is well known that the traditional treatment of radiative corrections that utilizes the “true” neutrino momentum$\overrightarrow{p}_v$ in the differential decay rate formula could lead to a ~α/π systematic error in certain observables due to the mistreatment of 4-body kinematics. Here, I investigate the theory structure of one of the proposed solutions, the “v'-formalism”, in the nonrecoil limit appropriate for neutron and nuclear β decays. I derive an elegant master formula for the 4-body phase space and use it to reanalyze the spectrum-dependent “outer” radiative corrections to the β decay of a polarized spin-half nucleus; a complete set of analytic expressions is provided for readers to straightforwardly obtain the final numerical results. Furthermore, I compare it to the “recoil formalism” where the energy of the recoil nucleus is fixed.
73 NUCLEAR PHYSICS AND RADIATION PHYSICS↗
Beta decay of rb86
Measuring of rubidium 86 beta decay using lithium drifted surface barrier silicon detectors
BETA RADIATION↗
A heavy QCD axion and the mirror world
We study the mirror world with dark matter arising from the thermal freeze-out of the lightest, stable mirror particle — the mirror electron. The dark matter abundance is achieved for mirror electrons of mass 225 GeV, fixing the mirror electroweak scale near 10 8 GeV. This highly predictive scenario is realized by an axion that acts as a portal between the two sectors through its coupling to the QCD and mirror QCD sectors. The axion is more massive than the standard QCD axion due to additional contributions from mirror strong dynamics. Still, the strong CP problem is solved by this ‘heavy’ axion due to the alignment of the QCD and mirror QCD potentials. Mirror entropy is transferred into the Standard Model sector via the axion portal, which alleviates overproduction of dark radiation from mirror glueball decays. This mirror scenario has a variety of signals: (1) primordial gravitational waves from the first-order mirror QCD phase transition occurring at a temperature near 35 GeV, (2) effects on large-scale structure from dark matter self-interactions from mirror QED, (3) dark radiation affecting the cosmic microwave background, and (4) the rare kaon decay, K + → (π + + axion). The first two signals do not depend on any fundamental free parameters of the theory while the latter two depend on a single free parameter, the axion decay constant.
72 PHYSICS OF ELEMENTARY PARTICLES AND FIELDS↗
Additive Manufacturing of Cryogenic Austenitic Steel JK2LB via Wire-Fed Directed Energy Deposition (DED) for Fusion Energy Applications
This study explores the feasibility of fabricating cryogenic austenitic steel JK2LB via both laser-based directed energy deposition (laser-DED) and arc-based directed energy deposition (arc-DED) additive manufacturing processes for potential application in fusion reactors. JK2LB, a low-nickel, high-manganese stainless steel developed for ITER, offers excellent cryogenic toughness, radiation resistance, and decay-to-clearance characteristics. Although JK2LB was originally designed to endure cyclic stresses at cryogenic temperatures in tokamaks, its low-temperature mechanical integrity and radiation tolerance also make it a promising candidate for structural components, such as the coil case/support structure in nonplanar high-temperature superconducting magnet assemblies in stellarators. Directed energy deposition (DED) additive manufacturing was selected for this study due to its capability to fabricate large structures with complex geometries. Here, to address the long lead time and high cost associated with acquiring conventional JK2LB solid wire, JK2LB powder-cored wire was developed as the feedstock material. Testing blocks were then fabricated using both wire-fed laser-DED and arc-DED processes. Microstructural and compositional analyses revealed that both DED approaches yield fully austenitic phase and columnar grain structures. Mechanical testing at room temperature revealed that both DED routes achieved yield strength and elongation comparable to those of conventionally processed JK2LB via vacuum melting, electroslag remelting, extrusion, and drawing, though ultimate tensile strength was reduced due to Mn loss and large columnar grains. As a study mainly focusing on the additive manufacturing process, this work demonstrates the potential of additive manufacturing for fusion energy applications and provides a basis for optimization and future cryogenic mechanical evaluation.
Cryogenic steel↗
Nuclear matrix elements for forbidden beta decay of spheroidal-shaped nuclei.
Nilsson model used to derive expressions for nuclear matrix elements, considering forbidden beta decay of spheroidal-shaped nuclei
PARTICLE EMISSION↗
Material Effects on Electron-Capture Decay in Cryogenic Sensors
Several current searches for physics beyond the standard model are based on measuring the electron-capture (EC) decay of radionuclides implanted into cryogenic high-resolution sensors. The sensitivity of these experiments has already reached the level where systematic effects related to atomic state energy changes from the host material are a limiting factor. One example is a neutrino mass study based on the nuclear EC decay of 7 Be to 7 Li inside cryogenic Ta-based sensors. Here, to understand the material effects at the required level, we use density-functional theory to model the electronic structure of lithium atoms in different atomic environments of the polycrystalline Ta absorber film. The calculations reveal that the Li 1s binding energies can vary by more than 2 eV due to insertion at different lattice sites, at grain boundaries, in disordered Ta, and in the vicinity of various impurities. However, the total range of Li 1s shifts does not exceed 4 eV, even for extreme amorphous disorder. Furthermore, when investigating the effects on the Li 2s levels, we find broadening of more than 5 eV due to hybridization with the Ta band structure. Material effects are shown to contribute significantly to peak broadening in Ta-based sensors that are used to search for physics beyond the standard model in the EC decay of 7 Be, but they do not explain the full extent of observed broadening. Understanding these in-medium effects will be required for current- and future-generation experiments that observe low-energy radiation from the EC decay of implanted isotopes to evaluate potential limitations on the measurement sensitivity.
36 MATERIALS SCIENCE↗
The decay phase of solar flare events
Solar flare radiation data from Pioneer spacecraft, detailing anisotropy, heliocentric longitude gradients, decay time constants and energy spectra
Bukata, R. P.↗
Radiation hard gallium oxide scintillators for high count rate radiation detection
Despite decades of materials research, the availability of appropriate crystalline radiation-hard scintillators with ultrafast decay times (~10ns) and high light yields (>2000 ph/MeV) are still limited. In this study, we demonstrate the potential of gallium oxide (β-Ga 2 O 3 ) based scintillators for high count rate applications. The low-cost rugged β-Ga 2 O 3 scintillators were grown using the optical float zone (FZ) technique. Several dopants and growth atmospheres were used to demonstrate the balance between ultrafast primary decay time and the light yield of the scintillators. Light yields as high as 6446 ± 716 ph/MeV were obtained with 18.3 ns decay time for 662 keV gamma rays. Decay times as fast as 12ns were obtained with a 3212 ± 357 ph/MeV light yield. An excellent 662 keV gamma energy resolution of 7% was obtained using the β-Ga 2 O 3 :Ce crystals. Even with these excellent scintillation properties, the gamma radiation hardness of β-Ga 2 O 3 crystals was better than the leading radiation-hard lead tungstate (PbWO 4 ) crystals. Twenty-six scintillators fabricated from the grown β-Ga 2 O 3 crystals were tested for radiation hardness with a 60 Co gamma irradiation rate of 14 krad/h with a total radiation dose of 2 Mrad. The scintillation properties of these crystals remained unaffected. To date, no other scintillator has demonstrated such high radiation resistance. Furthermore, these FZ-grown low-cost, non-hygroscopic, and high-density β-Ga 2 O 3 scintillators can replace the existing scintillators in many applications ranging from nuclear and high energy physics experiments to nuclear security.
73 NUCLEAR PHYSICS AND RADIATION PHYSICS↗
Nuclear cascades in Saturn's rings - Cosmic ray albedo neutron decay and origins of trapped protons in the inner magnetosphere
The nearly equatorial trajectory of the Pioneer 11 spacecraft through Saturn's high energy proton radiation belts and under the main A-B-C rings provided a unique opportunity to study the radial dependence of the greater than 30 MeV proton intensities in the belts in terms of models for secondary nucleon production by cosmic ray interactions in the rings, in situ proton injection in the radiation belts by neutron beta decay, magnetospheric diffusion, and absorption by planetary rings and satellites. Maximum trapped proton intensities measured by Pioneer 11 in the radiation belts are compared with calculated intensities and found consistent with trapping times of roughly 40 years and a radial diffusion coefficient of about 10 to the -15th L to the 9th R sub s squared/s. Differential energy spectra proportional to E to the -2 estimated from integral measurements of trapped photons with E greater than 100 MeV are consistent with the beta decay model, but an inferred turndown of the spectra toward lower energies and reported integral proton anisotropies of a specified form both indicate the need for more realistic calculations of the neutron source from the rings and the radiation belt loss processes.
Cooper, J. F.↗