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Vehicle Design Data Format and Process for a Complete TARIS and OLTARIS Radiation Analysis for Designers and Engineers

Protecting astronauts from space radiation is a complex task when it comes to modeling and simulation. This document shows what information is needed from a spacecraft designer using CAD (Computer-Assisted Design) at each phase of the design to enable the engineers to evaluate the design phase against space radiation limits to determine the suitability of the design for space flight. The current personal exposure limits are listed in NASA STD-3001. A proxy to determine the REID (Radiation Exposure Induced Death) in NASA STD-3001 is the whole body effective dose equivalent (E or effective dose). For short-term tissue effects, organ-averaged gray equivalent (G (sub T)) is used. The TARIS (Tool for the Assessment of Radiation In Space - for LaRC (Langley Research Center) engineers) and OLTARIS (On-Line TARIS) - for designers) systems are used to generate these response functions. The E can use ICRP60 or NASA Q-values. A possible space radiation design basis environment for short-term tissue effects is described and used in all analyses. A single space vehicle was designed with three astronaut configurations and two of those configurations were used in a storm shelter thickness perturbation analysis. Conversion of the data from the CAD model to input necessary for TARIS and OLTARIS is also discussed in detail with relevant examples.

Singleterry, Robert C.↗

MULTI-OMICS STUDY OF THE EFFECT OF REDOX-ACTIVE METALLOPORPHYRIN ON MURINE RETINA DURING SPACEFLIGHT

Astronauts returning from spaceflight have experienced eye problems, which may decrease retinal performance and lead to long-term effects on visual acuity. This study leverages the collected data from spaceflown murine retinas that were treated with redox-active metalloporphyrin (BuOE) to mitigate spaceflight-induced changes and respective ground controls. 10-week-old adult C57BL/6 male mice (n=5 in each of BuOE treated and saline control groups for spaceflown and ground control samples) were flown on Space-X 24 to the ISS national lab, kept in low earth orbit for 35 days and returned to Earth alive. Our multi-omics analysis of RNA-sequencing and reduced representation bisulfite sequencing (RRBS) data generated from subsequent murine retina tissues uncovered genes, pathways, and epigenetic modifications consistent with therapeutic potential of BuOE. From RNA-Seq analysis of spaceflown murine samples, the treatment group show differentially expressed genes relative to saline controls that reached significance (adjusted p-value < 0.05) and included genes Gpx3 and Crhbp, which are related to protection against cell oxidative damage and cellular response to organonitrogen compounds. Ranked fold-changes from the same contrast were used for gene set enrichment analysis, which showed biological processes reaching significance (adjusted p-value < 0.05) including glutathione metabolic processes and cellular response to xenobiotic stimulus. RRBS data of the spaceflown murine samples found 139 hyper or hypo differentially methylated sites spread across chromosomes 1-19 (20% promoters, 21% exons, 43% introns | 20 CpG islands, 7 CpG shores) with a 10% methylation difference (q-value < 0.05).The findings from this investigation have the potential to provide valuable insights into the molecular mechanisms underlying conditions like spaceflight associated neuro-ocular syndrome and assess the effectiveness of BuOE as a countermeasure for astronauts experiencing neuro-ophthalmic abnormalities, which can lead to long-term effects on visual acuity.

Biostatistics↗

Multi-Omics Study of the Effect of Redox-Active Metalloporphyrin on Murine Retina During Spaceflight

Astronauts returning from spaceflight have experienced eye problems, which may decrease retinal performance and lead to long-term effects on visual acuity. This study leverages the collected data from spaceflown murine retinas that were treated with redox-active metalloporphyrin (BuOE) to mitigate spaceflight-induced changes and respective ground controls. 10-week-old adult C57BL/6 male mice (n=5 in each of BuOE treated and saline control groups for spaceflown and ground control samples) were flown on Space-X 24 to the ISS national lab, kept in low earth orbit for 35 days and returned to Earth alive. Our multi-omics analysis of RNA-sequencing and reduced representation bisulfite sequencing (RRBS) data generated from subsequent murine retina tissues uncovered genes, pathways, and epigenetic modifications consistent with therapeutic potential of BuOE. From RNA-Seq analysis of spaceflown murine samples, the treatment group show differentially expressed genes relative to saline controls that reached significance (adjusted p-value < 0.05) and included genes Gpx3 and Crhbp, which are related to protection against cell oxidative damage and cellular response to organonitrogen compounds. Ranked fold-changes from the same contrast were used for gene set enrichment analysis, which showed biological processes reaching significance (adjusted p-value < 0.05) including glutathione metabolic processes and cellular response to xenobiotic stimulus. RRBS data of the spaceflown murine samples found 139 hyper or hypo differentially methylated sites spread across chromosomes 1-19 (20% promoters, 21% exons, 43% introns | 20 CpG islands, 7 CpG shores) with a 10% methylation difference (q-value < 0.05).The findings from this investigation have the potential to provide valuable insights into the molecular mechanisms underlying conditions like spaceflight associated neuro-ocular syndrome and assess the effectiveness of BuOE as a countermeasure for astronauts experiencing neuro-ophthalmic abnormalities, which can lead to long-term effects on visual acuity.

Biostatistics↗

Low Background Signal Readout Electronics for the MAJORANA DEMONSTRATOR

The MAJORANA DEMONSTRATOR is a planned 40 kg array of Germanium detectors intended to demonstrate the feasibility of constructing a tonne-scale experiment that will seek neutrinoless double beta decay (0 nu beta beta) in Ge-76. Such an experiment would require backgrounds of less than 1 count/tonne-year in the 4 keV region of interest around the 2039 keV Q-value of the beta beta decay. Designing low-noise electronics, which must be placed in close proximity to the detectors, presents a challenge to reaching this background target. This paper will discuss the MAJORANA collaboration's solutions to some of these challenges.

Guinn, I.↗

The Majorana Demonstrator search for neutrinoless double beta decay

The MAJORANA Collaboration is constructing the MAJORANA DEMONSTRATOR, an ultra-low background, modular, HPGe detector array with a mass of 44.8-kg (29.7 kg enriched 88% in 76Ge) to search for neutrinoless double beta decay in 76Ge. The next generation of tonnescale Ge-based neutrinoless double beta decay searches will probe the neutrino mass scale in the inverted-hierarchy region. The MAJORANA DEMONSTRATOR is envisioned to demonstrate a path forward to achieve a background rate at or below 1 count/tonne/year in the 4 keV region of interest around the Q-value of 2039 keV. The MAJORANA DEMONSTRATOR follows a modular implementation to be easily scalable to the next generation experiment. First data taken with the DEMONSTRATOR are introduced here.

Cuesta, C.↗

Topmetal CMOS direct charge sensing plane for neutrinoless double-beta decay search in high-pressure gaseous TPC

We propose a novel charge sensing concept for high-pressure Time Projection Chamber (TPC) to search for Neutrinoless Double-Beta Decay (NLDBD) with ton-scale isotope mass and beyond. A meter-sized plane, tiled with an array of CMOS integrated sensors called Topmetal that directly collect charge without gas avalanche gain, is to be deployed into a high-pressure gaseous TPC with working gases containing suitable NLDBD candidate isotopes such as Xe-136 and Se-82. The Topmetal sensor has an electronic noise <30 e- per pixel, which allows the detector to reach <1% FWHM energy resolution at the NLDBD Q-value for both Xe-136 and 82SeF6 gases by measuring ionization charges alone. The elimination of charge avalanche gain allows the direct sensing of slow-drifting ions, which enables the use of highly electronegative gas SeF6 in which free electrons do not exist. It supports the swapping of working gases without hardware modification, which is a unique way to validate signals against radioactive backgrounds. Since the sensor manufacturing and plane assembling could leverage unaltered industrial mass-production processes, stability, uniformity, scalability, and cost-effectiveness that are required for ton-scale experiments could all be reached. The strengths of TPC such as 3D ionization tracking and decay daughter tagging are retained. This development could lead to a competitive NLDBD experiment at and above ton-scale. The conceptual considerations, simulations, and initial prototyping are discussed.

Mei, Yuan↗

Demonstration of Sub-Percent Energy Resolution in the NEXT-100 Detector

NEXT-100 is a high-pressure xenon time projection chamber with electroluminescent amplification, designed to operate with up to approximately 70.5 kg at 13.5 bar. It is the most recent detector developed by the NEXT collaboration to search for the neutrinoless double-beta decay ($ββ0ν$) of Xe-136. The NEXT gas TPC technology offers the best energy resolution near the Q-value of the decay ($Q_{ββ}$ = 2458 keV) among xenon detectors, which is set by design to be <1% FWHM. We report here the high-energy calibration of the detector using a Th-228 source, demonstrating linear response and an energy resolution of $(0.90 \pm 0.02)$% FWHM at the Tl-208 photopeak (2615 keV). This performance extrapolates to a resolution at the double-beta decay end-point of $R(Q_{ββ})$ = $(0.93 \pm 0.02)$% FWHM, confirming the detector's capability for precision energy measurement in the search for $ββ0ν$.

Pérez Maneiro, M. [Santiago de Compostela U., IGFA↗

Nuclear Data Sheets for A = 43

The experimental data are evaluated for known nuclides of mass number A = 43 (Al,Si,P,S,Cl,Ar,K,Ca,Sc,Ti,V,Cr). Detailed evaluated level properties and related information are presented, including adopted values of level and γ–ray energies, decay data (energies, intensities and placement of radiations), and other spectroscopic data. Here, this work supersedes earlier full evaluations of A = 43 published by 2001Ca24 and 1990En08 (also 1978En04, and 1998En04 update).

73 NUCLEAR PHYSICS AND RADIATION PHYSICS↗

Nuclear Data Sheets for A = 87

The evaluated experimental data are presented for 14 known nuclides of mass 87 (Ga, Ge, As, Se, Br, Kr, Rb, Sr, Y, Zr, Nb, Mo, Tc, Ru). New datasets have been added for {sup 87}Ga, {sup 87}Se, {sup 87}Kr, {sup 87}Rb, {sup 87}Sr, {sup 87}Nb, and {sup 87}Tc. The observation of and new lifetime measurements for {sup 87}As at the NSCL Coupled Cyclotron Facility and the Oak Ridge Isochronous Cyclotron at the HRIBF–ORNL Facility are included in the adopted levels for this isotope. The new evaluation also includes an isomeric level at unknown energy for {sup 87}Tc, changes to the adopted levels for {sup 87}Nb based on newly published data including an extension of the high spin levels and new lifetime measurements, and new heavy ion data for {sup 87}Kr. New high spin levels for {sup 87}Rb were observed, indicating possible neutron core excitations. In addition, the ground state lifetime of {sup 87}Rb has been revised and a new lifetime measurement for an excited level in {sup 87}Rb indicates a possible proton spin flip. New excitation levels have been observed for the first time in {sup 87}Se. New direct and precise measurement of atomic masses of {sup 87}Tc, {sup 87}Mo, {sup 87}Nb, {sup 87}Zr, {sup 87}Mo and {sup 87}Tc have greatly improved the Q value landscape in this mass region. This work supersedes the previous A=87 evaluation published in 2002He09, and Q values for all isotopes were updated to incorporate the mass evaluation in 2012Wa38.

73 NUCLEAR PHYSICS AND RADIATION PHYSICS↗

Nuclear Data Sheets for A = 198

The 2009 version of Nuclear Data Sheets for A=198 (2009Hu11) has been updated and revised on the basis of the experimental results from various decay and reaction studies before December 2014. The experimental data for all known nuclei with mass number A=198 (Re,Os,Ir,Pt,Au,Hg,Tl,Pb,Bi,Po,At,Rn,Fr) have been revised, updated, and incorporated into the ENSDF data file. The experimental methods, references, Jπ arguments, and necessary comments are given in the text. The adopted levels for 198Re and 198Fr are firstly presented in this evaluation. In addition, Q values have been updated based on 2012Wa38.

73 NUCLEAR PHYSICS AND RADIATION PHYSICS↗

Nuclear Data Sheets for A = 42

The experimental data are evaluated for known nuclides of mass number A = 42 (Al, Si, P, S, Cl, Ar, K, Ca, Sc, Ti, V, Cr). Detailed evaluated level properties and related information are presented, including adopted values of level and γ–ray energies, decay data (energies, intensities and placement of radiations), and other spectroscopic data. This work supersedes earlier full evaluations of A = 42 published by B. Singh, J.A. Cameron – Nucl.Data Sheets 92, 1 (2001) and P.M. Endt – Nucl. Phys. A521, 1 (1990); Errata and Addenda Nucl. Phys. A529, 763 (1991); Errata Nucl. Phys. A564, 609 (1993) (also P.M. Endt – Nucl. Phys. A633, 1 (1998) update). No excited states are known in {sup 42}Al, {sup 42}P, {sup 42}V and {sup 42}Cr, and structure information for {sup 42}Si and {sup 42}S is quite limited. There are no decay schemes available for the decay of {sup 42}Al, {sup 42}Si, {sup 42}P, {sup 42}V and {sup 42}Cr, while the decay schemes of {sup 42}Cl and {sup 42}Ti are incomplete in view of scarcity of data, and large gap between their Q–values and the highest energy levels populated in corresponding daughter nuclei. Structures of {sup 42}Ca, {sup 42}K, {sup 42}Sc and {sup 42}Ar nuclides remain the most extensively studied via many different nuclear reactions and decays.

73 NUCLEAR PHYSICS AND RADIATION PHYSICS↗

Initial validation of ALFRED: A Monte Carlo code built on Geant4 for TREAT energy deposition

Predicting the energy deposited in the specimen during an experiment in the Transient Reactor Test (TREAT) Facility is a complex problem due to the nature of the transients occurring in the reactor. In addition, the many particles contributing to energy deposition have different behavior in time and space. ALFRED, a new Geant4 based code, is developed to transport and simulate each particle generated in the core. This code is verified against OpenMC (Open Monte Carlo) on the Godiva benchmark and a simple TREAT model. Next, the energy deposition in TREAT is calculated: 181.05 ± 0.01 MeV for the “instantaneous” energy deposition (which accounts for the energy deposited within 1 s after neutron emission) in fuel and 189.90 ± 0.01 MeV for the total energy deposition in fuel. We discuss these results in this paper with previous calculations and experimental evaluations. This work demonstrates ALFRED’s potential as a high-fidelity tool for computing the spatial and temporal energy deposition in TREAT paving the way for a better understanding of the energy coupling factors in TREAT.

73 - NUCLEAR PHYSICS AND RADIATION PHYSICS↗

Effect of particle pinch on the fusion performance and profile features of an international thermonuclear experimental reactor-like fusion reactor

The evolution of the plasma temperature and density in an international thermonuclear experimental reactor (ITER)-like fusion device has been studied by numerically solving the energy transport equation coupled with the particle transport equation. The effect of particle pinch, which depends on the magnetic curvature and the safety factor, has been taken into account. The plasma is primarily heated by the alpha particles which are produced by the deuterium-tritium fusion reactions. A semi-empirical method, which adopts the ITERH-98P(y,2) scaling law, has been used to evaluate the transport coefficients. The fusion performances (the fusion energy gain factor, Q) similar to the ITER inductive scenario and non-inductive scenario (with reversed magnetic shear) are obtained. It is shown that the particle pinch has significant effects on the fusion performance and profiles of a fusion reactor. When the volume-averaged density is fixed, particle pinch can lower the pedestal density by ∼30%, with the Q value and the central pressure almost unchanged. When the particle source or the pedestal density is fixed, the particle pinch can significantly enhance the Q value by 60%, with the central pressure also significantly raised.

70 PLASMA PHYSICS AND FUSION TECHNOLOGY↗

A study on the high-order mode oscillation in a four-cavity intense relativistic klystron amplifier

The high-order mode oscillation is studied in designing a four-cavity intense relativistic klystron amplifier. The reason for the oscillation caused by high-order modes and a method to suppress these kinds of spurious modes are found through theoretical analyses and the study on the influence of major parameters of a high frequency structure (such as the oscillation frequency of cavities, the cavity Q value, the length of drift tube section, and the characteristic impedance). Based on much simulation, a four-cavity intense relativistic klystron amplifier with a superior performance has been designed, built, and tested. An output power of 2.22 GW corresponding to 27.4% efficiency and 61 dB gain has been obtained. Moreover, the high-order mode oscillation is suppressed effectively, and an output power of 1.95 GW corresponding to 26% efficiency and 62 dB gain has been obtained in our laboratory.

70 PLASMA PHYSICS AND FUSION TECHNOLOGY↗

Statistical sensitivity on right-handed currents in presence of eV scale sterile neutrinos with KATRIN

The KATRIN experiment aims to determine the absolute neutrino mass by measuring the endpoint region of the tritium β-spectrum. As a large-scale experiment with a sharp energy resolution, high source luminosity and low background it may also be capable of testing certain theories of neutrino interactions beyond the standard model (SM). An example of a non-SM interaction are right-handed currents mediated by right-handed W bosons in the left-right symmetric model (LRSM). In this extension of the SM, an additional SU(2){sub R} symmetry in the high-energy limit is introduced, which naturally includes sterile neutrinos and predicts the seesaw mechanism. In tritium β decay, this leads to an additional term from interference between left- and right-handed interactions, which enhances or suppresses certain regions near the endpoint of the beta spectrum. In this work, the sensitivity of KATRIN to right-handed currents is estimated for the scenario of a light sterile neutrino with a mass of some eV. This analysis has been performed with a Bayesian analysis using Markov Chain Monte Carlo (MCMC). The simulations show that, in principle, KATRIN will be able to set sterile neutrino mass-dependent limits on the interference strength. The sensitivity is significantly increased if the Q value of the β decay can be sufficiently constrained. However, the sensitivity is not high enough to improve current upper limits from right-handed W boson searches at the LHC.

72 PHYSICS OF ELEMENTARY PARTICLES AND FIELDS↗

Gravitational wave production from preheating: parameter dependence

Parametric resonance is among the most efficient phenomena generating gravitational waves (GWs) in the early Universe. The dynamics of parametric resonance, and hence of the GWs, depend exclusively on the resonance parameter q . The latter is determined by the properties of each scenario: the initial amplitude and potential curvature of the oscillating field, and its coupling to other species. Previous works have only studied the GW production for fixed value(s) of q . We present an analytical derivation of the GW amplitude dependence on q , valid for any scenario, which we confront against numerical results. By running lattice simulations in an expanding grid, we study for a wide range of q values, the production of GWs in post-inflationary preheating scenarios driven by parametric resonance. We present simple fits for the final amplitude and position of the local maxima in the GW spectrum. Our parametrization allows to predict the location and amplitude of the GW background today, for an arbitrary q . The GW signal can be rather large, as h {sup 2Ω}{sub GW}( f {sub p} ) ∼< 10{sup −11}, but it is always peaked at high frequencies f {sub p} ∼> 10{sup 7} Hz. We also discuss the case of spectator-field scenarios, where the oscillatory field can be e.g. a curvaton, or the Standard Model Higgs.

79 ASTRONOMY AND ASTROPHYSICS↗

Analysis of the role of neutron transfer in asymmetric fusion reactions at subbarrier energies

The excitation functions were measured for the {sup 28}Si + {sup 208}Pb complete-fusion (capture) reaction at deep subbarrier energies. The results were compared with the cross sections predicted within the quantum diffusion approach. The role of neutron transfer in the case of positive Q values in the {sup 28}Si + {sup 124}Sn, {sup 208}Pb; {sup 30}Si + {sup 124}Sn, {sup 208}Pb; {sup 20}Ne + {sup 208}Pb; {sup 40}Ca + {sup 96}Zr; and {sup 134}Te + {sup 40}Ca complete-fusion (capture) reactions is discussed.

73 NUCLEAR PHYSICS AND RADIATION PHYSICS↗

Fission Product Chain Yield Measurements [Slides]

Fission product chain yields were historically determined by chemical separation and beta counting of fissile samples irradiated in carefully controlled fission chamber experiments. These measurements provided the means to extract absolute fission product yields (yield per fission, or Y $\mathcal{i}$ /$\mathcal{f}$ for the $\mathcal{i}$ $\mathcal{th}$ fission product) that are included in the international nuclear data libraries, and ultimately used to model and characterize multiplying systems. However, reevaluations conducted at Los Alamos National Lab and Lawrence Livermore National Lab in 2005-2009 for neutron-induced fission of 235 U and 239 Pu highlighted disagreement among many of the measurements. This led to several new, targeted experimental programs to resolve these disagreements. In this presentation we will highlight recent efforts to address these discrepancies using energy-integral measurements at the National Criticality Experiments Research Center (NCERC) and outline our plans to complete the work over the next several years.

46 INSTRUMENTATION RELATED TO NUCLEAR SCIENCE AND ↗