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At least 127 records · Page 7

Simultaneous wave and particle observations in the auroral kilometric radiation source region

Simultaneous observations from the topside sounder and the soft particle spectrometer onboard the ISIS 1 satellite reveal that very specific conditions on the local electron density and the energetic electron distributions must both occur in the auroral kilometric radiation (AKR) source region. Such regions are associated with inverted V electron precipitation and with depletions in the local electron density. The electron velocity distribution functions obtained near the inverted V peak were found to increase near several keV energy with increasing velocity as required for plasma instability. The electron density observed near the inverted V peak was too high to support AKR for three events investigated, however, and the AKR source was identified with the edge of the inverted V where the density was low (less than or equal to 30/cu cm) in each case. Whereas this density depletion can extend deep into the ionosphere (approximately 1500 km altitude), the severe depletion associated with the AKR density cavity is restricted to higher altitudes (greater than 2750 km for an event studied in detail).

Benson, R. F.↗

Feed network and electromagnetic radiation source

An antenna may include a volume polarization current radiator and a feed network. The volume polarization current radiator, includes a dielectric solid (such as a dielectric strip), and a plurality of closely-spaced excitation elements (24), each excitation element (24) being configured to induce a volume polarization current distribution in the dielectric solid proximate to the excitation element when a voltage is applied to the excitation element. The feed network is coupled to the volume polarization current radiator. The feed network also includes a plurality of passive power divider elements (32) and a plurality of passive delay elements (d1-d6) coupling the first port (30) and the plurality of second ports (108, 109, 164), the plurality of power divider elements (32) and the plurality of phase delay elements (d1-d6) being configured such that a radio-frequency signal that is applied to the first port (30) experiences a progressive change of phase as it is coupled to the plurality of second ports (108, 109, 164) so as to cause the volume polarization current distribution to propagate along the dielectric solid.

47 OTHER INSTRUMENTATION↗

Particle Radiation Sources, Propagation and Interactions in Deep Space, at Earth, the Moon, Mars, and Beyond: Examples of Radiation Interactions and Effects

Particle radiation has significant effects for astronauts, satellites and planetary bodies throughout the Solar System. Acute space radiation hazards pose risks to human and robotic exploration. This radiation also naturally weathers the exposed surface regolith of the Moon, the two moons of Mars, and other airless bodies, and contributes to chemical evolution of planetary atmospheres at Earth, Mars, Venus, Titan, and Pluto. We provide a select review of recent areas of research covering the origin of SEPs from coronal mass ejections low in the corona, propagation of events through the solar system during the anomalously weak solar cycle 24 and important examples of radiation interactions for Earth, other planets and airless bodies such as the Moon.

Schwadron, Nathan A.↗

A novel experimental approach to investigate radiolysis processes in liquid samples using collimated radiation sources

Here is detailed a novel and low-cost experimental method for high-throughput automated fluid sample irradiation. The sample is delivered via syringe pump to a nozzle, where it is expressed in the form of a hanging droplet into the path of a beam of ionising radiation. The dose delivery is controlled by an upstream lead shutter, which allows the beam to reach the droplet for a user defined period of time. The droplet is then further expressed after irradiation until it falls into one well of a standard microplate. The entire system is automated and can be operated remotely using software designed in-house, allowing for use in environments deemed unsafe for the user (synchrotron beamlines, for example). Depending on the number of wells in the microplate, several droplets can be irradiated before any human interaction is necessary, and the user may choose up to 10 samples per microplate using an array of identical syringe pumps, the design of which is described here. The nozzles consistently produce droplets of 25.1 ± 0.5 μl.

46 INSTRUMENTATION RELATED TO NUCLEAR SCIENCE AND ↗

IRAD-MPE Radiation Source Recovery (Day 4) [Slides]

The objective of this module is to review emergency response radiation detection equipment, operational and safety procedures, and best practices for planning that are required to conduct a successful radiological source recovery operation.

61 RADIATION PROTECTION AND DOSIMETRY↗

Bayesian Radiation Source Localization

Locating illicit radiological sources using gamma ray or neutron detection is a key challenge for both homeland security and nuclear nonproliferation. Localization methods using an array of detectors or a sequence of observations in time and space must provide rapid results while accounting for a dynamic attenuating environment. In the presence of significant attenuation and scatter, more extensive numerical transport calculations in place of the standard analytical approximations may be required to achieve accurate results. Numerical adjoints based on deterministic transport codes provide relatively efficient detector response calculations needed to determine the most likely location of a true source. Probabilistic representations account for uncertainty in the source location resulting from uncertainties in detector responses, the approximations that are used, and the potential for nonunique solutions. A Bayesian approach improves on previous likelihood methods for source localization by allowing the incorporation of all available information to help constrain solutions.

98 NUCLEAR DISARMAMENT, SAFEGUARDS, AND PHYSICAL P↗

Terahertz radiation source based on self-wake beam bunching

A table top device for producing high power T-ray beams is described. A rectangular electron beam that can be produced out of a photoinjector via stacking of the laser pulse, and running off-crest of the photoinjector rf is sent through a dielectric loaded waveguide. Due to the beam's self-wake its energy becomes modulated. In the chicane beamline following the dielectric energy-bunching section this energy modulation is converted to a density modulation-a bunch train. The density modulated beam can be sent through a power extraction section, like a dielectric loaded accelerating structure, or simply can intercept a foil target, producing THz radiation of various bandwidths and power levels.

43 PARTICLE ACCELERATORS↗

Including Shielding Effects in Application of the TPCA Method for Detection of Embedded Radiation Sources

Conventional full spectrum gamma spectroscopic analysis has the objective of quantitative identification of all the radionuclides present in a measurement. For low-energy resolution detectors such as NaI, when photopeaks alone are not sufficient for complete isotopic identification, such analysis requires template spectra for all the radionuclides present in the measurement. When many radionuclides are present it is difficult to make the correct identification and this process often requires many attempts to obtain a statistically valid solution by highly skilled spectroscopists. A previous report investigated using the targeted principal component analysis method (TPCA) for detection of embedded sources for RPM applications. This method uses spatial/temporal information from multiple spectral measurements to test the hypothesis of the presence of a target spectrum of interest in these measurements without the need to identify all the other radionuclides present. The previous analysis showed that the TPCA method has significant potential for automated detection of target radionuclides of interest, but did not include the effects of shielding. This report complements the previous analysis by including the effects of spectral distortion due to shielding effects for the same problem of detection of embedded sources. Two examples, one with one target radionuclide and the other with two, show that the TPCA method can successfully detect shielded targets in the presence of many other radionuclides. The shielding parameters are determined as part of the optimization process using interpolation of library spectra that are defined on a 2D grid of atomic numbers and areal densities.

73 NUCLEAR PHYSICS AND RADIATION PHYSICS↗

Recirculating Electron Accelerators with Noncircular Electron Orbits as Radiation Sources for Applications (a Review)

State-of-the-art compact recirculating electron accelerators operating at intermediate energies (tens of MeV) are reviewed. The acceleration schemes implemented in the rhodotron, ridgetron, fantron, and cylindertron machines are discussed. Major accelerator components such as the electron guns, accelerating cavities, and bending magnets are described. The parameters of currently operating recirculating accelerators are tabulated, and applications of these accelerators in different processes of irradiation are exemplified.

43 PARTICLE ACCELERATORS↗

Simulation and mitigation of the magneto-Rayleigh-Taylor instabilities in Z-pinch gas discharge extreme ultraviolet plasma radiation sources

The development and use of a single-fluid two-temperature approximated 2-D Magneto-Hydrodynamics code is reported. Z-pinch dynamics and the evolution of Magneto-Rayleigh-Taylor (MRT) instabilities in a gas jet type Extreme Ultraviolet (EUV) source are investigated with this code. The implosion and stagnation processes of the Z-pinch dynamics and the influence of initial perturbations (single mode, multi- mode, and random seeds) on MRT instability are discussed in detail. In the case of single mode seeds, the simulation shows that the growth rates for mm-scale wavelengths up to 4 mm are between 0.05 and 0.065 ns{sup −1}. For multi-mode seeds, the mode coupling effect leads to a series of other harmonics, and complicates MRT instability evolution. For perturbation by random seeds, the modes evolve to longer wavelengths and finally converge to a mm-scale wavelength approximately 1 mm. MRT instabilities can also alter the pinch stagnation state and lead to temperature and density fluctuations along the Z axis, which eventually affects the homogeneity of the EUV radiation output. Finally, the simulation results are related to experimental results to discuss the mitigations of MRT instability.

70 PLASMA PHYSICS AND FUSION TECHNOLOGY↗

Detection of embedded radiation sources using temporal variation of gamma spectral data.

Conventional full spectrum gamma spectroscopic analysis has the objective of quantitative identification of all the isotopes present in a measurement. For low energy resolution detectors, when photopeaks alone are not sufficient for complete isotopic identification, such analysis requires template spectra for all the isotopes present in the measurement. When many isotopes are present it is difficult to make the correct identification and this process often requires many trial solutions by highly skilled spectroscopists. This report investigates the potential of a new analysis method which uses spatial/temporal information from multiple low energy resolution measurements to test the hypothesis of the presence of a target spectrum of interest in these measurements without the need to identify all the other isotopes present. This method is referred to as targeted principal component analysis (TPCA). For radiation portal monitor applications, multiple measurements of gamma spectra are taken at equally spaced time increments as a vehicle passes through the portal and the TPCA method is directly applicable to this type of measurement. In this report we describe the method and investigate its application to the problem of detection of a radioactive localized source that is embedded in a distributed source in the presence of an ambient background. Examples using simulated spectral measurements indicate that this method works very well and has the potential for automated analysis for RPM applications. This method is also expected to work well for isotopic detection in the presence of spectrally and spatially varying backgrounds as a result of vehicle-induced background suppression. Further work is needed to include effects of shielding, to understand detection limits, setting of thresholds, and to estimate false positive probability.

99 GENERAL AND MISCELLANEOUS↗

Unfolding first and second order diffracted radiation when using synchrotron radiation sources - A technique

A technique is presented of using a single calibrated XUV detector for radiometric measurements of synchrotron radiation after the radiation passes through a monochromator that produces a mixture of first- and second-order diffracted radiation. Irradiance measurements are made with the synchrotron source operating at two different energies for the orbiting electrons. The known change in the spectral distribution produced by the electron energy change is used to calculate the flux in both first and second order. The dependence of the precision of these determinations on the two detected currents and on the detector calibration at both first- and second-order wavelengths is calculated. Experimental results using the National Bureau of Standards synchrotron (SURF-I) are presented, and anticipated results for the new NBS electron storage ring (SURF-II) are calculated.

Saloman, E. B.↗

Simulations of coherent scattering experiments at storage ring synchrotron radiation sources in the hard x-ray range

Detailed simulations of experiments carried out at modern light sources are directly related to the most efficient and productive use of these facilities for research in multiple branches of science and technology. The “Synchrotron Radiation Workshop” computer code with its Python interface, and Sirepo web-browser-based graphical user interface, currently supports physical optics simulations of coherent X-ray scattering and imaging experiments on user-defined virtual samples. We present examples of simulations of coherent scattering experiments that are typically performed at the Coherent Hard X-ray beamline at Brookhaven National Laboratory’s (BNL) National Synchrotron Light Source II. We also present several comparisons of the simulations with the results of actual coherent X-ray scattering experiments with nano-fabricated test samples produced at BNL’s Center for Functional Nanomaterials.

36 MATERIALS SCIENCE↗

Accelerating SNP Development with Radiation Source Approximations for Far-Field Environment Modeling

The successful development and deployment of space nuclear power and propulsion technology requires a high-fidelity, efficient means of modeling ex-core radiation fields. Monte Carlo particle transport codes provide enable the highest level of fidelity in radiation field modeling but are inefficient for modeling ex-core radiation without modification. This paper details the development of an approach to ex-core radiation field modeling that maintains the fidelity of a Monte Carlo transport approach without sacrificing computational efficiency. This approach is based on recent improvements to an existing Monte Carlo transport acceleration technique known as surface source banking. As the transport of many particles is required to ensure adequate uncertainty in far field transport, analytical reconstruction techniques are employed to represent surface source banks as sampleable series of distributions in particle phase from which an arbitrarily large number of particles can be generated and simulated. All steps of this approach are incorporated into an AMA model to test both the underlying mathematics of the analytical source reconstruction process, as well as the relevance of the technique as a whole towards SNP applications. These tests demonstrated that this approach is capable of accelerating far-field radiation modeling in SNP-relevant scenarios by factors of at least nine over purely eigenvalue-based scenarios without significantly sacrificing simulation accuracy.

Surface Source Banking↗

Auroral kilometric radiation source region observations from ISIS 1

The ISIS 1 observations of the high-frequency portion of the auroral kilometric radiation (AKR) spectrum are considered, that is, from the minimum frequency encountered for the extraordinary mode cut-off (approximately 450 kHz) to the upper frequency cut-off (approximately 800 kHz). AKR is found to be generated in the extraordinary mode just above the local cutoff frequency and to emanate in a direction that is nearly perpendicular to the magnetic field. It occurs within local depletions of electron density, where the ratio of plasma frequency to cyclotron frequency is below 0.2. The density depletion is restricted to altitudes above approximately 2,000 km, and the upper AKR frequency limit corresponds to the extraordinary cutoff frequency at this altitude.

Benson, R. F.↗