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At least 19 records

Nuclear Data Sheets for A = 28

Evaluated spectroscopic data and level schemes from radioactive decay and nuclear reaction studies are presented for {sup 28}F, {sup 28}Ne, {sup 28}Na, {sup 28}Mg, {sup 28}Al, {sup 28}Si, {sup 28}P, and {sup 28}S. This evaluation for A=28 supersedes the earlier evaluations by P.M. Endt (1998En04 and 1990En08). However, additional/detailed data for these nuclides can be found in earlier evaluations 1978En02 and 1973EnVA also by P.M. Endt.

73 NUCLEAR PHYSICS AND RADIATION PHYSICS↗

Form factors for dark matter capture by the Sun in effective theories

In the effective theory of isoscalar and isovector dark matter-nucleon interactions mediated by a heavy spin-1 or spin-0 particle, 8 isotope-dependent nuclear response functions can be generated in the dark matter scattering by nuclei. We compute the 8 nuclear response functions for the 16 most abundant elements in the Sun, i.e. H, {sup 3}He, {sup 4}He, {sup 12}C, {sup 14}N, {sup 16}O, {sup 20}Ne, {sup 23}Na, {sup 24}Mg, {sup 27}Al, {sup 28}Si, {sup 32}S, {sup 40}Ar, {sup 40}Ca, {sup 56}Fe, and {sup 59}Ni, through numerical shell model calculations. We use our response functions to compute the rate of dark matter capture by the Sun for all isoscalar and isovector dark matter-nucleon effective interactions, including several operators previously considered for dark matter direct detection only. We study in detail the dependence of the capture rate on specific dark matter-nucleon interaction operators, and on the different elements in the Sun. We find that a so far neglected momentum dependent dark matter coupling to the nuclear vector charge gives a larger contribution to the capture rate than the constant spin-dependent interaction commonly included in dark matter searches at neutrino telescopes. Our investigation lays the foundations for model independent analyses of dark matter induced neutrino signals from the Sun. The nuclear response functions obtained in this study are listed in analytic form in an appendix, ready to be used in other projects.

72 PHYSICS OF ELEMENTARY PARTICLES AND FIELDS↗

Acetylcholine released from cholinergic nerves contributes to cutaneous vasodilation during heat stress

Nitric oxide (NO) contributes to active cutaneous vasodilation during a heat stress in humans. Given that acetylcholine is released from cholinergic nerves during whole body heating, coupled with evidence that acetylcholine causes vasodilation via NO mechanisms, it is possible that release of acetylcholine in the dermal space contributes to cutaneous vasodilation during a heat stress. To test this hypothesis, in seven subjects skin blood flow (SkBF) and sweat rate were simultaneously monitored over three microdialysis membranes placed in the dermal space of dorsal forearm skin. One membrane was perfused with the acetylcholinesterase inhibitor neostigmine (10 microM), the second membrane was perfused with the NO synthase inhibitor N(G)-nitro-l-arginine methyl ester (l-NAME; 10 mM) dissolved in the aforementioned neostigmine solution (l-NAME(Neo)), and the third membrane was perfused with Ringer solution as a control site. Each subject was exposed to approximately 20 min of whole body heating via a water-perfused suit, which increased mean body temperature from 36.4 +/- 0.1 to 37.5 +/- 0.1 degrees C (P < 0.05). After the heat stress, SkBF at each site was normalized to its maximum value, identified by administration of 28 mM sodium nitroprusside. Mean body temperature threshold for cutaneous vasodilation was significantly lower at the neostigmine-treated site relative to the other sites (neostigmine: 36.6 +/- 0.1 degrees C, l-NAME(Neo): 37.1 +/- 0.1 degrees C, control: 36.9 +/- 0.1 degrees C), whereas no significant threshold difference was observed between the l-NAME(Neo)-treated and control sites. At the end of the heat stress, SkBF was not different between the neostigmine-treated and control sites, whereas SkBF at the l-NAME(Neo)-treated site was significantly lower than the other sites. These results suggest that acetylcholine released from cholinergic nerves is capable of modulating cutaneous vasodilation via NO synthase mechanisms early in the heat stress but not after substantial cutaneous vasodilation.

Non-NASA Center↗

23 Na nuclear magnetic resonance study of yNa 2 S +(1-y)[xSiS 2 + (1-x)PS 5/2 ] glassy solid electrolytes

23 Na NMR spin lattice relaxation times, T 1 , and central linewidths were obtained for y Na 2 S +(1-y)[xSiS 2 + (1-x)PS 5/2 ] glassy solid electrolytes for two series of glasses, y=0.5 and 0.67, and x=0.1, 0.3, 0.5, 0.7, and 0.9. No pronounced mixed glass former effect in the activation energy was recorded within experimental uncertainty for either series of glasses. Energy barriers to sodium motion were calculated using the Anderson-Stuart model for the y=0.67 sample, and the results suggested that the energy barriers as a function of composition are strongly influenced by the dielectric constant of these glasses. DC Na + ion conductivity values calculated using NMR-derived correlation times, an available Na + ion site coordination number in the range z=3–4, and an energy cutoff determined from the critical percolation threshold, were in agreement with the increasing trend in the experimental values for the y=0.67 glasses. Using the same model, the conductivity values were calculated for the y=0.50 glasses, which have as yet to be measured, and these revealed a decreasing conductivity as x increased. Sodium NMR second moment studies showed that the cation spatial arrangement followed a homogeneous distribution for y=0.50 and 0.67 samples over most of the composition range, but deviated significantly away from this above a sodium concentration of 1.85 ×10 28 m -3 , implying a tendency for sodium to cluster under these conditions.

79 ASTRONOMY AND ASTROPHYSICS↗

Potential limits of capacitive deionization and membrane capacitive deionization for water electrolysis

Water electrolysis can delay the operation of capacitive deionization (CDI) and membrane CDI (MCDI). Here, we investigate the overpotential limits of CDI and MCDI (OP-MCDI) for water electrolysis and desalination performance. For sodium chloride concentrations of ~28,460 ppm, MCDI with mesoporous carbon electrodes could be operated at up to 2.4 V without water electrolysis, and the salt-adsorption capacity of the OP-MCDI system at 2.4 V was about two times greater than that of the MCDI at 1.2 V. This study offers an opportunity to extend the applicability of conventional CDI and MCDI systems for desalination of low-salinity solutions.

37 INORGANIC, ORGANIC, PHYSICAL, AND ANALYTICAL CH↗

Do Lower Calorie or Lower Fat Foods Have More Sodium Than Their Regular Counterparts?

The objective of this study was to compare the sodium content of a regular food and its lower calorie/fat counterpart. Four food categories, among the top 20 contributing the most sodium to the US diet, met the criteria of having the most matches between regular foods and their lower calorie/fat counterparts. A protocol was used to search websites to create a list of “matches”, a regular and comparable lower calorie/fat food(s) under each brand. Nutrient information was recorded and analyzed for matches. In total, 283 matches were identified across four food categories: savory snacks (N = 44), cheese (N = 105), salad dressings (N = 90), and soups (N = 44). As expected, foods modified from their regular versions had significantly reduced average fat (total fat and saturated fat) and caloric profiles. Mean sodium content among modified salad dressings and cheeses was on average 8%–12% higher, while sodium content did not change with modification of savory snacks. Modified soups had significantly lower mean sodium content than their regular versions (28%–38%). Consumers trying to maintain a healthy diet should consider that sodium content may vary in foods modified to be lower in calories/fat.

60 APPLIED LIFE SCIENCES↗

Thermal Hydraulic Experimental Test Article: Second Year of Testing with Secondary Sodium System (Fiscal Year 2025 Final Report)

The Thermal Hydraulic Experimental Test Article (THETA) is currently installed in the Mechanisms Engineering Test Loop (METL) 28” test vessel #4. Both the primary and secondary sodium systems remain online to facilitate continued testing. This fiscal year, work was performed using a COMSOL Multiphysics magnetohydrodynamic model to characterize flow more accurately in the secondary electromagnetic flowmeters. Experimental campaigns were then performed to study the thermal hydraulic differences between sodium and water as a surrogate fluid in the THETA geometry as well as a study to better characterize and understand temperature oscillations that exist at the outlet of the core to the hot pool. A peer-reviewed article was published in the ASME Journal of Nuclear Engineering and Radiation Science detailing the THETA facility and providing an overview of a test that was performed with the primary and secondary system online [1]. Work continues to develop a database to house experimental THETA data to better facilitate collaboration with industry and laboratory partners for their use of the data for code benchmarking/validation. THETA remains fully operational and is positioned for continued testing in fiscal year 2026.

21 SPECIFIC NUCLEAR REACTORS AND ASSOCIATED PLANTS↗

Fermi surface studies of the low-temperature structure of sodium

Sodium is the most abundant alkali-metal element and has one of the simplest electronic structures of any metal. At ambient conditions, sodium forms a body-centered-cubic lattice. However, during cooling, it undergoes a partial martensitic phase transition to a complex mixture of rhombohedral polytypes commencing from 36 K. Although the Fermi surface (FS) of bcc sodium has been extensively studied, not much attention has been given to the FS of the martensite structure. Here we report results for the Fermi surface and quantum oscillation (QO) frequencies of several energetically favorable crystal structures of Na at low temperature from first-principles calculations. Interestingly we find that despite drastic differences in the crystal structures of the candidate low-temperature phases of sodium, for all these phases the strongest quantum oscillation peak is centered at 28 kT. Our theoretical results are accompanied by experimental data of QO on a multigrain sodium sample at T = 0.3 K and B max = 18 T exhibiting a sharp peak at 28 kT, independent of the sample orientation. The persistence of this peak even in the presence of the structural transitions has an implication for using the quantum oscillations of polycrystalline sodium for high magnetic field calibration.

75 CONDENSED MATTER PHYSICS, SUPERCONDUCTIVITY AND↗

Understanding and improving model representation of aerosol optical properties for a Chinese haze event measured during KORUS-AQ

KORUS-AQ was an international cooperative air quality field study in South Korea that measured local and remote sources of air pollution affecting the Korean Peninsula during May–June 2016. Some of the largest aerosol mass concentrations were measured during a Chinese haze transport event (24 May). Air quality forecasts using the WRF-Chem model with aerosol optical depth (AOD) data assimilation captured AOD during this pollution episode but overpredicted surface particulate matter concentrations in South Korea, especially PM 2.5 , often by a factor of 2 or larger. Analysis revealed multiple sources of model deficiency related to the calculation of optical properties from aerosol mass that explain these discrepancies. Using in situ observations of aerosol size and composition as inputs to the optical properties calculations showed that using a low-resolution size bin representation (four bins) underestimates the efficiency with which aerosols scatter and absorb light (mass extinction efficiency). Besides using finer-resolution size bins (8–16 bins), it was also necessary to increase the refractive indices and hygroscopicity of select aerosol species within the range of values reported in the literature to achieve better consistency with measured values of the mass extinction efficiency (6.7 m 2 g –1 observed average) and light-scattering enhancement factor (ƒ(RH)) due to aerosol hygroscopic growth (2.2 observed average). Furthermore, an evaluation of the optical properties obtained using modeled aerosol properties revealed the inability of sectional and modal aerosol representations in WRF-Chem to properly reproduce the observed size distribution, with the models displaying a much wider accumulation mode. Other model deficiencies included an underestimate of organic aerosol density (1.0 g cm –3 in the model vs. observed average of 1.5 g cm –3 ) and an overprediction of the fractional contribution of submicron inorganic aerosols other than sulfate, ammonium, nitrate, chloride, and sodium corresponding to mostly dust (17 %–28 % modeled vs. 12 % estimated from observations). These results illustrate the complexity of achieving an accurate model representation of optical properties and provide potential solutions that are relevant to multiple disciplines and applications such as air quality forecasts, health impact assessments, climate projections, solar power forecasts, and aerosol data assimilation.

54 ENVIRONMENTAL SCIENCES↗

Understanding and Improving Model Representation of Aerosol Optical Properties for a Chinese Haze Event Measured During KORUS-AQ

KORUS-AQ was an international cooperative air quality field study in South Korea that measured local and remote sources of air pollution affecting the Korean Peninsula during May–June 2016. Some of the largest aerosol mass concentrations were measured during a Chinese haze transport event (24 May). Air quality forecasts using the WRF-Chem model with aerosol optical depth (AOD) data assimilation captured AOD during this pollution episode but overpredicted surface particulate matter concentrations in South Korea, especially PM2.5, often by a factor of 2 or larger. Analysis revealed multiple sources of model deficiency related to the calculation of optical properties from aerosol mass that explain these discrepancies. Using in situ observations of aerosol size and composition as inputs to the optical properties calculations showed that using a low-resolution size bin representation (four bins) underestimates the efficiency with which aerosols scatter and absorb light (mass extinction efficiency). Besides using finer-resolution size bins (8–16 bins), it was also necessary to increase the refractive indices and hygroscopicity of select aerosol species within the range of values reported in the literature to achieve better consistency with measured values of the mass extinction efficiency (6.7 m2 g−1 observed average) and light-scattering enhancement factor (f(RH)) due to aerosol hygroscopic growth (2.2 observed average). Furthermore, an evaluation of the optical properties obtained using modeled aerosol properties revealed the inability of sectional and modal aerosol representations in WRF-Chem to properly reproduce the observed size distribution, with the models displaying a much wider accumulation mode. Other model deficiencies included an underestimate of organic aerosol density (1.0 g cm−3 in the model vs. observed average of 1.5 g cm−3) and an overprediction of the fractional contribution of submicron inorganic aerosols other than sulfate, ammonium, nitrate, chloride, and sodium corresponding to mostly dust (17 %–28 % modeled vs. 12 % estimated from observations). These results illustrate the complexity of achieving an accurate model representation of optical properties and provide potential solutions that are relevant to multiple disciplines and applications such as air quality forecasts, health impact assessments, climate projections, solar power forecasts, and aerosol data assimilation.

Pablo E. Saide↗

Investigation of Thermolytic Hydrogen Generation Rate in Tank 28 and Tank 39 Samples

This report contains hydrogen generation rate (HGR) measurements of Tank 28 and Tank 39 radioactive samples with and without added glycolate as a function of temperature. The objective of the Tank 28 and Tank 39 HGR measurements is to extend the knowledge from previous sample thermolysis HGR measurements and augment simulant testing for developing models for the Savannah River Site (SRS) Concentration, Storage, and Transfer Facilities (CSTF) thermolysis HGR with and without added glycolate. Tank 28 testing is applicable to concentrated salt supernate, legacy organic compounds resulting from the F-Canyon processes and boiling in the 3H-Evaporator System. Tank 39 testing is applicable to moderately concentrated salt supernate and organic compounds in fresh waste from the H-Canyon processes. For HGR tests with added sodium glycolate, the glycolate concentrations added to Tank 28 (500 mg/L) and Tank 39 (2000 mg/L) are based on concentrations expected to result in quantifiable HGR between temperatures of 70 °C and the atmospheric pressure boiling point. The added glycolate is much higher than the expected future glycolate concentrations in Tank 28, Tank 39, and similar CSTF tanks.

12 MANAGEMENT OF RADIOACTIVE AND NON-RADIOACTIVE W↗

Boron cosmochemistry

The abundances of boron, silicon, sulfur, and sodium were determined in 50 pieces of 28 chondritic meteorites. Boron abundances are found to define compositionally distinct domains within type C2M carbonaceous chondrites and petrologic type 5 and 6 ordinary chondrites. These domains may manifest the redistribution of boron within meteorites in response to low-temperature hydrous processes in C2M chondrites and high-temperature metamorphic processes in high petrologic type ordinary chondrites. Assuming that the redistribution was limited to regions comparable in size to the mass of the available meteorites, the boron abundance in unaltered material is determined. The depletion factors for boron in chondritic subgroups correlate with those for sulfur in the same subgroups. This correlation indicates that boron, like sulfur, is a moderately volatile element with a condensation temperature between 400 and 900 K.

Curtis, D. B.↗

Thermal Hydraulic Experimental Test Article - Fiscal Year 2023 (Final Report)

The Thermal Hydraulic Experimental Test Article (THETA) is a facility that is used to develop sodium components and instrumentation as well as acquire experimental data for validation of reactor thermal hydraulic and safety analysis codes. The facility simulates nominal conditions as well as protected/unprotected loss of flow accidents in a sodium-cooled fast reactor (SFR). High fidelity distributed temperature profiles of the developed flow field may be acquired with Rayleigh backscatter based optical fiber temperature sensors. The facility was designed in partnership with systems code experts to tailor the experiment to ensure the most relevant and highest quality data for code validation. THETA is comprised of a traditional primary coolant and secondary coolant system. The primary system is submerged in the pool of sodium and consists of a pump, electrically heated core, intermediate heat exchanger, and connected piping and thermal barriers (redan). The secondary system, located outside of the sodium pool, consists of a pump, sodium to air heat exchanger, and connected piping and valves. To date a test matrix has been completed utilizing the primary system of THETA. These tests, along with computational fluid dynamics and systems code models, determined the heat transfer across the core barrel and intermediate heat exchanger outlet was too great to effectively represent scaled thermal hydraulic phenomena of a liquid metal cooled reactor. Therefore, a significant effort was made to remove the primary system from the METL 28” test vessel #4 and clean the residual sodium from the primary system to facilitate upgrades. Thermal insulation was then incorporated in the core barrel and intermediate heat exchanger outlets. The primary system was then replaced, and a series of tests were performed to assess the performance of the thermal insulation. With primary system testing and upgrades complete, the secondary system could then be brought online. The tube side of the shell-and-tube intermediate heat exchanger was installed onto the primary system flange to begin installing the secondary system. The support structure for the secondary system was then erected on the METL mezzanine alongside the THETA primary system to facilitate installation of the secondary system components (sodium-to-air heat exchanger, flowmeter and pump). The piping and expansion tank were welded into the secondary system. Non-destructive examination of the secondary system welds was completed in order to satisfy ASME B31.3 pipe code for class M process fluids. The heating system and insulation were then added to prepare the system to be filled with sodium. The ancillary electrical equipment was installed which included the pump control box, blower VFD, pipe heater control system, etc. The secondary system will be filled, and a test matrix will be completed in early FY2024.

21 SPECIFIC NUCLEAR REACTORS AND ASSOCIATED PLANTS↗

The response of Dahl salt-sensitive and salt-resistant female rats to a space flight model

Vitamin D metabolism in the Dahl salt-sensitive (S) rat, a model of salt-induced hypertension, differs from that in the Dahl salt-resistant (R) rat. We have tested the hypothesis that differences in vitamin D metabolism would render the Dahl S rat more susceptible than the Dahl R rat to the effects of a space flight model. Dahl female rats were tail suspended (hind limb unloaded) for 28 days, while fed a low salt (3 g/kg sodium chloride) diet. Plasma 25-OHD concentrations of S rats were significantly lower than that of R rats. Plasma 1,25-(OH)2D concentration was 50% lower in unloaded than in loaded S rats, but was unaffected in unloaded R rats. The left soleus muscle weight and breaking strength of the left femur (torsion test) were 50% and 25% lower in unloaded than in loaded S and R rats. The mineral content of the left femur, however, was significantly lower (by 11%) only in unloaded S rats. We conclude that female S rats are more vulnerable than female R rats to decreases in plasma 1,25-(OH)2D concentration and femur mineral content during hind limb unloading, but equally vulnerable to muscle atrophy and reduced breaking strength of the femur.

NASA Program Biomedical Research and Countermeasur↗

Fundamental Study on Effects of Borate on the Sorption of Cesium ions to Calcium Silicate Hydrate - 18068

The effects of borate on the formation of calcium silicate hydrate (C-S-H) and the Cs sorption behavior were examined by the sorption experiments without drying process. C-S-H was prepared by mixing calcium oxide, fumed silica, and sodium-borate solution in a glove bag filled with nitrogen gas. The volume of sodium borate solution was 30 mL, in order to adjust the liquid/solid weight ratio to 20. The Ca/Si molar ratio of C-S-H was adjusted so as to be 0.4, 0.8, 1.2, and 1.6. The concentration of sodium borate was set to the range from 0 to 600 mM in the sample solution. The solution of cesium chloride was added to the each sample for setting the initial concentration of Cs ions to 1 mM. The samples were cured in a shaking chamber at 298 K and 120 strokes/min during 7 days. In addition, for estimating the curing-period dependencies, the curing period was set to the range from 0.5 to 28 days for the condition of 0 M or 400 M sodium borate. In the results, under the conditions of the borate concentration up to 200 mM, the sorption behavior of Cs ions to C-S-H was hardly different from those without borate, while the sorption ratio of Cs ions for the borate concentration of 400 mM or more decreased by down to 46% compared with the blank samples. However, the sorption ratio of Cs ions in the case of 400 mM borate increased and reached as much as that for the blank sample until 28 days. Besides, the Raman spectra of solid phase showed that the peak derived from boric acid or borate (calcium borate or calcium borosilicate hydrate) appeared under the high concentration conditions of borate, and the peak of the silica chain of C-S-H was weakened. Considering the practical concentration of borate and much longer period for the performance assessment of the solidified wastes, the immobilization properties for Cs ions of cementitious materials contained borate will be kept appropriately in the disposal system for low-level wastes. (authors)

37 INORGANIC, ORGANIC, PHYSICAL, AND ANALYTICAL CH↗

High Sodium Solubility in Magnesiowüstite in Iron‐Rich Deep Lower Mantle

Abstract (Mg,Fe)O ferropericlase‐magnesiowüstite has been proposed to host the majority of Earth's sodium, but the mechanism and capacity for incorporating the alkali cation remain unclear. In this work, experiments in the laser‐heated diamond anvil cell and first‐principles calculations determine the solubility of sodium and favorability of sodium incorporation in iron‐rich magnesiowüstite relative to (Mg,Fe)SiO 3 bridgmanite. Reaction of Mg/(Mg + Fe) (Mg#) 55 and 28 olivine with NaCl at 33–128 GPa and 1600–3000 K produces iron‐rich magnesiowüstite containing several percent sodium, while iron‐rich bridgmanite contains little to no detectable sodium. In sodium‐saturated magnesiowüstite, sodium number [Na/(Na + Mg + Fe)] is 2–5 atomic percent at pressures below 60 GPa and drastically increases to 10–20 atomic percent at deep lower mantle pressures. For these two compositions, there is no significant dependence of the results on Mg#. Our calculations not only show consistent results with experiments but further indicate that such an increase in solubility and partitioning of Na into magnesiowüstite is driven by the spin transition in iron. These results provide fundamental constraints on the crystal chemistry of sodium at lower‐mantle conditions. If the sodium capacity of (Mg,Fe)O is not strongly dependent on Mg#, (Mg,Fe)O in the lower mantle may have the capacity to store the entire sodium budget of the Earth.

Geochemistry & Geophysics↗