• Journal of Astronomy and Space Sciences
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• 제35권4호
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• pp.219-225
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• 2018

Cosmic rays are ions that move at relativistic speeds. They generate secondary cosmic rays by successive collisions with atmospheric particles, and then, the secondary particles reach the ground. The secondary particles are mainly neutrons and muons, and the neutrons are observed by the ground neutron monitor. This study compared the diurnal variation in cosmic ray intensity obtained via harmonic analysis and that obtained through the pile-up method, which was examined in a previous study. In addition, we analyzed the maximum phase of the diurnal variation using four neutron monitors with a cutoff rigidity below approximately 6 GV, located at similar longitudes to the Oulu and Rome neutron monitors. Expanding the data of solar cycles 20-24, we examined the time of the maximum cosmic ray intensity, that is, the maximum phase regarding the solar cyclic modulation. During solar cycles 20-24, the maximum phase derived by harmonic analysis showed no significant difference with that derived by the pile-up method. Thus, the pile-up method, a relatively straightforward process to analyze diurnal variation, could replace the complex harmonic analysis. In addition, the maximum phase at six neutron monitors shows the 22-year cyclic variation very clearly. The maximum phase tends to appear earlier and increase the width of the variation in solar cycles as the cutoff rigidity increases.

• Journal of Astronomy and Space Sciences
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• 제37권3호
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• pp.165-170
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• 2020

Muons and neutrons are representative secondary particles that are generated by interactions between primary cosmic ray particles (mostly protons) and the nuclei of atmospheric gas compounds. Previous studies reported that muons experience seasonal variations because of the meteorological effects of temperature. The intensity of neutrons has a typical modulation with various periods and reasons, such as diurnal and solar variation or transient events. This paper reports that cosmic ray particles, which were observed by neutron monitors, have seasonal variations using the daily data at the Oulu neutron monitor. To eliminate the effects of solar activity across time, the daily data were normalized by two different transformations: transformations with respect to the grand mean and yearly mean. The data after transformation with respect to the yearly mean showed more statistical stability and clear seasonal variations. On the other hand, it is difficult to determine if the seasonal variation results from terrestrial effects, such as meteorological factors, or extraterrestrial effects, such as the position of the Earth in its orbit of revolution.

• Nuclear Engineering and Technology
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• 제52권6호
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• pp.1277-1281
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• 2020

A novel ceramic Gas Electron Multiplier (GEM) has been developed to meet the demand of high counting rate for the neutron detection which is an alternative to ³He-based detector at China Spallation Neutron Source (CSNS). An experiment was performed to measure the neutron transmittance of ceramic-GEM and FR4-GEM at the small angle neutron scattering (SANS) instrument. The result showed the ceramic-GEM has higher transmittance and less self-scattering especially for cold neutrons. One single ceramic GEM could give a gain of 10²-10⁴ in the mixture gas of Ar and CO₂ (90%:10%) and its energy resolution was about 27.7% by using ⁵⁵Fe X ray of 5.9 keV. A prototype has been developed in order to investigate the performances of the ceramic GEM-based neutron detector. Several neutron beam tests, including detection efficiency, spatial resolution, two-dimensional imaging, and wavelength spectrum, were carried out at CSNS and China Mianyang Research Reactor (CMRR). The results show that the ceramic GEM-based neutron detector is a good candidate to measure the high intensity neutrons.

• Nuclear Engineering and Technology
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• 제50권1호
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• pp.182-189
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• 2018

A neutron generation system was developed to induce fissile fission in a lead slowing down spectrometer (LSDS) system. The source neutron is one of the key factors for LSDS system work. The LSDS was developed to quantify the isotopic contents of fissile materials in spent nuclear fuel and recycled fuel. The source neutron is produced at a multilayered target by the (e,${\gamma}$)(${\gamma}$,n) reaction and slowed down at the lead medium. Activation analysis of the target materials is necessary to estimate the lifetime, durability, and safety of the target system. The CINDER90 code was used for the activation analysis, and it can involve three-dimensional geometry, position dependent neutron flux, and multigroup cross-section libraries. Several sensitivity calculations for a metal target with different geometries, materials, and coolants were done to achieve a high neutron generation rate and a low activation characteristic. Based on the results of the activation analysis, tantalum was chosen as a target material due to its better activation characteristics, and helium gas was suggested as a coolant. In addition, activation in a lead medium was performed. After a distance of 55 cm from the lead surface to the neutron incidence, the neutron intensity dramatically decreased; this result indicates very low activation.

• Journal of Radiation Protection and Research
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• 제26권3호
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• pp.333-335
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• 2001

The 2 GeV electron linac, the injector of the Pohang Light Source, was used as a photo-neutron source for radiation shielding research. The operational beam parameters are the nominal electron intensity of $0.5\;{\sim}5\;nC/sec$, the repetition rate of 10 Hz, and the beam pulse length of 1.0 nsec. One electron beam line was modified in order to install the target systems for producing pulsed photo-neutrons. The neutron spectrum and intensity were investigated by the time-of-flight technique. The reliable maximum energy of the measured neutrons was about 500 MeV. The number of neutrons above 20 MeV produced by one 1 GeV electron in a thick Pb target was about $6.45{\times}10^{-4}/sr$ at 90 degrees to the beam axis. The status of the photo-neutron source and the application research are presented.

• 대한방사선기술학회지:방사선기술과학
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• 제38권1호
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• pp.39-49
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• 2015

격자 간섭계(grating interferometer)는 방사선 영상분야의 새로운 기술로서, 흡수 영상(absorption imaging)뿐만 아니라 위상차 영상(phase contrast imaging)과 다크필드 영상(dark field imaging)을 제공한다. 격자 간섭계는 크게 탈봇 효과(talbot effect)를 이용하는 탈봇 간섭계와 탈봇-라우 효과(talbot-lau effect)를 이용하는 탈봇-라우 간섭계로 나뉘는데, 일반적인 방사선 영상시스템과 달리 방사선의 간섭을 예측하고 적용하는 것이 중요하다. 본 연구에서는 현재 부산대학교 중성자 및 방사선 공학 연구실에서 보유하고 있는 엑스선 격자 세트와 중성자 격자 세트를 이용하여 탈봇 간섭 패턴 및 탈봇-라우 간섭 패턴을 제작하였다. 이를 통해 방사선의 파동 거동에 따른 간섭 세기의 변화를 예측하고, 격자 간섭계를 구성하는 각 요소들을 계산했다. 그리고 격자의 종류 및 위상차 물체에 대한 탈봇 간섭 패턴 및 탈봇-라우 간섭 패턴을 예측하였다.

• Nuclear Engineering and Technology
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• 제50권1호
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• pp.151-158
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• 2018

The neutron powder diffractometer (NPD) is used to study a variety of technologically important and scientifically driven materials such as superconductors, multiferroics, catalysts, alloys, ceramics, cements, colossal magnetoresistance perovskites, magnets, thermoelectrics, zeolites, pharmaceuticals, etc. Monte Carlo-based codes are powerful tools to evaluate the neutronic behavior of the NPD. In the present study, MCNPX 2.6.0 and Vitess 3.3a codes were applied to simulate NPD facilities, which could be equipped with different optic devices such as pyrolytic graphite or neutron chopper. So, the Monte Carlo-based codes were used to simulate the NPD facility of the 5 MW Tehran Research Reactor. The simulation results were compared to the experimental data. The theoretical results showed good conformity to experimental data, which indicates acceptable performance of the Vitess 3.3a code in the neutron optic section of calculations. Another extracted result of this work shows that application of neutron chopper instead of monochromator could be efficient to keep neutron flux intensity higher than $10^6n/s/cm^2$ at sample position.

• Nuclear Engineering and Technology
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• 제52권3호
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• pp.633-646
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• 2020

Imaging and scattering techniques using thermal neutrons allow to analyze complex specimens in scientific and industrial researches. Owing to this advantage, there have been a considerable demand for neutron facilities in the industrial sector. Among neutron sources, an accelerator driven compact neutron source is the only one that can satisfy the various requirements-construction budget, facility size, and required neutron flux-of industrial applications. In this paper, a target, moderator, and reflector (TMR) system for low-energy proton-accelerator driven compact thermal neutron source was designed via Monte Carlo simulations. For 10-30 MeV proton beams, the optimal conditions of the beryllium target were determined by considering the neutron yield and the blistering of the target. For a non-borated polyethylene moderator, the neutronic properties were verified based on its thickness. For a reflector, three candidates-light water, beryllium, and graphite-were considered as reflector materials, and the optimal conditions were identified. The results verified that the neutronic intensity varied in the order beryllium > light water > graphite, the compacter size in the order light water < beryllium < graphite and the shorter emission time in the order graphite < light water < beryllium. The performance of the designed TMR system was compared with that of existing facilities and were laid between performance of existing facilities.

• 한국방사선학회논문지
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• 제16권3호
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• pp.351-356
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• 2022

전립선암의 방사선치료 시 사용되는 세기조절방사선치료와 부피적회전방사선치료시 발생하는 광중성자선량을 측정하여, 암 발생률을 평가하며 기초자료를 제공하고자 하였다. Rando phantom에 중성자 측정용 광자극발광선량계를 복부와 갑상선에 위치시킨 상태에서 발생하는 광중성자선량을 측정하였다. 연구결과 세기조절방사선치료(7 portal)가 부피적회전방사선치료보다 복부와 갑상선 위치에서 모두 높게 측정되었다. ICRP 103의 명목위험계수를 이용하여 암 발생확률을 평가하였을 때, 세기조절방사선치료시 대장과 갑상선의 피폭으로 인한 암발생확률은 1,000명 당 9.9명 이었으며, 부피적회전방사선치료시는 1,000명 당 3.5명이었다. ALARA(As low as reasonably archievable)원칙에 의거하여 방사선치료계획 수립에 있어서 정상장기들의 피폭선량의 최소화를 위한 가이드라인이 되리라 사료된다.

• Journal of Radiation Protection and Research
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• 제41권2호
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• pp.105-109
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• 2016

Background: For an accelerator-based BNCT, we have fabricated a new detector consisting of quartz optical fibers that have excellent radiation-resistant characteristics. Materials and Methods: The developed detectors were irradiated at Kyoto University Research Reactor. Results and Discussion: The experimental results showed that the new detector had good output linearity for the neutron intensity, and the response of the new detector did not decrease during the irradiation. Conclusion: The new detector consisting of quartz optical fibers can be applied to measurement of neutron field of an accelerator-based BNCT.