• Nuclear Engineering and Technology
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• 제46권2호
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• pp.273-280
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• 2014

The spectrum weighted responses of various detectors were calculated to provide guidance on the proper selection and use of survey instruments on the basis of their energy response characteristics on the neutron fields. To yield the spectrum weighted response, the detector response functions of 17 neutron-measuring devices were numerically folded with each of the produced calibration neutron spectra through the in-house developed software 'K-SWR'. The detectors' response functions were taken from the IAEA Technical Reports Series No. 403 (TRS-403). The reference neutron fields of 21 kinds with 2 spectra groups with different proportions of thermal and fast neutrons have been produced using neutrons from the $^{241}Am$-Be sources held in a graphite pile, a bare $^{241}Am$-Be source, and a DT neutron generator. Fluence-average energy ($E_{ave}$) varied from 3.8 MeV to 16.9 MeV, and the ambient-dose-equivalent rate [$H^*(10)/h$] varied from 0.99 to 16.5 mSv/h.

• Nuclear Engineering and Technology
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• 제49권1호
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• pp.277-284
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• 2017

This paper presents the establishment and characterization of a neutron calibration field using a bare $^{252}Cf$ source of low neutron source strength in Vietnam. The characterization of the field in terms of neutron flux spectra and neutron ambient dose equivalent rates were performed by Monte Carlo simulations using the MCNP5 code. The anisotropy effect of the source was also investigated. The neutron ambient dose equivalent rates at three reference distances of 75, 125, and 150 cm from the source were calculated and compared with the measurements using the Aloka TPS-451C neutron survey meters. The discrepancy between the calculated and measured values is found to be about 10%. To separate the scattered and the direct components from the total neutron flux spectra, an in-house shadow cone of 10% borated polyethylene was used. The shielding efficiency of the shadow cone was estimated using the MCNP5 code. The results confirmed that the shielding efficiency of the shadow cone is acceptable.

• Journal of Radiation Protection and Research
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• 제36권2호
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• pp.59-63
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• 2011

가속기 기반 중성자 표준장은 검출기 및 도시메터 교정, 핵자료 생산, 동위원소 생산등 에 필수적으로 필요한 기반 장비이다. 가속기 기반 중성자 표준장 실험실을 설계하는데 있어서 원하는 에너지의 직접적인 중성자 이외에 산란되어서 입사하는 산란 중성자를 줄이는 것은 매우 중요하다. 따라서 그러한 조건을 얻어내기 위하여 다양한 조건을 가정하여 MCNPX 모사계산을 수행하였다. 우선은 기존의 실험실 조건에서 양성자 운동방향인 0도 방향에 있는 중성자 Flux 측정용 공기로 이루어진 가상의 Chamber에 직접 입사하는 중성자 flux와 벽이나 바닥에 충돌을 한 후에 입사하는 간접적인 산란 중성자 flux를 각각 계산하였다. 그 결과 충돌 한 후에 0도 방향의 Chamber에 입사하는 산란 중성자 flux 중에 바닥에 충돌을 한 후 0도 방향의 Chamber로 입사하는 산란 중성자 flux가 가장 많다는 것을 알 수 있었다. 따라서 바닥의 콘크리트만을 없앴을 때와 콘크리트를 제거하고 땅을 1m 정도 파내려갔을 때를 가정하여 재계산을 하였고 그 결과 콘크리트를 없애고 땅을 1m 정도 파면 바닥에 충돌하고 Chamber로 들어오는 산란 중성자 flux가 다른 곳에 충돌하고 들어오는 것보다 낮아지는 정도까지 줄어드는 것을 알 수 있었다.

• Journal of Radiation Protection and Research
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• 제37권1호
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• pp.35-40
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• 2012

국내 교정기관 또는 표준기관은 중성자 검출기의 교정을 위해 비감속 및 중수감속 $^{252}Cf$ 선원과 $^{241}AmBe$ 선원을 사용하고 있다. 이런 선원들로 교정된 중성자 검출기를 이용하여 입자가속기와 같이 속중성자가 다량 존재하는 시설을 선량평가할 때, 그 정확도가 떨어지게 된다. 그 이유는, 대부분의 중성자 검출기는 열중성자에 민감하게 반응하므로 수 MeV 이상의 에너지를 가지는 속중성자장에 대한 선량당량 반응도는 부정확하다. 또한 높은 에너지의 중성자는 열중성자보다 선량기여정도가 훨씬 크기 때문이다. 이와 같은 이유로, 기존의 교정용 기준 중성자장이 아닌 수 MeV 이상의 속중성자가 존재하는 중성자장에서도 검출기를 교정할 필요가 있다. DT 중성자 발생기, 흑연집합체 그리고 폴리에틸렌 중성자 집속체를 사용하여 속중성자의 선속분율이 서로 다른 중성자장을 제작하였고, 이 중성자장에서 중성자 검출기의 선량당량 반응도를 측정하였다. 시험결과에 의하면, 속중성자 선속분율과 중성자 검출기의 종류에 따라 중성자 검출기의 반응도는 많은 차이를 보였다. 이러한 반응도 차이는 선량당량의 과대 및 과소평가를 의미하므로, 검출기가 사용되는 시설환경과 유사한 중성자장에서 반응도 교정이 필요함을 확인하였다.

• 한국수자원학회:학술대회논문집
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• 한국수자원학회 2019년도 학술발표회
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• pp.154-154
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• 2019

Characterization of reliable field-scale root-zone soil moisture (RZSM) variability contribute to effective hydro-meterological monitoring. Although a promising cosmic-ray neutron probe (CRNP) holds the pontential for field-scale RZSM measurement, it is often restricted at deeper depths due to the non-unique sensitivity of CRNP-measured fast neutron signal to other hydrogen pools. In this study, a merging framework relied on coupling cosmic-ray soil moisture with a representative additional RZSM, was introduced to scale shallower CRNP effective depth to represent root-zone layer. We tested our proposed framework over a densely vegetated region in South Korea covering a network of one CRNP and nine in-situ point measurements. In particular, cosmic-ray soil moisture and ancillary RZSM retrieved from the most time stable location were considered as input datasets; whereas the remaining point locations were used to generate a reference RZSM product. The errors between these two input datasets and the reference were forecasted by a linear autoregressive model. A linear combination of forecasts was then employed to compute a suitable weight for merging two input products from the predicted errors. The performance of merging framework was evaluated against reference RZSM in comparison to the two original products and a commonly used exponential filter technique. The results of this study showed that merging framework outperformed other products, demonstrating its robustness in improving field-scale RZSM. Moreover, a strong relationship between the quality of input data and the performance merging framework in light of CRNP effective depth variation has been also underlined via the merging framework.

• Journal of Radiation Protection and Research
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• 제41권3호
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• pp.211-215
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• 2016

Background: The moderated neutron calibration fields using $^{241}Am$-Be sources and a graphite moderator have been constructed at the Facility of Radiation Standard (FRS) in the Japan Atomic Energy Agency (JAEA). Materials and Methods: The neutron spectra of the fields were evaluated by the Monte-Carlo calculations and measurements using the Bonner Multi-sphere Spectrometer. Results and Discussion: The fields have continuous neutron spectra from several MeV to thermal neutron energy, with fluence-averaged energies of 0.84 MeV and 0.60 MeV. Reference values of fluence rates and ambient/personal dose equivalent rates were determined from neutron spectra by measurements. Conclusion: Currently, the fields are available for calibration or performance test of neutron measuring instruments.

• Journal of Radiation Protection and Research
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• 제38권1호
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• pp.37-43
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• 2013

TLD를 이용하여 중성자 선량을 측정할 경우, TLD는 중성자 에너지에 대한 반응도 차이가 크기 때문에 현장 중성자장의 스펙트럼 특성에 맞는 에너지 반응도 보정이 반드시 필요하다. 본 실험에는 소형으로 가공된 TLD 소자를 사용하여 $^{252}Cf$ 중성자장에 설치된 내부구조가 복잡하고 좁은 Long-Counter (중성자 검출기) 내외부에서의 중성자 주위선량당량(ambient dose equivalent)을 측정하였다. 측정결과는 입자수송해석코드(MCNPX)를 이용한 계산결과와 비교하였다. 기존의 TLD 교정 선원인 $D_2O$ 감속 $^{252}Cf$만으로 교정하여 판독한 결과값은 전산모사 계산값과 많은 차이를 보였다. 그러나 bare 및 $D_2O$ 감속 $^{252}Cf$ 선원을 사용하여 생산한 두 교정인자를 혼용한 판독값은 계산값과 비슷하였다. 결과적으로, TLD 소자는 사용 현장과 비슷한 특성을 가지는 중성자장에서 교정되어야지만 올바른 선량평가가 가능함을 확인하였다.

• 대한기계학회논문집A
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• 제24권9호
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• pp.2167-2173
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• 2000

The HANARO (High-flux Advanced Neutron Application Reactor) has operated since 1995. The Cold Neutron(CN) hole was implanted in the reflector tank from the design stage. Before a vacuum chamber and a moderator cell for the cold neutron source are installed into the CN hole, it is necessary to measure the exact size of the inside diameter and thickness of the CN hole to prevent the interference problem. Due to inaccessibility and high radiation field in the CN hole, a mechanical measurement method is not permitted. The immersion ultrasonic technique is considered as the best method to measure the thickness and the diameter. The 4 axis manipulator of the 2 channel of a sensor module was fabricated. The transducer of 10 MHz results in 0.03 nun of resolution. The inside diameter and thickness for 550 points of the CN hole were measured using 2 channel ultrasonic sensors. The results showed that the thickness is in the range of 13-6.7 mm and inside diameter is in the range of o 156-165. These data will be a good reference in the design of a cold neutron source facility.

• Journal of Mechanical Science and Technology
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• 제16권7호
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• pp.927-934
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• 2002

The HANARO ( High-flux Advanced Neutron Application Reactor) has been operated since 1995. The Cold Neutron (CN) hole was implanted in the reflector tank from the design stage. Before a vacuum chamber and a moderator cell for the cold neutron source are installed into the CN hole, it is necessary to measure exactly the size of the inside diameter and thickness of the CN hole to prevent the interference problem. Due to inaccessibility and high radiation field in the CN hole, a mechanical measurement method is not permitted. The immersed ultrasonic technique is considered as the best way to measure the thickness and the diameter of the CN hole. The 4-Axis manipulator was designed and fabricated for locating the ultrasonic sensors. The transducer of an ultrasonic sensor having 10 MHz frequency leads to high resolution as much as 0.03mm. The inside diameter and thickness of 550 points of the CN hole were measured using 2 channel ultrasonic sensors. The results show that the thickness and inside diameter of the CN hole is in the range of 3.3∼6.7mm and 156∼ 165mm, respectively. This data will be a good reference for the design of the cold neutron source facility.

• 천문학회보
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• 제46권1호
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• pp.61.2-61.2
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• 2021

SkyMapper is the largest-aperture optical wide-field telescope in Australia and can be used for transient detection in the Southern sky. Reference images from its Southern Survey cover the sky at δ <+10 deg to a depth of I ~ 20 mag. It has been used for surveys of extragalactic transients such as supernovae, optical counterparts to gravitational-wave (GW) and fast radio bursts. We adopt an ensemble-based machine learning technique and further filtering scheme that provides high completeness ~98% and purity ~91% across a wide magnitude range. Here we present an important use-case of our robotic transient search, which is the follow-up of GW event triggers from LIGO/Virgo. We discuss the facility's performance in the case of the second binary neutron star merger GW190425. In time for the LIGO/Virgo O4 run, we will have deeper reference images for galaxies within out to ~200 Mpc distance, allowing rapid transient detection to i ~ 21 mag.