• Nuclear Engineering and Technology
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• 제54권10호
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• pp.3833-3840
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• 2022

A method for calibrating the energy scale and detection efficiency of stilbene scintillators is presented herein. This method can be used to quantitatively analyze the Compton continuum of gamma-ray spectra obtained using such scintillators. First, channel-energy calibration was conducted by fitting a semi-empirical equation for the Compton continuum to the acquired energy spectrum and a new method to evaluate the intrinsic detection efficiency, called intrinsic Compton efficiency, of stilbene scintillators was proposed. The validity of this method was verified by changing experimental conditions such as the number of sources being measured simultaneously and the detector-source distance. According to the energy calibration, the standard error for the estimated Compton edge position was ±1.56 keV. The comparison of the intrinsic Compton efficiencies calculated from the single- and two-source spectra showed that the mean absolute difference and the mean absolute percentage difference are 0.031 %p and 0.557%, respectively, demonstrating reasonable accuracy of this method. The feasibility of the method was confirmed for an energy range of 0.5-1.5 MeV, showing that stilbene scintillators can be used to quantitatively analyze gamma rays in mixed-radiation fields.

• 한국표면공학회지
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• 제56권1호
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• pp.84-93
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• 2023

The spent nuclear fuel is burned during the planned cycle in the plant and then generates elements such as actinide series, fission products, and plutonium with a long half-life. An 'interim storage' step is needed to manage the high radioactivity and heat emitted by nuclides until permanent-disposal. In the case of Korea, there is no space to dispose of high-level radioactive waste after use, so there is a need for a period of time using interim storage. Therefore, the intensity of neutrons and gamma-ray must be determined to ensure the integrity of spent nuclear fuel during interim storage. In particular, the most important thing in spent nuclear fuel is burnup evaluation, estimation of the source term of neutrons and gamma-ray is regarded as a reference measurement of the burnup evaluation. In this study, an analysis of spent nuclear fuel was conducted by setting up a virtual fuel burnup case based on CE16×16 fuel to check the total amount and spectrum of neutron, gamma radiation produced. The correlation between BU (burnup), IE (enrichment), and CT (cooling time) will be identified through spent nuclear fuel burnup calculation. In addition, the composition of nuclide inventory, actinide and fission products can be identified.

• Advances in Computational Design
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• 제8권3호
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• pp.219-236
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• 2023

In this paper, finite element modeling of the laser ultrasonics (LU) process in ablation regime is of interest. The momentum resulting from the removal of material from the specimen surface by the laser beam radiation in ablation regime is modeled as a pressure pulse. To model this pressure pulse, two equations are required: one for the spatial distribution and one for the temporal distribution of the pulse. Previous researchers have proposed various equations for the spatial and temporal distributions of the pressure pulse in different laser applications. All available equations are examined and the best combination of the temporal and spatial distributions of the pressure pulse that provides the most accurate results is identified. This combination of temporal and spatial distributions has never been used for modeling laser ultrasonics before. Then by using this new model, the effects of variations in pulse duration and laser spot radius on the shape, amplitude, and frequency spectrum of ultrasonic waves are studied. Furthermore, the LU in thermoelastic regime is simulated by this model and compared with LU in ablation regime. The interaction of ultrasonic waves with a defect is also investigated in the LU process in ablation regime. Good agreement of the results obtained from the new finite element model and available experimental data confirms the accuracy of the proposed model.

• Nuclear Engineering and Technology
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• 제55권9호
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• pp.3401-3408
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• 2023

In this study, we used the Monte Carlo N-Particle program to simulate the gamma-ray spectra obtained from plastic scintillators holes filled with bismuth nanoparticles. We confirmed that the incorporation of bismuth nanoparticles into a plastic scintillator enhances its performance for gamma-ray spectroscopy using the subtraction method. The subtracted energy spectra obtained from the bismuth-nanoparticle-incorporated and the original plastic scintillator exhibit a distinct energy peak that does not appear in the corresponding original spectra. We varied the diameter and depth of the bismuth-filled holes to determine the optimal hole design for gamma-ray spectroscopy using the subtraction method. We evaluated the energy resolutions of the energy peaks in the gamma-ray spectra to estimate the effects of the bismuth nanoparticles and determine their optimum volume in the plastic scintillator. In addition, we calculated the peak-to-total ratio of the energy spectrum to evaluate the energy measuring limit of the bismuth nanoparticle-containing plastic scintillator using the subtraction method.

• Geomechanics and Engineering
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• 제32권2호
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• pp.233-244
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• 2023

With the increasing amount of resources required by the society development, mining operations go deeper, which raises the requirements of studying the effects of temperature on the physical and mechanical properties of coal and adjacent rock. For now, these effects are yet to be fully revealed. In this paper, a mechanical-electromagnetic radiation (EMR) test system was established to understand the mechanical deterioration characteristics of coal by the effect of thermal treatment and its deformation and fracture characteristics under thermo-mechanical coupling conditions. The mechanical properties of high-temperature-treated coal were analyzed and recorded, based on which, reasons of coal mechanical deterioration as well as the damage parameters were obtained. Changes of the EMR time series under unconstrained conditions were further analyzed before characteristics of EMR signals under different damage conditions were obtained. The evolution process of thermal damage and deformation of coal was then analyzed through the frequency spectrum of EMR. In the end, based on the time-frequency variation characteristics of EMR, a method of determining combustion zones within the underground gasification area and combustion zones' stability level was proposed.

• 천문학회보
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• 제46권1호
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• pp.32.1-32.1
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• 2021

We present the magnetic field strengths of CTA 102 using multi-frequency data at 2.6-343.5 GHz in order to study the physical origins of radio flares. The observations at 22 and 43 GHz were conducted using the single-dish radio telescopes of the Korean VLBI Network (KVN) from December 2012 until May 2018 (MJD 56200-58400). We used multi-frequency data obtained from the Effelsberg 100-m, OVRO 40-m, Metsähovi 14-m, IRAM 30-m, SMA, ALMA, and VLBA telescopes. During the period of the observations, two major flares (R1 and R2) are seen clearly at 15 and 37 GHz during MJD 57500-57800 and MJD 58000-58300, respectively. The source shows typical variability with time-scales ranging from 20-161 days at 15 GHz. The variability Doppler factor is in the range of 11.51-31.23. The quasi-simultaneous radio data are used to investigate the synchrotron spectrum of the source, finding that the synchrotron radiation is self-absorbed. The turnover frequency and the peak flux density of the synchrotron self-absorption (SSA) spectra are in ranges of 38.06-167.86 GHz and 1.49-10.38 Jy, respectively. From the SSA spectra, magnetic field strengths are estimated to be < 10 mG. The equipartition magnetic field strengths are larger than the SSA magnetic field strengths by a factor of > 100. This indicates that the radio flares may be related to a particle energy-dominated emission region.

• 천문학회보
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• 제46권1호
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• pp.37.2-37.2
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• 2021

One of the main limitations to the ground- based gravitational-wave (GW) detector sensitivity is quantum noise, which is induced by vacuum fluctuations entering the detector output port. The replacement of this ordinary vacuum field with a squeezed vacuum field has proven to be effective approach to mitigate the quantum noise in the interferometer detector and it is currently used in advanced detectors. However, the current frequency-independent squeezed vacuum cannot reduce quantum radiation pressure noise at low frequencies. A possible solution to reduce quantum noise in the broadband spectrum is the injection of frequency-dependent squeezed (FDS) vacuum. We will report the current status of squeezing experiment at KASI and introduce to the EPR (Einstein-Podolsky-Rosen) entangled state of light, which can realize FDS light without the need for an additional, external cavity.

• Journal of Radiation Protection and Research
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• 제11권1호
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• pp.51-56
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• 1986

방사선(放射線)의 의학적(醫學的) 진단치료(診斷治療) 이용률(利用率)이 증가(增加)함에 따라 의료인(醫療人)과 환자(患者)들에 대한 방사선(放射線) 피폭확률(被曝確率)이 비예적(比例的)으로 증가(增加)되어 정량적(定量的)인 분석(分析)과 피폭관리(被曝管理)의 필요성(必要性)이 요구(要求)되고 있다. 연세(延世) 암센터는 암치료(癌治療)를 위하여 설치사용(設置使用)되고 있는 의료용(醫療用) 고(高)에너지 선형가속기(線型加速器)에 대한 누출(漏出) 및 산난선(散亂線)의 방어벽(防禦壁)과 방어계획(防禦計劃)이 이미 준비(準備)되어 있다. 그러나 장치(裝置)의 사용빈도(使用頻度)가 증가(增加)됨에 따라 치료실내(治療室內)의 공간(空間) 선량분포(線量分布)와 광핵반응(光核反應)으로 인한 유도방사능(誘導放射能)의 위험성(危險性)을 인식(認識)하고 이들에 대한 노출량(露出量)을 전리함(電離函), 열형광측정기(熱螢光測程器) 및 에너지 분석기등(分析器等)을 이용(利用)하여 측정(測定)하였다. 18 MeV 전자선(電子線)에 의한 실중선량(室中線量)은 1 m 지점(地點)에서 종양선량(腫瘍線量)의 0.02%였고 X-선(線)에 의한 실중선량(室中線量)은 약(約) 0.12%였다. 선형가속기(線型加速器)에서 10 MV X-선(線)을 30 Gy 조사(照射)한 직후 광핵반응(光核反應)에 의한 유도방사능(誘導放射能)을 측정(測定)한 결과(結果) 0.65 mR/hr 였으며 광핵반응(光核反應)에 의한 중성자(中性子) 방사화(放射化)는 주로 Cu-64, W-185, Mo-94, Ta-182등(等)의 원소(元宵)로 추정(推定)할 수 있었다.

• Journal of Radiation Protection and Research
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• 제44권4호
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• pp.128-148
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• 2019

Massive environmental monitoring has been conducted continuously since the Fukushima Daiichi Nuclear Power accident in March of 2011 by different monitoring methods that have different features together with migration studies of radiocesium in diverse environments. These results have clarified the characteristics of radiological environments and their temporal change around the Fukushima site. At three months after the accident, multiple radionuclides including radiostrontium and plutonium were detected in many locations; and it was confirmed that radiocesium was most important from the viewpoint of long-term exposure. Radiation levels around the Fukushima site have decreased greatly over time. The decreasing trend was found to change variously according to local conditions. The air dose rates in environments related to human living have decreased faster than expected from radioactive decay by a factor of 2-3 on average; those in pure forest have decreased more closely to physical decay. The main causes of air dose rate reduction were judged to be radioactive decay, movement of radiocesium in vertical and horizontal directions, and decontamination. Land-use categories and human activities have significantly affected the reduction tendency. Difference in the air dose rate reduction trends can be explained qualitatively according to the knowledge obtained in radiocesium migration studies; whereas, the quantitative explanation for individual sites is an important future challenge. The ecological half-lives of air dose rates have been evaluated by several researchers, and a short-term half-life within 1 year was commonly observed in the studies. An empirical model for predicting air dose rate distribution was developed based on statistical analysis of an extensive car-borne survey dataset, which enabled the prediction with confidence intervals. Different types of contamination maps were integrated to better quantify the spatial data. The obtained data were used for extended studies such as for identifying the main reactor that caused the contamination of arbitrary regions and developing standard procedures for environmental measurement and sampling. Annual external exposure doses for residents who intended to return to their homes were estimated as within a few millisieverts. Different forms of environmental data and knowledge have been provided for wide spectrum of people. Diverse aspects of lessons learned from the Fukushima accident, including practical ones, must be passed on to future generations.

• Journal of Radiation Protection and Research
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• 제21권1호
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• pp.27-39
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• 1996

DUPIC핵연료주기로 인해 변화되는 경수로 사용 후 핵연료 물질의 핵종별 농도, 방사능, 붕괴열, 위해지수 및 방사선원항등을 시간의 함수로 그 변화특성을 분석하고, 각 인자별로 크게 영향을 미치는 주요핵종의 거동을 물질농도 측면에서 추적 분석평가하였다. 방사성물질 농도에 있어서 연소도 19,000 MWD/MTU의 사용 후 DUPIC핵연료에 존재하는 악티나이드 양은 연소도 35,000 MWD/MTU의 경수로 사용후 핵연료에 비해 약 2% 감소한 반면 핵분열생성물의 양은 약 20% 증가된 것으로 나타났다. 그리고 사용 후 DUPIC핵연료의 방사능 및 붕괴열은 일반적인 사용후핵연료 특성과는 달리, 방사성물질 농도 변화와 비례하지 않는 것으로 나타났다. 사용후 DUPIC핵연료가 갖는 감마 스펙트럼을 경수로핵연료의 경우와 비교해 볼 때, 전체적인 특징은 사용후 DUPIC핵연료의 경우가 $0.01{\sim}0.575MeV$의 낮은 에너지 범위에서는 경수로핵연료 보다 약 $40{\sim}50%$ 낮은 감마선 세기를 보여주고 있으나, 3.5 MeV이상의 높은 에너지 범위에서는 사용후 DUPIC핵연료의 감마선 세기가 휭씬 크게 나타났다. 중성자 선원항은 모두 악티나이드 물질의$({\alpha},\;n)$ 반응 및 자발핵분열에 의해 결정되고 있고, 특히 Cm-244의 자발 핵분열에 의한 중성자선원이 지배적인 것으로 나타났다. 이런 이유 때문에 Cm-244의 농도가 약 3.3배 큰 사용후 DUPIC핵연료의 중성자 선원이 경수로핵연료보다 4배 이상 크게 나타났다.