Near-threshold (7)Li(p,n)(7)Be neutrons on the practical conditions using thick Li-target and Gaussian proton energies for BNCT.

The near threshold (7)Li(p,n)(7)Be neutrons generated by incident proton energy having Gaussian distribution with mean energies from 1.85 to 1.95MeV, were studied as a practical neutron source for BNCT wherein an RFQ accelerator and a thick Li-target are used. Gaussian energy distributions with the standard deviation of 0, 10, 20 and 40keV for mean proton energies from 1.85 to 1.95MeV were surveyed in 0.01MeV increments. A thick liquid Li-target whose dimensions were established in our previous experiments (i.e., 1mm-thick with 50mm width and 50mm length) was considered in this study. The suitable incident proton energy and physical dimensions of Pb layer which serves as a gamma absorber and a Polyethylene layer which is used as a BDE were surveyed by means of the concepts of TPD. Dose distribution were calculated by using MCNP5. A proton beam with mean energy of 1.92MeV and a Gaussian energy distribution with a standard deviation of 20keV at a current of 10mA was selected from the viewpoint of irradiation time and practically achievable proton current. The suitable thicknesses of Pb gamma absorber was estimated to be about 3cm. The estimated thickness of the polyethylene BDE was about 24mm for an ideal proton current of 13mA, and was 18mm for a practical proton current of 10mA.

Measurement and analysis of induced activities in concrete irradiated using high-energy neutrons at KENS Neutron Spallation Source Facility.

Precise estimation of induced activities in concrete shields for high-energy accelerator facilities is one of the most important issues that need to be solved, not only for the reduction of exposure for workers, but also for the reduction of radioactive wastes. Irradiation experiments have been performed by using the 500 MeV Neutron Spallation Source Facility in KEK. The large concrete assembly was placed in the direction of 0 degrees to the beamline. Two kinds of samples were placed at several positions in the assembly. The irradiation period was about 1 week and induced activities in the samples were measured until approximately 1.5 y after irradiation. From the comparison between the experiment and the available Monte Carlo calculation code system, good agreement was obtained for 24Na, 47Sc, 47Ca and 54Mn within a factor 2; however, large discrepancies were observed for some other nuclides.

Characteristics of high-energy neutrons estimated using the radioactive spallation products of Au at the 500-MeV neutron irradiation facility of KENS.

We carried out a shielding experiment of high-energy neutrons, generated from a tungsten target bombarded with primary 500-MeV protons at KENS, which penetrated through a concrete shield in the zero-degree direction. We propose a new method to evaluate the spectra of high-energy neutrons ranging from 8 to 500 MeV. Au foils were set in a concrete shield, and the reaction rates for 13 radionuclides produced by the spallation reactions on the Au targets were measured by radiochemical techniques. The experimental results were compared with those obtained by the MARS14 Monte-Carlo code. A good agreement (between them) was found for energies beyond 100 MeV. The profile of the neutron spectrum, ranging from 8 to 500 MeV, does not depend on the thickness of the concrete shield.

Mars14 Monte Carlo simulation for the shielding studies of the J-PARC 3 GeV ring.

MARS14 Monte Carlo simulations were performed for collimation and shielding studies of the J-PARC 3 GeV synchrotron ring. The beam line module locations in the 348.3 m ring and the curved tunnel sections were described by the 'MAD-MARS beam line builder' tool. A 400 MeV proton beam loss distribution, calculated with the STRUCT code, was used as a 4 kW source term in the collimator region, with 1 kW source terms in the injection and extraction regions at 400 MeV and 3 GeV, respectively. Deep penetration calculations were carried out with good statistics using a newly developed three-dimensional multi-layer technique. Prompt dose-rate distributions were calculated inside and outside the concrete and soil shield up to the ground level. Using the calculation results obtained thus, an effective shielding design was made.

Measurement for the dose-rates of the cosmic-ray components on the ground.

In this study, we aimed to measure the directly ionizing component (muons and photons) and the indirectly ionizing component (neutrons) of the cosmic-ray spectra and evaluate their dose rate contribution to the total dose rate on a ground level in Japan. Measurements were carried out in Tohoku University, Japan, from October 2000. The pulse-height spectra of the cosmic-ray photons and muons were measured with a 12.7 cm diameter and 12.7 cm long NaI(Tl) scintillation detector. In order to measure energy spectra of cosmic-ray photons and muons, response functions of the detector to photons and muons were determined by the Monte Carlo simulation codes. The cosmic-ray photon dose was evaluated directly from the measured pulse-height spectrum by using the spectrum weight function, and the cosmic-ray muon dose was evaluated by converting the measured pulse height spectrum into deposited energy within the detector. The quantity of the cosmic-ray electrons is estimated to be very small and is not taken into account in this study. The cosmic-ray neutron spectrum and the neutron dose were measured by using a multi-moderator spectrometer (Bonner ball) and a rem counter. The measurements could finally give the annual absorbed dose in tissue of the cosmic-ray muons of 315 microSv/y and annual ambient doses of the cosmic-ray photons and neutrons on the ground in Japan of 55 microSv/y and 31 microSv/y, respectively.