Spectral Advanced Radiological Computer System Applications
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46 INSTRUMENTATION RELATED TO NUCLEAR SCIENCE AND ↗
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Spectral Advanced Radiological Computer System Applications
Explore the source record for details and available documents.
46 INSTRUMENTATION RELATED TO NUCLEAR SCIENCE AND ↗
VISION: a modular AI assistant for natural human-instrument interaction at scientific user facilities
Scientific user facilities, such as synchrotron beamlines, are equipped with a wide array of hardware and software tools that require a codebase for human-computer-interaction. This often necessitates developers to be involved to establish connection between users/researchers and the complex instrumentation. The advent of generative AI presents an opportunity to bridge this knowledge gap, enabling seamless communication and efficient experimental workflows. Here we present a modular architecture for the Virtual Scientific Companion by assembling multiple AI-enabled cognitive blocks that each scaffolds large language models (LLMs) for a specialized task. With VISION, we performed LLM-based operation on the beamline workstation with low latency and demonstrated the first voice-controlled experiment at an x-ray scattering beamline. The modular and scalable architecture allows for easy adaptation to new instruments and capabilities. Development on natural language-based scientific experimentation is a building block for an impending future where a science exocortex—a synthetic extension to the cognition of scientists—may radically transform scientific practice and discovery.
36 MATERIALS SCIENCE↗
Five-second STEM dislocation tomography for 300 nm thick specimen assisted by deep-learning-based noise filtering
Scanning transmission electron microscopy (STEM) is suitable for visualizing the inside of a relatively thick specimen than the conventional transmission electron microscopy, whose resolution is limited by the chromatic aberration of image forming lenses, and thus, the STEM mode has been employed frequently for computed electron tomography based three-dimensional (3D) structural characterization and combined with analytical methods such as annular dark field imaging or spectroscopies. However, the image quality of STEM is severely suffered by noise or artifacts especially when rapid imaging, in the order of millisecond per frame or faster, is pursued. Here we demonstrate a deep-learning-assisted rapid STEM tomography, which visualizes 3D dislocation arrangement only within five-second acquisition of all the tilt-series images even in a 300 nm thick steel specimen. The developed method offers a new platform for various in situ or operando 3D microanalyses in which dealing with relatively thick specimens or covering media like liquid cells are required.
47 OTHER INSTRUMENTATION↗
Maps of the Southern Millimeter-wave Sky from Combined 2500 deg2 SPT-SZ and Planck Temperature Data
We present three maps of the millimeter-wave sky created by combining data from the South Pole Telescope (SPT) and the Planck satellite. We use data from the SPT-SZ survey, a survey of 2540 deg2 of the the sky with arcminute resolution in three bands centered at 95, 150, and 220 GHz, and the full-mission Planck temperature data in the 100, 143, and 217 GHz bands. A linear combination of the SPT-SZ and Planck data is computed in spherical harmonic space, with weights derived from the noise of both instruments. This weighting scheme results in Planck data providing most of the large-angular-scale information in the combined maps, with the smaller-scale information coming from SPT-SZ data. A number of tests have been done on the maps. We find their angular power spectra to agree very well with theoretically predicted spectra and previously published results.
cosmic background radiation↗
Collaborative cloud-enabled tools allow rapid, reproducible biological insights
Microbial ecologists today face critical computational barriers. The rapid increase in the quantity of data acquired by modern sequencing instruments makes analysis by hand infeasible, and even software developed just a few years ago cannot scale to modern data sets. As a result, making advanced, scalable algorithms and large-scale computational resources available to end-users is necessary to advancing our understanding of microbial ecology.
59 BASIC BIOLOGICAL SCIENCES↗
Complexity and error potential of digital I and C - 135
Utilization of digital I and C for application in nuclear power plants led to a growing discussion on how to create methods for a probabilistic evaluation on such systems. Issues arise on the one hand due to a lack of commonly accepted models for quantitative evaluation of availability and reliability and on the other hand due to the integration of such models into the evaluation of reliability of an overall system. Nevertheless programmable and even more complex systems are implemented to satisfy growing functionality requirements. Therefore the question for a method to evaluate the reliability of systems based on software or on programmable logic became even more urgent. The approach described is based on the commonly accepted assumption that more complex designs are less reliable. (authors)
22 GENERAL STUDIES OF NUCLEAR REACTORS↗
Application of a bayesian belief network model to reliability assessment of nuclear safety-related software - 207
As the instrumentation and control (I and C) systems in nuclear power plants (NPPs) have been replaced with digital-based systems, the need to incorporate software failures into NPP probabilistic risk assessments has arisen. In order to assess the probability of software failure on demand, a Bayesian belief network (BBN) model was developed which estimates the number of defects and the resulting probability of software failure on demand in nuclear safety-related software. To assess the feasibility of the BBN framework, the BBN model was applied to the prototype Integrated Digital Protection System-Reactor Protection System (IDiPS-RPS) to estimate the number of remaining faults and the software failure probability of a target software. The developmental- and V and V-activities carried out during the IDiPS-RPS development process were evaluated based on the well-defined checklist derived by the V and V team and were estimated based on expert elicitation. In addition, the attribute evaluations and the number of FPs of the target software is provided as the inputs for the BBN model. The application results showed the feasibility of using BBNs for quantifying software failure probabilities and several insights were gained from the applications of the BBN model. The proposed BBN framework can be applied to estimate the software failure probability for other safety-related NPP software and provide an insight on modeling the software development process that involves iterations between different development phases. (authors)
22 GENERAL STUDIES OF NUCLEAR REACTORS↗
Practical applications of model checking in the finnish nuclear industry - 281
Model checking is a powerful, formal, computer-assisted verification method that can be used to prove that a model of a (hardware or software) system fulfills stated properties. When used right, model checking can prove the correctness of instrumentation and control (I and C) system application logic, be it a software or a field-programmable gate array (FPGA) based design. The verified properties can also address unwanted functionality, making model checking a very effective method for analyzing spurious actuation. Despite the benefits, model checking is still not widely adopted in the verification of I and C systems, one exception being the Finnish nuclear industry. Since 2008, VTT has applied model checking in practical customer work related to the Olkiluoto 3 EPR, Loviisa 1 and 2 VVER-440, and Hanhikivi 1 AES-2006 nuclear power plants, on commission from either the regulator or the utilities. In this paper, we look at how the method has been used in each of these three projects. We also introduce a user-friendly, graphical modelling tool called MODCHK. We then present an overall view of the design issues detected during nine years of customer work, and one practical example. The 100% coverage means that the design errors that are found often relate to scenarios that are otherwise hard to account for (e.g., exact timing of events, or improper operator actions). (authors)
21 SPECIFIC NUCLEAR REACTORS AND ASSOCIATED PLANTS↗
Long-Term Instrumentation, Information, and Control Systems (II&C) Modernization Future Vision and Strategy
Life extension beyond 60 years for the U.S operating nuclear fleet requires that instrumentation and control (I&C) systems be upgraded to address aging and reliability concerns. It is impractical for the legacy systems based on 1970’s vintage technology operate over this extended time period. Indeed, utilities have successfully engaged in such replacements when dictated by these operational concerns. However, the replacements have been approached in a like-for-like manner, meaning that they do not take advantage of the inherent capabilities of digital technology to improve business functions. And so, the improvement in I&C system performance has not translated to bottom-line performance improvement for the fleet. Therefore, wide-scale modernization of the legacy I&C systems could prove to be cost-prohibitive unless the technology is implemented in a manner to enable significant business innovation as a means of off-setting the cost of upgrades. A Future Vision of a transformed nuclear plant operating model based on an integrated digital environment has been developed as part of the Advanced Instrumentation, Information, and Control (II&C) research pathway, under the Light Water Reactor (LWR) Sustainability Program. This is a research and development program sponsored by the U.S. Department of Energy (DOE), performed in close collaboration with the nuclear utility industry, to provide the technical foundations for licensing and managing the long-term, safe and economical operation of current nuclear power plants. DOE’s program focus is on longer-term and higher-risk/reward research that contributes to the national policy objectives of energy security and environmental security . The Advanced II&C research pathway is being conducted by the Idaho National Laboratory (INL). The Future Vision is based on a digital architecture that encompasses all aspects of plant operations and support, integrating plant systems, plant work processes, and plant workers in a seamless digital environment to enhance nuclear safety, increase productivity, and improve overall plant performance. The long-term goal is to transform the operating model of the nuclear power plants (NPP)s from one that is highly reliant on a large staff performing mostly manual activities to an operating model based on highly integrated technology with a smaller staff. This digital transformation is critical to addressing an array of issues facing the plants, including aging of legacy analog systems, potential shortage of technical workers, ever-increasing expectations for nuclear safety improvement, and relentless pressure to reduce cost. The Future Vision is based on research is being conducted in the following major areas of plant function: 1. Highly integrated control rooms 2. Highly automated plant 3. Integrated operations 4. Human performance improvement for field workers 5. Outage safety and efficiency. Pilot projects will be conducted in each of these areas as the means for industry to collectively integrate these new technologies into nuclear plant work activities. The pilot projects introduce new digital technologies into the nuclear plant operating environment at host operating plants to demonstrate and validate them for production usage. In turn, the pilot project technologies serve as the stepping stones to the eventual seamless digital environment as described in the Future Vision.
21 SPECIFIC NUCLEAR REACTORS AND ASSOCIATED PLANTS↗
Laboratory Directed Research and Development Annual Report, Fiscal Year 2011
This report documents progress made on all LDRD-funded projects during fiscal year 2011. The following topics are discussed: (1) Advanced sensors and instrumentation; (2) Biological Sciences; (3) Chemistry; (4) Earth and space sciences; (5) Energy supply and use; (6) Engineering and manufacturing processes; (7) Materials science and technology; (8) Mathematics and computing sciences; (9) Nuclear science and engineering; and (10) Physics.
09 BIOMASS FUELS↗
Accelerating Data Acquisition, Reduction, and Analysis at the Spallation Neutron Source
ORNL operates the world's brightest neutron source, the Spallation Neutron Source (SNS). Funded by the US DOE Office of Basic Energy Science, this national user facility hosts hundreds of scientists from around the world, providing a platform to enable break-through research in materials science, sustainable energy, and basic science. While the SNS provides scientists with advanced experimental instruments, the deluge of data generated from these instruments represents both a big data challenge and a big data opportunity. For example, instruments at the SNS can now generate multiple millions of neutron events per second providing unprecedented experiment fidelity but leaving the user with a dataset that cannot be processed and analyzed in a timely fashion using legacy techniques. To address this big data challenge, ORNL has developed a near real-time streaming data reduction and analysis infrastructure. The Accelerating Data Acquisition, Reduction, and Analysis (ADARA) system provides a live streaming data infrastructure based on a high-performance publish subscribe system, in situ data reduction, visualization, and analysis tools, and integration with a high-performance computing and data storage infrastructure. ADARA allows users of the SNS instruments to analyze their experiment as it is run and make changes to the experiment in real-time and visualize the results of these changes. In this paper we describe ADARA, provide a high-level architectural overview of the system, and present a set of use-cases and real-world demonstrations of the technology.
Campbell, Stuart I↗
Development of a bayesian belief network model for the software reliability assessment of nuclear digital I and C safety systems - 206
Since the digital instrumentation and control systems are expected to play an important role for the safety systems in nuclear power plants (NPPs), the need has emerged to not only establish a basis for incorporating software behavior into digital I and C system reliability models, but also to quantify the failure probability of the software used in NPP digital protection systems. In this study, a Bayesian belief network (BBN) model is developed to quantitatively assess software reliability by estimating the number of faults in a software program considering its software development life cycle (SDLC). The model structure and parameters are established based on the information applicable to NPP safety-related systems and the evidence used to construct and quantify the BBN model was collected from three stages of expert elicitation. The software failure probability is estimated from the number of residual defects in a software program at the end of SDLC phase. As a case study, the BBN model was applied to quantify the software reliability of a typical digital protection software having the size of 50 function points and having the Medium development and validation and verification (V and V) qualities. The developed model can be applied to estimate the failure probability for both developing and deployed safety-related NPP software, and such results can be used to evaluate the quality of the digital I and C systems in addition to estimating potential reactor risk due to software failure. (authors)
22 GENERAL STUDIES OF NUCLEAR REACTORS↗
Common Cause Failure Mitigation Experience on Digital I and C System in NPP
CCF is failures of redundant or separate structures, systems, or components due to a shared root cause. The CCF includes those are resulted from severe environments, design errors, calibration and maintenance errors, and consequential failures. In addition, digital I and C systems can be vulnerable to CCF caused by software errors or software developed logic, which could defeat the redundancy achieved by the hardware architecture. Therefore, diversity and defense in-depth (D3) has become an important issue to overcome the CCF of the safety I and C system. The U.S. NRC has established regulatory guidance addressing a method for assessing D3 provided by the safety I and C system architecture at a NPP. This method enables determination of whether vulnerabilities to CCF have been adequately addressed. The guidance is included in BTP 7-19 and Chapter 7 of NUREG-0800. The regulatory guidance provides a methodology for designing diversity. APR1400 establishes the mitigating strategies that consider the characteristics of digital I and C system that contribute to the potential for CCF. The diversity strategies consist of a combination of diversity attributes and associated criteria to address potential CCF vulnerabilities in digital safety I and C system. (authors)
22 GENERAL STUDIES OF NUCLEAR REACTORS↗
Final Technical Report on Quantifying Dependability Attributes of Software Based Safety Critical Instrumentation and Control Systems in Nuclear Power Plants
With the current transition from analog to digital instrumentation and control systems in nuclear power plants, the number and variety of software-based systems have significantly increased. The sophisticated nature and increasing complexity of software raises trust in these systems as a significant challenge. The trust placed in a software system is typically termed software dependability. Software dependability analysis faces uncommon challenges since software systems’ characteristics differ from those of hardware systems. The lack of systematic science-based methods for quantifying the dependability attributes in software-based instrumentation as well as control systems in safety critical applications has proved itself to be a significant inhibitor to the expanded use of modern digital technology in the nuclear industry. Dependability refers to the ability of a system to deliver a service that can be trusted. Dependability is commonly considered as a general concept that encompasses different attributes, e.g., reliability, safety, security, availability and maintainability. Dependability research has progressed significantly over the last few decades. For example, various assessment models and/or design approaches have been proposed for software reliability, software availability and software maintainability. Advances have also been made to integrate multiple dependability attributes, e.g., integrating security with other dependability attributes, measuring availability and maintainability, modeling reliability and availability, quantifying reliability and security, exploring the dependencies between security and safety and developing integrated analysis models. However, there is still a lack of understanding of the dependencies between various dependability attributes as a whole and of how such dependencies are formed. To address the need for quantification and give a more objective basis to the review process -- therefore reducing regulatory uncertainty -- measures and methods are needed to assess dependability attributes early on, as well as throughout the life-cycle process of software development. In this research, extensive expert opinion elicitation is used to identify the measures and methods for assessing software dependability. Semi-structured questionnaires were designed to elicit expert knowledge. A new notation system, Causal Mechanism Graphing, was developed to extract and represent such knowledge. The Causal Mechanism Graphs were merged, thus, obtaining the consensus knowledge shared by the domain experts. In this report, we focus on how software contributes to dependability. However, software dependability is not discussed separately from the context of systems or socio-technical systems. Specifically, this report focuses on software dependability, reliability, safety, security, availability, and maintainability. Our research was conducted in the sequence of stages found below. Each stage is further examined in its corresponding chapter. Stage 1 (Chapter 2): Elicitation of causal maps describing the dependencies between dependability attributes. These causal maps were constructed using expert opinion elicitation. This chapter describes the expert opinion elicitation process, the questionnaire design, the causal map construction method and the causal maps obtained. Stage 2 (Chapter 3): Elicitation of the causal map describing the occurrence of the event of interest for each dependability attribute. The causal mechanisms for the “event of interest” were extracted for each of the software dependability attributes. The “event of interest” for a dependability attribute is generally considered to be the “attribute failure”, e.g. security failure. The extraction was based on the analysis of expert elicitation results obtained in Stage 1. Stage 3 (Chapter 4): Identification of relevant measurements. Measures for the “events of interest” and their causal mechanisms were obtained from expert opinion elicitation for each of the software dependability attributes. The measures extracted are presented in this chapter. Stage 4 (Chapter 5): Assessment of the coverage of the causal maps via measures. Coverage was assessed to determine whether the measures obtained were sufficient to quantify software dependability, and what measures are further required. Stage 5 (Chapter 6): Identification of “missing” measures and measurement approaches for concepts not covered. New measures, for concepts that had not been covered sufficiently as determined in Stage 4, were identified using supplementary expert opinion elicitation as well as literature reviews. Stage 6 (Chapter 7): Building of a detailed quantification model based on the causal maps and measurements obtained. Ability to derive such a quantification model shows that the causal models and measurements derived from the previous stages (Stage 1 to Stage 5) can form the technical basis for developing dependability quantification models. Scope restrictions have led us to prioritize this demonstration effort. The demonstration was focused on a critical system, i.e. the reactor protection system. For this system, a ranking of the software dependability attributes by nuclear stakeholders was developed. As expected for this application, the stakeholder ranking identified safety as the most critical attribute to be quantified. A safety quantification model limited to the requirements phase of development was built. Two case studies were conducted for verification. A preliminary control gate for software safety for the requirements stage was proposed and applied to the first case study. The control gate allows a cost effective selection of the duration of the requirements phase.
22 GENERAL STUDIES OF NUCLEAR REACTORS↗
Repeatable and reproducible measurements of myocardial oxidative metabolism, blood flow and external efficiency using {sup 11}C-acetate PET
Background: Non-invasive approaches to investigate myocardial efficiency can help track the progression of heart failure (HF). This study evaluates the repeatability and reproducibility of {sup 11}C-acetate positron emission tomography (PET) imaging of oxidative metabolism. Methods and results: Dynamic {sup 11}C-acetate PET scans were performed at baseline and followup (47 ± 22 days apart) in 20 patients with stable HF with reduced ejection fraction. Two observers blinded to patients’ clinical data used FlowQuant{sup ®} to evaluate test–retest repeatability, as well as intra- and inter-observer reproducibility of {sup 11}C-acetate tracer uptake and clearance rates, for the measurement of myocardial oxygen consumption (MVO{sub 2}), myocardial external efficiency (MEE), work metabolic index (WMI), and myocardial blood flow. Reproducibility and repeatability were evaluated using intra-class-correlation (ICC) and Bland–Altman coefficient-of-repeatability (CR). Test–retest correlations and repeatability were better for MEE and WMI compared to MVO{sub 2}. All intra- and inter-observer correlations were excellent (ICC = 0.95-0.99) and the reproducibility values (CR = 3%-6%) were significantly lower than the test–retest repeatability values (22%-54%, P < 0.001). Repeatability was improved for all parameters using a newer PET–computed tomography (CT) scanner compared to older PET-only instrumentation. Conclusion: {sup 11}C-acetate PET measurements of WMI and MEE exhibited excellent test–retest repeatability and operator reproducibility. Newer PET–CT scanners may be preferred for longitudinal tracking of cardiac efficiency. [French] French Abstract: Contexte: Les examens non invasifs de la fonction myocardique aident à suivre la progression de l’insuffisance cardiaque. Dans ce travail, nous avons évalué la répétabilité et la reproductibilité de l’étude du métabolisme oxydatif du myocarde par imagerie tomographique à positrons avec l’acétate marqué au carbone 11. Méthodes et résultats: Une étude de base et un second examen TEP dynamique à l’ acétate marqué au carbone 11 ont été réalisés (47 ± 22 jours) chez 20 patients présentant une insuffisance cardiaque stable avec une fraction d’éjection réduite. Sans aucune connaissance des données cliniques et au moyen du programme FlowQuant®, deux observateurs ont évalué la répétabilité des TEPs de base et de leur suivi, la reproductibilité intra- et inter-observateur, l’absorption et la clearance du traceur, la mesure de la consommation d’oxygène du myocarde (MVO2), l’efficacité contractile du myocarde (MEE), l’index métabolique du travail myocardique (WMI) et le débit sanguin myocardique (MBF). La reproductibilité et la répétabilité ont été évaluées en utilisant la corrélation intra-classe (ICC) et le coefficient de répétabilité Altman (CR). Les corrélations entre les études de base et leur suivi et la répétabilité des données se sont avérées supérieures pour les paramètres MEE et WMI par rapport à MVO2. Toutes les corrélations intra- et inter-observateurs furent excellentes (ICC = 0,95-0,99). Les valeurs de reproductibilité (CR = 3-6%) furent significativement inférieures aux valeurs de répétabilité (22-54%, p <0.001). La répétabilité des paramètres mesurés s’est avérée supérieure avec un scanner TEP-TDM de nouvelle génération par rapport à l’utilisation de la TEP sans TDM Conclusion: Les mesures réalisées dans cette étude TEP 11C-acétate montre une excellent répétabilité et reproductibilité des paramètres WMI et WMI entre les examens de base et leur suivi effectués par des opérateurs différents. Les nouveaux scanners TEP-TDM devraient être préférés pour le suivi longitudinal de la fonction cardiaque. [Spanish] Spanish Abstract: Antecedentes: el abordaje no invasivo para investigar la eficiencia miocárdica puede ayudar en el seguimiento de la progresión de la insuficiencia cardíaca. Este estudio evalúa la repetibilidad y la reproducibilidad del estudio de metabolismo oxidativo con PET 11C-acetato. Métodos y resultados: Se realizaron estudios de PET 11C-acetato dinámicos al inicio y durante el seguimiento (47 ± 22 días de diferencia) en 20 pacientes con insuficiencia cardíaca estable y fracción de eyección reducida. Dos observadores cegados a los datos clínicos de los pacientes utilizaron FlowQuant® para evaluar la repetibilidad de la prueba-reprueba, así como la reproducibilidad intra e interobservador de la captación de radiotrazador 11C-acetato y sus tasas de eliminación, la medición del consumo miocárdico de oxígeno (MVO2), la eficiencia externa miocardica (EEM), el índice trabajo-metabólico (ITM) y flujo sanguíneo miocárdico (FSM). La reproducibilidad y la repetibilidad se evaluaron mediante la correlación intraclase (ICC) y el coeficiente de repetibilidad (CR) de Bland-Altman. Las correlaciones Prueba-Reprueba y la repetibilidad fueron mejores para la EEM y el ITM en comparación con el MVO2. Todas las correlaciones intra e interobservador fueron excelentes (ICC = 0.95-0.99) y los valores de reproducibilidad (CR = 3-6%) fueron significativamente menores que los valores de repetibilidad prueba-reprueba (22-54%, p <0.001). La repetibilidad fue mejor para todos los parámetros utilizando un equipo PET-TC más nuevo en comparación con un equipo PET sin CT. Conclusión: las mediciones del PET con 11C-acetato del ITM y EEM mostraron una excelente repetibilidad prueba-preprueba y reproducibilidad del operador. Los nuevos equipos PET-CT pueden ser elegidos para el seguimiento longitudinal de la eficiencia miocárdica. [Chinese] Chinese Abstract: 背景: 采用非侵入式方法来研究心肌代谢效率可以帮助追踪心力衰竭的过程。本研究评估利用碳-11 醋酸盐为 PET 显影剂行氧化代谢成像的可重复性和可再现性。 方法和结果: 纳入射血分数减低的 20 名稳定性心衰患者,对患者基线和 47±22 天随访都进行碳-11 醋酸盐 PET 扫描。为测量心肌耗氧量(MVO{sub 2}), 心肌外效率(MEE), 工作代谢指标(WMI)和心肌血流量(MBF), 两名观察者按照双盲的方法利用 FlowQuant®对碳-11 醋酸盐的摄取率和清空率进行了重复性测试以及不同观察者之间的可再现性测试。采用组内相关系数(ICC)和 Bland Altman 可重复性系数(CR)分别对可再现性和可重复性进行评估。MEE 和 WMI 的两次试验系数和可重复性优于MVO{sub 2}。所有观察者之间的相关系数都较好(ICC=0.95-0.99),可再现性系数的值(CR=3-6%)明显低于两次试验可重复性的值(22-54%, P<0.001)。相比于旧的只有 PET 的设备, 采用新型 PET-CT 扫描仪能够使所有参数的可再现性都有所提高。 结论: 碳-11醋酸盐 PET 显像测量 WMI 和 MEE 有很好的可重复性和可再现性。新的 PET-CT 扫描仪可能更适合于心脏代谢效率的长期追踪。.
62 RADIOLOGY AND NUCLEAR MEDICINE↗
Current and Future γ-Ray Searches for Dark Matter Annihilation Beyond the Unitarity Limit
For decades, searches for electroweak-scale dark matter (DM) have been performed without a definitive detection. This lack of success may hint that DM searches have focused on the wrong mass range. A proposed candidate beyond the canonical parameter space is ultraheavy DM (UHDM). In this work, we consider indirect UHDM annihilation searches for masses between 30 TeV and 30 PeV—extending well beyond the unitarity limit at ~100 TeV—and discuss the basic requirements for DM models in this regime. We explore the feasibility of detecting the annihilation signature, and the expected reach for UHDM with current and future very-high-energy (VHE; >100 GeV) γ-ray observatories. Specifically, we focus on three reference instruments: two Imaging Atmospheric Cherenkov Telescope arrays, modeled on VERITAS and CTA-North, and one extended air shower array, motivated by HAWC. With reasonable assumptions on the instrument response functions and background rate, we find a set of UHDM parameters (mass and cross section) for which a γ-ray signature can be detected by the aforementioned observatories. Here, we further compute the expected upper limits for each experiment. With realistic exposure times, the three instruments can probe DM across a wide mass range. At the lower end, it can still have a point-like cross section, while at higher masses the DM could have a geometric cross section, indicative of compositeness.
72 PHYSICS OF ELEMENTARY PARTICLES AND FIELDS↗
Methodological approach to the sensitivity analysis of failure effects in modern digital I and C systems - 136
Modern I and C systems of nuclear power plants increasingly use digital equipment, software-based applications for I and C functions and different types and topologies of communication networks as well. The structure, operation and communication of digital safety-related I and C systems are strongly influenced by the implemented automatic fault detection and fault treatment procedures as barriers against failure propagation. Thus, these I and C systems can change their operating states automatically during the operation time, e.g. due to the detection and correction of certain failure types. Reasonably because of these dynamic properties of digital I and C systems the use of classical fault tree and event tree methods solely for the reliability analysis of modern I and C systems is less suitable. These methods basically apply static models and do not consider the temporal changes of the operating state of the I and C system or equipment appropriately. In this paper, a recently developed approach for the sensitivity analysis of digital I and C systems will be introduced that allows to investigate the dynamic behavior of such systems in cases of internal faults and to quantify the effects on the system reliability. The development and testing of the analysis methodology is carried out using models of generic I and C systems with different typical architectures of stepwise increased complexity. (authors)
22 GENERAL STUDIES OF NUCLEAR REACTORS↗