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All sourcesNASA NTRSDOE OSTI
DOE OSTI2014

SU-E-J-24: An Evaluation of the Stability of Image Quality Parameters of Varian On-Board Imaging (OBI) and EPID Imaging Systems

Purpose: Quality assurance of the image quality for image guided localization systems is crucial to ensure accurate visualization and localization of target volumes. In this study, the long term stability of selected image parameters was assessed and evaluated for CBCT mode, planar radiographic kV mode and the radiographic MV EPID mode. Methods: The CATPHAN, QckV-1 and QC-3 phantoms were used to evaluate the image quality parameters. The planar radiographic images were analyzed in PIPSpro™ with spatial resolution (f30, f40, f50) being recorded. For OBI CBCT, High quality head Full-Fan acquisition and Pelvis Half-Fan acquisition modes were evaluated for Uniformity, Noise, Spatial Resolution, HU constancy and geometric distortion. Dose and kVp for the OBI were recorded using the Unfors RaySafe Xi system with the R/F High Detector for planar kV and the CT detector for CBCT. Dose for the MV EPID was recorded using a PTW975 Semiflex Ion Chamber, PTW Unidos electrometer and SolidWater™. Results: For each metric, values were normalized to the mean and the standard deviations were recorded. For the planar radiographic spatial resolution the f30, f40, f50 were 0.015, 0.008, 0.004 and 0.006, 0.009, 0.018 for the kV and MV, respectively. The standard deviation of the dose for kV was 0.010 and 0.005 for the MV. The standard deviations for Full and half fan were averaged together and the following standard deviations for each metric were recorded: 0.075(uniformity), 0.071(noise), 0.006(AP-Geometric Distortion), 0.005(LAT-Geometric Distortion), 0.058(mean slice thickness), 0.098(f30),0.101(f40),0.124(f50), 0.031(Lung/PMP-HU constancy), 0.063(Water/poly-HU constancy), 0.015(Bone/Derlin-HU constancy),0.006(Dose-Center), 0.004(Dose-Periphery). Using these, tolerances can be reported as a warning and action threshold of 1σ and 2σ. Conclusion: A study was performed to assess the stability of the basic image quality parameters recommended by TG-142 for the Varian OBI and EPID Imaging systems. The two systems show consistent imaging and dosimetric properties over the evaluated time frame.

46 INSTRUMENTATION RELATED TO NUCLEAR SCIENCE AND ↗
DOE OSTI2014

Surface nanostructuring by bichromatic femtosecond laser pulses through a colloidal particle array

This paper considers the surface nanostructuring of polymers and glasses by femtosecond laser pulses using an array of colloidal particles as a focusing system. We demonstrate that partial conversion of the femtosecond laser pulse energy into the second harmonic considerably reduces the surface modification threshold and the size of the resulting structural elements. At intensities above 10{sup 12} W cm{sup -2}, surface modification (ablation and swelling) occurs through free carrier generation. In this process, the second harmonic is more efficient in multiphoton ionisation, whereas the fundamental is more efficient in impact ionisation. The second harmonic is better focused by colloidal particle arrays than is the fundamental. As a result, the use of bichromatic pulses ensures a decrease in both the surface modification threshold and the size of the resulting structural elements. We discuss the optical properties of colloidal particle arrays and the ways of producing such arrays on dielectric substrates. (extreme light fields and their applications)

75 CONDENSED MATTER PHYSICS, SUPERCONDUCTIVITY AND↗
DOE OSTI2020

The Analog Front-end for the LGAD Based Precision Timing Application in CMS ETL

The analog front-end for the Low Gain Avalanche Detector (LGAD) based precision timing application in the CMS Endcap Timing Layer (ETL) has been prototyped in a 65 nm CMOS mini-ASIC named ETROC0. Serving as the very first prototype of ETL readout chip (ETROC), ETROC0 aims to study and demonstrate the performance of the analog frontend, with the goal to achieve 40 to 50 ps time resolution per hit with LGAD (therefore reach about 30ps per track with two detector-layer hits per track). ETROC0 consists of preamplifier and discriminator stages, which amplifies the LGAD signal and generates digital pulses containing time of arrival and time over threshold information. This paper will focus on the design considerations that lead to the ETROC front-end architecture choice, the key design features of the building blocks, the methodology of using the LGAD simulation data to evaluate and optimize the front-end design. The ETROC0 prototype chips have been extensively tested using charge injection and the measured performance agrees well with simulation. The initial beam test results are also presented, with time resolution of around 33 ps observed from the preamplifier waveform analysis and around 41 ps from the discriminator pulses analysis. A subset of ETROC0 chips have also been tested to a total ionizing dose of 100 MRad with X-ray and no performance degradation been observed.

46 INSTRUMENTATION RELATED TO NUCLEAR SCIENCE AND ↗
DOE OSTI2019

Overview of new MAST physics in anticipation of first results from MAST Upgrade

We report that the mega amp spherical tokamak (MAST) was a low aspect ratio device (R/a = 0.85/0.65 ~ 1.3) with similar poloidal cross-section to other medium-size tokamaks. The physics programme concentrates on addressing key physics issues for the operation of ITER, design of DEMO and future spherical tokamaks by utilising high resolution diagnostic measurements closely coupled with theory and modelling to significantly advance our understanding. An empirical scaling of the energy confinement time that favours higher power, lower collisionality devices is consistent with gyrokinetic modelling of electron scale turbulence. Measurements of ion scale turbulence with beam emission spectroscopy and gyrokinetic modelling in up-down symmetric plasmas find that the symmetry of the turbulence is broken by flow shear. Near the non-linear stability threshold, flow shear tilts the density fluctuation correlation function and skews the fluctuation amplitude distribution. Results from fast particle physics studies include the observation that sawteeth are found to redistribute passing and trapped fast particles injected from neutral beam injectors in equal measure, suggesting that resonances between the m = 1 perturbation and the fast ion orbits may be playing a dominant role in the fast ion transport. Measured D–D fusion products from a neutron camera and a charged fusion product detector are 40% lower than predictions from TRANSP/NUBEAM, highlighting possible deficiencies in the guiding centre approximation. Modelling of fast ion losses in the presence of resonant magnetic perturbations (RMPs) can reproduce trends observed in experiments when the plasma response and charge-exchange losses are accounted for. Measurements with a neutral particle analyser during merging-compression start-up indicate the acceleration of ions and electrons. Transport at the plasma edge has been improved through reciprocating probe measurements that have characterised a geodesic acoustic mode at the edge of an ohmic L-mode plasma and particle-in-cell modelling has improved the interpretation of plasma potential estimates from ball-pen probes. The application of RMPs leads to a reduction in particle confinement in L-mode and H-mode and an increase in the core ionization source. The ejection of secondary filaments following type-I ELMs correlates with interactions with surfaces near the X-point. Simulations of the interaction between pairs of filaments in the scrape-off layer suggest this results in modest changes to their velocity, and in most cases can be treated as moving independently. A stochastic model of scrape-off layer profile formation based on the superposition of non-interacting filaments is in good agreement with measured time-average profiles. Transport in the divertor has been improved through fast camera imaging, indicating the presence of a quiescent region devoid of filament near the X-point, extending from the separatrix to $ψ_n$ ~ 1.02. Simulations of turbulent transport in the divertor show that the angle between the divertor leg on the curvature vector strongly influences transport into the private flux region via the interchange mechanism. Coherence imaging measurements show counter-streaming flows of impurities due to gas puffing increasing the pressure on field lines where the gas is ionised. MAST Upgrade is based on the original MAST device, with substantially improved capabilities to operate with a Super-X divertor to test extended divertor leg concepts. SOLPS-ITER modelling predicts the detachment threshold will be reduced by more than a factor of 2, in terms of upstream density, in the Super-X compared with a conventional configuration and that the radiation front movement is passively stabilised before it reaches the X-point. 1D fluid modelling reveals the key role of momentum and power loss mechanisms in governing detachment onset and evolution. Analytic modelling indicates that long legs placed at large major radius, or equivalently low at the target compared with the X-point are more amenable to external control. With MAST Upgrade experiments expected in 2019, a thorough characterisation of the sources of the intrinsic error field has been carried out and a mitigation strategy developed.

70 PLASMA PHYSICS AND FUSION TECHNOLOGY↗
DOE OSTI2011

DEATH LINE OF GAMMA-RAY PULSARS WITH OUTER GAPS

We analytically investigate the condition for a particle accelerator to be active in the outer magnetosphere of a rotation-powered pulsar. Within the accelerator (or the gap), the magnetic-field-aligned electric field accelerates electrons and positrons, which emit copious gamma-rays via the curvature process. If one of the gamma-rays emitted by a single pair materializes as a new pair on average, the gap is self-sustained. However, if the neutron-star spin-down rate decreases below a certain limit, the gap becomes no longer self-sustained and the gamma-ray emission ceases. We explicitly compute the multiplicity of cascading pairs and find that the obtained limit corresponds to a modification of the previously derived outer-gap death line. In addition to this traditional death line, we find another death line, which becomes important for millisecond pulsars, by separately considering the threshold of photon-photon pair production. Combining these traditional and new death lines, we give predictions on the detectability of gamma-ray pulsars with Fermi and AGILE. An implication for X-ray observations of heated polar-cap emission is also discussed.

79 ASTRONOMY AND ASTROPHYSICS↗
DOE OSTI2015

SU-E-I-20: Comprehensive Quality Assurance Test of Second Generation Toshiba Aquilion Large Bore CT Simulator Based On AAPM TG-66 Recommendations

Purpose: AAPM radiation therapy committee task group No. 66 (TG-66) published a report which described a general approach to CT simulator QA. The report outlines the testing procedures and specifications for the evaluation of patient dose, radiation safety, electromechanical components, and image quality for a CT simulator. The purpose of this study is to thoroughly evaluate the performance of a second generation Toshiba Aquilion Large Bore CT simulator with 90 cm bore size (Toshiba, Nasu, JP) based on the TG-66 criteria. The testing procedures and results from this study provide baselines for a routine QA program. Methods: Different measurements and analysis were performed including CTDIvol measurements, alignment and orientation of gantry lasers, orientation of the tabletop with respect to the imaging plane, table movement and indexing accuracy, Scanogram location accuracy, high contrast spatial resolution, low contrast resolution, field uniformity, CT number accuracy, mA linearity and mA reproducibility using a number of different phantoms and measuring devices, such as CTDI phantom, ACR image quality phantom, TG-66 laser QA phantom, pencil ion chamber (Fluke Victoreen) and electrometer (RTI Solidose 400). Results: The CTDI measurements were within 20% of the console displayed values. The alignment and orientation for both gantry laser and tabletop, as well as the table movement and indexing and scanogram location accuracy were within 2mm as specified in TG66. The spatial resolution, low contrast resolution, field uniformity and CT number accuracy were all within ACR’s recommended limits. The mA linearity and reproducibility were both well below the TG66 threshold. Conclusion: The 90 cm bore size second generation Toshiba Aquilion Large Bore CT simulator that comes with 70 cm true FOV can consistently meet various clinical needs. The results demonstrated that this simulator complies with the TG-66 protocol in all aspects including electromechanical component, radiation safety component, and image quality component. Employee of Toshiba America Medical Systems.

60 APPLIED LIFE SCIENCES↗
DOE OSTI2011

LOCALIZING COMPACT BINARY INSPIRALS ON THE SKY USING GROUND-BASED GRAVITATIONAL WAVE INTERFEROMETERS

The inspirals and mergers of compact binaries are among the most promising events for ground-based gravitational-wave (GW) observatories. The detection of electromagnetic (EM) signals from these sources would provide complementary information to the GW signal. It is therefore important to determine the ability of GW detectors to localize compact binaries on the sky, so that they can be matched to their EM counterparts. We use Markov Chain Monte Carlo techniques to study sky localization using networks of ground-based interferometers. Using a coherent-network analysis, we find that the Laser Interferometer Gravitational Wave Observatory (LIGO)-Virgo network can localize 50% of their detected neutron star binaries to better than 50 deg{sup 2} with a 95% confidence interval. The addition of the Large Scale Cryogenic Gravitational Wave Telescope (LCGT) and LIGO-Australia improves this to 12 deg{sup 2}. Using a more conservative coincident detection threshold, we find that 50% of detected neutron star binaries are localized to 13 deg{sup 2} using the LIGO-Virgo network, and to 3 deg{sup 2} using the LIGO-Virgo-LCGT-LIGO-Australia network. Our findings suggest that the coordination of GW observatories and EM facilities offers great promise.

79 ASTRONOMY AND ASTROPHYSICS↗
DOE OSTI2012

KELVIN-HELMHOLTZ INSTABILITY IN PARTIALLY IONIZED COMPRESSIBLE PLASMAS

The Kelvin-Helmholtz instability (KHI) has been observed in the solar atmosphere. Ion-neutral collisions may play a relevant role for the growth rate and evolution of the KHI in solar partially ionized plasmas such as in, e.g., solar prominences. Here, we investigate the linear phase of the KHI at an interface between two partially ionized magnetized plasmas in the presence of a shear flow. The effects of ion-neutral collisions and compressibility are included in the analysis. We obtain the dispersion relation of the linear modes and perform parametric studies of the unstable solutions. We find that, in the incompressible case, the KHI is present for any velocity shear regardless of the value of the collision frequency. In the compressible case, the domain of instability depends strongly on the plasma parameters, especially the collision frequency and the density contrast. For high collision frequencies and low density contrasts the KHI is present for super-Alfvenic velocity shear only. For high density contrasts the threshold velocity shear can be reduced to sub-Alfvenic values. For the particular case of turbulent plumes in prominences, we conclude that sub-Alfvenic flow velocities can trigger the KHI thanks to the ion-neutral coupling.

79 ASTRONOMY AND ASTROPHYSICS↗
DOE OSTI2015

High current density ion beam obtained by a transition to a highly focused state in extremely low-energy region

A high current density (≈3 mA/cm{sup 2}) hydrogen ion beam source operating in an extremely low-energy region (E{sub ib} ≈ 150–200 eV) has been realized by using a transition to a highly focused state, where the beam is extracted from the ion source chamber through three concave electrodes with nominal focal lengths of ≈350 mm. The transition occurs when the beam energy exceeds a threshold value between 145 and 170 eV. Low-level hysteresis is observed in the transition when E{sub ib} is being reduced. The radial profiles of the ion beam current density and the low temperature ion current density can be obtained separately using a Faraday cup with a grid in front. The measured profiles confirm that more than a half of the extracted beam ions reaches the target plate with a good focusing profile with a full width at half maximum of ≈3 cm. Estimation of the particle balances in beam ions, the slow ions, and the electrons indicates the possibility that the secondary electron emission from the target plate and electron impact ionization of hydrogen may play roles as particle sources in this extremely low-energy beam after the compensation of beam ion space charge.

46 INSTRUMENTATION RELATED TO NUCLEAR SCIENCE AND ↗
DOE OSTI2015

SU-E-T-660: Quantitative Fault Testing for Commissioning of Proton Therapy Machines

Purpose: To ensure proper fault testing for the first single room proton therapy machine by establishing a common set of acceptance testing and commissioning parameters with the manufacturer. The following work details the parameters tested and associated results. Methods: Dose rates in service mode were varied to ensure that when the threshold for maximum or minimum MU/min was met, the beam promptly shut off. The flatness parameter was tested by purposely assigning an incorrect secondary scatter, to ensure the beam shut off when detecting a heterogeneous profile. The beam symmetry parameter was tested by altering the steering coil up to 3.0A, thereby forcing the beam to be asymmetric and shut off. Lastly, the quench system was tested by ramping down the magnet to 5% capacity, whereby the quench button was engaged to bring down the magnet current to a safe level. Results: A dose rate increase or decrease in excess of 10% shut the beam off within 5 seconds as observed by the current on a Matrixx ionization chamber array (IBA Dosimetry, Bartlett, TN) A 3.0A change in the beam steering coil introduced a 2% change in the flatness and symmetry profiles with respect to baseline measurements resulting in the beam shutting off within 5 seconds. An incorrect 2nd scatterer introduced a flatness of 4.1% and symmetry of 6.4% which immediately triggered a beam shut off. Finally, the quench system worked as expected during the ramp down procedure. Conclusion: A fault testing plan to check dosimetric faults and the quench system was performed for the first single room proton therapy system. All dosimetric parameters and machine conditions were met to our satisfaction. We propose that the same type of fault testing should be applied to any proton system during commissioning, including scanning beam systems.

61 RADIATION PROTECTION AND DOSIMETRY↗
DOE OSTI2022

Connecting Low- and High-redshift Weak Emission-line Quasars via Hubble Space Telescope Spectroscopy of Lyα Emission

We present ultraviolet spectroscopy covering the Lyα + N v complex of six candidate low-redshift (0.9 < z < 1.5) weak emission-line quasars (WLQs) based on observations with the Hubble Space Telescope. The original systematic searches for these puzzling Type 1 quasars with intrinsically weak broad emission lines revealed an N ≈ 100 WLQ population from optical spectroscopy of high-redshift (z > 3) quasars, defined by a Lyα + N v rest-frame equivalent width (EW) threshold <15.4 Å. Identification of lower-redshift (z < 3) WLQ candidates, however, has relied primarily on optical spectroscopy of weak broad emission lines at longer rest-frame wavelengths. With these new observations expanding existing optical coverage into the ultraviolet, we explore unifying the low- and high-z WLQ populations via EW[Lyα+N v]. Two objects in the sample unify with high-z WLQs, three others appear consistent with the intermediate portion of the population connecting WLQs and normal quasars, and the final object is consistent with typical quasars. The expanded wavelength coverage improves the number of available line diagnostics for our individual targets, allowing a better understanding of the shapes of their ionizing continua. The ratio of EW[Lyα+N v] to EW[Mg ii] in our sample is generally small but varied, favoring a soft ionizing continuum scenario for WLQs, and we find a lack of correlation between EW[Lyα+N v] and the X-ray properties of our targets, consistent with a "slim-disk" shielding gas model. We also find indications that weak absorption may be a more significant contaminant in low-z WLQ populations than previously thought.

79 ASTRONOMY AND ASTROPHYSICS↗
DOE OSTI2011

Dynamic MLC leaf sequencing for integrated linear accelerator control systems

Purpose: Leaf positions for dynamic multileaf collimator (DMLC) intensity modulated radiation therapy must be closely synchronized with MU delivery. For the Varian C3 series MLC controller, if the planned trajectory (leaf position vs. MU) requires velocities exceeding the capability of the MLC, the leaves fall behind the planned positions, causing the controller to momentarily hold the beam and thereby introduce dosimetric errors. We investigated the merits of a new commercial linear accelerator, TrueBeam, that integrates MLC control with prospective dose rate modulation. If treatment is delivered at dose rates so high that leaves would fall behind, the controller reduces the dose rate such that harmony between MU and leaf position is preserved. Methods: For three sets of DMLC leaf trajectories, point doses and two-dimensional dose distributions were measured in phantom using an ionization chamber and film, respectively. The first set, delivered using both a TrueBeam and a conventional C3 controller, comprised a single leaf bank closing at planned velocities of 2.4, 7.1, and 14 cm/s. The maximum achievable leaf velocity for both systems was 3 cm/s. The remaining two sets were derived from clinical fluence maps using a commercial treatment planning system for a range of planned dose rates and were delivered using TrueBeam set to the maximum dose rate, 600 MU/min. Generating trajectories using a planned dose rate that is lower than the delivery dose rate effectively increased the leaf velocity constraint used by the planning system for trajectory calculation. The second set of leaf trajectories was derived from two fluence maps containing regions of zero fluence obtained from representative beams of two different patient treatment plans. The third set was obtained from all nine fields of a head and neck treatment plan. For the head and neck plan, dose-volume histograms of the spinal cord and target for each planned dose rate were obtained. Results: For the single closing leaf bank trajectories, the TrueBeam control system reduced the dose rate such that the leaf velocity was less than the maximum. Dose deviations relative to the 2.4 cm/s trajectory were less than 3%. For the conventional controller, the leaves repeatedly fell behind the planned positions until the beam hold threshold was reached, resulting in deviations of up to 19% relative to the 2.4 cm/s trajectory. For the two clinical fluence maps, reducing the planned dose rate reduced the dose in the zero fluence regions by 15% and 24% and increased the delivery time by 5 s and 14 s. No significant differences were noted in the high and intermediate dose regions measured using film. The DVHs for the head and neck plan showed a 10% reduction in cord dose for 20 MU/min relative to 600 MU/min sequencing dose rate, which was confirmed by measurement. No difference in target DVHs were observed. The reduction in cord dose increased total treatment time by 1.8 min. Conclusions: Leaf sequencing algorithms for integrated control systems should be modified to reflect the reduced importance of maximum leaf velocity for accurate dose delivery.

43 PARTICLE ACCELERATORS↗
DOE OSTI2011

Combined Photoneutron And X Ray Interrogation Of Containers For Nuclear Materials

Effective cargo inspection systems for nuclear material detection require good penetration by the interrogating radiation, generation of a sufficient number of fissions, and strong and penetrating detection signatures. Inspection systems need also to be sensitive over a wide range of cargo types and densities encountered in daily commerce. Thus they need to be effective with highly hydrogenous cargo, where neutron attenuation is a major limitation, as well as with dense metallic cargo, where x-ray penetration is low. A system that interrogates cargo with both neutrons and x-rays can, in principle, achieve high performance over the widest range of cargos. Moreover, utilizing strong prompt-neutron ({approx}3 per fission) and delayed-gamma ray ({approx}7 per fission) signatures further strengthens the detection sensitivity across all cargo types. The complementary nature of x-rays and neutrons, used as both probing radiation and detection signatures, alleviates the need to employ exceedingly strong sources, which would otherwise be required to achieve adequate performance across all cargo types, if only one type of radiation probe were employed. A system based on the above principles, employing a commercially-available 9 MV linac was developed and designed. Neutrons are produced simultaneously with x-rays by the photonuclear interaction of the x-ray beam with a suitable converter. A total neutron yield on the order of 10{sup 11} n/s is achieved with an average electron beam current of 100 {mu}A. If fissionable material is present, fissions are produced both by the high-energy x-ray beam and by the photoneutrons. Photofission and neutron fission dominate in hydrogenous and metallic cargos, respectively. Neutron-capture gamma rays provide information on the cargo composition. The prompt neutrons resulting from fission are detected by two independent detector systems: by very efficient Differential Die Away Analysis (DDAA) detectors, and by direct detection of neutrons with energies higher than 3 MeV using a recently developed fluorine-based threshold activation detector (TAD). The delayed gamma-ray signals are measured with high efficiency with the same TAD and with additional lower-cost plastic scintillators.

07 ISOTOPE AND RADIATION SOURCES↗
DOE OSTI2018

Investigation into the formation of the scrape-off layer density shoulder in JET ITER-like wall L-mode and H-mode plasmas

The low temperature boundary layer plasma (scrape-off layer or SOL) between the hot core and the surrounding vessel determines the level of power loading, erosion and implantation of material surfaces, and thus the viability of tokamak-based fusion as an energy source. Here, this study explores mechanisms affecting the formation of flattened density profiles, so-called 'density shoulders', in the low-field side (LFS) SOL, which modify ion and neutral fluxes to surfaces—and subsequent erosion. There is evidence against local enhancement of ionization inducing shoulder formation. We find that increases in SOL parallel resistivity, Λ div (=[ L || ν ei Ω i ]/ c s Ω e ), postulated to lead to shoulder growth through changes in SOL turbulence characteristics, correlates with increases in SOL shoulder amplitude, A s , but only under a subset of conditions (D 2 -fuelled L-mode density scans with outer strike point on the horizontal target). Λ div fails to correlate with A s for cases of N 2 seeding or during sweeping of the strike point across the horizontal target. The limited correlation of Λ div and A s is also found for H-mode discharges. Thus, while it may be necessary for Λ div to be above a threshold of ~1 for shoulder formation and/or growth, another mechanism is required. More significantly, we find that in contrast to parallel resistivity, outer divertor recycling, as quantified by the total outer divertor Balmer D α emission, I – D α , does scale with A s where Λ div does and even where Λ div does not. Divertor recycling could lead to SOL density shoulder formation through: (a) reducing the parallel to the field flow (loss) of ions out of the SOL to the divertor; and (b) changes in radial electric fields which lead to E &#x00d7; B poloidal flows as well as potentially affecting SOL turbulence birth characteristics. Therefore, changes in divertor recycling may be the sole process involved in bringing about SOL density shoulders or it may be that it acts in tandem with parallel resistivity.

70 PLASMA PHYSICS AND FUSION TECHNOLOGY↗
DOE OSTI2012

Automated size-specific CT dose monitoring program: Assessing variability in CT dose

Purpose: The potential health risks associated with low levels of ionizing radiation have created a movement in the radiology community to optimize computed tomography (CT) imaging protocols to use the lowest radiation dose possible without compromising the diagnostic usefulness of the images. Despite efforts to use appropriate and consistent radiation doses, studies suggest that a great deal of variability in radiation dose exists both within and between institutions for CT imaging. In this context, the authors have developed an automated size-specific radiation dose monitoring program for CT and used this program to assess variability in size-adjusted effective dose from CT imaging. Methods: The authors radiation dose monitoring program operates on an independent health insurance portability and accountability act compliant dosimetry server. Digital imaging and communication in medicine routing software is used to isolate dose report screen captures and scout images for all incoming CT studies. Effective dose conversion factors (k-factors) are determined based on the protocol and optical character recognition is used to extract the CT dose index and dose-length product. The patient's thickness is obtained by applying an adaptive thresholding algorithm to the scout images and is used to calculate the size-adjusted effective dose (ED{sub adj}). The radiation dose monitoring program was used to collect data on 6351 CT studies from three scanner models (GE Lightspeed Pro 16, GE Lightspeed VCT, and GE Definition CT750 HD) and two institutions over a one-month period and to analyze the variability in ED{sub adj} between scanner models and across institutions. Results: No significant difference was found between computer measurements of patient thickness and observer measurements (p= 0.17), and the average difference between the two methods was less than 4%. Applying the size correction resulted in ED{sub adj} that differed by up to 44% from effective dose estimates that were not adjusted by patient size. Additionally, considerable differences were noted in ED{sub adj} distributions between scanners, with scanners employing iterative reconstruction exhibiting significantly lower ED{sub adj} (range: 9%-64%). Finally, a significant difference (up to 59%) in ED{sub adj} distributions was observed between institutions, indicating the potential for dose reduction. Conclusions: The authors developed a robust automated size-specific radiation dose monitoring program for CT. Using this program, significant differences in ED{sub adj} were observed between scanner models and across institutions. This new dose monitoring program offers a unique tool for improving quality assurance and standardization both within and across institutions.

60 APPLIED LIFE SCIENCES↗
DOE OSTI2017

Measurement of low energy ionization signals from Compton scattering in a charge-coupled device dark matter detector [Measurement of low energy ionization signals from Compton scattering in a CCD dark matter detector]

In this paper, an important source of background in direct searches for low-mass dark matter particles are the energy deposits by small-angle scattering of environmental γ rays. We report detailed measurements of low-energy spectra from Compton scattering of γ rays in the bulk silicon of a charge-coupled device (CCD). Electron recoils produced by γ rays from 57 Co and 241 Am radioactive sources are measured between 60 eV and 4 keV. The observed spectra agree qualitatively with theoretical predictions, and characteristic spectral features associated with the atomic structure of the silicon target are accurately measured for the first time. A theoretically motivated parametrization of the data that describes the Compton spectrum at low energies for any incident γ-ray flux is derived. The result is directly applicable to background estimations for low-mass dark matter direct-detection experiments based on silicon detectors, in particular for the DAMIC experiment down to its current energy threshold.

46 INSTRUMENTATION RELATED TO NUCLEAR SCIENCE AND ↗
DOE OSTI2012

Ultraviolet photodissociation dynamics of the phenyl radical

Ultraviolet (UV) photodissociation dynamics of jet-cooled phenyl radicals (C{sub 6}H{sub 5} and C{sub 6}D{sub 5}) are studied in the photolysis wavelength region of 215-268 nm using high-n Rydberg atom time-of-flight and resonance enhanced multiphoton ionization techniques. The phenyl radicals are produced from 193-nm photolysis of chlorobenzene and bromobenzene precursors. The H-atom photofragment yield spectra have a broad peak centered around 235 nm and are in good agreement with the UV absorption spectra of phenyl. The H + C{sub 6}H{sub 4} product translational energy distributions, P(E{sub T})'s, peak near {approx}7 kcal/mol, and the fraction of average translational energy in the total excess energy, , is in the range of 0.20-0.35 from 215 to 268 nm. The H-atom product angular distribution is isotropic. The dissociation rates are in the range of 10{sup 7}-10{sup 8} s{sup -1} with internal energy from 30 to 46 kcal/mol above the threshold of the lowest energy channel H +o-C{sub 6}H{sub 4} (ortho-benzyne), comparable with the rates from the Rice-Ramsperger-Kassel-Marcus theory. The results from the fully deuterated phenyl radical are identical. The dissociation mechanism is consistent with production of H +o-C{sub 6}H{sub 4}, as the main channel from unimolecular decomposition of the ground electronic state phenyl radical following internal conversion of the electronically excited state.

37 INORGANIC, ORGANIC, PHYSICAL, AND ANALYTICAL CH↗
DOE OSTI2017

Charge segregation in weakly ionized microgels

Here we investigate microgels synthesized from N-isopropylacrylamide (NIPAM) copolymerized with a large mol% of acrylic acid, finding that when the acid groups are partially ionized at high temperatures, competition between ion-induced swelling and hydrophobic deswelling of poly(NIPAM) chains results in microphase separation. In cross-linked microgels, this manifests as a dramatic decrease in the ratio between the radius of gyration and the hydrodynamic radius to ~0.2, indicating that almost all the mass of the microgel is concentrated near the particle center. We also observe a concurrent decrease of the polymer network length scale via small-angle neutron scattering, confirming the presence of a dense, deswollen core surrounded by a diffuse, charged periphery. We compare these results to those obtained for a system of charged ultralow-cross-linked microgels; the form factor shows a distinct peak at high q when the temperature exceeds a threshold value. Lastly, we successfully fit the form factor to theory developed to describe scattering from weakly charged gels in poor solvents, and we tie this behavior to charge segregation in the case of the cross-linked microgels.

59 BASIC BIOLOGICAL SCIENCES↗