Nuclear Science & Technology. Research and Development to Enable Advanced Reactor Demonstrations and Deployment
Presentation for OT Defender Fellows visit to INL
99 GENERAL AND MISCELLANEOUS↗
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Search indexed NASA NTRS and DOE OSTI research on propulsion, heat transfer, battery materials and energy systems. Follow report and document links to the original sources.
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The CMS Phase-2 Fast Beam Condition Monitor prototype test with beam
The Fast Beam Condition Monitor (FBCM) is a standalone luminometer for the High Luminosity LHC (HL-LHC) program of the CMS Experiment at CERN. The detector is under development and features a new, radiation-hard, front-end application-specific integrated circuit (ASIC) designed for beam monitoring applications. The achieved timing resolution of a few nanoseconds enables the measurement of both the luminosity and the beam-induced background. The ASIC, called FBCM23, features six channels with adjustable shaping times, enabling in-field fine-tuning. Each ASIC channel outputs a single binary asynchronous signal encoding time-of-arrival and time-over-threshold information. The FBCM is based on silicon-pad sensors, with two sensor designs presently being considered. This paper presents the results of tests of the FBCM detector prototype using both types of silicon sensors with hadron, muon, and electron beams. Irradiated FBCM23 ASICs and silicon-pad sensors were also tested to simulate the expected conditions near the end of the detector's lifetime in the HL-LHC radiation environment. Based on test results, direct bonding between the sensor and ASIC was chosen, and an optimal bias voltage and ASIC threshold for FBCM operation were proposed. The current design of the front-end test board was validated following the beam test and is now being used for the first front-end module, which is expected to be produced in summer 2025. These results represent a major step forward in validating the FBCM concept, first version of the firmware and establishing a reliable design path for the final detector.
Beam-line instrumentation (beam position and profi↗
Enhanced sensitivity for electron affinity measurements of rare elements
The electron affinity (EA), the energy released when a neutral atom binds an additional electron, is a fundamental property of atoms that is governed by electron-electron correlations and is strongly related to an element’s chemical reactivity. However, conventional techniques for EA determination lack the experimental sensitivity to probe very scarce samples. As a result, the EA for the heaviest elements of the periodic table is entirely uncharted. Here, we present a novel technique to determine EAs through Laser Photodetachment Threshold Spectroscopy, performed in an electrostatic ion beam trap to increase the samples’ exposure to laser photons and, thus, improve the experimental signal sensitivity by three orders of magnitude. Moreover, the additional exposure time allows the use of lower-power continuous-wave narrow-band lasers that reduce uncertainties associated with broadening effects induced by the laser bandwidth. By applying this technique, we measure the EA of 35 Cl to be 3.612720(44) eV, achieving state-of-the-art precision while employing five orders of magnitude fewer anions. The demonstrated sensitivity paves the way for systematic EA measurements across isotopic chains - including isotope shifts and hyperfine splittings - and ultimately for the first direct determination of electron affinities in superheavy elements.
Maier, F. M. [Univ. of Greifswald (Germany); Europ↗
Examining United States Nuclear Weapon Educational Initiatives_A Quantitative Research Study on the Satisfaction of Participants Within the Nuclear Weapons Community
This study focused on a few United States nuclear weapons educational initiatives exploring six classroom environment factors that may or may not influence Satisfaction in a virtual or live classroom environment within the nuclear weapons community. The research explored Personalization, Involvement, Student Cohesiveness, Task Orientation, Innovation, and Individualization. The United States nuclear weapons community needed to attract new and talented individuals to the nuclear weapons profession. This study added to the nuclear weapons community by researching factors that may aid academic instructors, and curriculum developers create new and inventive ways of incorporating these factors into existing or new nuclear weapons educational courses. Convenience sampling was the data collection method used to gather quantitative research data. One hundred and seven voluntary participants utilized the College and University Classroom Environment Inventory with the Los Alamos National Laboratory's consent. There is not much concurrent research on Satisfaction within the live and virtual classroom environment. This research was vital for future research into how to increase participant satisfaction. The study provided the nuclear weapons community with grounded analysis to help create and guide new classes and course creation, possibly increasing Satisfaction in a live and virtual classroom environment. According to binary logistic regression, there was a statistically significant relationship among the dependent variable, Satisfaction, and two independent variables, Involvement, and Task Orientation in the classroom environment within the nuclear weapons community. Future nuclear educational programs may increase Satisfaction in the classroom environment by increasing participant Involvement and Task Orientation within a class using the CUCEI as a reference.
45 MILITARY TECHNOLOGY, WEAPONRY, AND NATIONAL DEF↗
Rad-hard readout system for Timepix3 Hybrid Pixel Detectors
The Beam Gas Ionisation (BGI) profile monitor, located in the Proton Synchrotron (PS) and Super Proton Synchrotron (SPS) at CERN, requires a radiation-tolerant readout system to transfer data from the challenging accelerator surroundings to the back-end for processing. The system needs to control and acquire data from four Timepix3 Hybrid Pixel Detectors (HPDs) located directly inside the beam pipe, a highly radioactive environment. It must ensure reliability given limited hardware access and preserve signal integrity for the high-speed data (32 channels at 320 MHz). However, due to the unavailability of a suitable rad-hard Timepix3 readout, the Beam Instrumentation PiXeL (BIPXL) readout system was designed to meet these requirements. This system employs radiation-hardened components such as the GBTx and the FEASTMP, both developed at CERN. It will be compatible with forthcoming hybrid pixel detector initiatives in similarly harsh radiation conditions.
47 OTHER INSTRUMENTATION↗
Search for solar axions produced through the axion-electron coupling gae using a new GridPix detector at CAST
We present a search for solar axions produced through the axion-electron coupling (g ae ) using data from a novel 7-GridPix detector installed at the CERN Axion Solar Telescope (CAST). The detector, featuring ultra-thin silicon nitride windows and multiple veto systems, collected approximately 160 hours of solar tracking data between 2017–2018. Using machine learning techniques and the veto systems, we achieved a background rate of 1.06 × 10 −5 keV −1 cm −2 s −1 at a signal efficiency of about 80% in the 0.2 to 8 keV range. Analysis of the data yielded no significant excess above background, allowing us to set a new upper limit on the product of the axion-electron and axion-photon couplings of g ae · g aγ < 7.35 × 10 −23 GeV −1 at 95% confidence level for axion masses below 10 meV. This result improves upon the previous best helioscope limit and demonstrates the potential of GridPix technology for rare event searches. Additionally, we derived a limit on the axion-photon coupling of g aγ < 9.0 × 10 −11 GeV −1 at 95% CL, which, while not surpassing CAST’s best limit, provides complementary constraints on axion models.
Beyond Standard Model↗
Multiplicity and net-electric charge fluctuations in central Ar+Sc interactions at 13 A , 19 A , 30 A , 40 A , 75 A , and 150 A GeV/c beam momenta measured by NA61/SHINE at the CERN SPS
This paper presents results on multiplicity fluctuations of positively and negatively charged hadrons as well as net-electric charge fluctuations measured in central Ar+Sc interactions at beam momenta 13 A , 19 A , 30 A , 40 A , 75 A , and 150 A GeV/c. The fluctuation analysis is one of the tools to search for the predicted critical point of strongly interacting matter. Results are corrected for the experimental biases and quantified using cumulant ratios. In most instances, multiplicity and net-charge distributions appear narrower than the corresponding Poisson or Skellam distributions. Cumulant ratios are compared with the EPOS1.99 model predictions, which provide a qualitative description that aligns with observations for positively and negatively charged particles. The obtained results are also compared to earlier NA61/SHINE results from inelastic p+p interactions in the same analysis acceptance.
73 NUCLEAR PHYSICS AND RADIATION PHYSICS↗
Charge Radii Measurements of Exotic Tin Isotopes in the Proximity of 𝑁 =50 and 𝑁 =82
We report nuclear charge radii for the isotopes 104–134 Sn , measured using two different collinear laser spectroscopy techniques at ISOLDE-CERN. These measurements clarify the archlike trend in charge radii along the isotopic chain and reveal an odd-even staggering that is more pronounced near the 𝑁 =50 and 𝑁 =82 shell closures. The observed local trends are well described by both nuclear density functional theory and valence space in-medium similarity renormalization group calculations. Both theories predict appreciable contributions from beyond-mean-field correlations to the charge radii of the neutron-deficient tin isotopes. The models, however, fall short of reproducing the magnitude of the known 𝐵(𝐸2) transition probabilities, highlighting the remaining challenges in achieving a unified description of both ground-state properties and collective phenomena.
laser spectroscopy↗
Examining United States Nuclear Weapon Educational Initiatives: A Quantitative Research Study on the Satisfaction of Participants Within the Nuclear Weapons Community [Slides]
This study focused on United States nuclear weapons educational programs exploring six classroom environment factors that may or may not influence Satisfaction in a virtual/live classroom environment within the nuclear weapons community. The research explored Personalization, Involvement, Student Cohesiveness, Task Orientation, Innovation, and Individualization, controlling for Gender, Age, and Education. This study added to the nuclear weapons community by researching factors that may aid academic instructors and curriculum developers create new and inventive ways of incorporating these factors into existing or new nuclear weapons educational courses.
98 NUCLEAR DISARMAMENT, SAFEGUARDS, AND PHYSICAL P↗
Regulatory Considerations for Nuclear Energy Applications of Digital Twin Technologies
Digital twins (DTs) in complex industrial and engineering applications have potential benefits that include increased operational efficiencies, enhanced safety and reliability, improved security engineering, reduced errors, faster information sharing, and better predictions. The interest in DT technologies continues to grow, and many of these advanced technologies are expected to experience rapid and wide industry adoption in the near future. Some of the potential application areas for DTs in the nuclear industry are design, licensing, plant construction, training simulators, predictive operations and maintenance, autonomous operation and control, failure and degradation prediction, physical protection modeling and simulation, and safety and reliability analyses. The Office of Nuclear Regulatory Research at the U.S. Nuclear Regulatory Commission (NRC) has initiated a future-focused research project to assess the regulatory viability of DTs for nuclear power plants and other NRC-regulated activities, such as fuel cycle facilities and operations. This report explores the potential impact of DT technologies in nuclear applications on NRC-regulated activities of interest. This report describes a nuclear DT system and its capabilities for nuclear power plant applications, followed by identification and discussion of some regulated activities that merit special consideration and present opportunities in implementing DT-enabling technologies and capabilities.
99 GENERAL AND MISCELLANEOUS↗
Charge Radii of Neutron-Rich Scandium Isotopes and the Seniority Symmetry in the 0𝑓 7/2 Shell
Nuclear charge radii of neutron-rich 47–49 Sc isotopes were measured using collinear laser spectroscopy at CERN-ISOLDE. The new data reveal that the charge radii of scandium isotopes exhibit a distinct trend between 𝑁 = 20 and 𝑁 = 28, with 41 Sc and 49 Sc isotopes having similar values, mirroring the closeness of the charge radii of 40 Ca and 48 Ca. Theoretical models that successfully interpret the radii of calcium isotopes could not account for the observed behavior in scandium radii, in particular the reduced odd-even staggering. Remarkably, the inclusion of the new 49 Sc radius data has unveiled a similar trend in the charge radii of 𝑁 = 28 isotones and 𝑍 = 20 isotopes when adding the protons atop the 48 Ca core and the neutrons atop the 40 Ca core, respectively. We demonstrate that this trend is consistent with the prediction of the seniority model.
Nuclear charge distribution↗
Triaxiality of neutron-rich ruthenium nuclei studied by lifetime measurements
The breaking of axial symmetry in nuclei enables otherwise precluded behaviours, making it an interesting phenomenon to study. Experimental fingerprints such as very low-lying $2^+_2$ states suggest pronounced triaxial deformation for the neutron-rich ruthenium isotopes. Nevertheless, theoretical calculations differ in the description of the triaxial deformation and its evolution with neutron number, making experimental data crucial to understanding it. We investigated the evolution of the degree of triaxiality and $γ$ rigidity in neutron-rich ruthenium isotopes by measuring lifetimes of excited states in 108-112 Ru with the recoil distance Doppler-shift method. The experiment was carried out at the Grand Accélérateur National d’Ions Lourds using the Advanced Gamma Tracking Array coupled to the Variable Mode Spectrometer. We obtained B(E2) values for 29 transitions in the studied nuclei and compared them with fully microscopic symmetry conserving configuration mixing calculations, and phenomenological generalized triaxial rotor and triaxial particle-rotor models. The models generally reproduce the measured transition strengths, and show an increase in triaxiality with neutron number, reaching near maximum triaxiality in 112 Ru. The results are consistent with a transition from soft to rigid motion as the neutron number increases.
Heines, Johannes Sorby [Univ. of Oslo (Norway); No↗
First Differential Measurement of the Single 𝜋 + Production Cross Section in Neutrino Neutral-Current Scattering
Since its first observation in the 1970s, neutrino-induced neutral-current single positive pion production (NC1𝜋 + ) has remained an elusive and poorly understood interaction channel. This process is a significant background in neutrino oscillation experiments and studying it further is critical for the physics program of next-generation accelerator-based neutrino oscillation experiments. In this Letter, we present the first double-differential cross-section measurement of NC1𝜋 + interactions using data from the ND280 detector of the T2K experiment collected in 𝜈-beam mode. The measured flux-averaged integrated cross section is 𝜎 = (6.07 ± 1.22) × 10 −41 cm 2 /nucleon. We compare the results on a hydrocarbon target to the predictions of several neutrino interaction generators and final-state-interaction models. While model predictions agree with the differential results, the data show a weak preference for a cross-section normalization approximately 30% higher than predicted by most models studied in this Letter.
Neutrino detection↗
Observation of the distribution of nuclear magnetization in a molecule
Precise experimental control and interrogation of molecules and calculations of their structure are enriching the investigation of nuclear and particle physics phenomena. Molecules containing heavy, octupole-deformed nuclei, such as radium, are of particular interest. Here, we report precision laser spectroscopy measurements and theoretical calculations of the structure of the radioactive radium monofluoride molecule 225 Ra 19 F. Our results reveal fine details of the short-range electron-nucleus interaction, indicating the high sensitivity of this molecule to the distribution of magnetization, within the radium nucleus. Here, these results provide a stringent test of the description of the electronic wave function inside the nuclear volume, highlighting the suitability of these molecules for investigating subatomic phenomena.
Nuclear structure↗
Measurement of the Born cross section for 𝑒 + 𝑒 − → 𝜂ℎ 𝑐 at center-of-mass energies between 4.1 and 4.6 GeV
We measure the Born cross section for the reaction 𝑒 + 𝑒 − → 𝜂ℎ 𝑐 from $\sqrt{𝑠}$ = 4.129 to 4.600 GeV using datasets collected by the BESIII detector running at the BEPCII collider. A resonant structure in the cross-section line shape near 4.200 GeV is observed with a statistical significance of 7𝜎. The parameters of this resonance are measured to be 𝑀 = 4188.8 ± 4.7 ± 8.0 MeV/𝑐 2 and Γ = 49 ± 16 ± 19 MeV, where the first uncertainties are statistical and the second systematic.
exotic mesons↗
Measurement of muon neutrino induced charged current interactions without charged pions in the final state using a new T2K off-axis near detector WAGASCI-BabyMIND
We report a flux-integrated cross section measurement of muon neutrino interactions on water and hydrocarbon via charged current reactions without charged pions in the final state with the WAGASCI-BabyMIND detector, which was installed in the T2K near detector hall in 2018. The detector is located 1.5° off-axis and is exposed to a more energetic neutrino flux than ND280, another T2K near detector, which is located at a different off-axis position. The total flux-integrated cross section is measured to be 1.26 ± 0.18(stat+syst) × 10 −39 cm 2 /nucleon on CH and 1.44 ± 0.21(stat+syst) × 10 −39 cm 2 /nucleon on H 2 O. These results are compared to model predictions provided by the neut v5.3.2 and genie v2.8.0 Monte Carlo generators and the measurements are compatible with these models. Differential cross sections in muon momentum and cosine of the muon scattering angle are also reported. This is the first such measurement reported with the WAGASCI-BabyMIND detector and utilizes the 2020 and 2021 datasets.
lepton-hadron interactions↗
First Measurement of the Electron-Neutrino Charged-Current Pion Production Cross Section on Carbon with the T2K Near Detector
The T2K Collaboration presents the first measurement of electron neutrino-induced charged-current pion production on a predominantly carbon target in a restricted kinematical phase space. This is performed using data from the 2.5° off-axis near detector, ND280. The differential cross sections with respect to the outgoing electron and pion kinematics, in addition to the total flux-integrated cross section, are obtained. Comparisons between the measured and predicted cross-section results using the neut, genie, and nuwro Monte Carlo event generators are presented. The measured total flux-integrated cross section is [2.52 ± 0.52(stat) ± 0.30(syst)] × 10 −39 cm 2 nucleon −1 , which is lower than the event generator predictions.
Neutrinos↗
Partial wave analysis of 𝑒 + 𝑒 − → 𝜋 + 𝜋 − 𝐽/𝜓 and cross section measurement of 𝑒 + 𝑒 − → 𝜋 ± 𝑍 𝑐 (3900) ∓ from 4.1271 to 4.3583 GeV
Based on 12.0 fb −1 of 𝑒 + 𝑒 − collision data samples collected by the BESIII detector at center-of-mass energies from 4.1271 to 4.3583 GeV, a partial wave analysis is performed for the process 𝑒 + 𝑒 − → 𝜋 + 𝜋 − 𝐽/𝜓. The cross sections for the subprocesses 𝑒 + 𝑒 − → 𝜋 + 𝑍 𝑐 (3900) − + c.c. → 𝜋 + 𝜋 − 𝐽/𝜓, 𝑓 0 (980)(→ 𝜋 + 𝜋 − )𝐽/𝜓, and (𝜋 + 𝜋 − ) S−wave 𝐽/𝜓 are measured for the first time. The mass and width of the 𝑍 𝑐 (3900) ± are determined to be 3884.6 ± 0.7 ± 3.3 MeV/𝑐 2 and 37.2 ± 1.3 ± 6.6 MeV, respectively. The first errors are statistical and the second systematic. The final state (𝜋 + 𝜋 − ) S−wave 𝐽/𝜓 dominates the process 𝑒 + 𝑒 − → 𝜋 + 𝜋 − 𝐽/𝜓. By analyzing the cross sections of 𝜋 ± 𝑍 𝑐 (3900) ∓ and 𝑓 0 (980)𝐽/𝜓, 𝑌(4220) has been observed. Its mass and width are determined to be 4225.7 ± 4.1 ± 3.4 MeV/𝑐 2 and 57.5 ± 9.4 ± 12.1 MeV, respectively.
lepton colliders↗