Diagnostic technique for measuring fusion reaction rate for inertial confinement fusion experiments at Shen Guang-III prototype laser facility

A study is conducted using a two-dimensional simulation program(Lared-s)with the goal of developing a technique to evaluate the effect of Rayleigh–Taylor growth in a neutron fusion reaction region.Two peaks of fusion reaction rate are simulated by using a two-dimensional simulation program(Lared-s)and confirmed by the experimental results.A neutron temporal diagnostic(NTD)system is developed with a high temporal resolution of~30 ps at the Shen Guang-III(SG-III)prototype laser facility in China,to measure the fusion reaction rate history.With the shape of neutron reaction rate curve and the spherical harmonic function in this paper,the degree of Rayleigh–Taylor growth and the main source of the neutron yield in our experiment can be estimated qualitatively.This technique,including the diagnostic system and the simulation program,may provide important information for obtaining a higher neutron yield in implosion experiments of inertial confinement fusion.     

Energy diffusion controlled reaction rate in dissipative Hamiltonian systems

In this paper the energy diffusion controlled reaction rate in dissipative Hamiltonian systems is investigated by using the stochastic averaging method for quasi Hamiltonian systems. The boundary value problem of mean first-passage time (MFPT) of averaged system is formulated and the energy diffusion controlled reaction rate is obtained as the inverse of MFPT. The energy diffusion controlled reaction rate in the classical Kramers bistable potential and in a two-dimensional bistable potential with a heat bath are obtained by using the proposed approach respectively. The obtained results are then compared with those from Monte Carlo simulation of original systems and from the classical Kramers theory. It is shown that the reaction rate obtained by using the proposed approach agrees well with that from Monte Carlo simulation and is more accurate than the classical Kramers rate.     

Modulational instability for a self-attractive two-component Bose--Einstein condensate

By means of the multiple-scale expansion method, the coupled nonlinear Schr?dinger equations without an explicit external potential are obtained in two-dimensional geometry for a self-attractive Bose-Einstein condensate composed of different hyperfine states. The modulational instability of two-component condensate is investigated by using a simple technique. Based on the discussion about two typical cases, the explicit expression of the growth rate for a purely growing modulational instability and the optimum stable conditions are given and analysed analytically. The results show that the modulational instability of this two-dimensional system is quite different from that in a one-dimensional system.     

Calculation of the reactor neutron time of flight spectrum by convolution technique

It is a very complex and time-consuming process to simulate the nuclear reactor neutron spectrum from the reactor core to the export channel by applying a Monte Carlo program. This paper presents a new method to calculate the neutron spectrum by using the convolution technique which considers the channel transportation as a linear system and the transportation scattering as the response function. It also applies Monte Carlo Neutron and Photon Transport Code （MCNP） to simulate the response function numerically. With the application of convolution technique to calculate the spectrum distribution from the core to the channel, the process is then much more convenient only with the simple numerical integral numeration. This saves computer time and reduces some trouble in re-writing of the MCNP program.     

An improved method of unfolding neutron TOF spectrum for low ion temperature inertial confinement fusion

The fuel ion temperature in inertial confinement fusion can be determined from the neutron energy spectrum. For the implosion experiment with low neutron yield, and thus low signal-to-noise ratio, a new technique to unfold the neutron energy spectrum from the observed neutron time-of-flight signal is presented in this paper. This method uses a low-pass filter to remove noise from the signal with a threshold value determined by power spectrum analysis. This technique has been applied to the analysis of the observed neutron time-of-flight signals in the indirect drive implosion experiment conducted on Shenguang Ⅲ prototype laser facility, and fuel ion temperatures of about 1.0 keV are obtained.     

Characteristics of the magnetic analysis system for a compact MPR-type spectrometer

The magnetic proton recoil（MPR）spectrometer is a novel diagnostic instrument with high perfor-mance for measurements of neutron spectra in inertial confinement fusion（ICF）experiments and high power fusion devices.A compact MPR-type spectrometer dedicated to the research of pulsed deuterium-tritium（DT）neutron spectroscopy of special experimental conditions is currently under design.Analyses of the main parameters and performance of the magnetic analysis system through 3-D particle transport calculations and MonteCarlo simulations and calibration of the system performance as a test using CR-39 solid track detector and α particle from 239pu and 226Ra radioactive sources are presented in this paper.The results indicate that the magnetic analysis system will achieve a detection efficiency level of 10-5-10-4 at an energy resolution of 1.5%-2.1%,and fulfills the design goals of the spectrometer.     

Measurement of Neutron Fluxes and Spectra during the NT-TBM Operation of CN HCSB

Neutronics measurement system provides neutron fluxes and spectra at the locations of beryllium multiplier and tritium breeder during the operation of the NT-TBM （D-D and D-T phase in ITER）. This is important for studying and assessing capabilities of beryllium multiplier and tritium breeder in the China helium cooled solid breeder （CNHCSB）. A special neutron diagnostic system has been proposed that allows to measure neutron fluxes and spectra without interrupt the operation of ITER. This system includes encapsulated foil activation analysis, micro-fission chamber detectors （MFC）, and a compact neutron spectrometer using natural diamond detector （NDD）.     

Neutron beam optimization based on a ^7Li（p,n）^7Be reaction for treatment of deep-seated brain tumors by BNCT

Neutron beam optimization for accelerator-based Boron Neutron Capture Therapy（BNCT） is investigated using a ^7Li（p,n）^7Be reaction. Design and optimization have been carried out for the target, cooling system,moderator, filter, reflector, and collimator to achieve a high flux of epithermal neutron and satisfy the IAEA criteria.Also, the performance of the designed beam in tissue is assessed by using a simulated Snyder head phantom. The results show that the optimization of the collimator and reflector is critical to finding the best neutron beam based on the ^7Li（p,n）^7Be reaction. Our designed beam has 2.49×109n/cm^2 s epithermal neutron flux and is suitable for BNCT of deep-seated brain tumors.     

Measurement of the neutron spectrum of a Pu-C source with a liquid scintillator

The neutron response function for a BC501A liquid scintillator （LS） has been measured using a series of monoenergetic neutrons produced by the p-T reaction. The proton energies were chosen such as to produce neutrons in the energy range of 1 to 20 MeV. The principles of the technique of unfolding a neutron energy spectrum by using the measured neutron response function and the measured Pulse Height （PH） spectrum is briefly described. The PH spectrum of neutrons from the Pu-C source, which will be used for the calibration of the reactor antineutrino detectors for the Daya Bay neutrino experiment, was measured and analyzed to get the neutron energy spectrum. Simultaneously the neutron energy spectrum of an Am-Be source was measured and compared with other measurements as a check of the result for the Pu-C source. Finally, an error analysis and a discussion of the results are given.     

An improved method of unfolding neutron TOF spectrum for low ion temperature inertial confinement fusion

The fuel ion temperature in inertial confinement fusion can be determined from the neutron energy spectrum. For the implosion experiment with low neutron yield, and thus low signal-to-noise ratio, a new technique to unfold the neutron energy spectrum from the observed neutron time-of-flight signal is presented in this paper. This method uses a low-pass filter to remove noise from the signal with a threshold value determined by power spectrum analysis. This technique has been applied to the analysis of the observed neutron time-of-flight signals in the indirect drive implosion experiment conducted on Shenguang III prototype laser facility, and fuel ion temperatures of about 1.0 keV are obtained.     

Directly driven Rayleigh—Taylor instability of modulated CH targets

Directly driven ablative Rayleigh-Taylor (R-T) instability of modulated CH targets was studied using the face- on X-ray radiography on the Shen-Guang II device. We obtained temporal evolution images of the R-T instability perturbation. The R-T instability growth factor has been obtained by using the methods of fast Fourier transform and seeking the difference of light intensity between the peak and the valley of the targets. Through comparison with the the theoretical simulation, we found that the experimental data had a good agreement with the theoretical simulation results before 1.8 ns, and was lower than the theoretical simulation results after that.     

Effect of laser spot size on fusion neutron yield in laser--deuterium cluster interactions

The effect of the laser spot size on the neutron yield of table-top nuclear fusion from explosions of a femtosecond intense laser pulse heated deuterium clusters is investigated by using a simplified model, in which the cluster size distribution and the energy attenuation of the laser as it propagates through the cluster jet are taken into account. It has been found that there exists a proper laser spot size for the maximum fusion neutron yield for a given laser pulse and a specific deuterium gas cluster jet. The proper spot size, which is dependent on the laser parameters and the cluster jet parameters, has been calculated and compared with the available experimental data. A reasonable agreement between the calculated results and the published experimental results is found.     

Measurement of anomalous nuclear reaction in deuterium-loaded metal

This paper reports on an experiment for testing natural nuclear fusion at low temperature searching for evidence of the origin of ³He from natural nuclear fusion in deep Earth. The experiment was carried out using deuterium-loaded titanium foil samples and powder sample. Detection of charged particle was carried out using a low-level charged particle spectrometer. An Al foil was used as an energy absorber for identification of charged particle. Although the counting rate is very low in the experiment, the emission of energetic particle from the sample is observed and the particle is identified as a proton having energy about 2.8 MeV after exiting the titanium sample. This work provides a positive result for the emission of charged particle in the deuterium-loaded titanium foil samples at low temperature, but a negative result for the deuterium-loaded titanium powder sample. The average reaction yield is deduced to be (0.46±0.08) protons/h for the foil samples. With the suggestion that the proton originates from d--d reaction, we calculate the reaction rate for d--d reaction, and the obtained result is 1.4× 10^-24 fusion/d--d\cdot sec. The negative result of the deuterium-loaded titanium powder sample suggests that the reaction yield might be correlated with the density or microscopic variables of deuterium-loaded titanium materials. The negative result also indicates that d--d reaction catalysed by μ-meson from cosmic ray can be excluded in the samples in this experiment.     

Lattice Boltzmann Method for Diffusion-Reaction-Transport Processes in Heterogeneous Porous Media

Based on the lattice Boltzmann method and general theory of fluids flowing in porous media, a numerical model is presented for the diffusion-reaction-transport (DRT) processes in porous media. As a test, we simu]ate a DRT process in a two-dimensional horizontal heterogeneous porous medium. The influence of gravitation in this case can be neglected, and the DRT process can be described by a strongly heterogeneous diagnostic test strip or a thin confined piece of soil with stochastically distributing property in horizontal directions. The results obtained for the relations between reduced fluid saturation S, concentration c1, and concentration c2 are shown by using the visualization computing technique. The computational efficiency and stability of the model are satisfactory.     

Effect of Magnetic Field and Equilibrium Flow on Rayleigh-Taylor Instability

We investigate the effect of a finite equilibrium flow and magnetic field on the Rayleigh-Taylor instability. It is found that the equilibrium flow only makes a frequency shift of perturbation and the growth rate of the Rayleigh-Taylor instability remains unchanged. However, the magnetic field can change the growth rate and, in particular,a very strong magnetic field suppresses the growth rate.     

A transient process observation method based on the non-homogeneous Poisson process model

The current-mode-counting method is a new approach to observing transient processes,especially in transient nuclear fusion,based on the non-homogeneous Poisson process(NHPP)model.In this paper,a new measurement process model of the pulsed radiation field produced by transient nuclear fusion is built based on the NHPP.A simulated measurement is performed using the model,and the current signal from the detector is obtained by simulation based on Poisson process thinning.The neutron time spectrum is reconstructed and is in good agreement with the theoretical value,with its maximum error of a characteristic parameter less than 2.3%.Verification experiments were carried out on a CPNG-6 device at the China Institute of Atomic Energy,with a detection system with a nanosecond response time.The experimental charge amplitude spectra are in good agreement with those obtained by the traditional counting mode,and the characteristic parameters of the time spectrum are in good agreement with the theoretical values.This shows that the current-mode-counting method is effective for the observation of transient nuclear fusion processes.     

A Monte Carlo study for the shielding of γ backgrounds induced by radionuclides for CDEX

The CDEX (China Dark matter EXperiment) Collaboration will carry out a direct search for WIMPs (Weakly Interacting Massive Particles) using an Ultra-Low Energy Threshold High Purity Germanium (ULE-HPGe) detector at the CJPL (China JinPing deep underground Laboratory). A complex shielding system was designed to reduce backgrounds and a detailed GEANT4 Monte Carlo simulation was performed to study the achievable reduction of γ rays induced by radionuclides and neutron backgrounds by D(γ,n)p reaction. Furthermore, the upper level of allowed radiopurity of shielding materials was estimated under the constraint of the expected goal. Compared with the radiopurity reported by other low-background rare-event experiments, it indicates that the shielding used in the CDEX can be made out of materials with obtainable radiopurity.     

Measurements of the light output functions of plastic scintillator using 9Be（d,n）10B reaction neutron source

The light output functions for protons of ST-401 and BC-408 plastic scintillators were measured using white neutron source produced by the 9Be（d,n） 10B reaction at the HI-13 Tandem Accelerator at China Institute of Atomic Energy（CIAE）.The LOFs of plastic scintillators for protons in the energy range of 0.5-16.5 MeV were obtained by the time-of-flight（TOF） technique and an iterative procedure.Two parameters（kB and C） were deduced by fitting the experimental data.     

Investigation of neutron induced reactions on ^23Na by using Talys1.4

The neutron induced reactions on ^23Na are investigated by using the Talys1.4 program. The calculated results for the ^23Na（n, 2n）22Na reaction are found to agree with the experimental results. The cross sections of the residues of the（n, n）,（n, γ）,（n, p）, and（n, np） channels in the reactions are presented, and at the same time, the neutron induced reactions on22 Ne are also investigated.     

Measurement of neutron cross sections and resonance parameters of ^169Tm below 100 eV

The neutron total cross-sections of thulium （^169Tm） were measured in the neutron energy region from 0.01 eV to 100 eV by using the time-of-flight method at the Pohang Neutron Facility, which consists of an electron linac, a water-cooled tantalum target with a water moderator, and a 12 m time of flight path, Two thulium plates with different thicknesses were used for the neutron transmission measurement. The background level was determined by using a notch-filter of Co, In, and Cd sheets. The present measurement was compared with the previous ones, and a new set of resonance parameters of ^169Tm isotope was obtained from the transmission rate by using the SAMMY code, with a comparison with the recommended parameters by Mughabghab.