Quantitative measurement of hard X-ray spectra from laser-driven fast ignition plasma

Absolute Kα line spectroscopy is proposed for studying laser–plasma interactions taking place in the Au cone-guided fast ignition targets. X-ray spectra ranging from 20 to 100 keV were quantitatively measured with a Laue spectrometer composed of a cylindrically curved crystal and a filter-absorption method for Bremsstrahlung continuum emission. The absolute sensitivities of the Laue spectrometer systems were calibrated using pre-characterized laser-produced X-ray sources and radioisotopes. The integrated reflectivity for the crystal is in good agreement with predictions by an X-ray diffraction code. The energy transfer efficiency from incident laser beams to hot electrons, as the energy transfer mechanism, is derived from this work. The absolute yield of Au and Ta Kα lines were measured in the fast ignition experimental campaign performed at Institute of Laser Engineering, Osaka University. Applying the hot electron spectrum information from electron spectrometer and scaling laws, the energy transfer efficiency from the incident LFEX, a kJ-class PW laser, to hot electrons was derived for the first time.     

基于虚拟中心电流法的 HL-2M快控电源数学模型

针对中国环流器2号M(HL-2M)装置中用于核聚变物理实验等离子体的垂直不稳定性控制的快控电源拓扑结构，充分考虑线圈的自感与互感对输出的影响，构建出数学模型，首次提出并运用虚拟中心电流法，使得控制算法更加简单，采用多输入多输出的控制方法，利用2个参量控制3个变量。本文基于基本供电方案得到多线圈耦合电压，基于快控电源拓扑推导出快控电源电路方程，再将其合并得到最终的线圈电压数学模型，最后进行仿真验证。结果表明数学模型搭建正确，为今后进行进一步计算提供了坚实的基础。     

Characterization of the Insoluble Sludge from the Dissolution of Irradiated Fast Breeder Reactor Fuel

Insoluble sludge is generated in the reprocessing of spent fuel. The sludge obtained from the dissolution of irradiated fuel from the “Joyo” experimental fast reactor was analyzed to evaluate its chemical form. The sludge was collected by the filtration of the dissolved fuel solution, and then washed in nitric acid. The yields of the sludge weight were less than 1% of the total fuel weight. The chemical composition of the sludge was analyzed after decomposition by alkaline fusion. Molybdenum, technetium, ruthenium, rhodium, and palladium were found to be the main constituent elements of the sludge. X-ray diffraction patterns of the sludge were attributable to Mo₄Ru₄RhPd, regardless of the experimental conditions. The concentrations of molybdenum and zirconium in the dissolved fast reactor fuel solutions were low, indicating that zirconium molybdate hydrate is produced in negligible amounts in the process.     

Estimating Precision in Functional Images

Abstract

Functional imaging of biologic parameters like in vivo tissue metabolism is made possible by Positron Emission Tomography (PET). Many techniques have been suggested for extracting such images from dynamic time-course sequences of reconstructed PET scans. Quantitating the precision of these estimates is important for drawing inferences on the biologic parameters. Analytic variance formulas are not immediate owing to the nonlinear methods used in extraction. The usual resampling approach is infeasible because each image reconstruction in PET is a computationally demanding solution to a high-dimensional linear inverse problem. We suggest an alternative simulation approach that approximates the distribution of reconstructed PET scans and performs a parametric bootstrap in the imaging domain. Results on a simplified model chosen to match the characteristics of PET reconstruction are very encouraging. Mixture analysis is used to estimate functional images; however, the suggested approach is general enough to extend to other techniques or imaging methods.     

Off-resonance frequency filtered magnetic resonance imaging

One of the main problems with rapid magnetic resonance imaging (MRI) techniques is the artifacts that result from off-resonance effects. The proposed off-resonance frequency filtered MRI (OFF-MRI) method focuses on the elimination of off-resonance components from the image of the observed object. To maintain imaging speed and simultaneously achieve good frequency selectivity, MRI is divided into two steps: signal acquisition and post-processing.     

SUPERPOROUS HYDROGELS: FAST RESPONSIVE HYDROGEL SYSTEMS

ABSTRACT

Superporous hydrogels, hydrogels with pore sizes in the range of 100 μm and larger, were synthesized using N-isopropyl-acrylamide (NIPAM) and acrylamide (AM). The superporous hydrogels were synthesized by crosslinking polymerization of monomers in the presence of gas bubbles. The pores of superporous hydrogels were connected to each other to form open capillary channels, which provided fast response to the changes in the environmental temperature. Upon increase in temperature from 10°C to 65°C, the superporous hydrogel made from a monomer solution of NIPAM:AM = 9:1 shrank from the fully swollen state (volume of 36 cm³) to the fully collapsed state (volume of 6.5 cm³) in 72±14 sec. When the temperature was changed back to 10°C, the superporous hydrogel swelled to 36 cm³ in 78±15 sec. This deswelling-swelling cycle was repeated many times without changes in the thermo-reversible property of the superporous hydrogel. The response time of the superporous hydrogels was thousand times faster than that of conventional hydrogels. The fast response of the superporous hydrogels is due to the rapid uptake or exclusion of water molecules through the extensive capillary channels. Because superporous hydrogels still maintain the open capillary structure even after drying, the dried superporous hydrogels can also swell to the equilibrium swelling state within minutes. These fast responsive hydrogels can find many pharmaceutical and medical applications.     

Characterization and kinetic performance of 2.1 × 100 mm production columns packed with new 1.6 μm superficially porous particles

The overall kinetic performance of three production columns (2.1 mm × 100 mm format) packed with 1.6 μm superficially porous CORTECS‐C₁₈+ particles was assessed on a low‐dispersive I‐class ACQUITY instrument. The values of their minimum intrinsic reduced plate heights (h_min = 1.42, 1.57, and 1.75) were measured at room temperature (295 K) for a small molecule (naphthalene) with an acetonitrile/water eluent mixture (75:25, v/v). These narrow‐bore columns provide an average intrinsic efficiency of 395 000 plates per meter. The gradient separation of 14 small molecules shows that these columns have a peak capacity about 25% larger than similar ones packed with fully porous BEH‐C₁₈ particles (1.7 μm) or shorter (50 mm) columns packed with smaller core–shell particles (1.3 μm) operated under very high pressure (>1000 bar) for steep gradient elution (analysis time 80 s). In contrast, because their permeabilities are lower than those of columns packed with larger core–shell particles, their peak capacities are 25% smaller than those of narrow‐bore columns packed with standard 2.7 μm core–shell particles.     

Microplasma electrochemistry (MIPEC) strategy for accelerating the synthesis of metal organic frameworks at room temperature

Metal organic frameworks(MOFs) are a kind of promising materials in many applications,while the fast and controllable synthesis of MOFs is still challenging.Here,taking HKUST-1 as illustration,a microplasma electrochemistry(MIPEC) strategy was developed to accelerate the synthesis process of MOFs with micro-plasma acting as cathode.Treating the HKUST-1 precursor solution with micro-plasma cathode could not only transfer the electrons into the solution leading to the deprotonation effect,but also generate radical species to trigger and accelerate the nucleation and growth of MOFs at the plasmaliquid interface.Thus,uniform and nanosize MOFs could be prepared within minutes.The obtained MOFs show similar excellent uranium adsorption properties compared with those obtained by other method,with a highly adsorption capability of uranium with 550 mg/g in minutes.The novel MIPEC strategy developed in this work provides an alternative for controllable synthesis of MOFs,and especially has potential application in accelerating traditional organic synthesis.