Muography of different structures using muon scattering and absorption algorithms Vanini, S; Calvini, P; Checchia, P ...
Philosophical transactions - Royal Society. Mathematical, Physical and engineering sciences/Philosophical transactions - Royal Society. Mathematical, physical and engineering sciences,
12/2018, Letnik:
377, Številka:
2137
Journal Article
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In recent decades, muon imaging has found a plethora of applications in many fields. This technique succeeds to infer the density distribution of big inaccessible structures where conventional ...techniques cannot be used. The requirements of different applications demand specific implementations of image reconstruction algorithms for either multiple scattering or absorption-transmission data analysis, as well as noise-suppression filters and muon momentum estimators. This paper presents successful results of image reconstruction techniques applied to simulated data of some representative applications. In addition to well-known reconstruction methods, a novel approach, the so-called μCT, is proposed for the inspection of spent nuclear fuel canisters. Results obtained based on both μCT and the maximum-likelihood expectation maximization reconstruction algorithms are presented.This article is part of the Theo Murphy meeting issue 'Cosmic-ray muography'.
The Isotope Separation On-Line (ISOL) method for the production of Radioactive Ion Beams (RIB) is attracting significant interest in the worldwide nuclear physics community. Within this context the ...SPES (Selective Production of Exotic Species) RIB facility is now under construction at INFN LNL (Istituto Nazionale di Fisica Nucleare Laboratori Nazionali di Legnaro). This technique is established as one of the main techniques for high intensity and high quality beams production. The SPES facility will produce n-rich isotopes by means of a 40 MeV proton beam, emitted by a cyclotron, impinging on a uranium carbide multi-foil fission target. The aim of this work is to describe the most important results obtained by the study of the on-line behavior of the SPES production target assembly. This target system will produce RIBs at a rate of about 1013 fissions per second, it will be able to dissipate a total power of up to 10 kW, and it is planned to work continuously for 2 week-runs of irradiation. ISOL beams of 24 different elements will be produced, therefore a target and ion source development is ongoing to ensure a great variety of produced isotopes and to improve the beam intensity and purity.
SPES (Selective Production of Exotic Species) is a second generation facility for the production of radioactive ion beams that is going to be commissioned at the Laboratori Nazionali di Legnaro of ...INFN at Legnaro, Padua, Italy. Radioactive neutron-rich isotopes are expected to be produced by nuclear fission induced by a 40 MeV, 200 μA primary proton beam impinging on a
UC
target. The expected reaction rate is about 10
fission/s. Radioactive ion beams are produced using the isotope separation on-line technique. The production of such an amount of radioactive species raises radiological issues throughout the life cycle of the facility. A study of the radioactive contamination of the components of the radioactive ion beam line is performed with the FLUKA Monte Carlo simulation code, under realistic hypotheses for the produced isobaric beams. The present results complete previous studies focused on the radiological impact of the production target irradiation, the residual activation of the primary proton beam line and the radioactive contamination of the ion source complex. The overall ambient dose equivalent rate due to the different radiation sources is calculated at several positions inside the production bunker and at different times after a typical one-year operating period of the facility with the
UC
target at full power. The obtained results and the developed methodology provide the guidelines and the needed tools to plan ordinary and extraordinary interventions as well as final decommissioning of the SPES facility.
Radio Pharmaceutical Therapy (RPT) comes forth as a promising technique to treat a wide range of tumors while ensuring low collateral damage to nearby healthy tissues. This kind of cancer therapy ...exploits the radiation following the decay of a specific radionuclide to deliver a lethal dose to tumor tissues. In the framework of the ISOLPHARM project of INFN, 111Ag was recently proposed as a promising core of a therapeutic radiopharmaceutical. In this paper, the production of 111Ag via neutron activation of 110Pd-enriched samples inside a TRIGA Mark II nuclear research reactor is studied. The radioisotope production is modeled using two different Monte Carlo codes (MCNPX and PHITS) and a stand-alone inventory calculation code FISPACT-II, with different cross section data libraries. The whole process is simulated starting from an MCNP6-based reactor model producing the neutron spectrum and flux in the selected irradiation facility. Moreover, a cost-effective, robust and easy-to-use spectroscopic system, based on a Lanthanum Bromo-Chloride (LBC) inorganic scintillator, is designed and characterized, with the aim of using it, in the future, for the quality control of the ISOLPHARM irradiated targets at the SPES facility of the Legnaro National Laboratories of INFN. natPd and 110Pd-enriched samples are irradiated in the reactor main irradiation facility and spectroscopically characterized using the LBC-based setup and a multiple-fit analysis procedure. Experimental results are compared with theoretical predictions of the developed models, showing that inaccuracies in the available cross section libraries prevent an accurate reproduction of the generated radioisotope activities. Nevertheless, models are normalized to our experimental data allowing for a reliable planning of the 111Ag production in a TRIGA Mark II reactor.
•111Ag proposed in ISOLPHARM-INFN project as a promising core of radiopharmaceutical.•Temporary 111Ag production via neutron activation inside a TRIGA Mark II reactor.•Spectroscopic characterization of the production with a dedicated LBC-based setup.•Monte Carlo model and benchmark with experimental data to plan the 111Ag production.•Future 111Ag production with high-specific activity at the Italian SPES-ISOL facility.
Accelerator-based techniques with electromagnetic mass separation are considered among the most innovative and promising strategies to produce non-conventional radionuclides for nuclear medicine. ...Such approach was successfully used at CERN, where the dedicated MEDICIS facility was built, and at TRIUMF, where the ISAC radioactive beam facility was used to produce unconventional α-emitters. In such framework, the Legnaro National Laboratories of the Italian Institute of Nuclear Physics (INFN-LNL) proposed the ISOLPHARM project (ISOL technique for radioPHARMaceuticals), which will exploit radionuclides producible with the SPES (Selective Production of Exotic Species) ISOL (Isotope Separation On-Line) facility to develop novel radiopharmaceuticals. The ISOL technique utilizes the irradiation with a primary beam of particles/nuclei of a production target where radionuclides are produced. A radioactive ion beam is subsequently extracted from the production target unit, and transported up to an analyzing magnet, where non-isobaric contaminants are filtered out. The so-obtained purified radioactive beam is dumped onto an implantation substrate, referred as collection target. Then, the desired nuclides can be chemically harvested from the collected isobars, and the isotopically pure atom collection can be employed to radiolabel high specific activity radiopharmaceuticals. Metallic deposition targets in the form of coated metal foils were mostly used at TRIUMF and CERN. At ISOLPHARM, a different approach is under investigation which foresees the use of soluble cold-pressed collection targets, possibly facilitating the chemical purification process of the collected radionuclides. In this study, the production and characterization of some of the ISOLPHARM collection targets is presented, in particular, soluble salts (NaCl and NaNO3) and organic materials widely used for pharmaceutical tablets production are considered. All such materials proved to be potentially suitable as collection targets, since solid samples were easily produced and resulted compatible with the vacuum conditions required for the ion implantation process. Furthermore, some of the selected substrates were used for proof-of-concept deposition tests with stable silver, to prove their suitability as ISOLPHARM deposition substrates for silver-111, a promising candidate for radiotherapy. Such tests highlighted possible scenarios useful for the development of new alternative materials, as the use of insoluble organic targets.
•ISOL based techniques for the production of medical radionuclides require the use of an implantation target.•Generally, implantation targets are metallic foil, ISOLPHARM at INFN-LNL proposes saline or organic substrates.•NaCl, NaNO3, cellulosic and dextrates substrates were produced by direct compression.•All samples were characterized in terms of density, mechanical strength, disaggregation and vacuum compatibility.•Implantation depth calculations and tests with the deposition of Ag + ions were performed.
Previous studies of proton and neutron spectra from Non-Mesonic Weak Decay of eight Λ-Hypernuclei (A=5–16) have been revisited. New values of the ratio of the two-nucleon and the one-proton induced ...decay widths, Γ2N/Γp, are obtained from single proton spectra, Γ2N/Γp=0.50±0.24, and from neutron and proton coincidence spectra, Γ2N/Γp=0.36±0.14stat−0.04sys+0.05sys, in full agreement with previously published ones. With these values, a method is developed to extract the one-proton induced decay width in units of the free Λ decay width, Γp/ΓΛ, without resorting to Intra Nuclear Cascade models but by exploiting only experimental data, under the assumption of a linear dependence on A of the Final State Interaction contribution. This is the first systematic determination ever done and it agrees within the errors with recent theoretical calculations.
With reference to the prototype of neutron inspection portal built and successfully tested in the Rijeka seaport (Croatia) within the EURITRACK (EURopean Illicit Trafficking Countermeasures Kit) ...project, an assessment of the biological shielding in different set-up configurations of a future portal has been calculated with MCNP Monte Carlo code in the frame of the Eritr@C (European Riposte against Illicit TR@ffiCking) project. In the configurations analyzed the compliance with the dose limits for workers and the population stated by the European legislation is provided by appropriate shielding of the neutron sources and by the delimitation of a controlled area.
► We assess the biological shielding of a inspection portal based on neutron sources. ► Different configurations of the system have been calculated with MCNP code. ► The work has been performed within the European Eritr@C project. ► The compliance with the European dose limits has been verified for each configuration. ► It is provided by shielding of the neutron sources and by delimitation of a controlled area.
The radiological risk for the population related to the neutron irradiation of cargo containers with a tagged neutron inspection system has been studied. Two possible effects on the public health ...have been assessed: the modification of the nutritional and organoleptic properties of the irradiated materials, in particular foodstuff, and the neutron activation of consumer products (i.e. food and pharmaceuticals). The result of this study is that irradiation of food and foodstuff, pharmaceutical and medical devices in container cargoes would neither modify the properties of the irradiated material nor produce effective doses of concern for public health. Furthermore, the dose received by possible stowaways present inside the container during the inspection is less than the annual effective dose limit defined by European Legislation for the public.
► Neutron irradiation of cargo containers implies a radiological risk. ► The risk is about the modification of food properties and the products activation. ► Assessment is made about the EURITRACK neutron irradiation system. ► Results show that the EURITRACK scanning is not dangerous for the population.
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