Table of contents

It was with great pleasure that the Department of Nuclear and Theoretical Physics of the University of Pavia and the INFN (Istituto Nazionale di Fisica Nucleare) Structure of Pavia organised the XIX Nuclear Physics Divisional Conference of the European Physical Society, which was held in the historical buildings of the University of Pavia from 5–9 September 2005.

The Conference was devoted to the discussion of the most recent experimental and theoretical achievements in the field of Nuclear Physics applications, as well as of the latest developments in technological tools related to Nuclear Physics research. The University of Pavia has a long tradition in Physics and in Applied Physics, being the site where Alessandro Volta developed his "pila", the precursor of the modern battery. This is the place where the first experiments with electricity were conducted and where the term "capacitance" used for capacitors was invented. Today the University hosts a Triga Mark II nuclear reactor, which is used by the Departments of the University of Pavia and by other Universities and private companies as well. Moreover, Pavia is the site selected for the construction of the CNAO complex "Centro Nazionale di Adroterapia Oncologica" (National Centre for Oncological Hadrontherapy), planned for 2005–2008 which represents a unique facility in Italy and will be among the first complexes of this type in Europe.

The Conference has gathered together experts in various fields from different countries and has been the occasion to review the present status and to discuss the new emerging trends in Nuclear Physics and its applications to multidisciplinary researches and the development of new technologies.

The following topics were treated:

• Nuclear Techniques in Medicine and Life Sciences (Cancer Therapy, new Imaging and Diagnostics Tools, Radioisotope production, Radiation Protection and Dosimetry).

• Applications of Nuclear Techniques in Art, Archaeometry and other Interdisciplinary fields.

• Role of Nuclear Techniques in Environment Problems.

• Applications of Nuclear Techniques relevant for Civil Security (contraband and explosive detection, search for Weapons of Mass Destruction, Nuclear Safeguards).

• Nuclear Applications in Space Research.

• Material and Structure Testing in Research and Industry.

• New contributions of Nuclear Techniques to the solution of the Energy Production problems and Nuclear Waste Transmutation.

• Emerging experimental techniques, new detectors and new modeling tools.

During the Monday morning Session of the Conference, the 2005 IBA-EUROPHYSICS PRIZE for Applied Nuclear Science and Nuclear Methods in Medicine, sponsored by the Belgian company IBA, was awarded to the two laureates Werner Heil (Mainz) and Pierre Jean Nacher (Paris) for the development of spin polarized 3He targets by optical pumping and their applications in nuclear science and medicine.

The meeting was a real success, with 18 invited talks, 66 contributed talks and 31 posters and an overall participation, during five full days, of around 150 scientists from different European and non-European countries. It also hosted a three day industrial exhibition of a selection of Companies that sponsored the event. The Organisers take thos opportunity to thank the University of Pavia, the Amministrazione Comunale di Pavia and the Provincia di Pavia, as well as all exhibitors (Ametek, Ansaldo Superconduttori, Caen, Else, Hamamatsu, IBA, Micos, Micron Semiconductor), for their support of the Conference.

The Organisers finally wish to thank the Scientific Secretary of the Conference, Dr Andrea Fontana of INFN Pavia, for the huge amount of work done in preparing the Conference, Mr Claudio Casella of the Department of Nuclear and Theoretical Physics of the University of Pavia for technical support and the Conference staff, Dr Gaia Boghen and the graduate students Federica Devecchi and Silvia Franchino, for their invaluable help. The very effective and professional work of the staff of PRAGMA Congressi, who took charge of all the administrative and accommodation procedures, is also acknowledged.

The Local Organizing Committee (Pavia, January 2006)

Ladies and gentlemen,

On behalf of the European Physical Society it is my pleasure to welcome you to the Conference:

NEW TRENDS IN NUCLEAR PHYSICS APPLICATIONS AND TECHNOLOGY

This is the 19th International Nuclear Physics Divisional Conference of the Nuclear Physics Board of the EPS. It is a relatively new experience for the Board to support a Conference in an area so closely linked to applications and technology. I am therefore very pleased to see such a good response to the initiative of Professor Scannicchio and his local Organizing Committee under Professor Zenoni's Chairmanship.

I would like to take this opportunity to say a few words about the EPS Nuclear Physics Board.

The Board consists of 18 people (10 elected plus up to 10 co-opted) from across Europe, with me as Chair. Elections by members of the Division are held if there is competition for a vacancy, which is announced in Europhysics News. The Board exchanges observers with NuPECC.

The Board has 3 major activities:

1. Divisional Scientific Meetings of which this is one. There are usually two per year, but this year there are three.

• Nuclear Physics in Astrophysics 2 (NPA2), Debrecen, Hungary, 16–20 May 2005.

• This conference, New Trends in Nuclear Physics Applications and Technology, Pavia, 5–9 September 2005.

• "Sandanski 3" Co-ordination Meeting in Nuclear Science organized by the Joint Institute for Nuclear Research, Dubna, and the Institute for Nuclear Research and Energy, Sofia, which will be held in Albena, Bulgaria, 25 September to 2 October 2005. This grew out of two earlier meetings in 1995 and 2001 in Sandanski, Bulgaria. The aim of these meetings was to foster and support scientific collaborations in nuclear physics between eastern and western European countries.

2. The Board awards two prizes, usually in alternate years:

• The Lise Meitner Prize for outstanding contributions in the field of Nuclear Science. The 2004 recipients were Bent Herskind and Peter Twin for their pioneering work on rapidly spinning nuclei, in particular the discovery of super-deformed bands.

• The IBA-Europhysics Prize for Applied Nuclear Science and Nuclear Methods in Medicine. The 2004 prize was awarded to Guy Demortier. The 2005 recipients are Werner Heil and Pierre Jean Nacher for the development of spin polarized 3He targets and their application to nuclear science and medicine. This prize will be presented later this morning by the Chair of the Awards Committee, Professor Christiane Leclerq-Willain.

3. Other Board activities include:

• To maintain a watching brief on Nuclear Energy developments through the preparation of a regularly up-dated position paper.

• Public Awareness of Nuclear Science (PANS) activities in collaboration with NuPECC.

• To encourage new initiatives for Nuclear Theory cooperation in Europe.

• To keep informed of major developments in Europe, e.g., the creation of a European Research Council.

• To foster the maintenance of nuclear physics expertise and education in Europe.

More details of most of these activities can be found on our web site, which includes information about all the meetings we sponsor, our prizes and minutes of Board Meetings.

If you are interested in contributing in any way to the Board's work, I urge you to join the European Physical Society as an Individual Member and give the Nuclear Physics Division as your special interest.

The International Programme Committee under Professor Viesti's Chairmanship are to be congratulated for putting together what looks like a very wide ranging and exciting programme. I wish you all a scientifically rewarding and enjoyable five days!

Some of the paradigms emerging from the study of the phenomena of phase transitions in finite many-body systems, like e.g. the atomic nuclues, can be used at profit to solve the protein folding problem (how does a linear sequence of amino acids, immersed in the solvent, code for a unique, biological active, three dimensional native structure of the protein?), within the framework of simple (although not oversimplified) models. Also to design non-conventional drugs which do not create resistance (do not induce mutations in the virus or bacteria expressing the protein). The application of these concepts to the design of inhibitors of the HIV-1-PR, an enzyme which plays a central role in the life cycle of the HIV virus will be illustrated in terms of all-atom simulations and in vitro experimental results.

We present a study of the radiation damages induced by neutrons in a large batch of microstrip silicon sensors and test structures. The paper first describes the context of the research in the framework of an international collaboration preparing an experiment near a high intensity proton collider. The radiation hardness of the silicon sensors is essential to withstand the high neutron fluence to be encountered near the interaction point. The structure of the sensors is explained in a second section. The generation of the neutron beam and its characterization is briefly given. The last part shows systematic comparisons of some electrical parameters of the sensors before and after irradiation by neutrons. It also compares the relative behavior between batches from different manufacturers.

The limited amount of fossil resources, the impact of green-house gas emissions on the world climate, the rising demand of primary energy projected to 2050, lead to a potentially critical situation for the world energy supply. The need for alternative (to fossil energies) massive energy production is evaluated to 10 Gtoe. The potential of Nuclear Energy generation at the level of 5 Gtoe is examined. Such a sustainable production can only be met by a breeder reactor fleet for which a deployment scenario is described with the associated constraints. Waste management is discussed in connection with different nuclear energy development scenarios according to the point in time when breeder reactors are started. At the world level, it appears that the optimal handling of today's wastes rests on an early decision to develop tomorrow's breeder reactors.

The International Gamma-Ray Astrophysics Laboratory, i.e. the INTEGRAL satellite of ESA, in orbit since about 3 years, performs gamma-ray observations of the sky in the 15 keV to 8 MeV energy range. Thanks to its imager IBIS, and in particular the ISGRI detection plane based on 16384 CdTe pixels, it achieves an excellent angular resolution (12 arcmin) for point source studies with good continuum spectrum sensitivity. Thanks to its spectrometer SPI, based on 19 germanium detectors maintained at 85 K by a cryogenic system, located inside an active BGO veto shield, it achieves excellent spectral resolution of about 2 keV for 1 MeV photons, which permits astrophysical gamma-ray line studies with good narrow-line sensitivity. In this paper we review some goals of gamma-ray astronomy from space and present the INTEGRAL satellite, in particular its instruments ISGRI and SPI. Ground and in-flight calibration results from SPI are presented, before presenting some selected astrophysical results from INTEGRAL. In particular results on point source searches are presented, followed by results on nuclear astrophysics, exemplified by the study of the 1809 keV gamma-ray line from radioactive ²⁶Al nuclei produced by the ongoing stellar nucleosynthesis in the Galaxy. Finally a review on the study of the positron-electron annihilation in the Galactic center region, producing 511 keV gamma-rays, is presented.

Novel irradiation techniques in cancer treatment, such as e.g. proton or ion therapy are developed to minimize the volume of healthy tissue that is irradiated. Since a few years facilities are being setup in hospitals for routine use, but at the same time many technological developments are still needed for further optimization of the treatment strategies in a hospital environment. These developments concentrate on accelerator design, dynamic beam delivery techniques, beam delivery systems that allow beam direction flexibility (gantry), dosimetry and system reliability. An overview of these developments is presented, with an emphasis on those for the PROSCAN project at PSI.

Each major technical advance in gamma-ray detection devices has resulted in significant new insights into the structure of atomic nuclei. These advances have culminated in the construction of 4π arrays of escape-suppressed spectrometers that comprise a Ge detector and scintillation detector suppression shield. The next major step in gamma-ray spectroscopy involves achieving the ultimate goal of a 4π ball of just Ge detectors by using the technique of gamma-ray energy tracking in electrically segmented Ge crystals.

The resulting spectrometer will have an unparalleled level of detection power for nuclear electromagnetic radiation. Its sensitivity for selecting the weakest signals from exotic nuclear events will be enhanced by a factor of up to 1000 relative to its predecessors. It will have an unprecedented angular resolution making it ideally suited for high-energy resolution even at recoil velocities up to 50% of the velocity of light. Therefore, it is ideally suited to be used in conjunction with the new generation of radioactive beam accelerators or existing stable beam facilities.

A European collaboration has been established to construct a 4π tracking spectrometer called AGATA (Advanced Gamma Tracking Array). This collaboration is currently performing the research and development necessary to finalise the technology for gamma-ray tracking and hence fully specify the full 4π spectrometer. The status of this first phase of the AGATA project will be reported.

The list of materials which are subject to inspection with the aim of reducing the acts of terrorism includes explosives, narcotics, chemical weapons, hazardous chemicals and radioactive materials. To this we should add also illicit trafficking with human beings. The risk of nuclear terrorism carried out by sub-national groups is considered not only in construction and/or use of nuclear device, but also in possible radioactive contamination of large urban areas. Modern personnel, parcel, vehicle and cargo inspection systems are non-invasive imaging techniques based on the use of nuclear analytical techniques. The inspection systems use penetrating radiations: hard x-rays (300 keV or more) or gamma-rays from radioactive sources (¹³⁷Cs and ⁶⁰Co with energies from 600 to 1300 keV) that produce a high resolution radiograph of the load. Unfortunately, this information is ''non-specific'' in that it gives no information on the nature of objects that do not match the travel documents and are not recognized by a visual analysis of the radiographic picture. Moreover, there are regions of the container where x and gamma-ray systems are ''blind'' due to the high average atomic number of the objects irradiated that appear as black spots in the radiographic image. Contrary to that is the use of neutrons; as results of the bombardment, nuclear reactions occur and a variety of nuclear particles, gamma and x-ray radiation is emitted, specific for each element in the bombarded material. The problem of material (explosive, drugs, chemicals, etc.) identification can be reduced to the problem of measuring elemental concentrations. Neutron scanning technology offers capabilities far beyond those of conventional inspection systems. The unique automatic, material specific detection of terrorist threats can significantly increase the security at ports, border-crossing stations, airports, and even within the domestic transportation infrastructure of potential urban targets as well as protecting armed forces and infrastructure.

With the introduction of CMOS technology radiation effects in components became an important issue in satellite and space mission projects. At the end of the cold war, the market of radiation hard (RadHard) components crashed and during the 90's their fabrication practically stopped. The use of ''commercial-off-the-shelf'' (COTS) components became more common but required increased evaluation activities at radiation test sites. Component manufacturers and space project engineers were directed towards these test sites, in particular, towards particle accelerators. Many accelerator laboratories developed special beam lines and constructed dedicated test areas for component evaluations. The space environment was simulated at these test sites and components were tested to levels often exceeding mission requirements. In general, space projects environments were predicted in respects to particle mass and energy distributions with the expected fluxes and fluences. In order to validate this information in tests, concepts like stopping power, linear energy transfer, ion penetration ranges etc. have to be understood. The knowledge from the component structure also defines the way of irradiation. For example, the higher ion energies resulting in much deeper ion penetration ranges allow successful reverse side irradiation of thinned Integrated Circuits (ICs). So overall increased demands for radiation testing attracted the European Space Agency (ESA) to the JYFL-accelerator laboratory of the University of Jyväskylä, Finland. A contract was signed between ESA and JYFL for the development of a ''High Penetrating Heavy Ion Test Site'' [1]. Following one year development, this test site was commissioned in May 2005. This paper addresses the various issues around the JYFL laboratory with its accelerator and radiation effects facility as the focal point in service of component evaluations for the space community.

Radionuclide Therapy (RNT) and Radioimmunotherapy (RIT) are potentially of great interest for cancer therapy. In many therapeutic applications alpha emitters should be much more effective than already-approved beta emitters due to the short range and high linear energy transfer of alpha particles. ²¹³Bi is an important alpha emitter already used in clinical trials but the half-life of this radioisotope is short (46 minutes) and so its use is limited for certain therapies. ²¹¹At is potentially very interesting for medical purposes because of its longer half-life of 7.2 hours, and suitable decay scheme. We have studied the cyclotron-based production of ²¹¹At via the reaction ²⁰⁹Bi(α, 2n), this production route probably being the most promising in the long term. The energy dependence of thick target yields and the reaction cross sections for the production of ²¹¹At and ²¹⁰At were determined and found to be in good agreement with literature. The best energy to produce ²¹¹At is 28-29 MeV. The possible production of the undesired, highly radiotoxic, and long-lived alpha-emitting ²¹⁰Po (138.38 days), which is produced from decay of ²¹⁰At, is also discussed.

Given the encouraging results from our previous work on the clinical application of BNCT on non-resectable, chemotherapy resistant liver metastases, we explore the possibility to extend our technique to lung metastases. A fundamental requirement for BNCT is achieving higher ¹⁰B concentrations in the metastases compared to those in healthy tissue. For this reason we developed a rat model with lung metastases in order to study the temporal distribution of ¹⁰B concentration in tissues and tumoral cells. Rats with induced lung metastases from colon adenocarcinoma were sacrificed two hours after intraperitoneal Boronphenylalanine infusion. The lungs were harvested, frozen in liquid nitrogen and subsequently histological sections underwent neutron autoradiography in the nuclear reactor Triga Mark II, University of Pavia. Our findings demonstrate higher Boron uptake in tumoral nodules compared to healthy lung parenchyma 2 hours after Boronphenylalanine infusion.

With over 200 square meters of sensitive Silicon and almost 10 million readout channels, the Silicon Strip Tracker of the CMS experiment at the LHC will be the largest Silicon strip detector ever built. The design, construction and expected performance of the CMS Tracker is reviewed in the following.

Astronauts' exposure to the various components of the space radiation field is of great concern for long-term missions, especially for those in deep space such as a possible travel to Mars. Simulations based on radiation transport/interaction codes coupled with anthropomorphic model phantoms can be of great help in view of risk evaluation and shielding optimisation, which is therefore a crucial issue. The FLUKA Monte Carlo code can be coupled with two types of anthropomorphic phantom (a mathematical model and a ''voxel'' model) to calculate organ-averaged absorbed dose, dose equivalent and ''biological'' dose under different shielding conditions. Herein the ''biological dose'' is represented by the average number of ''Complex Lesions'' (CLs) per cell in a given organ. CLs are clustered DNA breaks previously calculated by means of event-by-event track structure simulations at the nm level and integrated on-line into FLUKA, which adopts a condensed-history approach; such lesions have been shown to play a fundamental role in chromosome aberration induction, which in turn can be correlated with carcinogenesis. Examples of calculation results will be presented relative to Galactic Cosmic Rays, as well as to the August 1972 Solar Particle Event. The contributions from primary ions and secondary particles will be shown separately, thus allowing quantification of the role played by nuclear reactions occurring in the shield and in the human body itself. As expected, the SPE doses decrease dramatically with increasing the Al shielding thickness; nuclear reaction products, essentially due to target fragmentation, are of minor importance. A 10 g/cm² Al shelter resulted to be sufficient to respect the 30-day limits for deterministic effects recommended for missions in Low Earth Orbit. In contrast with the results obtained for SPEs, the calculated GCR doses are almost independent of the Al shield thickness, and the GCR doses to internal organs are not significantly lower than the skin doses. Furthermore, nuclear interactions play a much larger role for GCR than for SPE doses.

The response of YAP:Ce scintillators to energetic heavy ions in the mass range A = 20−200 has been studied. The pulse height and the pulse height resolution have been explored in details for a single YAP:Ce crystal, coupled to R4141 PMT, by using ²⁰Ne, ⁴⁰Ar, ⁸⁴Kr, ¹²⁹Xe and ¹⁹⁷Au beams having energies ranging from 40 A MeV to 15 A MeV. Energy degraded beams have also been employed in order to cover a large energy range. Finally, timing properties were studied in the BIGSOL spectrometer at Texas A&M by measuring the heavy fragment time-of-flight against a PPAC detector.

FLUKA is a multipurpose MonteCarlo code which can transport a variety of particles over a wide energy range in complex geometries. The code is a joint project of INFN and CERN: part of its development is also supported by the University of Houston and NASA. FLUKA is successfully applied in several fields, including but not only, particle physics, cosmic ray physics, dosimetry, radioprotection, hadron therapy, space radiation, accelerator design and neutronics. The code is the standard tool used at CERN for dosimetry, radioprotection and beam-machine interaction studies. Here we give a glimpse into the code physics models with a particular emphasis to the hadronic and nuclear sector.

The isotope Am242m is an interesting nuclide as it shows one of the known highest neutron fission cross section. This could be useful in some special applications, like the nuclear reactor for space propulsion proposed by C. Rubbia. A detailed measurement of the energy transfer from the fission fragments to the gas as a function of the path and the gas type is an important item for the evaluation of the engine performances. This was carried out by means of an ionisation chamber. However the Am242m availability, in particular at high isotopic abundance, is still at present a serious drawback. A production model, experimentally tested in thermal nuclear reactors, has been used to evaluate the achievable isotopic abundances. The results are quite below 70% and advise the use of separation techniques for further enrichment. The use of Am242m for other applications like nuclear pumped laser is suggested.

Species of macrofungi growing in the wild were collected from non-auriferous and unpolluted areas, and analyzed for gold. In addition, preliminary results of samples originated from an auriferous area are presented. Gold was determined using long-term instrumental neutron activation analysis (INAA). In total, 108 samples, including 49 species of ectomycorrhizal fungi and 30 species of terrestrial saprobes, were examined. The highest concentrations (expressed in dry weight) were found in ectomycorrhizal species Russula nigricans (235 ng g⁻¹) and Suillus variegatus (1070 ng g⁻¹). Among the saprobic macrofungi, an extraordinary high value 2250 ng g⁻¹ was found in Lepiota cf. clypeolaria. Gold content of saprobic macrofungi originated from the auriferous area was obviously higher than that of macrofungi from non-auriferous areas. The highest contents were found in Agaricus silvaticus (4230 ng g⁻¹) and in two samples of Lycoperdon perlatum (6955 and 7739 ng g⁻¹).

The experience from physical field for the BNCT project realized in NRI (Czech Republic) is presented. The physical methods and equipments for the design, construction and operation of facility for medical application are summarized. The comment is concentrated to the following items, especially: Sources for BNCT, calculation methods, measurement methods, phantoms, monitoring of irradiation, ¹⁰B content in tissue determination, construction of facility.

A column to provide an epithermal neutron beam suitable for experimental and clinical BNCT is nearing completion at the TAPIRO reactor (ENEA Casaccia, Rome). TAPIRO is a compact, low power (5 kW), helium-cooled, fast reactor. It has a hard neutron spectrum relative even to other fast reactors. In this paper some of the basic physics aspects of designing an epithermal neutron beam are considered, with reference to the TAPIRO beam.

In GdNCT the interested isotope is ¹⁵⁷Gd that captures neutrons with (n, ) reaction and also emits internal conversion and Auger electrons. These electrons have an important effect on DNA strands, mainly due to the property of gadolinium to link to DNA. The emitted gamma rays partially interacts with tumours but mainly diffuse in the body damaging healthy tissues. Therefore in the study of Gd therapeutical effect both dosimetric and microdosimetric analyses must be performed. At Pisa University, in the last years some works were performed by NCT group. At the present these researches are continued on these topics carrying out also a PhD thesis. In this frame some simulations, using MC code, were performed in order to evaluate the dose distribution due to Gd reactions. It is however necessary to calibrate the calculations on experimental results, though they are scarce in GdNCT. Some experiments with ¹⁵⁷Gd were performed by Milan group using gel dosimetry [1, 2, 3]. Therefore some computational comparisons were done. In these article the results of this comparisons are shown and discussed.

The article focuses on the methodology for a realistic evaluation of the dose and fluence distributions in Neutron Capture Therapy (NCT), based on the Treatment Planning System (TPS) that takes into account the real macroscopic distribution of the neutron capturer. The neutron capturers considered in the present study are ¹⁰B and ¹⁵⁷Gd, used in BNCT and GdNCT respectively.

Accurate knowledge of the reactions which occur when two heavy ions interact is of importance in many trans-disciplinary fields, particularly in cancer therapy and space radiation protection. In these cases one needs to know what happens in a natural process to which all possible reaction mechanisms contribute and thus a theoretical calculation, to be really usable, must indeed be able to reproduce large sets of data in wide energy and mass ranges.

We show here the results of an analysis of the spectra of intermediate mass fragments produced in the C + Al interaction at 13 MeV/n, both in direct and inverse kinematics, which supplies a very reasonable reproduction of a great number of data providing useful information on the leading reaction mechanisms.

The N2P research program funded by the INFN committee for Experimental Nuclear Physics (CSNIII) has among his goals the construction of a Proton Recoil Telescope (PRT), a detector to measure neutron energy spectra. The interest in such a detector is primarily related to the SPES project for rare beams production at the Laboratori Nazionali di Legnaro. For the SPES project it is, in fact, of fundamental importance to have reliable information about energy spectra and yield for neutrons produced by d or p projectiles on thick light targets to model the ''conversion target'' in which the p or d are converted in neutrons. These neutrons, in a second stage, will induce the Uranium fission in the ''production target''. The fission products are subsequently extracted, selected and re-accelerated to produce the exotic beam. The neutron spectra and angular distribution are important parameters to define the final production of fission fragments. In addition, this detector can be used to measure neutron spectra in the field of cancer therapy (this topic is nowadays of particular interest to INFN, for the National Centre for Hadron therapy (CNAO) in Pavia) and space applications.

The large amount of emulsion plates to be analysed in the OPERA experiment requires the development of a new generation of automatic microscopes with an order of magnitude improvement in speed with respect to analogous past systems. We report on the large R&D effort in realizing automatic microscopes with a scanning speed of 20 cm² per hour, describing the progress in the mechanics, optics and in the technology of image acquisition and analysis. We also report on the features and performances of the scanning system (precisions, angular and position resolutions and efficiencies) evaluated exposing stacks of emulsions to high momentum pion beam at CERN.

The illicit trafficking of explosive materials in cargo containers has become, in recent years, a serious problem. Currently used X-ray or γ-ray based systems provide only limited information about the elemental composition of the inspected cargo items. During the last years, a new neutron interrogation technique, named TNIS (Tagged Neutron Inspection System), has been developed, which should permit to determine the chemical composition of the suspect item by coincidence measurements between alpha particles and photons produced. A prototype of such a system for container inspection has been built, at the Institute Ruder Boskovic (IRB) in Zagreb, Croatia, for the European Union 6FP EURITRACK project. We present the results of a detailed simulation of the IRB prototype performed with the MCNP Monte Carlo program and a comparison with beam attenuation calculations performed with GEANT3/MICAP. Detector signals, rates and signal over background ratios have been calculated for 100 kg of TNT explosive located inside a cargo container filled with a metallic matrix of density 0.2 g/cm³. The case of an organic filling material is discussed too.

Experimental results for the photofission of ²³⁸U with an endpoint Bremsstrahlung emission of 15 MeV are presented. Absolute yield and time characteristics of the delayed neutrons are extracted. In parallel, calculations for fission fragment distributions and corresponding delayed neutron parameters are given and compared to data.

Inclusive cross sections (d²σ, dΩdE, dσdE, dσdΩ and σ_T) for the production of light charged particles induced by protons of 26.5, 48.5 and 62.9 MeV and alpha-particles of 25.4, 45.5 and 57.8 MeV on _natSi targets have been measured. The secondary emitted particles (p, d, t, ³He, α, ⁶Li, ⁷Li and ⁷Be) were detected at angles from 10° to 165° in steps of ±10° with respect to the beam axis. Neutrons emitted in these reactions were only recorded in coincidence with, at least, one detected light charged particle. The measurements were compared with all available published data from similar or comparable reactions and with theoretical calculations based on the GNASH and TALYS nuclear-reaction codes.

GaK EXAFS spectra of GaN/AlN heterostructures were measured. Microstructure parameters of GaN/AlN heterosystems with discrete electronic spectra largely influenced by the elastic deformation at the boundaries of the nanoclusters and substrate was detected by the direct method. The local structure parameters determined by EXAFS spectroscopy are linked to preparation conditions and nanostructures morphology and adequate models are suggested and discussed.

Composition of more than 500 metallic artifacts was studied by means of INAA and XRF, including 404 objects of copper alloys. Analyses proved not only use of specialized bronze alloys in the imported Roman vessels, but also use of very pure brass with average content of 20% zinc in the production of decorative brooches, especially in the ¹st century A.D. These artifacts were evidently made on the Bohemian territory, but raw brass was probably imported from the Roman provinces. Common products are mostly made of mixed materials possibly recycling old objects and using local raw materials.

Measurements of in-phantom dose distributions and images are important for Boron Neutron Capture Therapy treatment planning. The method for spatial determination of absorbed doses in thermal or epithermal neutron fields, based on Fricke-xylenol-orange-infused gel dosimeters in form of layers, has revealed to be very reliable, as gel layer dosimeters give the possibility of obtaining spatial dose distributions and measurements of each dose contribution in neutron fields, by means of a properly studied procedure. Quite recently, BNCT has been applied to treat liver metastases; in this work the results of in-phantom dosimetry for explanted liver in BNCT treatments are described.

Moreover, polyacrylamide gel (PAG) dosimeters in which a polymerization process appears as a consequence of absorbed dose, have been recently tested, because of their characteristic absence of diffusion. In fact, due to the diffusion of ferric ions, Fricke-gel dosimeters require prompt analysis after exposure to avoid spatial information loss. In this work the preliminary results of a study about the reliability of polymer gel in BNCT dosimetry are also discussed. Gel layers have been irradiated in a phantom exposed in the thermal column of the TRIGA MARK II reactor (Pavia). The results obtained with the two kinds of gel dosimeter have been compared.

Practical assessment of human radiation exposure risk deserves particular attention especially for low doses (and low dose rates), which concern environmental and occupational exposure. At these dose levels ionizing radiation exposures involve mainly isolated charged particle tracks, which strike individual cells at time intervals averaging from weeks to several years apart. Accelerator-based microbeam irradiation technique offers a unique tool to mimic such an exposure, allowing irradiating single cells individually with micrometer precision and with a preset number of charged particles down to one particle per cell. A horizontal single-ion microbeam facility for single-cell irradiations has been designed and set up at the INFN-LNL 7MV CN Van de Graaff accelerator. The light ion beam is collimated in air down to a section of 2-3µm in diameter by means of appropriate pinholes. Semi-automatic cell visualization and automatic cell positioning and revisiting system, based on an inverted phase contrast optical microscope and on X-Y translation stages with 0.1µm positioning precision, has been developed. An in-house-written software allows to control remotely the irradiation protocol. As a distinctive feature of the facility, cell recognition is performed without using fluorescent staining and UV light. Particle detection in air, behind the biological sample, is based on a silicon detector while in-air beam profile and precise hit position measurements are accomplished by a custom-made cooled-CCD camera and Solid State Nuclear Track detectors, respectively. A particle counting rate of less than 1 ion/sec can be reached.

The aim of the present paper is to verify the applicability of neutron activation analysis to a metallurgic problem as a possible alternative technique to the standard investigation methodologies.

A first series of measurements was performed in order to check the feasibility of irradiation and counting over metallic samples. Some of the feared problems concerned an excessive activation of the matrix and the consequent difficulties in the spectrum interpretation, as well as the removal of the radioactive waste created by the irradiation. Afterwards, a second series of measurements was performed to collect results aimed at the solution of a specific metallurgic case.

The tests were performed at the TRIGA MARK II reactor facility of the LENA (Laboratorio Energia Nucleare Applicata) Institute of the Pavia University.

The ELBE electron beam at Forschungszentrum Rossendorf, Dresden, with energies up to 40 MeV, can be used to produce a beam of intense neutron pulses in a liquid-lead radiator, where bremsstrahlung photons created by the electrons produce neutrons in (γ, xn) reactions. The 5 ps electron beam pulses create very short neutron pulses, giving an energy resolution of less than 1 % with a flight path of 3.9 m. A beam repetition rate of 1.6 MHz enables measurements with neutron energies from 200 keV to 10 MeV - an interval where neutron cross section measurements are needed for fission, fusion, and transmutation. The neutron beam will be shaped by a 2.4 m long collimator made from borated polyethylene and lead, reducing the background of scattered neutrons and of photons at the sample position. Monte Carlo simulations with MCNP4C3 were performed to optimise the collimator composition. About 92 % of the neutrons at the experiment site retain their correct energy-to- ToF correlation. The neutron energy resolution is 0.4 % (FWHM) at the maximum intensity. For neutron-capture γ rays, a BaF₂ scintillation detector array of up to 60 crystals is being built, whereas for neutron detection, Li-glass scintillators and a 1 m² plastic scintillator wall will be used.

Relativistic protons with energies 0.7-1.5 GeV interacting with a thick, cylindrical, lead target, surrounded by a uranium blanket and a polyethylene moderator, produced spallation neutrons. The spatial and energetic distributions of the produced neutron field were measured by the Activation Analysis Method using Al, Au, Bi, and Co radio-chemical sensors. The experimental yields of isotopes induced in the sensors were compared with Monte-Carlo calculations performed with the MCNPX 2.4.0 code.

We are presenting a technique using x-rays to detect strata caused by density variation in 94 mm diameter ice cores. Moreover, high resolution density is determined. A 54 m long ice core retrieved from the Tasman Glacier of the Southern Alps in New Zealand has been x-ray scanned and the images were analysed. As a dual energy capable x-ray (DEXA) scanner was used, DEXA analysis techniques were used where appropriate, such as for the enhancement of strata visibility in the images. Density calculations though were based on a single energy model, using the fundamental law of x-ray attenuation. As the model does not precisely reflect realistic conditions, calibrations were made for the material properties and pixel scaling. Results of detected strata were compared to traditional visual light methods, where up to a depth of ∼35 m better detail was achieved using x-rays. Density data was checked against the average volumetric density. Results compare well with the volumetric density, however a small bias exists, which at present requires further investigation.

Conventional x-ray tubes produce a fan-shaped x-ray beam covering a large spectrum of energies, which is why the fundamental law of x-ray attenuation is not readily applicable. As the mathematical formulation of the problem would be too cumbersome, calibrations using well-defined objects are carried out, which in turn allow the use of multienergy x-rays for measurements. Occasionally, such calibrations may not lead to the desired results. This could be for instance due to an insensitivity of x-rays towards low atomic number elements. Here we present such a case on hand the example of raw natural fibre. The DEXA parameters correlated with the fibre parameter wool base, but show distinct correlation for geographical regions of the origin of the wool. A calibration that is valid independently of geographical origin can be achieved by including independently measured parameters of the calibration body. We demonstrate a successful calibration that uses dual energy x-ray scanning technology as well as a size parameter of the fibre in the regression equation.

An intensive beam of 660 MeV protons from the Dubna Phasotron was directed towards a thick, lead target (not surrounded by shielding or neutron reflector) for 10 minutes. Detectors and iodine samples were placed around the target. The neutron field and the transmutation of ¹²⁹I were studied by the Activation Analysis Method.

MCNPX v.2.4.0 was used to simulate the experimental setup. The results of the simulations were compared to the experimental values, and the influence of the setup parts to the neutron field was explored.

An improved version of the Cascade-Exciton Model (CEM) of nuclear reactions realized in the code CEM2k and the Los Alamos version of the Quark-Gluon String Model (LAQGSM) have been developed recently at LANL to describe reactions induced by particles and nuclei for a number of applications. Our CEM2k and LAQGSM merged with the GEM2 evaporation/fission code by Furihata have predictive powers comparable to other modern codes and describe many reactions better than other codes; therefore both our codes can be used as reliable event generators in transport codes for applications. During the last year, we have made a significant improvements to the intranuclear cascade parts of CEM2k and LAQGSM, and have extended LAQGSM to describe photonuclear reactions at energies to 10 GeV and higher. We have produced in this way improved versions of our codes, CEM03.01 and LAQGSM03.01. For special studies, we have also merged our two codes with the GEMINI code by Charity and with the SMM code of Botvina. We present a brief description of our codes and show illustrative results obtained with CEM03.01 and LAQGSM03.01 for different reactions compared with predictions by other models, as well as examples of using our codes as modeling tools for nuclear applications.

A neutron Time-of-Flight facility (n_TOF) is available at CERN since 2001. The innovative features of the neutron beam, in particular the high instantaneous flux, the wide energy range, the high resolution and the low background, make this facility unique for measurements of neutron induced reactions relevant to the field of Emerging Nuclear Technologies, as well as to Nuclear Astrophysics and Fundamental Nuclear Physics. The scientific motivations that have led to the construction of this new facility are here presented. The main characteristics of the n_TOF neutron beam are described, together with the features of the experimental apparata used for cross-section measurements. The main results of the first measurement campaigns are presented. Preliminary results of capture cross-section measurements of minor actinides, important to ADS project for nuclear waste transmutation, are finally discussed.

The Silicon Pixel Detector (SPD) is the innermost part of the Inner Tracking System (ITS) of the ALICE experiment at LHC. 240 detector ladders containing in total about 10 million pixel cells with dimension 50 × 425 µm², have to be assembled on a carbon fibre support. The mounting procedure of the basic SPD modules (Half-Staves) and the assembly of the barrel sectors are presented. Results on the assembly of the first sector are reported.

A computational investigation has shown that the epithermal neutron beam presently used for BNCT of the brain in the HFR in Petten The Netherlands can also be used for BNCT of extra-corporal livers. Liver BNCT has already been performed in Pavia Italy providing very promising results. By rotating the liver and surrounding it by Polymethylmethacrylate and graphite and with the appropriate dimensions of the set-up, the same homogeneity in the thermal neutron field in the liver can be obtained in Petten as in Pavia.

The EURITRACK project aims at developing a non-destructive measurement system, using an associated particle sealed tube neutron generator, to detect explosives or other threat materials concealed in cargo containers. Chemical composition of the suspect item is determined by coincidence measurements between alpha particles and photons resulting from neutron interactions in the inspected voxel of the container. We present the design and the performances of the measurement system obtained by Monte Carlo calculations. Selected gamma detectors are clusters of 5''×5''×10'' and 5''×5'' sodium iodide scintillators, and a block of 100 kg of TNT located in a container filled with a metallic matrix having a density of 0.2 g/cm³ is shown to be detectable in 10 minutes.

The possibility to detect thermal neutrons with single gap Resistive Plate Chambers has been investigated. To detect neutrons a ¹⁰B₄C thin coating on the inner surface of one RPC electrode is used as thermal neutron converter. The RPC detects the charged particles generated by neutrons via the (n, α) reaction on Boron. Tests on converter samples have been performed with a thermalized ²⁵²Cf source in order to evaluate the conversion efficiency: a good agreement between experimental results and simulation has been achieved. A detector prototype has been developed and tested on a low energy neutron beam at the European laboratories JRC in Belgium. A detailed description of the detector and the experimental test results are presented.

In the framework of an advanced Exotic Ion Beam facility project, named SPES (Study and Production of Exotic Species), that will allow a frontier program in Nuclear and Interdisciplinary Physics, an intense thermal neutron beam facility, devoted to perform Boron Neutron Capture Therapy (BNCT) experimental treatments on skin melanoma tumor is currently under construction based on the SPES proton driver. A vast radiobiological investigation in vitro and in vivo has started with the new ¹⁰B carriers developed. Special microdosimetric detectors have been constructed to properly measure all the BNCT dose components and their qualities. Both microdosimetric and radiobiological measurements are being performed at the Enea-Casaccia TAPIRO reactor.

A gamma spectrometer with HPGe detector of 50% relative efficiency and 1 cps total background has been dedicated to the measurement of an intertidal sediment core from a coastal environment at the Ría de Vigo (Spain). The area is affected by lead pollution and the source identification needs of a precise dating of the sediment core. Such a precise dating requires the measurement not only of the radionuclides directly involved in time calculation, as ²¹⁰Pb and ²²⁶Ra, but also of ancillary radionuclides which inform about the dating model to apply and about the validity of its time estimation. Gamma spectrometry with Ge detectors performs a simultaneous measurement of the full content in γ-emitters of the sample. However, its use is limited by its high spectral background. We present the characteristics of our lowlevel background gamma spectrometer and also of Galea, the computing tool for the expert analysis of natural radionuclides. Both make possible to get the proper experimental results to reach a suitable dating. The results allowed us to detect a change in the sedimentation dynamics in the area under study, to verify the impact of lead pollution in the ²¹⁰Pb level, to obtain a sedimentation rate by using the CF:CS model with a suitable correction factor and, finally, to validate the sediment dating.

Pre-Hispanic pottery figurines from north-central Venezuela islands and mainland were analysed by neutron activation analysis (INAA and PGAA) at the Budapest Research to establish their provenience. In order to classify the samples of figurines, characteristic molecular and atomic components were determined. Several mass ratios were calculated for significant classification of the object of two origins. Results shed light on the origin of island figurines and suggest specific areas of their production on the mainland, contributing to better understanding of late pre-Hispanic migration patterns in the southeastern Caribbean region.

In a low background detector high contamination of U, Th and K in the materials used couldn't be accepted. All materials furnished should be tested and measures optioned have a sensibility of 10⁻¹¹−10⁻¹²g/g. Such measures need an adequate irradiation time and flux. An optimum cooling time and other parameters should be optimised in order to reach the goal. Analysis are made by Neutron Activation Analysis (NAA) while analysis of the natural gamma activity are made by long time measures in a low background detector.

Since 1975 proton beam of PNPI synchrocyclotron with fixed energy of 1000 MeV is used for the stereotaxic proton therapy of different head brain diseases. 1300 patients have been treated during this time. The advantage of high energy beam (1000 MeV) is low scattering of protons in the irradiated tissue. This factor allows to form the dose field with high edge gradients (20%/mm) that is especially important for the irradiation of the intra-cranium targets placed in immediate proximity to the life critical parts of the brain. Fixation of the 6 0mm diameter proton beam at the isodose centre with accuracy of ±1.0 mm, two-dimensional rotation technique of the irradiation provide a very high ratio of the dose in the irradiation zone to the dose at the object's surface equal to 200:1. The absorbed doses are: 120-150 Gy for normal hypophysis, 100-120 Gy for pituitary adenomas and 40-70 Gy for arterio-venous malformation at the rate of absorbed dose up to 50 Gy/min. In the paper the dynamics and the efficiency of 1000 MeV proton therapy treatment of the brain deceases are given. At present time the feasibility study is in progress with the goal to create a proton therapy on Bragg peak by means of the moderation of 1000 MeV proton beam in the absorber down to 200 MeV, energy required for radiotherapy of deep seated tumors.

Nuclear techniques for direct assessment of internally deposited radionuclides are essential for monitoring and dosimetry of members of the public exposed due to radiation accidents. Selection of the methods for detection of internal contamination is determined by nuclear-physical characteristics of the deposits. For the population living in settlements located along the Techa River contaminated in 1950s by liquid radioactive wastes from the plutonium production complex Mayak (Southern Urals, Russia) the main dose-forming radionuclide was ⁹⁰Sr. It is a bone-seeking radionuclide that incorporates in the skeleton and remains there for many years so it can be detected for long periods after the intake occurred. Measurements of pure beta-emitting ⁹⁰Sr are possible through detection of bremsstrahlung from the ⁹⁰Sr/90Y beta rays in the low energy range (30-160 keV) using phoswich detectors. This suggested the development of a unique whole body counter in 1974 for monitoring of the ⁹⁰Sr- and ¹³⁷Cs-body burden in the Techa River population with the use of phoswich detectors. Long-term observations with the WBC covering more than 38,000 measurements on over 20,000 people have been made. This has created a unique database for studying strontium and calcium metabolism and for assessment of the internal dose for residents of the Techa River settlements due to ingestion of ⁹⁰Sr. This paper describes the main results obtained for the Techa River population essential for bone metabolism and dosimetry, epidemiological studies, and radiation protection.

In the 1960's, fifty-five gallon drums of TRU waste were buried in shallow pits on remote U.S. Government facilities such as the Idaho National Engineering Laboratory (now split into the Idaho National Laboratory and the Idaho Completion Project [ICP]). Subsequently, it was decided to remove the drums and the material that was in them from the burial pits and send the material to the Waste Isolation Pilot Plant in New Mexico. Several technologies have been tried to locate the drums non-intrusively with enough precision to minimize the chance for material to be spread into the environment. One of these technologies is the placement of steel probe holes in the pits into which wireline logging probes can be lowered to measure properties and concentrations of material surrounding the probe holes for evidence of TRU material. There is also a concern that large quantities of volatile organic compounds (VOC) are also present that would contaminate the environment during removal. In 2001, the Idaho National Engineering and Environmental Laboratory (INEEL) built two pulsed neutron wireline logging tools to measure TRU and VOC around the probe holes. The tools are the Prompt Fission Neutron (PFN) and the Pulsed Neutron Gamma (PNG), respectively. They were tested experimentally in surrogate test holes in 2003. The work reported here estimates the performance of the tools using Monte-Carlo modelling prior to field deployment. A MCNP model was constructed by INEEL personnel. It was modified by the authors to assess the ability of the tools to predict quantitatively the position and concentration of TRU and VOC materials disposed around the probe holes. The model was used to simulate the tools scanning the probe holes vertically in five centimetre increments. A drum was included in the model that could be placed near the probe hole and at other locations out to forty-five centimetres from the probe-hole in five centimetre increments. Scans were performed with no chlorine in the earth around the probe hole and with three concentrations of chlorine. The PFN is configured with two detectors, and therefore data from the scans can be used to gauge the approximate distance of a drum from the probe-hole. The PNG uses ratios of gamma-ray intensities from a specific element to estimate the quantitative distance to the drum. Moreover, the PNG can distinguish VOC materials in the formation from those in the drum if there is sufficient contrast in the concentrations. The PNG and PFN can be used together to assist in planning the safe removal of contaminated materials, both TRU and VOC.

The Very Low Angle Detector (VLAD) bank will extend the kinematical region covered by today's epithermal neutron scattering experiments to low momentum transfer (<10 Å⁻¹) together with large energy transfer <1 eV. Such kinematical region is so far unexplored and will allow for new experimental studies in condensed matter systems. VLAD is at present being commissioned on the VESUVIO spectrometer at the ISIS pulsed neutron source. It consists of an array of Resonant Detectors covering the scattering range 1^°-4^°. In this paper the design of VLAD is presented together with Montecarlo simulations of the detector performances. The results of tests made with prototype VLAD detectors are also presented, confirming the usefulness of the Resonance Detector for measurements at very low scattering angles.

Pilot innovative accelerator based neutron source for neutron capture therapy of cancer is under construction now at the Budker Institute. One of the main elements of the facility is lithium target producing neutrons via threshold ⁷Li(p, n)⁷Be reaction at 10 mA proton beam with energies of 1.915 MeV or 2.5 MeV. In the present report, choice of target was substantiated. The main problems of lithium target were determined to be: 7Be radioactive isotope activation, keeping lithium layer solid, presence of photons resulted from proton inelastic scattering on lithium nuclei, and radiation blistering. The results of thermal testing of target prototype, investigation of radiation blistering and several simulations are presented. It becomes clear that water is preferable for cooling this target, and that the lithium target 10 cm in diameter is able to run up to 25 kW proton beam before melting. The conception of optimal target is proposed: thin and easy to detach metal disk 10 cm in diameter, evaporated with thin layer of pure lithium from the side of proton beam exposure: its back is intensively cooled with turbulent water flow to maintain lithium layer solid. Design of target for the neutron source constructed at BINP is shown. Conceptions of radiation protection and neutrons, γ-rays and α- particles diagnostics are presented. The immediate plans on obtaining epithermal neutron beam are declared.

Gel dosimeters are integrating dosimeters, that enable dose verification in three dimensions. Optical analysis of gel dosimeters has demonstrated to be an available technique for imaging the absorbed in-phantom dose exposed to radiotherapy beams. The goal is to demonstrate the ability of gel dosimeters to achieve accurately and spatial resolution in dose mapping, also when high dose regions are produced by a complex three dimensional treatment planning. Two types of dosimeters are investigated, a Fricke gel (Fricke-Xylenol-orangeinfused gel) and a normoxic-polymer gel (polyacrylamide gel). Dosimeter gel samples of different shapes were exposed to photon fields, at various energies. Transmittance images were taken by means of a CCD camera and a spectrophotometer. In phantom 3-D images were realised with both dosimeter gels. An irradiation, using a linear accelerator, was realised in order to validate the method and techniques. Central axis depth dose profiles of the phantom were extracted and compared with ionization chamber measurements. Tissue-equivalence and other properties for both gels were studied using Monte Carlo techniques. Off-axis profiles and three dimensional dose distribution were obtained by simulations and compared with experimental dose distributions.

Transmutation, the procedure of transforming long-lived radioactive isotopes into stable or short-lived, was proposed for reducing the amount of radioactive waste resulting from technological applications of nuclear fission. The Accelerator Driven Systems (ADS) provide the possibility to generate intense neutron spectrum yielding in an effective transmutation of unwanted isotopes. Such experiments are being carried out for the last 10 years in Synchrophasotron / Nuclotron accelerators at the Veksler-Baldin Laboratory of High Energies of the Joint Institute for Nuclear Research in Dubna, Russia. Thick Pb and Pb-U targets, surrounded by moderators, have been irradiated by protons in the energy range of 0.5−7.4 GeV. Neutron fluence measurements have been performed by different techniques of passive detectors (neutron activation detectors, solid state nuclear track detectors). Transmutation of ¹²⁹I, ²³⁷Np, ²³⁹Pu was studied. The results of these experiments are presented and discussed.

After a long series of studies on the effects of neutron irradiation of 10B loaded neoplastic cells both in culture and in animal experiments, we started the clinical application of BNCT on humans affected by liver metastases of a radically resected colon adenocarcinoma. The procedure we adopted includes a first surgical phase, with hepatectomy; a radiotherapeutic phase, in which the isolated liver, washed and chilled, is extracorporeally irradiated with thermal neutrons; and then a second surgical phase for the reconnection of the liver to the patient. Until now two patients have been subjected to the BNCT treatment. The first one survived 44 months with a good quality of life, and died because of diffuse recurrences of his intestinal tumour. The second patient had the same early perioperative course, but after 33 days a worsening of a dilatative cardiomyopaty, from which he was suffering, determined a cardiac failure and eventually death. This clinical experience, although limited, has shown that extracorporeal neutron irradiation of the liver is a feasible procedure, able to ensure the complete destruction of liver metastases and a possible long lasting survival. In our patients neutron irradiation caused massive cellular necrosis highly specific to tumour cells, whereas normal cells were mostly spared. Nevertheless, the impact of such a traumatic operation on the patient's organism must be taken into account. Finally, we have to be aware that the fight against tumour rarely leads to a complete victory. We now have an innovative weapon which is both powerful and partly unsettled: it must be refined and above all used.

Nuclear fusion is seen as a much ''cleaner'' energy source than fission. Most of the studies and experiments on nuclear fusion are currently devoted to the Deuterium-Tritium (DT) fuel cycle, since it is the easiest way to reach ignition. The recent stress on safety by the world's community has stimulated the research on other fuel cycles than the DT one, based on 'advanced' reactions, such as the Deuterium-Helium-3 (DHe) one. These reactions pose problems, such as the availability of ³He and the attainment of the higher plasma parameters that are required for burning. However, they have many advantages, like for instance the very low neutron activation, while it is unnecessary to breed and fuel tritium. The extrapolation of Ignitor technologies towards a larger and more powerful experiment using advanced fuel cycles (Candor) has been studied. Results show that Candor does reach the passive safety and zero-waste option. A fusion power reactor based on the DHe cycle could be the ultimate response to the environmental requirements for future nuclear power plants.

In the present work we have analyzed aerosols deposits on filters from ten Romanian towns: Pitesti, Giurgiu, Resita, Ramnicu-Valcea, Baia-Mare, Craiova, Timisoara, Calarasi, Braila and Arad with different kinds and levels of industrial development by PIXE method using Yttrium like internal standard because it is a very rare element in the environmental items. We have identified 15 elements: S, K, Ca, Cr, Ti, V, Mn, Fe, Co, Ni, Cu, Zn, As, Hg and Pb. The measured elemental concentrations are given with respect to the concentration of the Ca for all analyzed samples. The obtained results can put in evidence a high ratio of Ti/Ca, Cr/Ca, Fe/Ca, Co/Ca, Zn/Ca, As/Ca, Pb/Ca in Craiova, a high ratio of Mn/Ca in Calarasi and a high ratio of Hg/Ca in Braila. Certainly the level of pollution of a region can not determine by a single filter and is need of a good statistic to draw conclusions.

The ¹⁸F national primary standard was developed by the INMRI-ENEA using the 4πβ Liquid Scintillation Spectrometry Method with ³H-Standard Efficiency Tracing. Measurements were performed at JRCIspra under a scientific collaboration between the Institute for Health and Consumer Production, the Amersham Health and the National Institute for Occupational Safety and Prevention (ISPESL). The goal of the work was to calibrate, with minimum uncertainty, the INMRI-ENEA transfer standard portable well-type ionisation chamber as well as other JRC-Ispra and Amersham Health reference Ionising Chambers used for FDG activity measurement.

Spallation neutron sources provide more intense and harder neutron spectrum than nuclear reactors for which a substantial amount of shielding measurements have been performed. Although the main part of the cost for a spallation station is the cost of the shielding, measurements regarding shielding for the high energy neutron region are still very scarce. In this work calculation of the neutron interaction length in polyethylene moderator for different neutron energies is presented. Measurements which were carried out in Nuclotron accelerator at the Laboratory of High Energies (Joint Institute for Nuclear Research, Dubna) and comparison with calculation are also presented. The measurements were performed with Solid State Nuclear Track Detectors (SSNTDs).

Quantum Molecular Dynamics (QMD) models are considered viable tools to simulate the initial hot stages of heavy-ion collisions and investigate the properties of the nuclear matter equation of state. A new QMD model has been developed by scratch by our group during the last few years and recently coupled to the FLUKA fission/Fermi breakup/ evaporation module which describes the latest stage of the reactions, when slower processes leading nuclei to the equilibrium occur. Comparisons with experimental data collected both in symmetric and in asymmetric collisions are shown, covering a wide range of projectile and target masses. Reproduction of the experimental light particle (Z < 3) yields is one of the most difficult challenges to be met by QMD models, traditionally prone to underestimate a particle emission while dramatically overestimating proton and neutron emission. Our results seem to be quite satisfactory with respect to this issue, thanks to the form of the potential terms involved in the nucleon-nucleon interaction and to many refinements applied in the fragment definition scheme, based on the potential which each particle experiences because of its neighbors. Nucleon isospin is taken into account all over the simulation, as well as the experimental binding energy constraints on nuclear states. The introduction of further refinements to describe pre-equilibrium processes is under development.

We are currently investigating the possibility to use CdTe detectors for in situ determinations of radionuclide concentration in soil. Buried activity can be reliably determined by a comparison of the count rate in the photo peak and the region between the photo peak and Compton edge. However, the pulse-height spectrum from CdTe detectors is severely deteriorated, due to poor charge collection, in particular for high gamma-ray energies. Our efforts have, therefore, been concentrated on improving the peak to valley ratio for such detectors. A simple, non-discriminating, algorithm for the analysis of output from two amplifiers with different shaping times is described. By means of this algorithm the peak-to-valley ratio for a small planar CdTe detector is improved by more than a factor of six compared to the uncorrected ratio without loss of efficiency.

Accuracy of calculation of the absorbed dose spatial distribution into patient body is an important task in the radiation treatment of cancer. The correct calculation determines radiotherapy effectiveness. Thus, researches are improving calculation methods permanently to achieve running speed and accuracy increasing of used algorithms of calculation routines. The algorithms of routines for calculations of absorbed dose radial distributions into homo- and heterogeneous medium irradiated by directional source of photons are described in the presented work [1, 2].

Pure and Nile-Red-doped polyimide and porphyrin films have been deposited and their optical response to different organic vapours has been tested. Polyimide films were obtained by spin coating a solution containing 4, 4'-4, 4'-(hexafluoroisopropylidene) diphthalic anhydride and 2, 3, 5, 6-tetramethyl-1, 4-phenylenediamine. Free, cobalt and iron chloride 5, 10, 15, 20 meso-tetraphenyl porphyrin films were deposited by spin coating and by high vacuum evaporation. Exposure to water, ethanol and isopropanol vapours produce reversible changes of the fluorescence features of both pure and doped polyimide films. Exposure to methanol, ethanol and isopropanol vapours gives rise to changes of the optical absorption of porphyrin films. The results of the optical measurements point out that the synthesized films can be used for the detection of volatile organic compounds.

¹⁵³Sm-EDTMP, a useful non toxic bone seeking isotope in the palliative radionuclide therapy for bone metastases, is produced by neutron activation of enriched of ¹⁵²Sm₂O₃ targets. During the large-scale formation of ¹⁵³Sm, however, there is a co-production of some long-lived radio nuclides, among which ¹⁵⁴Eu is a major and inevitable radionuclide impurity. The level of ¹⁵⁴Eu contamination was evaluated performing a gamma-ray spectrometry of a radiopharmaceutical sample and the urine of an administered patient. As expected, gamma-ray spectra revealed the presence of ¹⁵³Eu in all the samples. The specific activity of ¹⁵³Eu in the urine sample collected at 6 hours after injection is 21 Bq/ml and is less than 1 Bq/ml in 24 hr. The contamination levels of ¹⁵³Eu, normalized to the corresponding activity of ¹⁵³Sm, were 0.0012% in the residual and in the first urine sample and 0.0017% and 0.0031% at 30 and 54 hours after administration, respectively. The results of this study show that the level of the long-lived ¹⁵³Eu impurity is not a limitation in the metastatic bone pain palliation due to the additional radiation dose burden, but could pose a cause of concern in case of discharging.

The L_i (α, β, γ, l) subshell X-ray production cross-sections for Pb and Au were measured at incident proton energy between 1 to 2.5 MeV. The obtained data are compared to available data given in Sokhi and Crumpton [1] and Orlic and al.[2] compilations. The given data are also compared with the predictions of ECPSSR model [3]. The comparison shows a good agreement.

The impact of energetic ions on solid samples gives rise to the emission of visible light owing to the electronic excitation of intrinsic defects or extrinsic impurities. The intensity and position of the emission features provide information on the nature of the luminescence centers and on their chemical environments. This makes ion beam induced luminescence (IBIL) a useful complement to other ion beam analyses, like PIXE, in the cultural heritage field in characterizing the composition and the provenience of art objects. In the present paper, IBIL measurements have been performed on inorganic pigments for underlying the complementary role played by IBIL in the analysis of artistic works. Some blue and red pigment has been presented as case study.

The counterfeit of a product, in this case a type of cheese, is an economic damage for the trade-mark product. An identification of the product itself by quantification of trace elements could be done. Nuclear techniques are useful and give good results. Some elements are connected to the process so different productions could be identified. Thirty elements and 160 spectrums are analysed. The samples of the same kind of cheese come from different countries and different Italian producers (15 different productions).

The platinum metals depleted in the earth's crust are relative to their cosmic abundance; concentration of these elements in sediments may thus indicate influxes of extraterrestrial material. Analysis of these parameters are done easily by Neutron Activation Analysis (NAA) and comparative results with ICP-MS technique show a good match. Results, adjust parameters and limits of this method will be displayed in tables.

A low cost gas-based charged particle detector, the Resistive Plate Counter (RPC) intensively used in fixed target and collider high energy experiments, is proposed as basic detector for Positron Emission Tomography. The performance of RPCs in terms of intrinsic space and time resolution and electronic pulse height response, makes it possible to transform standard RPCs into photon detectors and therefore to compensate for the photon sensitivity of scintillating crystals, when the efficiency of the complex crystal + photomultiplier is turned into standard quantum efficiency (q.e). Prototype multigap glass RPCs were developed which optimize γ detection efficiency and thus might substitute the traditional scintillators setups.

The excitation function of the ⁶⁸Zn(p, x)⁶⁴Cu reaction was investigated in an attempt to clarify a serious discrepancy in the recently published data. New measurements based on both a weak γ-line of 1345.8 keV (0.47%) as well as the 511 keV annihilation radiation were performed after radiochemically separating the Cu from the Zn target matrix. In the case of the 511 keV measurements, the method of decay-curve analysis was employed as the annihilation radiation is not specific for a particular radionuclide. The results from the two methods were found to be in excellent agreement. Simulations were also performed to test the method of 511 keV decay-curve analysis for the effects of possible intruder contaminants.

In the present work the moss biomonitoring technique and the combination of two analytical techniques - Particle Induced X-ray Emission (PIXE) [3] and Inductively Coupled Plasma (ICP) [4] - were applied for assessing environmental situation from the point of view of air polluting along the transect from north to south of the Dambovita County. PIXE analysis at the Tandem Accelerator FN-8 of the National Institute of Nuclear Physics - Horia Hulubei of Magurele, Bucharest, allowed determination of P, S, Cl, K, Ca, Mn, Fe, Ni, Cu, Zn, As, Sr, Cd and Pb in samples. ICP analyses were made using a Baird ICP2070 - Sequential Plasma Spectrometer in Targoviste and we determined in samples the concentration of Li, B, Na, and Mg together with Cd and Pb. The obtained results will permit to determine the regional extent of heavy metals and toxic elements atmospheric pollution and to identify specially affected areas and local sources of

It is generally not possible to correctly determine the long and short term impact of human activity upon the environment, without thorough processing of data, obtained through monitoring. It was confirmed that such impact on the environment must be monitored over a long time period. The data obtained must be of high quality, an attribute assured by present state of scientific knowledge. One of the well established methods for monitoring atmospheric deposition of radionuclides in the environment is laboratory and in situ gamma spectrometry. With the aim to monitor an occurrence of a one-time escape or persistent release of fission products into the air, resulting from an operation of a nuclear plant, two types of monitoring are performed: i/ measurement of samples from the environment (Schreber moss, forest humus, pine bark, mushrooms and forest berries) using laboratory gamma spectrometry method in the range up to 3 MeV (those data are used for the trend analysis and for the construction of the contaminationmaps); ii/ in situ gama spectrometry for assessment dosimetry and spectrometry characteristic of photon-fields (those data are used for the dose rate calculation).

The characteristic of the thin plate (Ø38x0.25mm) of scintillation detectors YAP:Ce (YAlO₃ doped Ce) and YAG (Y₃A_l5O₁₂ doped Ce) were tested by using the etalons of alpha, beta and gamma radiation with low energies (²⁴¹Am, ⁹⁰Sr, ⁵⁵Fe...) and a standard 222Rn. Those detectors have been developed in Crytur Ltd. For the measurement was used a specially built test assembly comprising encapsulated scintillation detector with calibrated photomultiplier fixed in a black, variable-volume test chamber. All measurements were conducted under precisely defined geometry. The MC 1256 analyzer was used in 256 channel configuration. The focus was on measurement and assessment of the tested detectors surface characteristics, in relation to the light output, spectral resolution capability and peak-background characteristics [1.2]. The tests included extended time period of monitoring related to impact absorption on the surface of detectors and energy calibration. The end result was the selection of the most suitable surface processing for the thin scintillation detectors. These detectors can be assembled into large area arrays, enabling the increase of the detection efficiency, especially for the Alpha activity measurement in radioactive aerosols. The major advantage of these scintillation detectors is their low production cost compared with semiconductor detectors.