133 research outputs found
Distribution of naturally occurring radionuclides (U, Th) in Timahdit black shale (Morocco)
Attention has been focused recently on the use of Moroccan black oil shale as the raw material for production of a new type of adsorbent and its application to U and Th removal from contaminated wastewaters. The purpose of the present work is to provide a better understanding of the composition and structure of this shale and to determine its natural content in uranium and thorium. A black shale collected from Timahdit (Morocco) was analyzed by powder X-ray diffraction and SEM techniques. It was found that calcite, dolomite, quartz and clays constitute the main composition of the inorganic matrix. Pyrite crystals are also present. A selective leaching procedure, followed by radiochemical purification and α-counting, was performed to assess the distribution of naturally occurring radionuclides. Leaching results indicate that 238U, 235U, 234U, 232Th, 230Th and 228Th have multiple modes of occurrence in the shale. U is interpreted to have been concentrated under anaerobic conditions. An integrated isotopic approach showed the preferential mobilization of uranium carried by humic acids to carbonate and apatite phases. Th is partitioned between silicate minerals and pyrite
AlphaRad, a new integrated CMOS System-on-Chip for high efficiency alpha particles counting
An integrated System-on-Chip (SoC) has been designed in 0.6 \mu m CMOS mixed analog/digital technology, and tested for high rate alpha particle Counting. The sensor is the most innovative part of the chip, with a total active area of 2 x 2.5 mm x 5 mm. The two-stage charge-to-voltage amplification scheme includes a numerical block for offset compensation. Designed with a gain of 700, the chip has been tested in alpha sources: a very high signal over noise ratio was obtained, leading to a detection efficiency of 5 MeV alpha particles close to 100%. The chip is working at room temperature and has been tested tip to 300 kHz reset frequency. Future applications of this SoC will focus on detection of fast and thermal neutrons free of gamma contamination
Novel recoil nuclei detectors to qualify the AMANDE facility as a Standard for mono-energetic neutron fields
The AMANDE facility at IRSN-Cadarache produces mono-energetic neutron fields
from 2 keV to 20 MeV with metrological quality. To be considered as a standard
facility, characteristics of neutron field i.e fluence distribution must be
well known by a device using absolute measurements. The development of new
detector systems allowing a direct measurement of neutron energy and fluence
has started in 2006. Using the proton recoil telescope principle with the goal
of increase the efficiency, two systems with full localization are studied. A
proton recoil telescope using CMOS sensor (CMOS-RPT) is studied for
measurements at high energies and the helium 4 gaseous micro-time projection
chamber (microTPC He4) will be dedicated to the lowest energies. Simulations of
the two systems were performed with the transport Monte Carlo code MCNPX, to
choose the components and the geometry, to optimize the efficiency and
detection limits of both devices or to estimate performances expected. First
preliminary measurements realised in 2008 demonstrated the proof of principle
of these novel detectors for neutron metrology.Comment: to appear in Radiation Measurements, Proc. of 24th International
Conference on Nuclear Tracks in Solids (Bologna, 1-5 September 2008
Binary reaction decays from 24Mg+12C
Charged particle and gamma decays in 24Mg* are investigated for excitation
energies where quasimolecular resonances appear in 12C+12C collisions. Various
theoretical predictions for the occurence of superdeformed and hyperdeformed
bands associated with resonance structures with low spin are discussed within
the measured 24Mg* excitation energy region. The inverse kinematics reaction
24Mg+12C is studied at E_lab(24Mg) = 130 MeV, an energy which enables the
population of 24Mg states decaying into 12C+12C resonant break-up states.
Exclusive data were collected with the Binary Reaction Spectrometer in
coincidence with EUROBALL IV installed at the VIVITRON Tandem facility at
Strasbourg. Specific structures with large deformation were selectively
populated in binary reactions and their associated gamma decays studied.
Coincident events associated with inelastic and alpha-transfer channels have
been selected by choosing the excitation energy or the entry point via the
two-body Q-values. The analysis of the binary reaction channels is presented
with a particular emphasis on 24Mg-gamma, 20Ne-gamma and 16O-gamma
coincidences. New information (spin and branching ratios) is deduced on
high-energy states in 24Mg and 16O, respectively.Comment: 27 pages, 8 figures, 1 tabl
Effect of Aloe Vera wastes on physico-chemical properties and microbiological activity in soils
The aim of the present study was to explore the potential for using aloe vera wastes as amendment for soil to improve its fertility.
Soil was exposed to four concentrations of aloin (rich in HAP) for 0, 7, 14 and 28 days. Physico-chemical parameters were analyzed: soil Ph, organic matter (OM), nitrogen, phosphorus, and cation exchange capacity (CEC). The activity of seven enzymes implicated in the C, N and S cycles were measured. Microbial Biomass was determined by the method of substrate induced respiration. BiologEcoplates (Biolog Inc., Hayward, CA) were used to estimate soil microbial functional diversity.
Our findings suggested a decrease on phosphorus and nitrogen content and an increase on CEC after aloin addition. Also, a decrease on microbial biomass and enzymes activities was observed, except for FDA. Ecoplates results demonstrate a decrease on microbial activities depending on the incubation time. Moreover, our results indicated that bacterial communities of the tested soils have more affinity to consume substrates as Amino acids and polymers.
Our results should be carefully considered in view of the agriculture waists reuse for a sustainable agricultur
Reaction mechanisms in 24Mg+12C and 32S+24Mg
The occurence of "exotic" shapes in light N=Z alpha-like nuclei is
investigated for 24Mg+12C and 32S+24Mg. Various approaches of superdeformed and
hyperdeformed bands associated with quasimolecular resonant structures with low
spin are presented. For both reactions, exclusive data were collected with the
Binary Reaction Spectrometer in coincidence with EUROBALL IV installed at the
VIVITRON Tandem facility of Strasbourg. Specific structures with large
deformation were selectively populated in binary reactions and their associated
-decays studied. The analysis of the binary and ternary reaction
channels is discussed.Comment: 7 pages, 4 figures, Paper presented at the Fusion08 International
Conference on New Aspects of Heavy Ion Collisions Near the Coulomb Barrier,
Chicago. Proceedings to be published by AIP Conference Proceedings Illinois,
USA, September 22-26, 200
Clusters in Light Nuclei
A great deal of research work has been undertaken in the alpha-clustering
study since the pioneering discovery, half a century ago, of 12C+12C molecular
resonances. Our knowledge of the field of the physics of nuclear molecules has
increased considerably and nuclear clustering remains one of the most fruitful
domains of nuclear physics, facing some of the greatest challenges and
opportunities in the years ahead. In this work, the occurence of "exotic"
shapes in light N=Z alpha-like nuclei is investigated. Various approaches of
superdeformed and hyperdeformed bands associated with quasimolecular resonant
structures are presented. Results on clustering aspects are also discussed for
light neutron-rich Oxygen isotopes.Comment: 12 pages, 5 figures. Invited Talk presented by C. Beck at the
Zakopane Conference on Nuclear Physics "Extremes of the Nuclear Landscape"
XLV in the series of Zakopane Schools of Physics - International Symposium -
Zakopane, Poland, August 30 - September 5, 2010.To be publihed in Acta
Physica Polonica B42 no 3, March 201
Gd-149:What's confirmed? What's new?
A long run performed with EUROGAM II allowed remeasuring the Gd-149 superdeformed (SD) band 1. The Delta I = 4 bifurcation in band 1 is confirmed and two resolved gamma-ray transitions linking the SD band 1 and the normal deformed states have been observed
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