Ultrasonic Inspection Results Obtained in the ENIQ 2nd Pilot Study

This report is a compilation of the ultrasonic non-destructive inspections results obtained on the ENIQ 21 BWR-type nozzle to shell weld mock-up. The report has been divided into three different sections 1) Report on inspection results obtained on the unclad mock-up 2) Report on inspection results obtained on the clad mock-up 3) Relevant appendices to these inspection reports The first series of measurements was carried out at the premises of WesDyne TRC (Sweden) in 2002 and the second part was carried out at the JRC of the European Commissions in the Netherlands in 2005.JRC.F.4-Nuclear design safet

2014 EMAS Environmental Statement: 2013 Results

This report is the Environmental Annual Report 2014, with the results of 2013 of the Institute for Energy and Transport (IET) of the JRC. The report includes description of the organisational systems and structures together with the planned activities and the achieved goals. This report only refers to the activities of the JRC - Petten site of the Institute.JRC.F.1-Site Managemen

Safety, Health and Environmental Annual Report 2010

The Safety, Health and Environmental Annual Report 2010 describes the health, safety and environmental activities, targets, impacts and management system of the JRC - Institute for Energy in Petten.JRC.F.1-Site Managemen

Safety and Health Annual Report 2012

This report is the Safety and Health Annual Report 2012 of the Institute for Energy and Transport (IET) of the JRC at the Petten site. \The report includes a description of the organisational systems and structures together with the planned activities and the achieved goals. This report only refers to the activities of the JRC-Petten site of the Institute. The Institute has implemented a Quality Management System of which Environmental and Safety Management is an integral part. Internal audits and external inspections by Dutch authorities have not identified a significant deviation from legal requirements. The institute will continue to improve the environmental and safety system in 2013 and will amongst other things focus on improving energy performance of the institute.JRC.F.1-Site Managemen

A Chandrasekhar Mass Progenitor for the Type Ia Supernova Remnant 3C 397 from The Enhanced Abundances of Nickel and Manganese

Despite decades of intense efforts, many fundamental aspects of Type Ia supernova (SNe Ia) remain elusive. One of the major open questions is whether the mass of the exploding white dwarf (WD) is close to the Chandrasekhar limit. Here we report the detection of strong K-shell emission from stable Fe-peak elements in the Suzaku X-ray spectrum of the Type Ia supernova remnant (SNR) 3C 397. The high Ni/Fe and Mn/Fe mass ratios (0.11-0.24 and 0.018-0.033, respectively) in the hot plasma component that dominates the K-shell emission lines indicate a degree of neutronization in the SN ejecta which can only be achieved by electron captures in the dense cores of exploding WDs with a near-Chandrasekhar mass. This suggests a single-degenerate origin for 3C 397, since Chandrasekhar mass progenitors are expected naturally if the WD accretes mass slowly from a companion. Together with other results supporting the double-degenerate scenario, our work adds to the mounting evidence that both progenitor channels make a significant contribution to the SN Ia rate in star-forming galaxies.Comment: Accepted by ApJL; 6 pages with 4 figures and 1 tabl

A Spatially Resolved Study of the Synchrotron Emission and Titanium in Tycho's Supernova Remnant with NuSTAR

We report results from deep observations (~750 ks) of Tycho's supernova remnant (SNR) with NuSTAR. Using these data, we produce narrow-band images over several energy bands to identify the regions producing the hardest X-rays and to search for radioactive decay line emission from 44Ti. We find that the hardest (>10 keV) X-rays are concentrated in the southwest of Tycho, where recent Chandra observations have revealed high emissivity "stripes" associated with particles accelerated to the knee of the cosmic-ray spectrum. We do not find evidence of 44Ti, and we set limits on its presence and distribution within the SNR. These limits correspond to a upper-limit 44Ti mass of M44 < 2.4x10^-4 M_sun for a distance of 2.3 kpc. We perform spatially resolved spectroscopic analysis of sixty-six regions across Tycho. We map the best-fit rolloff frequency of the hard X-ray spectra, and we compare these results to measurements of the shock expansion and ambient density. We find that the highest energy electrons are accelerated at the lowest densities and in the fastest shocks, with a steep dependence of the roll-off frequency with shock velocity. Such a dependence is predicted by models where the maximum energy of accelerated electrons is limited by the age of the SNR rather than by synchrotron losses, but this scenario requires far lower magnetic field strengths than those derived from observations in Tycho. One way to reconcile these discrepant findings is through shock obliquity effects, and future observational work is necessary to explore the role of obliquity in the particle acceleration process.Comment: 12 pages, 12 figures, ApJ in pres

Results of surveys of the Supply of and Demand for Nuclear Experts within the EU-28 Civil Nuclear Energy Sector

Today, more than 25% of electricity power in the European Union is produced by the nuclear energy sector. This corresponds to more than 50% of EU's low carbon electricity. The EU's Energy Strategy Plan foresees that nuclear energy will remain an important factor of the EU's energy mix until 2050 – and even beyond. The EU promotes the highest safety standards for all types of civilian nuclear activity, including the Nuclear Energy Sector. Having sufficient skilled and trained Human Respources (HR) is an important component for ensuring safe operation nuclear power plants. The objective of EHRO-N is to develop strategic plans addressing potential human resource and skills gaps in the EU nuclear sector. Initial studies have already triggered several new education and training initiatives in the Member States and at EU level. The report presents the results from two stakeholder surveys performed in 2018; one with the higher education institutions (HR supply side) and one from nuclear stakeholders (HR demand side). When possible the report makes comparisons with data from the previous EHRO-N surveys in 2010 and 2014. Finally, the report proposes a way forward for a more robust methodology to assess the nuclear workforce in the sectorJRC.G.10-Knowledge for Nuclear Security and Safet