Risk-Based Approach in the Self-Assessment of Nuclear Security Culture for Users of Radioactive Sources

The current emphasis on the need to protect radioactive sources from being used for malicious purposes makes it imperative to explore and shape an appropriate culture-based response. Promoting a robust security culture is consistent with the international legal instruments and standards including the Code of Conduct for the Safety and Security of Radioactive Sources and IAEA guidance publications. This promotion would be dependent upon the successful implementation of relevant self-assessment tools and a series of culture indicators, both of which would serve as benchmarks to take a culture’s measure and identify practical ways to improve security. This approach must adjust the generic IAEA model and self-assessment methodology for nuclear security culture in order to accommodate the specific requirements in operation when using radioactive sources. Though the IAEA’s concept of security culture and its self-assessment recommendations are designed to be generic in order to apply to a wide range of facilities and activities, the modifications proposed in this paper are needed to make those recommendations more user friendly and consistent with the security risks and requirements. The distinct features of the proposed recommendations, to be reflected in the new design of security culture, can be summarized as: continued prevalence of safety orientation, application in diverse work environments, multiple and inter-modal transport, integration of host organizations into overall security regime, mobile and portable operation, limited security awareness and resources, and disposal challenges. These special features also justify a differentiated approach to security culture inside organizations licensed to use radioactive sources. More frequent and more concerted efforts, including training and self-assessment, are expected to focus on a select group of employees who have direct relationships with radioactive sources (e.g. management teams, security personnel, operational staff, technicians and others). For other employees, efforts would be made concurrently to engage them in the process of raising security awareness, a less proactive endeavor than the development of security culture. The proposed differentiation is a targeted approach designed to make time and resource investment in training and culture assessment commensurate with specific roles and responsibilities of individuals. This risk-based approach can facilitate a more robust and sustainable security regime for radioactive sources throughout their life cycle, i.e. from cradle to grave

Security Culture and its Self-Assessment as Supplementary Tools for Nuclear Security Training

Security Culture and its Self-Assessment as Supplementary Tools for Nuclear Security Training Igor Khripunov, PhD Center for International Trade and Security, University of Georgia (USA) Sara Z. Kutchesfahani, PhD Center for International Trade and Security, University of Georgia (USA) Khairul Khairul National Nuclear Energy Agency of Indonesia (BATAN) Abstract Nuclear security culture – an emerging and widely recognized practice – serves as a means to support and enhance nuclear security. In fact, many International Atomic Energy Agency (IAEA) publications and the Nuclear Security Summits have highlighted the vital role of nuclear security culture and raised its status to the same level as physical protection and material accountancy. Consequently, there is a great need to include the concept of nuclear security culture and its self-assessment methodology in existing nuclear security education and training programs as a cross-cutting topic and as a means to improve the efficiency of the currently applied learning methods. This paper outlines the importance of including training modules on nuclear security culture and its self-assessment as a way in which to improve and complement existing nuclear security education and training programs

Estimating Preferences With Random Utility Models

Rapport de recherche présenté à la Faculté des arts et des sciences en vue de l'obtention du grade de Maîtrise en sciences économiques

Voigt lineshape function as a solution of the parabolic partial differential equation

The goal of this paper is to show that the Voigt function may be found as a solution of a parabolic partial differential equation, like the heat conduction equation or other diffusion equations. A square of the Gaussian half-width of the Voigt function plays the role of 'time' and initial conditions are determined by a Lorentz function. Some questions concerning the practical application of the numerical grid methods for the calculation of the Voigt function are discussed. It is shown, that in some cases the offered calculation algorithm can be both faster and more accurate than other known algorithms. © 2007 Elsevier Ltd. All rights reserved

Instrumental broadening of spectral line profiles due to discrete representation of a continuous physical quantity

It is the usual situation in spectroscopy that a continuous physical quantity, which plays the role of a spectral function argument (i.e. the abscissa of a spectrum), is sampled electronically as discrete point clouds or channels. Each channel corresponds to the midpoint of a small interval of the continuous argument. The experimentally registered value of intensity in the channel describes the averaged spectral intensity in this interval. However, an approximation of spectra by a continuous theoretical model function often assumes that the interval is small enough, and tabulation of the theoretical model function may be used without appreciable disadvantages for the fitting results. At this point, a new type of approximation error appears, such as the error of midpoint approximation to a definite integral in the rectangle method of numeric integration. This paper aims at quantitative estimation of this error in the cases of a pure Lorentz lineshape and a generalized Voigt contour. It is shown that discrete representation of continuous spectral data leads to some non-physical broadening in comparison with the tabulated model function. As a first approximation it is normal broadening. We show that even in the case of a Lorentz true lineshape we must use the tabulated Voigt function measured in channels fixed Gauss linewidth rather than a tabulated Lorentzian. Application of the results of this paper is demonstrated on Mössbauer spectra. © 2007 Elsevier Ltd. All rights reserved

Mössbauer spectrometer providing measurement of spectral dependences on external parameters

A method of simultaneous measurement of Mössbauer spectra for a set of discrete values of an external parameter is proposed. The method proposed makes it possible to simplify series measurements and replaces a number of specialized techniques. The possibilities of the spectrometer have been experimentally demonstrated by the example of observation of the dependences of the Mössbauer spectra of an α-Fe foil on the external magnetic field strength. © Allerton Press, Inc. 2007

業務担当としてのこの一年

A method of simultaneous measurement of Mössbauer spectra for a set of discrete values of an external parameter is proposed. The method proposed makes it possible to simplify series measurements and replaces a number of specialized techniques. The possibilities of the spectrometer have been experimentally demonstrated by the example of observation of the dependences of the Mössbauer spectra of an α-Fe foil on the external magnetic field strength. © Allerton Press, Inc. 2007

Combined RF setup for measurements of the frequency, field, and temperature dependences of the magnetic susceptibility of thin films

A high-sensitivity modulation technique is suggested and the corresponding instrumentation is described for the magnetic susceptibility measurements on thin-film samples in a wide temperature range and frequency intervals. The method is based on the application of an external saturating magnetic field producing a short-term removal of the effect of magnetic susceptibility on the frequency of an oscillatory circuit. Possibilities of the method and performance of the experimental setup are demonstrated by the results of measurements on a thin single-crystal silicon plate with an area of 0.4 cm2, containing 1017 iron atoms, ion-implanted at an energy of 40 keV. The results indicate that sensitivity of the setup with respect to the ΔF/F0 ratio determination corresponds to the detection of 1016 iron atoms per cm2. © 1997 MAEe cyrillic signK Hayκa /Interperiodica Publishing

Рупорная SIW-антенна со специальным копланарным переходом и диэлектрической линзой для питания планарной антенны вытекающей волны

The paper describes the main phases and features in designing a feeder for a leaky-wave antenna in the Ka-band. The problem of feeding can be effectively solved using a horn antenna SIW technology-based and single substrate-integrated with the radiating aperture of the leaky-wave antenna. Unlike most similar studies, where an aperture exciting from a closed-type structure is analyzed, in our work the open-type antenna feeder is synthesized.In the paper, we give a brief overview of the main achievements in designing traditional SIW-structures and present relations for their calculation. Basing on results of electromagnetic modeling, determine the influence of the substrate permittivity on the efficiency of SIW transmission line by the method of finite Weiland integrals. Consider the most popular types of the waveguide transitions to SIW, including micro-strip lines and grounded coplanar waveguides (GCPW). Depending on the required bandwidth and substrate dimensions specify conditions for selecting a design type of the waveguide transition.A special attention is paid to the non-standard coplanar transition with an elevated grounded surface (EGCPW), which is worth using if the substrates are thick. It was used as a basis for designing a new, more efficient EGCPW transition with the elevated grounded surface, which contains specially made slots (SEGCPW). Recommendations for its adjustment are given.The dependences of the gain on the aperture width for the H-plane SIW horn antenna, which are used to select its optimal size, are obtained basing on simulation. It was found that for matching the feeder with the leaky-wave antenna and decreasing the side lobes level, a dielectric lens with through holes worth using. Basing on the simulation of the unit cell of the lens the dependence of the effective permittivity on the diameter of the through hole is obtained. An influence of the non-uniformity degree of the lens with the holes of different diameters on the radiation efficiency of a horn antenna is determined. The complete design of the synthesized feeder and its radiation pattern is presented to prove the antenna efficiency in the wide frequency band.В статье описываются основные этапы и особенности разработки устройства питания для антенны вытекающей волны диапазона КВЧ. Задача обеспечения питания может быть эффективно решена с помощью рупорной антенны, выполненной на основе технологии SIW и интегрированной на одной подложке с излучающей апертурой антенны вытекающей волны. В отличие от большинства аналогичных исследований, в которых анализируются случаи возбуждения апертуры из структуры закрытого типа, в работе синтезировано устройство питания антенны открытого типа.Выполнен краткий обзор основных достижений в области проектирования традиционных SIW-структур и приведены соотношения, необходимые для их расчёта. На основе результатов электромагнитного моделирования методом конечных интегралов Вейланда выявлено влияние диэлектрической проницаемости подложки на эффективность SIW-линии передачи. Рассмотрены наиболее распространенные типы волноводных переходов к SIW, включая микрополосковые линии и заземленные копланарные волноводы (GCPW). Определены условия выбора конструкции перехода в зависимости от требуемой ширины полосы пропускания и габаритов подложки. Особое внимание уделено нестандартному копланарному переходу с дополнительной заземленной поверхностью (EGCPW), который целесообразно использовать в случае подложек большой толщины. На его основе разработан и представлен новый, более эффективный EGCPW-переход, дополнительная заземленная поверхность которого содержит специальным образом выполненные щели (SEGCPW). Даны рекомендации по настройке перехода.На основе моделирования получены зависимости коэффициента усиления от ширины апертуры H-плоскостной SIW-рупорной антенны, которые использованы для выбора ее оптимальных размеров. Установлено, что для согласования устройства возбуждения и апертуры антенны вытекающей волны и уменьшения уровня бокового излучения показано использовать диэлектрическую линзу со сквозными отверстиями. На основе моделирования элементарной ячейки линзы получена зависимость эффективной диэлектрической проницаемости от диаметра сквозного отверстия. Определено влияние степени неоднородности линзы с отверстиями различных диаметров на эффективность излучения рупорной антенны. Представлена полная конструкция синтезированного устройства питания и его диаграммы направленности, подтверждающие эффективность работы антенны в расширенной полосе рабочих частот

Mössbauer study of the magnetic phase composition of single-crystalline rutile (TiO2) implanted with iron ions

Depth-resolved Mössbauer measurements have been performed for four ferromagnetic samples obtained by the implantation of iron ions (enriched to ∼ 50% with 57Fe isotope) into single-crystalline rutile (TiO2) substrates with two crystallographic orientations [(100) and (001)] at different temperatures (300 and 900 K). It is established that the ferromagnetic properties of iron-implanted rutile samples at room temperature are determined by the presence of α-Fe and Fe3O4 phases. The phase composition of samples obtained by iron implantation into substrates heated to 900 K depends on the crystallographic orientation of the substrate, which is explained by a significant anisotropy of the diffusion of iron atoms in rutile. © Pleiades Publishing, Ltd., 2009