Radio-microanalytical particle measurements method and application to Fukushima aerosols collected in Japan

A nondestructive analytical method based on autoradiography and gamma spectrometry was developed to perform activity distribution analysis for particulate samples. This was applied to aerosols collected in Fukushima Japan, 40 km north of the Daiichi nuclear power plant for a 6 week period beginning shortly after the March 2011 tsunami. For an activity distribution of 990 “hot particles” from a small filter area, the hottest particle was nearly one Bq[superscript 137+134]Cs but most of the activity in the filter was produced by particles having <50 mBq each. [superscript 134]Cs/[superscript 137]Cs activity ratios corrected to March 20, 2011 ranged from 0.68 (u[subscript c] = 28 %) to 1.3 (u[subscript c] = 15 %). The average ratio for a large quantity of particles was 0.92 (u[subscript c] = 4 %). Virtually all activity collected was beta and not alpha, suggesting little if any direct fuel debris was present at this site and time. These findings are expected to assist with separate efforts to better understand the emission events, radionuclide transport and potential environmental or biological uptake. The methods should be applicable to general environmental, radiotoxicological and similar studies for which activity distribution and particle chemistry are of importance

A new look at low-energy nuclear reaction (LENR) research: a response to Shanahan

In his criticisms of the review article on LENR by Krivit and Marwan, Shanahan has raised a number of issues in the areas of calorimetry, heat after death, elemental transmutation, energetic particle detection using CR-39, and the temporal correlation between heat and helium-4. These issues are addressed by the researchers who conducted the original work that was discussed in the Krivit-Marwan (K&M) review paper

Characterization of tracks in CR-39 detectors obtained as a result of Pd/D Co-deposition

Earlier we reported that the pits generated in CR-39 detectors during Pd/D co-deposition experiments are consistent with those observed for pits that are of a nuclear origin. Spacer experiments and track modeling have been done to characterize the properties of the particles that generated the tracks in the CR-39 detectors. The effect of water on the energetics of the particles and their resultant tracks is discussed

Characterization of tracks in CR-39 detectors obtained as a result of Pd/D

Abstract. Earlier we reported that the pits generated in CR-39 detectors during Pd/D co-deposition experiments are consistent with those observed for pits that are of a nuclear origin. Spacer experiments and track modeling have been done to characterize the properties of the particles that generated the tracks in the CR-39 detectors. The effect of water on the energetics of the particles and their resultant tracks is discussed