CALCULATION OF NEUTRON-CAPTURE REACTIONS CONTRIBUTION TO ENERGY RELEASE IN VVER-1000 USING SERPENT CODE

Calculating the energy release in fuel elements is an important aspect of the modeling and design of nuclear reactors. Most of the energy is produced by fission, but a non-negligible percentage is coming from neutron capture reactions, such as (n, γ) or (n, α). We implement a previously developed method for the calculation of effective energy release using Serpent Monte Carlo code. We investigate the percentage of capture component in effective energy release for various models of VVER-1000 fuel: firstly, an equivalent cell, then fresh fuel assemblies of different compositions, differing in fuel enrichment and the presence of burnable absorbers. The results are compared to similar calculations previously done in MCNP 4 and MCU 5

Optimization of the self-sufficient thorium fuel cycle for CANDU power reactors

The results of optimization calculations for CANDU reactors operating in the thorium cycle are presented in this paper. Calculations were performed to validate the feasibility of operating a heavy-water thermal neutron power reactor in a self-sufficient thorium cycle. Two modes of operation were considered in the paper: the mode of preliminary accumulation of 233U in the reactor itself and the mode of operation in a self-sufficient cycle. For the mode of accumulation of 233U, it was assumed that enriched uranium or plutonium was used as additional fissile material to provide neutrons for 233U production. In the self-sufficient mode of operation, the mass and isotopic composition of heavy nuclei unloaded from the reactor should provide (after the removal of fission products) the value of the multiplication factor of the cell in the following cycle K>1. Additionally, the task was to determine the geometry and composition of the cell for an acceptable burn up of 233U. The results obtained demonstrate that the realization of a self-sufficient thorium mode for a CANDU reactor is possible without using new technologies. The main features of the reactor ensuring a self-sufficient mode of operation are a good neutron balance and moving of fuel through the active core

Software Development for Description of Patterns in Two-Dimensional Space in Autoit by the Method of Coordinates on the Plane

In this work, we developed a program that describes patterns in two-dimensional space in the AutoIt language. Using the method of coordinates on a plane, the program code demon-strates the interdependence between the polar coordinate system and the Cartesian one

Lipschitz shadowing implies structural stability

We show that the Lipschitz shadowing property of a diffeomorphism is equivalent to structural stability. As a corollary, we show that an expansive diffeomorphism having the Lipschitz shadowing property is Anosov.Comment: 11 page

Study of Scintillator Strip with Wavelength Shifting Fiber and Silicon Photomultiplier

The performance of the $200\times2.5\times1$ cm$^3$ plastic scintillator strip with wavelength shifting fiber read-out by two novel photodetectors called Silicon PhotoMultipliers (SiPMs) is discussed. The advantages of SiPM relative to the traditional multichannel photomultiplier are shown. Light yield and light attenuation measurements are presented. This technique can be used in muon or calorimeter systems.Comment: 9 pages, 5 figure

Local Ferroelectricity in SrTiO_3 Thin Films

The temperature-dependent polarization of SrTiO_3 thin films is investigated using confocal scanning optical microscopy. A homogeneous out-of-plane and inhomogeneous in-plane ferroelectric phase are identified from images of the linear electrooptic response. Both hysteretic and non-hysteretic behavior are observed under a dc bias field. Unlike classical transitions in bulk ferroelectrics, local ferroelectricity is observed at temperatures far above the dielectric permittivity maximum. The results demonstrate the utility of local probe experiments in understanding inhomogeneous ferroelectrics.Comment: 8 pages, 3 figures, accepted for publication in PR

Experimental evidence of planar channeling in a periodically bent crystal

The usage of a Crystalline Undulator (CU) has been identified as a promising solution for generating powerful and monochromatic $\gamma$-rays. A CU was fabricated at SSL through the grooving method, i.e., by the manufacturing of a series of periodical grooves on the major surfaces of a crystal. The CU was extensively characterized both morphologically via optical interferometry at SSL and structurally via X-ray diffraction at ESRF. Then, it was finally tested for channeling with a 400 GeV/c proton beam at CERN. The experimental results were compared to Monte Carlo simulations. Evidence of planar channeling in the CU was firmly observed. Finally, the emission spectrum of the positron beam interacting with the CU was simulated for possible usage in currently existing facilities

Uhlenbeck-Donaldson compactification for framed sheaves on projective surfaces

We construct a compactification $M^{\mu ss}$ of the Uhlenbeck-Donaldson type for the moduli space of slope stable framed bundles. This is a kind of a moduli space of slope semistable framed sheaves. We show that there exists a projective morphism $\gamma \colon M^{ss} \to M^{\mu ss}$, where $M^{ss}$ is the moduli space of S-equivalence classes of Gieseker-semistable framed sheaves. The space $M^{\mu ss}$ has a natural set-theoretic stratification which allows one, via a Hitchin-Kobayashi correspondence, to compare it with the moduli spaces of framed ideal instantons.Comment: 18 pages. v2: a few very minor changes. v3: 27 pages. Several proofs have been considerably expanded, and more explanations have been added. v4: 28 pages. A few minor changes. Final version accepted for publication in Math.

Meson vacuum phenomenology in a three-flavor linear sigma model with (axial-)vector mesons

We study scalar, pseudoscalar, vector, and axial-vector mesons with non-strange and strange quantum numbers in the framework of a linear sigma model with global chiral $U(N_f)_L \times U(N_f)_R$ symmetry. We perform a global fit of meson masses, decay widths, as well as decay amplitudes. The quality of the fit is, for a hadronic model that does not consider isospin-breaking effects, surprisingly good. We also investigate the question whether the scalar $\bar{q}q$ states lie below or above 1 GeV and find the scalar states above 1 GeV to be preferred as $\bar{q}q$ states. Additionally, we also describe the axial-vector resonances as $\bar{q}q$ states.Comment: 29 pages, 4 figures, 3 tables. v2 is the updated version after referee remarks (dilaton field discussed, a new figure added