MUON IMAGING: LOOKING INSIDE THE FUKUSHIMA DAIICHI REACTORS



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YOKOSUKA, Japan (March 16, 2012) Members from the Japan Women's Association present Capt. David A. Owen, commanding officer of Fleet Activities Yokosuka, paper cranes as a thank you for the services rendered by Sailors during Operation Tomodachi one year ago. Operation Tomodachi was a humanitarian mission focused on aiding the people of Japan in the aftermath of the massive earthquake and tsunami that struck Fukushima Prefecture in early March of 2011. (U.S. Navy photo by Mass Communication Specialist Seaman Paul Kelly/Released)
　

FROM: LOS ALAMOS NATIONAL LABORATORY

Tiny Travelers from Deep Space Could Assist in Healing Fukushima’s Nuclear Scar

Researchers examine use of cosmic-ray radiography on damaged reactor cores
LOS ALAMOS, NEW MEXICO, October 17, 2012—Researchers from Los Alamos National Laboratory have devised a method to use cosmic rays to gather detailed information from inside the damaged cores of the Fukushima Daiichi nuclear reactors, which were heavily damaged in March 2011 by a tsunami that followed a great earthquake.

In a paper in Physical Review Letters, researchers compared two methods for using cosmic-ray radiography to gather images of nuclear material within the core of a reactor similar to Fukushima Daiichi Reactor No. 1. The team found that Los Alamos’ scattering method for cosmic-ray radiography was far superior to the traditional transmission method for capturing high-resolution image data of potentially damaged nuclear material.

"Within weeks of the disastrous 2011 tsunami, Los Alamos’ Muon Radiography Team began investigating use of Los Alamos’ muon scattering method to determine whether it could be used to image the location of nuclear materials within the damaged reactors," said Konstantin Borozdin of Los Alamos’ Subatomic Physics Group and lead author of the paper. "As people may recall from previous nuclear reactor accidents, being able to effectively locate damaged portions of a reactor core is a key to effective, efficient cleanup. Our paper shows that Los Alamos’ scattering method is a superior method for gaining high-quality images of core materials."

Muon radiography (also called cosmic-ray radiography) uses secondary particles generated when cosmic rays collide with upper regions of Earth’s atmosphere to create images of the objects that the particles, called muons, penetrate. The process is analogous to an X-ray image, except muons are produced naturally and do not damage the materials they contact.

Massive numbers of muons shower the earth every second. Los Alamos researchers found that by placing a pair of muon detectors in front of and behind an object, and measuring the degree of scatter the muons underwent as they interacted with the materials they penetrated, the scientists could gather detailed images. The method works particularly well with highly interfering materials (so-called "high Z" materials) such as uranium. Because the muon scattering angle increases with atomic number, core materials within a reactor show up more clearly than the surrounding containment building, plumbing and other objects. Consequently, the muon scattering method shows tremendous promise for pinpointing the exact location of materials within the Fukushima reactor buildings.

Using a computer model, the research team simulated a nuclear reactor with percentages of its core removed and placed elsewhere within the reactor building. They then compared the Los Alamos scattering method to the traditional transmission method. The simulation showed that passive observation of the simulated core over six weeks using the scattering method provided high-resolution images that clearly showed that material was missing from the main core, as well as the location of the missing material elsewhere in the containment building. In comparison, the transmission method was barely able to provide a blurry image of the core itself during the same six-week period.

"We now have a concept by which the Japanese can gather crucial data about what is going on inside their damaged reactor cores with minimal human exposure to the high radiation fields that exist in proximity to the reactor buildings," Borozdin said. "Muon images could be valuable in more effectively planning and executing faster remediation of the reactor complex."

In addition to their potential utility at Fukushima, muon radiography portals have been deployed to detect potential smuggling of clandestine nuclear materials. These detectors can noninvasively find even heavily shielded contraband in minutes without breaching a container, vehicle or other smuggling device. Los Alamos researchers pioneered the concept shortly after the 9/11 terrorist attacks.

Other Los Alamos National Laboratory co-authors of the paper include Steven Greene, Edward "Cas" Milner, Haruo Miyadera, Christopher Morris and John Perry; and (former Los Alamos post-doctoral researcher) Zarija Lukic of Lawrence Berkeley National Laboratory. Cas Milner is credited by the team as the author of the original concept of applying muon imaging to Fukushima.

Los Alamos research on the project was made possible through Los Alamos’ Laboratory-Directed Research and Development Program (LDRD), which is funded by a small percentage of the Laboratory’s overall budget to invest in new or cutting-edge research. The U.S. Department of Energy supported contacts of the Los Alamos team with other research groups, including several Japanese institutions and the University of Texas.

NATIONAL WEATHER SERVICE ISSUES STATEMENT ON EARTHQUAKE IN HAWAII AND TSUNAMI RISK

FROM:  NATIONAL WEATHER SERCIICE
SUNAMI SEISMIC INFORMATION STATEMENT NUMBER   2
NWS PACIFIC TSUNAMI WARNING CENTER EWA BEACH HI
410 AM HST WED MAY 23 2012

TO - CIVIL DEFENSE IN THE STATE OF HAWAII


SUBJECT - CORRECTION--LOCAL TSUNAMI INFORMATION STATEMENT

THIS STATEMENT IS FOR INFORMATION ONLY. NO ACTION REQUIRED.

AN EARTHQUAKE HAS OCCURRED WITH THESE PRELIMINARY PARAMETERS

   ORIGIN TIME - 0344 AM HST 23 MAY 2012
   COORDINATES - 19.0 NORTH  157.0 WEST
   LOCATION    - IN THE DEEP OCEAN OFF THE KONA COAST OF BIG ISLAND
   MAGNITUDE   - 3.8

EVALUATION

 NO TSUNAMI IS EXPECTED. REPEAT. NO TSUNAMI IS EXPECTED.
 HOWEVER...SOME AREAS MAY HAVE EXPERIENCED SHAKING.

THIS WILL BE THE ONLY STATEMENT ISSUED FOR THIS EVENT UNLESS
ADDITIONAL DATA ARE RECEIVED.

U.S. LEADERS RECALL DISASTER IN JAPAN ON ONE YEAR ANNIVERSARY OF "3/11"

The following excerpt is from a Department of Defense American Forces Press Service e-mail:

"U.S. Leaders Recall Japan Disasters, Relief Efforts

By Karen Parrish
American Forces Press Service

WASHINGTON, March 9, 2012 - President Barack Obama, Vice President Joe Biden and Defense Secretary Leon E. Panetta issued statements today marking the upcoming one-year anniversary of the "3/11" earthquake, tsunami and nuclear disasters that devastated Japan.

Obama said he and First Lady Michelle Obama join all Americans in honoring the memory of the 19,000 victims lost or missing. "We continue to be inspired by the Japanese people, who faced unimaginable loss with extraordinary fortitude," he said.

The 8.9 magnitude earthquake struck northeastern Japan in the afternoon of March 11, triggering a tsunami. The disasters killed an estimated 16,000 people and destroyed coastal villages, towns and cities in the Tohoku region. The earthquake damaged the Fukushima Dai-Ichi nuclear plant, which suffered cooling system failures, fires and explosions continued through March 15.

Japanese Prime Minister Naoto Kan said the disasters were the worst crisis his nation had faced since World War II. Some 3,000 Japanese people remain missing.

In today's statement, the president said the United States mobilized immediately to aid Japan in a relief effort named for the Japanese word for "friend."

"At the peak of Operation Tomodachi -- our single, largest bilateral military operation with Japan ever -- the Department of Defense had 24,000 personnel, 190 aircraft, and 24 Navy ships supporting humanitarian assistance and disaster relief efforts," Obama noted.

Japan's government has led rebuilding efforts over the past year, Obama said, while U.S. experts "continue to support Japan's ongoing efforts to deal with the challenges associated with Fukushima."

Obama said he and the first lady are grateful for the contributions American civilians and service members have made to Japan's recovery.

"On this day when our thoughts and prayers are with the Japanese people in remembrance of the hardship faced one year ago, let us also celebrate the recovery under way in Japan and pay tribute to Japan's unflagging dedication to bettering the lives of others throughout the world," the president said.

Biden, in his statement, recalled his visit to Japan five months after the disasters.

"The survivors I met in Natori and Sendai made clear to me that the disaster met its match in the resilience and fortitude of the Japanese people," the vice president said. "While struck by the scale of the devastation, I also witnessed remarkable and inspiring progress in rebuilding homes, schools, and workplaces."

In Sendai, Biden said, he visited an airport that had been flooded and later became a refugee center.

"A week after the tsunami, Japanese and American forces reopened a runway, allowing the arrival of hundreds of relief workers and more than two million tons of humanitarian supplies," he said. As Japan rebuilds, America will stand with its allies as long as it takes, Biden added.

"We join the Japanese people today in honoring the memories of those lost as they continue to work for a better future," he said.

Panetta also expressed admiration "for the strength and resilience of the Japanese people," adding that he too, in a visit last year, had seen their determination to rebuild their country even stronger than before.

"The U.S. military was proud to support the government of Japan in responding to this disaster, and the success of these efforts is a testament to the strength of our alliance," the secretary said.

The United States remains committed to helping Japan rebuild, Panetta said, and the U.S. military will continue to deepen its partnership with Japanese forces.

"Japan is more than just an ally," the secretary said. "It is also a great friend of America. Together we will continue to forge ahead to achieve peace, prosperity, and a better future for both of our countries."

Panetta thanked the thousands of Defense Department men and women who responded to Japan's disasters.

"Within moments of disaster striking, the United States armed forces, under the leadership of [Navy] Adm. Robert Willard, were fully mobilized to support the Japanese government in its response and recovery efforts," he said.

Willard commands U.S. Pacific Command, the nation's largest combatant command, and led U.S. relief efforts after the earthquake struck. Willard, who is retiring after a 39-year career, will hand that position over to Navy Adm. Samuel J. Locklear III in a ceremony later today.

Panetta said the greatest service anyone can perform is to help fellow human beings in need.

"Together, Japanese and American forces helped those in need, and solidified the friendship between our two great nations for generations to come," the secretary said.