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Division Spotlight
Robotics & Remote Systems
The Mission of the Robotics and Remote Systems Division is to promote the development and application of immersive simulation, robotics, and remote systems for hazardous environments for the purpose of reducing hazardous exposure to individuals, reducing environmental hazards and reducing the cost of performing work.
Meeting Spotlight
ANS Student Conference 2025
April 3–5, 2025
Albuquerque, NM|The University of New Mexico
Standards Program
The Standards Committee is responsible for the development and maintenance of voluntary consensus standards that address the design, analysis, and operation of components, systems, and facilities related to the application of nuclear science and technology. Find out What’s New, check out the Standards Store, or Get Involved today!
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Fusion Science and Technology
Latest News
First astatine-labeled compound shipped in the U.S.
The Department of Energy’s National Isotope Development Center (NIDC) on March 31 announced the successful long-distance shipment in the United States of a biologically active compound labeled with the medical radioisotope astatine-211 (At-211). Because previous shipments have included only the “bare” isotope, the NIDC has described the development as “unleashing medical innovation.”
Aljaž Čufar, Paola Batistoni, Sean Conroy, Zamir Ghani, Igor Lengar, Sergey Popovichev, Brian Syme, Žiga Štancar, Luka Snoj, JET Contributors
Fusion Science and Technology | Volume 74 | Number 4 | November 2018 | Pages 370-386
Technical Paper | doi.org/10.1080/15361055.2018.1475163
Articles are hosted by Taylor and Francis Online.
The fusion power output of fusion plasmas is measured using the neutron yield detectors due to its linear relation to the fusion yield. Absolutely calibrated neutron yield detectors are thus a crucial part of the plasma diagnostics system and the absolute accuracy of their calibration must be ensured.
The transition of the Joint European Torus’s (JET’s) first wall material from carbon (C) wall to ITER-like (Be/W/C) first wall was a significant change in the structure of the machine and recalibration of the main neutron yield detectors was needed to maintain the required measurement uncertainty of less than ±10%. The neutron yield detectors were thus recalibrated through two in situ calibrations to deuterium-deuterium neutrons in 2013 and deuterium-tritium neutrons in 2017 using 252Cf spontaneous fission source and a compact neutron generator, respectively.
We describe the extensive neutronics calculations performed in support of these latest calibration experiments. These analyses were performed using Monte Carlo simulations to better understand the calibration procedure, optimize the experiments, ensure personnel safety, and quantify the effects of the uncharacteristic circumstances during calibration experiments. This paper focuses on assessments of the effects of the uncharacteristic circumstances, e.g., the presence of the remote handling system in the machine due to its use in neutron source delivery, difference in the neutron emission spectrum, and differences in the neutron source shape. Lessons learned, findings, and relevance for calibrations of future large tokamaks are discussed.