• Nuclear Engineering and Technology
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• 제55권3호
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• pp.1052-1060
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• 2023

The airborne radiation monitoring has been used in geophysics for more than forty years and now it also has its important role in emergency monitoring. The aircraft background and the cosmic gamma-rays contribute to the measured gamma spectrum on the aircraft board. This adverse effect should be eliminated before the data processing. The paper describes two semiparametric methods to estimate the full spectrum aircraft background and cosmic gamma-ray contribution from spectra measured at altitudes where terrestrial contribution is negligible. The methods only assume to know possible peak positions in spectra and their full width at half maximum, that can be easily obtained e.g. from terrestrial measurement. The methods were applied to real experimental data acquired on Mi-17 and Bell 412 helicopter boards. The IRIS airborne gamma-ray spectrometer, with 4×4 L NaI(Tl) crystals, produced by Pico Envirotec Inc., Canada, was used on helicopters' boards. To obtain valid estimate of the aircraft background and the cosmic contribution, the measurements over sea and large water areas were carried out. However, the satisfactory results over inland were also achieved comparing with those acquired over large water areas.

• Nuclear Engineering and Technology
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• 제53권12호
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• pp.4072-4079
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• 2021

This article presents a study on the state-of-the-art methods for automated radioactive material detection and identification, using gamma-ray spectra and modern machine learning methods. The recent developments inspired this in deep learning algorithms, and the proposed method provided better performance than the current state-of-the-art models. Machine learning models such as: fully connected, recurrent, convolutional, and gradient boosted decision trees, are applied under a wide variety of testing conditions, and their advantage and disadvantage are discussed. Furthermore, a hybrid model is developed by combining the fully-connected and convolutional neural network, which shows the best performance among the different machine learning models. These improvements are represented by the model's test performance metric (i.e., F1 score) of 93.33% with an improvement of 2%-12% than the state-of-the-art model at various conditions. The experimental results show that fusion of classical neural networks and modern deep learning architecture is a suitable choice for interpreting gamma spectra data where real-time and remote detection is necessary.

• 천문학회보
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• 제42권2호
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• pp.45.1-45.1
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• 2017

A Korean VLBI Network Key Science Program, the Interferometric Monitoring of Gamma-ray Bright AGNs (iMOGABA) program continues to aim at revealing the origins of the gamma-ray flares that are often detected in active galactic nuclei (AGNs). Here in this presentation, we would like to present what we have learned about the Gamma-ray bright AGNs based on the recent results of the Korean VLBI Network Key Science Program: the iMGOABA. The results will include a) the source properties of the whole samples obtained from a single-epoch observation, and b) some of scientific highlights for the iMOGAGBA on specific sources. From those highlighted works, we find that the Gamma-ray bright AGNs become fainter at higher frequencies, yielding optically thin spectra at mm wavelengths. Based on the studies on specific sources, taking into account the synchrotron self-absorption model of the relativistic jet, we estimated the magnetic field strength in the mas emission region during the observing period.

• 한국포장학회지
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• 제27권2호
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• pp.85-90
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• 2021

The gamma irradiation was on to Poly(butylene sebacate-co-terephthalate) (PBSeT), Poly(butylene adipate-co-terephthalate) (PBAT), Poly(lactic acid) (PLA) and casting polypropylene (CPP) at dose levels from 0 to 50 kGy. The properties of gamma irradiated samples were analyzed using DSC, TGA, UTM and FT-IR spectra. The mechanical and thermal properties of PBSeT and PBAT after gamma irradiation were less affected than CPP. The tensile strength and elongation of PBSeT was not affected by gamma irradiation, while these of PBAT, PLA and CPP were significantly decreased at 50 kGy gamma-ray dose. The thermal stability of PBSeT, PBAT, PLA and CPP showed a similar tendency to tensile strength. The glass transition temperature(T_g) and melting temperature(T_m) of PBSeT and PBAT were not altered by increasing gamma-ray dose, while these of PLA and CPP decreased. The chemical composition of all samples was not modified by gamma irradiation, and it was confirmed by FT-IR spectra. Based on mechanical and thermal stability studies of gamma irradiation on bioplastics, tested biodegradable packaging materials showed a potential to be used in sterilization process up to 35 kGy.

• 한국근적외분광분석학회:학술대회논문집
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• 한국근적외분광분석학회 2002년도 강연요지집
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• pp.97-117
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• 2002

A chemoinfometrical method for quantitative determination of crystal content of indomethacin (IMC) polymorphs based on fourie-transformed near-infrared (FT-NIR) spectroscopy was established. A direct comparison of the data with the ones collected from using the conventional powder X-ray diffraction method was performed. Pure $\alpha$ and ${\gamma}$ forms of IMC were prepared using published methods. Powder X-ray diffraction profiles and NIR spectra were recorded for six kinds of standard materials with various content of ${\gamma}$ form IMC. The principal component regression (PCR) analyses were performed based on normalized NIR spectra sets of standard samples of known content of IMC ${\gamma}$ form. A calibration equation was determined to minimize the root mean square error of the prediction. The predicted ${\gamma}$ form content values were reproducible and had a relatively small standard deviation. The values of ${\gamma}$ form content predicted by two methods were in close agreement. The results were indicated that NIR spectroscopy provides for an accurate quantitative analysis of crystallinity in polymorphs compared with the results obtained by conventional powder X-ray diffractometry.

• Journal of Radiation Protection and Research
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• 제42권3호
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• pp.158-165
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• 2017

Background: Nuclear facilities in South Korea have generally adopted pressurized ion chambers to measure ambient gamma ray exposure rates for monitoring the impact of radiation on the surrounding environment. The rates assessed with pressurized ion chambers do not distinguish between natural and man-made radiation, so a further step is needed to identify the cause of abnormal variation. In contrast, using NaI(Tl) scintillation detectors to detect gamma energy rates can allow an immediate assessment of the cause of variation through an analysis of the energy spectra. Against this backdrop, this study was conducted to propose a more effective way to monitor ambient gamma exposure rates. Materials and Methods: The following methods were used to analyze gamma energy spectra measured from January to November 2016 with NaI detectors installed at the Korea Atomic Energy Research Institute (KAERI) dormitory and Hanbat University. 1) Correlations of the variation of rates measured at the two locations were determined. 2) The dates, intervals, duration, and weather conditions were identified when rates increased by $5nSv{\cdot}h^{-1}$ or more. 3) Differences in the NaI spectra on normal days and days where rates spiked by $5nSv{\cdot}h^{-1}$ or more were studied. 4) An algorithm was derived for automatically calculating the net variation of the rates. Results and Discussion: The rates measured at KAERI and Hanbat University, located 12 kilometers apart, did not show a strong correlation (coefficient of determination = 0.577). Time gaps between spikes in the rates and rainfall were factors that affected the correlation. The weather conditions on days where rates went up by $5nSv{\cdot}h^{-1}$ or more featured rainfall, snowfall, or overcast, as well as an increase in peaks of the gamma rays emitted from the radon decay products of $^{214}Pb$ and $^{214}Bi$ in the spectrum. This study assumed that $^{214}Pb$ and $^{214}Bi$ exist at a radioactive equilibrium, since both have relatively short half-lives of under 30 minutes. Provided that this assumption is true and that the gamma peaks of the 352 keV and 1,764 keV gamma rays emitted from the radionuclides have proportional count rates, no man-made radiation should be present between the two energy levels. This study proved that this assumption was true by demonstrating a linear correlation between the count rates of these two gamma peaks. In conclusion, if the count rates of these two peaks detected in the gamma energy spectrum at a certain time maintain the ratio measured at a normal time, such variation can be confirmed to be caused by natural radiation. Conclusion: This study confirmed that both $^{214}Pb$ and $^{214}Bi$ have relatively short half-lives of under 30 minutes, thereby existing in a radioactive equilibrium in the atmosphere. If the gamma peaks of the 352 keV and 1,764 keV gamma rays emitted from these radionuclides have proportional count rates, no man-made radiation should exist between the two energy levels.

• Nuclear Engineering and Technology
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• 제55권1호
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• pp.190-200
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• 2023

As the field of application of in-situ gamma spectroscopy is diversified, proficiency is required for consistent and accurate analysis. In this study, a program was developed to virtually create gamma energy spectra of artificial nuclides, which are difficult to obtain through actual measurements, for training. The virtual spectrum was created by synthesizing the spectra of the background radiation obtained through actual measurement and the theoretical spectra of the artificial radionuclides obtained by a Monte Carlo simulation. Since the theoretical spectrum can only be obtained for a given geometrical structure, representative major geometries for in-situ measurement (ground surface, concrete wall, radioactive waste drum) and the detectors (HPGe, NaI(Tl), LaBr₃(Ce)) were predetermined. Generated virtual spectra were verified in terms of validity and harmonization by gamma spectrometry and energy calibration. As a result, it was confirmed that the energy calibration results including the peaks of the measured spectrum and the peaks of the theoretical spectrum showed differences of less than 1 keV from the actual energies, and that the calculated radioactivity showed a difference within 20% from the actual inputted radioactivity. The verified data were assembled into a database and a program that can generate a virtual spectrum of desired condition was developed.

• Journal of Astronomy and Space Sciences
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• 제33권1호
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• pp.1-11
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• 2016

Over the last few years, the data obtained using the Large Area Telescope (LAT) aboard the Fermi Gamma-ray Space Telescope has provided new insights on high-energy processes in globular clusters, particularly those involving compact objects such as MilliSecond Pulsars (MSPs). Gamma-ray emission in the 100 MeV to 10 GeV range has been detected from more than a dozen globular clusters in our galaxy, including 47 Tucanae and Terzan 5. Based on a sample of known gammaray globular clusters, the empirical relations between gamma-ray luminosity and properties of globular clusters such as their stellar encounter rate, metallicity, and possible optical and infrared photon energy densities, have been derived. The measured gamma-ray spectra are generally described by a power law with a cut-off at a few gigaelectronvolts. Together with the detection of pulsed γ-rays from two MSPs in two different globular clusters, such spectral signature lends support to the hypothesis that γ-rays from globular clusters represent collective curvature emission from magnetospheres of MSPs in the clusters. Alternative models, involving Inverse-Compton (IC) emission of relativistic electrons that are accelerated close to MSPs or pulsar wind nebula shocks, have also been suggested. Observations at >100 GeV by using Fermi/LAT and atmospheric Cherenkov telescopes such as H.E.S.S.-II, MAGIC-II, VERITAS, and CTA will help to settle some questions unanswered by current data.

• Nuclear Engineering and Technology
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• 제54권12호
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• pp.4684-4692
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• 2022

Radionuclide identification is an important part of the nuclear material identification system. The development of artificial intelligence and machine learning has made nuclide identification rapid and automatic. However, many methods directly use existing deep learning models to analyze the gamma-ray spectrum, which lacks interpretability for researchers. This study proposes an explainable radionuclide identification algorithm based on the convolutional neural network and class activation mapping. This method shows the area of interest of the neural network on the gamma-ray spectrum by generating a class activation map. We analyzed the class activation map of the gamma-ray spectrum of different types, different gross counts, and different signal-to-noise ratios. The results show that the convolutional neural network attempted to learn the relationship between the input gamma-ray spectrum and the nuclide type, and could identify the nuclide based on the photoelectric peak and Compton edge. Furthermore, the results explain why the neural network could identify gamma-ray spectra with low counts and low signal-to-noise ratios. Thus, the findings improve researchers' confidence in the ability of neural networks to identify nuclides and promote the application of artificial intelligence methods in the field of nuclide identification.

• Nuclear Engineering and Technology
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• 제30권5호
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• pp.452-461
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• 1998

The pin power distribution is determined by analyzing the rotational gamma scanning data for 36 element fuel bundle of HANARO. A fission monitor of Nb$^{95}$ is chosen by considering the criteria of the half-life, fission yield, emitting ${\gamma}$-ray energy and probability. The ${\gamma}$-ray spectra were measured in Korea Atomic Energy Research Institute(KAERI) by using a HPGe detector and by rotating the fuel bundle at steps of 10$^{\circ}$. The counting rates of Nb$^{95}$ 766 keV ${\gamma}$-rays are determined by analyzing the full absorption peak in the spectra. A 36$\times$36 response matrix is obtained from calculating the contribution of each rod at every scanning angle by assuming 2-dimensional and parallel beam approximations for the measuring geometry. In terms of the measured counting rates and the calculated response matrix, an inverse problem is set up for the unknown distribution of activity concentrations of pins. To select a suitable solving method, the performances of three direct methods and the iterative least-square method are tested by solving simulation examples. The final solution is obtained by using the iterative least-square method that shows a good stability. The influences of detection error, step size of rotation and the collimator width are discussed on the accuracy of the numerical solution. Hence an improvement in the accuracy of the solution is proposed by reducing the collimator width of the scanning arrangement.