October 2011

October 31, 2011January 29, 2019

The Attractiveness of Materials in Advanced Nuclear Fuel Cycles for Various Proliferation and Theft Scenarios

SPEAKER:

CHARLES BATHKE

DATE/TIME:

MON, 10/31/2011 - 4:00PM TO 5:00PM

LOCATION:

3105 ETCHEVERRY HALL

Fall 2011 Colloquium Series

Abstract:

We must anticipate that the day is approaching when details of nuclear weapons design and fabrication will become common knowledge. On that day we must be particularly certain that all special nuclear materials (SNM) are adequately accounted for and protected and that we have a clear understanding of the utility of nuclear materials to potential adversaries. To this end, this talk will examine the attractiveness of materials mixtures containing SNM and alternate nuclear materials (ANM) associated with the plutonium-uranium reduction extraction (PUREX), uranium extraction (UREX), co-extraction (COEX), and thorium extraction (THOREX) reprocessing schemes. This talk will provide a set of figures of merit (FOM) for evaluating material attractiveness that covers a broad range of proliferant state and subnational group capabilities. The primary conclusion of this talk is that all fissile material must be rigorously safeguarded to detect diversion by a state and provided the highest levels of physical protection to prevent theft by subnational groups; no “silver bullet” fuel cycle has been found that will permit the relaxation of current international safeguards or national physical security protection levels. The work reported in this talk has been performed at the request of the United States Department of Energy (DOE) and is based on the calculation of “attractiveness levels” that are expressed in terms consistent with, but normally reserved for the nuclear materials in DOE nuclear facilities. The methodology and findings are presented. Additionally, how these attractiveness levels relate to proliferation resistance and physical security are presented.

About the Speaker:

Charles G. Bathke: PhD in Nuclear Engineering, University of Illinois, United States of America. PostDoc at the Princeton Plasma Physics Laboratory.

Dr. Charles G. Bathke is a staff member (Scientist 4) in D-5 Nuclear Design and Risk Analysis Group. He worked on the Advanced Fuel Cycle Initiative (AFCI) and its predecessor the Accelerator Transmutation of Waste (ATW) from 2000 through 2004, where he developed the Nuclear Fuel Cycle Simulation (NFCSim) code, which simulates the civilian nuclear fuel cycle from cradle (mine) to grave (waste repository). Bathke has been with Los Alamos since 1978, performing systems analyses of reactors based upon various magnetic fusion confinement schemes, proton accelerators used to generate tritium, electron accelerators used for x-ray radiography, and terrorist-induced biological events. For the past four years, his focus has been material attractiveness and non-proliferation.

Awards:
- He received the American Nuclear Society, Isotopes and Radiation Division, Best Student Contributed Paper Award in 1974.
- He received the American Nuclear Society, Fusion Energy Division, Outstanding Technical Accomplishment Award in 1994.
- He received the Los Alamos National Laboratory 2008 Distinguished Performance Award for his work on “SNM Attractiveness Analysis for Next-Generation Nuclear Power”.

October 24, 2011January 29, 2019

From Nuclear Medicine to Molecular Imaging: A Spectrum of Isotopes and New Molecular Probes

SPEAKER:

HENRY VANBROCKLIN

DATE/TIME:

MON, 10/24/2011 - 4:00PM TO 5:00PM

LOCATION:

3105 ETCHEVERRY HALL

Fall 2011 Colloquium Series

Abstract:

For nearly 90 years radioisotopes have been applied to image the in vivo biology of living systems from plants to animals to humans. Over this period of time many isotopes with a range of decay characteristics and properties have been discovered, produced and applied to trace normal and disease pathologies. Technological advances in scanner design from the early gamma cameras to the multimodality scanners available today have transformed imaging approaches. Advances in labeling chemistry have provided a variety of radiotracers that can interrogate a multitude of vital targets related to normal pathology, disease sates and drug development. The state of the art of imaging science will be presented from the perspective of isotope production as well as molecular imaging tracer development and applications.

About the Speaker:

Dr. VanBrocklin is currently Professor of Radiology and Biomedical Imaging at the University of California San Francisco (UCSF) and Director of Radiopharmaceutical Research in the Center for Functional and Molecular Imaging. His work in the field spans many disciplines from short-lived radioisotope production to the creation of fluorine-18 and carbon-11 labeling chemistry strategies for new radiotracer preparation and application. His current research interests include development of automated devices for the production of fluorine-18 labeled molecules, preparation of radiopharmaceutical probes for PET and SPECT blood flow measurement, design of imaging agents targeting cancer cell surface markers, and the application of imaging in drug development. He has on-going collaborations with several pharmaceutical companies. Dr. VanBrocklin has overseen the complete build out of a state of the art radiochemistry, imaging, and training facility at UCSF for basic R&D and preclinical studies as well as clinical applications.

Dr. VanBrocklin received his Ph.D. in Radiopharmaceutical Chemistry from Washington University St. Louis under the mentorship of Prof. Michael Welch. He furthered the development of positron-labeled estrogens, progestins and androgens for tumor imaging. As a US Department of Energy Alexander Hollander Distinguished Postdoctoral Fellowship he continued his research on positron labeled steroids and fatty acids in the laboratory of Prof. John Katzenellenbogen at the University of Illinois. In 1992 Dr. VanBrocklin moved to Lawrence Berkeley National Laboratory where he was a Staff Scientist and Radiopharmaceutical Chemistry Group Leader in the Department of Functional Imaging prior to moving to UCSF in 2005.

October 17, 2011January 29, 2019

Nuclear Energy and Health

SPEAKER:

JERRY CUTTLER

DATE/TIME:

MON, 10/17/2011 - 4:00PM TO 5:00PM

LOCATION:

3105 ETCHEVERRY HALL

Fall 2011 Colloquium Series

Abstract:

Energy needs worldwide are expected to increase for the foreseeable future, but fuel supplies are limited. Nuclear reactors could supply much of the energy demand in a safe, sustainable manner were it not for fear of potential releases of radioactivity. Such releases would likely deliver a low dose or dose rate of radiation, within the range of naturally occurring radiation, to which life is already accustomed. The key areas of concern are discussed. Studies of actual health effects, especially thyroid cancers, following exposures are assessed. Radiation hormesis is explained, pointing out that beneficial effects are expected following a low dose or dose rate because protective responses against stresses are stimulated. The notions that no amount of radiation is small enough to be harmless and that a nuclear accident could kill hundreds of thousands are challenged in light of experience: more than a century with radiation and six decades with reactors. If nuclear energy is to play a significant role in meeting future needs, regulatory authorities must examine the scientific evidence and communicate the real health effects of nuclear radiation. Negative images and implications of health risks derived by unscientific extrapolations of harmful effects of high doses must be dispelled.

About the Speaker:

Dr. Cuttler received his BASc-Eng degree (1964) in engineering physics from the University of Toronto and his MSc and DSc degrees (1967-1971) in nuclear sciences and engineering from the Israel Institute of Technology. Until 1974, he managed a radiation detector company.

At Atomic Energy of Canada Limited, he led the design and procurement of the reactor control, safety systems and radiation monitoring instrumentation for the first CANDU-6 reactors, the four-reactor Pickering-B station and the four-reactor Bruce-B station. He was engineering manager of AECL’s Bruce-B Project, resident engineering manager in Romania, engineering manager district heating reactors, manager of services to the eight-reactor Pickering station, engineering integration manager of the CANDU-9 Project and manager of technical services including Y2K support to 28 reactors.

Dr. Cuttler has been an active member of Professional Engineers Ontario, Canadian Nuclear Society (president 1995-1996), American Nuclear Society, American Physical Society, Canadian Nuclear Association, Health Physics Society, Canadian Radiation Protection Association and the International Dose-Response Society. He has written hundreds of technical reports for nuclear stations, tens of conferences papers and articles for peer reviewed journals.

Starting in 2000, he provided services to Ontario Power Generation for returning Pickering Unit-4 to service and extending the life of the Pickering-B station, to AECL for completing reactors to supply radioisotopes for diagnostic scanning, to Bruce Power for restarting reactors 1/2 and extending the Bruce-B reactor lives for 30 years.

Since 1995, Dr. Cuttler has been assessing the health effects of ionizing radiation and drawing international attention to radiation hormesis. He presented tens of papers at many conferences pointing out that low exposures are stimulating for curing infections, extending life and reducing the incidences of cancer and congenital malformations. He organized adaptive response sessions at nuclear energy conferences, inviting renowned radiobiologists to present remarkable evidence. He has urged many oncologists to use total-body low-dose radiation in cancer therapy. He has intervened with regulators with submissions that identify beneficial effects following low doses and debunk the LNT assumption. He arranged presentations by world specialists in low dose at hospitals, universities, nuclear centers and societies. He continues to communicate positive low dose information and fight politicized radiation scares on the Internet and at professional and social clubs.

Dr. Cuttler is the recipient of 2011 International Dose-Response Society Award for Outstanding Career Achievement. The award is presented to individuals who have made outstanding contributions to the field of Dose Response.

October 3, 2011January 29, 2019

Precision Beta-Delayed Neutron Spectroscopy Using Trapped Radioactive Ions

SPEAKER:

NICHOLAS D. SCIELZO

DATE/TIME:

MON, 10/03/2011 - 4:00PM TO 5:00PM

LOCATION:

3105 ETCHEVERRY HALL

Fall 2011 Colloquium Series

Abstract:

Neutrons emitted following the beta decay of fission fragments play an important role in many fields of basic and applied science such as nuclear energy, nuclear astrophysics, and stockpile stewardship. However, the fundamental nuclear data available today for individual nuclei is limited – for the vast majority of neutron emitters, the energy spectrum has not been measured and some recent measurements have uncovered discrepancies as large as factors of 2-4 in beta-delayed neutron branching ratios. Radioactive ions held in an ion trap are an appealing source of activity for improved studies of this beta-delayed neutron emission process. When a radioactive ion decays in the trap, the recoiling daughter nucleus and emitted radiation emerges from the ~1 mm3 trap volume and propagates through vacuum without scattering. Information about particles that are difficult or even impossible to detect can be obtained using conservation of momentum/energy from the determination of the nuclear recoil and beta particle kinematics. For the first time, beta-delayed neutron spectroscopy is being performed using trapped ions by identifying neutron emission from the large nuclear recoil it imparts and using this recoil energy to reconstruct the neutron branching ratios and energy spectra. Results from a recent proof-of-principle measurement of the beta-delayed neutron spectrum of Iodine-137 and plans for future experiments at Argonne National Laboratory using significantly higher intensity fission-fragment beams will be presented.
This work performed under the auspices of the U.S. Department of Energy by Lawrence Livermore National Laboratory under Contract DE-AC52-07NA27344.

About the Speaker:

Dr. Scielzo, Physicist, Physical and Life Sciences Directorate, Lawrence Livermore National Laboratory, performs low-energy nuclear physics research to (1) study neutron-induced reactions of interest for stellar nucleosynthesis, nuclear energy production, and national security applications, (2) test the Standard Model of particle physics through precise measurements of radioactive decay processes such as beta decay and double-beta decay, and (3) develop novel ion trap techniques for high-precision measurements of nuclear properties. He received his B.A. from Harvard University and his Ph.D. in nuclear physics from UC Berkeley. He has conducted nuclear physics experiments at the Lawrence Berkeley National Laboratory, Argonne National Laboratory, and the Lawrence Livermore National Laboratory. He is currently looking for students and post-docs interested in pursuing precision decay studies of importance to nuclear energy, nucleosynthesis, and stockpile stewardship that can be performed by accumulating fission fragments in an ion trap. He can be reached at: scielzo1@llnl.gov.