ScienceDaily: Nuclear Energy News

Fukushima accident raised levels of radioactive strontium off the east coast of Japan by up to 100 times

Tue, 11 Jun 2013 08:42:42 EDT

Researchers in Spain have studied the spread of radioactive strontium in the coastal waters of eastern Japan during the three months following the Fukushima nuclear accident, which happened in March 2011. The samples analysed show the impact of the direct release of radioactive materials into the Pacific Ocean, and indicate that the amount of strontium-90 discharged into the sea during those three months was between 90 and 900 Tbq (terabecquerels), raising levels by up to two orders of magnitude. The highest concentrations were found to the north of the Kuroshio current, which acts as a barrier preventing radioactive material from being carried to lower latitudes.

Nuclear testing from the 1960s helps scientist determine whether adult brains generate new neurons

Thu, 06 Jun 2013 14:06:06 EDT

The birth of new neurons in the adult brain sharpens memory in rodents, but whether the same holds true for humans has long been debated. A new study reveals that a significant number of new neurons in the hippocampus -- a brain region crucial for memory and learning -- are generated in adult humans. The researchers used a unique strategy based on the amount of carbon-14 found in humans as a result of above-ground nuclear testing more than half a century ago.

Increased NMR/MRI sensitivity through hyperpolarization of nuclei in diamond

Wed, 05 Jun 2013 13:37:37 EDT

Researchers have demonstrated the first magnetically-controlled nearly complete hyperpolarization of the spins of carbon-13 nuclei located near synthetic defects in diamond crystals. This spin hyperpolarization, which can be carried out with refrigerator-style magnets at room temperature, enhances NMR/MRI sensitivity by many orders of magnitude.

Despite safety and other concerns, nuclear power saves lives, greenhouse gas emissions, experts say

Wed, 29 May 2013 11:13:13 EDT

Global use of nuclear power has prevented about 1.84 million air pollution-related deaths and release of 64 billion tons of greenhouse gases that would have resulted from burning coal and other fossil fuels, a new study concludes.

Have health effects from the Chernobyl accident been overestimated?

Tue, 28 May 2013 12:23:23 EDT

The impact of the Chernobyl nuclear accident has been seriously overestimated, while unfounded statements presented as scientific facts have been used to strangle the nuclear industry, according to Russian researchers. New research suggests that the health effects of food contamination in particular have been distorted in anti-industry propaganda.

Research effort deep underground could sort out cosmic-scale mysteries

Fri, 24 May 2013 13:43:43 EDT

Scientists have begun delivery of germanium-76 detectors to an underground laboratory in South Dakota in a team research effort that might explain the puzzling imbalance between matter and antimatter generated by the Big Bang.

Cancer and birth defects in Iraq: The nuclear legacy

Tue, 21 May 2013 10:55:55 EDT

Ten years after the Iraq war of 2003 a team of scientists based in Mosul, northern Iraq, have detected high levels of uranium contamination in soil samples at three sites in the province of Nineveh which, coupled with dramatically increasing rates of childhood cancers and birth defects at local hospitals, highlight the ongoing legacy of modern warfare to civilians in conflict zones.

Magnetic fingerprints of superfluid helium-3

Tue, 21 May 2013 10:54:54 EDT

Superconducting sensors have allowed for highly sensitive measurements of the nuclear magnetic resonance of thin helium-3 layers.

World's smallest liquid droplets ever made in the lab, experiment suggests

Thu, 16 May 2013 20:06:06 EDT

Physicists may have created the smallest drops of liquid ever made in the lab. That possibility has been raised by the results of a recent experiment at the Large Hadron Collider, the world's largest and most powerful particle collider located at the European Laboratory for Nuclear and Particle Physics (CERN) in Switzerland. Evidence of the minuscule droplets was extracted from the results of colliding protons with lead ions at velocities approaching the speed of light.

Scientists uncover fundamental property of astatine -- rarest naturally occurring element on Earth

Tue, 14 May 2013 11:27:27 EDT

Scientists have carried out ground-breaking experiments to investigate the atomic structure of astatine (atomic number 85), the rarest naturally occurring element on Earth. Through experiments conducted at the radioactive isotope facility ISOLDE at CERN, scientists have accessed, for the first time, the ionization potential of the astatine atom. The successful measurement fills a long-standing gap in Mendeleev's periodic table, since astatine was the last element present in nature for which this fundamental property was unknown.

Scientists demonstrate pear shaped atomic nuclei

Thu, 09 May 2013 10:43:43 EDT

Scientists have shown that some atomic nuclei can assume the shape of a pear which contributes to our understanding of nuclear structure and the underlying fundamental interactions.

Exotic atoms hold clues to unsolved physics puzzle at the dawn of the universe

Wed, 08 May 2013 17:21:21 EDT

An international team of physicists has found the first direct evidence of pear shaped nuclei in exotic atoms. The findings could advance the search for a new fundamental force in nature that could explain why the Big Bang created more matter than antimatter -- a pivotal imbalance in the history of everything.

Cleaner, low temperature nuclear fuels?

Tue, 07 May 2013 11:55:55 EDT

The search for cleaner, low temperature nuclear fuels has produced a surprising result for a team of experts. First they created a stable version of a 'trophy molecule' that has eluded scientists for decades. Now they have discovered that the bonding within this molecule is far different than expected. Remarkably their findings have shown that it behaves in much the same way as its counterparts in the well-known transitional metals such as chromium, molybdenum and tungsten.

One step closer to a quantum computer

Tue, 30 Apr 2013 09:24:24 EDT

Scientists have succeeded in both initializing and reading nuclear spins, relevant to qubits for quantum computers, at room temperature.

Quantum computing taps nucleus of single atom

Wed, 17 Apr 2013 13:18:18 EDT

Australian engineers have demonstrated that quantum information can be "written" onto the nucleus of a single atom and "read" out with incredible accuracy. The result was achieved using a silicon chip that can be wired up and operated electronically.

Plasma device could revolutionize energy generation and storage

Tue, 16 Apr 2013 15:19:19 EDT

Engineers have developed a method of creating and controlling plasma that could revolutionize American energy generation and storage.

The Fukushima Dai-ichi Nuclear Power Plant accident: Two years on, the fallout continues

Mon, 15 Apr 2013 09:48:48 EDT

More than two years after the earthquake and tsunami that devastated parts of Japan, scientists are still trying to quantify the extent of the damage.

The future of our energy

Mon, 15 Apr 2013 09:48:48 EDT

When it comes to sustainable energy supplies hydroelectric plants are usually the best solution, according to researchers who have reviewed the economic, social and environmental impact of fuel provision.

System provides clear brain scans of awake, unrestrained mice

Tue, 09 Apr 2013 13:19:19 EDT

Researchers have shown that the AwakeSPECT system can obtain detailed, functional images of the brain of a freely moving, conscious mouse.

Hydrogen from methane without CO2 emissions?

Mon, 08 Apr 2013 08:49:49 EDT

The production of hydrogen from methane without carbon dioxide emissions is the objective of a new project. Researchers are setting up a novel liquid-metal bubble column reactor, in which methane is decomposed into hydrogen and elemental carbon at high temperature.

Scientists propose revolutionary laser system to produce the next LHC

Thu, 28 Mar 2013 07:57:57 EDT

An international team of physicists has proposed a revolutionary laser system, inspired by the telecommunications technology, to produce the next generation of particle accelerators, such as the Large Hadron Collider.

Nanoparticles show promise as inexpensive, durable and effective scintillators

Mon, 25 Mar 2013 12:56:56 EDT

Nanoparticles can be successfully incorporated into scintillation devices capable of detecting and measuring a wide energy range of X-rays and gamma rays, new research shows.

Nike Laser focuses on nuclear fusion

Wed, 20 Mar 2013 11:53:53 EDT

Researchers have successfully demonstrated a single-step focal zooming process to maximize the efficiency of the world's largest operating krypton fluoride gas laser.

Long predicted atomic collapse state observed in graphene

Thu, 07 Mar 2013 14:53:53 EST

Seventy years ago theorists predicted superlarge nuclei would exhibit a quantum-mechanical phenomenon known as "atomic collapse." Recently materials scientists calculated that highly-charged impurities in graphene should exhibit a corresponding buildup of electrons partially localized in space and energy -- a unique electronic resonance. By constructing artificial superlarge nuclei on graphene, researchers have achieved the first experimental observation of long-sought atomic collapse, with important implications for the future of graphene-based electronic devices.

Probing extreme matter through observations of neutron stars

Wed, 06 Mar 2013 13:38:38 EST

Neutron stars, the ultra-dense cores left behind after massive stars collapse, contain the densest matter known in the Universe outside of a black hole. New results have provided one of the most reliable determinations yet of the relation between the radius of a neutron star and its mass. These results constrain how nuclear matter – protons and neutrons, and their constituent quarks – interact under the extreme conditions found in neutron stars.

U.S. may face inevitable nuclear power exit

Fri, 01 Mar 2013 12:29:29 EST

In the third and final issue in a series focused on nuclear exits, the Bulletin of the Atomic Scientists, published by SAGE, turns its attention to the United States and looks at whether the country's business-as-usual approach may yet lead to a nuclear phase-out for economic reasons.

Physicists demonstrate the acceleration of electrons by a laser in a vacuum

Thu, 28 Feb 2013 09:38:38 EST

The acceleration of a free electron by a laser is a long-time goal of solid-state physicists. Physicists have established that an electron beam can be accelerated by a laser in free space. This has never been done before at high energies and represents a significant breakthrough, and may have implications for fusion as a new energy source.

Renewable energy: Nanotubes to channel osmotic power

Thu, 28 Feb 2013 09:35:35 EST

The salinity difference between fresh water and salt water could be a source of renewable energy. However, power yields from existing techniques are not high enough to make them viable. A solution to this problem may now have been found. Researchers have discovered a new means of harnessing this energy: osmotic flow through boron nitride nanotubes generates huge electric currents, with 1,000 times the efficiency of any previous system.

Potential benefits of inertial fusion energy justify continued research and development

Wed, 20 Feb 2013 11:40:40 EST

The potential benefits of successful development of an inertial confinement fusion-based energy technology justify investment in fusion energy research.

Mix uranium from Russian nuclear weapons with Norwegian rock, researcher says

Tue, 12 Feb 2013 07:52:52 EST

The USA uses uranium from Russian nuclear weapons as fuel in its civilian nuclear power plants. If the weapon-grade uranium is mixed with the Norwegian element thorium, the waste becomes 95 per cent less radioactive, a researcher has found.

Hydro beats nuclear and coal, beats oil and gas, review finds

Mon, 04 Feb 2013 09:46:46 EST

Researchers in Italy and the UK have reviewed the economic, social and environmental impact of hydro, coal, oil, gas and nuclear power. Each has its advantages and disadvantages, but of these conventional electricity generation technologies, hydroelectric power appears to be the most sustainable and acceptable environmentally and economically. Nuclear and coal run a close second place but oil or gas-fired power stations are revealed to be the worst choice when considering the various factors overall.

Mystery surrounding the harnessing of fusion energy unlocked

Thu, 31 Jan 2013 09:53:53 EST

Scientists have answered the question of how the behavior of plasma -- the extremely hot gases of nuclear fusion -- can be controlled with ultra-thin lithium films on graphite walls lining thermonuclear magnetic fusion devices.

Doubt cast on late British astronomer Sir Bernard Lovell's 'brainwashing' by Soviets

Thu, 31 Jan 2013 08:45:45 EST

A new article casts doubt on the alleged "brainwashing" of the late British astronomer Sir Bernard Lovell by the Soviets at the height of the Cold War and explains how his trips beyond the Iron Curtain laid the foundations for the easing of geopolitical tensions between the UK and the USSR.

New order found in quantum electronic material: May lead to new materials, magnets and superconductors

Wed, 30 Jan 2013 18:44:44 EST

A new type of order, or symmetry, discovered in an exotic material made with uranium may one day lead to enhanced computer displays and data storage systems and more powerful superconducting magnets for medical imaging and levitating high-speed trains.

Accelerating neutral atoms on a table top

Sun, 27 Jan 2013 13:42:42 EST

Conventional as well as compact laser-based particle acceleration schemes hinge on accelerating electric fields and are therefore ineffective for neutral atoms, which do not respond to these fields. Researchers have now generated a table-top mega-electron-volt neutral atom source. The technique involves the stripping of eight electrons per Argon atom in a cluster, accelerate the ions and subsequently put back the electrons into the ions with 100 percent conversion efficiency.

Bringing fusion electricity to the grid

Wed, 16 Jan 2013 09:06:06 EST

The European Fusion Development Agreement (EFDA) has published a roadmap which outlines how to supply fusion electricity to the grid by 2050. The roadmap to the realization of fusion energy breaks the quest for fusion energy down into eight missions. For each mission, it reviews the current status of research, identifies open issues, proposes a research and development program and estimates the required resources.

High plutonium breeding of light water cooled reactors

Wed, 16 Jan 2013 08:48:48 EST

Scientists have developed the world's first conceptual nuclear reactor design of high plutonium breeding by light water cooling.

New clean nuclear fusion reactor designed

Mon, 14 Jan 2013 09:25:25 EST

Researchers have patented a nuclear fusion reactor by inertial confinement that, apart from be used to generate electric power in plants, can be applied to propel ships. This invention helps solve the problem of contamination risk associated with the generation of nuclear fission power.

Fusion helped by collision science

Fri, 11 Jan 2013 09:24:24 EST

Understanding the mechanisms of electron-molecule collisions could help predict the operations inside the fusion chamber of the ITER reactor. Physicists have calculated the efficiency of a reaction involving an incoming electron kicking out an electron from the metal beryllium (Be) or its hydrogen compound molecules, in a new article.

NASA researchers studying advanced nuclear rocket technologies

Thu, 10 Jan 2013 10:35:35 EST

Advanced propulsion researchers at NASA are a step closer to solving the challenge of safely sending human explorers to Mars and other solar system destinations. By using an innovative test facility at NASA's Marshall Space Flight Center, researchers are able to use non-nuclear materials to simulate nuclear thermal rocket fuels -- ones capable of propelling bold new exploration missions to the Red Planet and beyond.

Graphene oxide soaks up radioactive waste: U.S., Russian researchers collaborate on solution to toxic groundwater woes

Tue, 08 Jan 2013 11:24:24 EST

Graphene oxide has a remarkable ability to quickly remove radioactive material from contaminated water, researchers in the United States and Russia have found. The discovery could be a boon in the cleanup of contaminated sites like the Fukushima nuclear plants damaged by the 2011 earthquake and tsunami. It could also cut the cost of hydraulic fracturing ("fracking") for oil and gas recovery and help reboot American mining of rare earth metals.

Shareholder responsibility could spur shift to sustainable energy

Tue, 08 Jan 2013 11:24:24 EST

Allowing shareholders to be held liable for the damages that companies cause to the environment, people could help transform the world's energy system towards sustainability, according to new research.

A French nuclear exit?

Mon, 07 Jan 2013 13:09:09 EST

France has been held up, worldwide, as the forerunner in using nuclear fission to produce electricity. However, a third of the nation's nuclear reactors will need replacing in the next decade, and public opinion has shifted toward reducing reliance on nuclear power.

New antimatter trapping method to provide 'a major experimental advantage'

Mon, 07 Jan 2013 08:23:23 EST

Researchers have proposed a method for cooling trapped antihydrogen which they believe could provide 'a major experimental advantage' and help to map the mysterious properties of antimatter that have to date remained elusive. The new method could cool trapped antihydrogen atoms to temperatures 25 times colder than already achieved, making them much more stable and a lot easier to experiment on.

Measurements hint why the universe is dominated by matter, not anti-matter

Wed, 26 Dec 2012 15:30:30 EST

Physicists have made a precise measurement of elusive, nearly massless particles, and obtained a crucial hint as to why the universe is dominated by matter, not by its close relative, anti-matter.

Investigating ocean currents using uranium-236 from the 1960s

Mon, 17 Dec 2012 12:16:16 EST

New research has identified the bomb-pulse of uranium-236 in corals from the Caribbean Sea for the first time. 236U was distributed world-wide in the period of atmospheric nuclear testing in the 1960s. Readily dissolved in seawater it is an ideal tool for investigating ocean currents.

Structure of carbon's 'Hoyle state' revealed

Mon, 10 Dec 2012 12:47:47 EST

A researcher has taken a "snapshot" of the way particles combine to form carbon-12, the element that makes all life on Earth possible. And the picture looks like a bent arm.

Proliferation warnings on nuclear 'wonder-fuel', thorium

Wed, 05 Dec 2012 13:22:22 EST

Thorium is being touted as an ideal fuel for a new generation of nuclear power plants, but new research suggests it may not be as benign as portrayed.

Graphite experiment shines new light on giant planets, white dwarfs and laser-driven fusion

Wed, 28 Nov 2012 09:36:36 EST

Researchers are dealing with unexpected results of an experiment with strongly heated graphite (up to 17,000 Kelvin). The findings may pose a new problem for physicists working in laser-driven nuclear fusion and may also lead astrophysicists to revise our understanding of the life cycle of giant planets and stars.

Novel power system for space travel tested

Mon, 26 Nov 2012 13:13:13 EST

Engineers have demonstrated a new concept for a reliable nuclear reactor that could be used on space flights.

Nano insights could lead to improved nuclear reactors

Fri, 16 Nov 2012 16:10:10 EST

In order to build the next generation of nuclear reactors, materials scientists are trying to unlock the secrets of certain materials that are radiation-damage tolerant. Now researchers have brought new understanding to one of those secrets -- how the interfaces between two carefully selected metals can absorb, or heal, radiation damage.

Efforts to mitigate climate change must target energy efficiency, experts say

Fri, 26 Oct 2012 08:46:46 EDT

More must be done to develop energy efficient cars, buildings and domestic appliances to address climate change – according to new research. Twice as much effort is spent developing energy supply technologies, such as new power stations, as is spent improving the efficiency with which energy is used. Efficient end-use technologies have the potential to contribute large emission reductions and provide higher social returns on investment, so the imbalance must be redressed.

Self-powered sensors to monitor nuclear fuel rod status

Tue, 23 Oct 2012 12:39:39 EDT

Japan's Fukushima Dai'ichi nuclear disaster that occurred in 2011 -- a result of the strongest earthquake on record in the country and the powerful tsunami waves it triggered -- underscored the need for a method to monitor the status of nuclear fuel rods that doesn't rely on electrical power.

Neutron experiments give unprecedented look at quantum oscillations

Tue, 23 Oct 2012 11:22:22 EDT

Researchers have found that nitrogen atoms in the compound uranium nitride exhibit unexpected, distinct vibrations that form a nearly ideal realization of a physics textbook model known as the isotropic quantum harmonic oscillator.

Goodness, gracious, great balls of lightning!

Fri, 19 Oct 2012 10:28:28 EDT

Australian scientists have unveiled a new theory which explains the mysterious phenomenon known as ball lightning.

Cosmic rays could assist in healing Fukushima's nuclear scar

Wed, 17 Oct 2012 13:20:20 EDT

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.

New weapons detail reveals true depth of Cuban Missile Crisis

Fri, 12 Oct 2012 07:47:47 EDT

The Cuban Missile Crisis took place 50 years ago this October, when US and Soviet leaders pulled back from the very brink of nuclear war. This was the closest the world has come to nuclear war, but exactly how close has been a matter of some speculation. The conflict, itself, has been analyzed and interpreted, but the number and types of nuclear weapons that were operational have not. According to fresh analysis senior experts calculate the nature of weapons capabilities on both sides, and write that the situation was even more perilous than history has previously acknowledged.

Fusion energy: Mug handles could help hot plasma give lower-cost, controllable fusion energy

Thu, 11 Oct 2012 15:16:16 EDT

New hardware lets engineers maintain the plasma used in fusion reactors in an energy-efficient, stable manner, making the system potentially attractive for use in fusion power plants.

2010 Korea bomb 'tests' probably false alarms, says study

Tue, 09 Oct 2012 12:17:17 EDT

This spring, a Swedish scientist sparked international concern with a journal article saying that radioactive particles detected in 2010 showed North Korea had set off at least two small nuclear blasts -- possibly in experiments designed to boost yields of much larger bombs. Separate claims surfaced that intelligence agencies suspected the detonations were done in cooperation with Iran. Now, a new paper says the tests likely never took place -- or that if they did, they were too tiny to have any military significance.

Paving the way for commercial fusion power plants

Mon, 08 Oct 2012 09:15:15 EDT

Latest results from the Joint European Torus (JET) fusion device are giving researchers increasing confidence in prospects for the next-generation ITER project, the international experiment that is expected to pave the way for commercial fusion power plants. Operation with a new lining inside JET has demonstrated the suitability of materials for the much larger and more powerful ITER device.