Awards, etc.

Atomic Energy Society of Japan Nuclear Data Division Academic Award 2019

(2019-09-26)

Dr. Chikara Konno, a principal researcher of research group for reactor physics and standard nuclear code system, received the Prize of “Atomic Energy Society of Japan Nuclear Data Division Academic Award 2019” for the work entitled “Problems of KERMA factors and DPA cross sections calculated with NJOY” with Dr. Saerom Kwon, a senior researcher of National Institutes for Quantum Radiological Science and Technology, and Dr. Masayuki Ohta, a principal researcher of National Institutes for Quantum Radiological Science and Technology.

The KERMA factor and DPA cross section data are very important physical quantities, which are used for evaluating nuclear heating and material damage under radiation environment such as fission and fusion reactors. These data calculated from nuclear data libraries with the nuclear data processing code NJOY are adopted worldwide. Doctors Konno, Kwon and Ohta have figured out that the KERMA factor and DPA cross section data calculated with NJOY have several problems based on their detailed study. Their original and valuable study has been highly evaluated and awarded by the Nuclear Data Division of the Atomic Energy Society of Japan.

This study will continue toward solving the problems, and the obtained knowledge will be used in utilization of JAEA nuclear data processing code FRENDY.

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From left to right, Dr. Kwon, Dr. Konno and Prof. Watanabe (Head of the Nuclear Data Division)

A Letter of Special Thanks from Atomic Energy Society of Japan

(2019-09-26)

Dr. Kenji Yokoyama et al. received a letter of special thanks from Atomic Energy Agency of Japan for the reason that the paper entitled “Cross-section adjustment methods based on minimum variance unbiased estimation” (J. Nucl. Sci. Technol., Vol.53, No.10, pp. 1622-1638 (2016)) played a contribution in obtainting improved 2018 Journal Impact Factor of JNST.

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Atomic Energy Society of Japan Reactor Physics Division Significant Contribution Award 2016

(2017-04-17)

Dr. Kenichi Tada, a researcher of research group for reactor physics and standard nuclear code system, and Dr. Satoshi Kunieda, an assistant principal researcher of nuclear data center, received the Prize of “Atomic Energy Society of Japan Reactor Physics Division Significant Contribution Award 2016” for the work entitled “Domestic Development of Nuclear Data Processing System FRENDY”.

Japan Atomic Energy Agency (JAEA) has been developing the database on the reaction probability (cross section) between neutron and nuclide, i.e., an evaluated nuclear data file JENDL (Japanese Evaluated Nuclear Data Library) and particle transport simulation programs. These are widely used in numerous institutes including research laboratories.

The particle transport simulation programs do not use the evaluated nuclear data library directly. Cross section data library for each simulation program should be prepared in advance.

In Japan, we have been using the systems developed by the United States and the International Atomic Energy Agency (IAEA) for the process that compiles the cross section libraries from the evaluated nuclear data libraries. However, we have been suffering the difficulty when making the cross section data libraries, because such computer code systems are very old and not developed for processing JENDL. Since this problem has also been pointed out in other countries as well as in Japan, “Development of New Nuclear Data Processing System” is strongly recognized as one of the most important issues in the field the reactor physics.

Doctors Tada and Kunieda have been tackling with the development of the purely domestic nuclear data processing system FREDNY (From Evaluated Nuclear Data librarY), not only for resolving all problems mentioned above but also for further sophisticated process of the nuclear data library, by including all functions of the pre-excising, i.e., de facto standard system and by finding and revising the problems. Their significant contributions have been highly evaluated and awarded by the Reactor Physics Division of the Atomic Energy Society of Japan.

The first version of FREDNY will be published from JAEA in this Japan fiscal year as the system which produces the cross section data libraries for continuous energy Monte Carlo codes.

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Satoshi Kunieda, Kenichi Tada