Nuclear Commons^™

Geochemical Fingerprinting Of Tanzanian Uranium Deposits: The Insights Of Ree Ratios (La/Ce, Nd/Ce, And Sm/Nd) As A Provenance Tool, Lazaro H. Meza, John W. Kondoro, Iyabo T. Usman, Najat K. Mohammed, Titus A. Msagati, Mwingereza John Kumwenda, Mohamed S. Mazunga

Tanzania Journal of Science

Accurate uranium provenance determination is crucial for nuclear non-proliferation and environmental protection, yet a forensic-level geochemical framework for Tanzanian uranium deposits has been lacking. This study establishes a robust analytical method using forty-five samples from three major deposits (Mkuju, Manyoni, and Bahi), analyzing elemental compositions, particularly Rare Earth Elements (REEs), via ICP-MS, and validating results using Principal Component Analysis (PCA) and Hierarchical Cluster Analysis (HCA). Despite their proximity, the deposits exhibit distinct geochemical signatures as revealed by key REE ratios and anomalies. Mkuju (mean La/Ce 1.17, Nd/Ce 0.62, Sm/Nd 0.56) is characterized by a positive Europium (Eu) anomaly and heavy …

Relativistic Three Particle Scattering, Md Habib E Islam

Physics Theses & Dissertations

In this dissertation, we develop and apply a relativistic framework for studying three-body scattering amplitudes, their analytic structure, and the emergence of universal phenomena such as the Efimov effect. The work integrates three complementary components.

First, we introduce a systematically improvable numerical method for solving relativistic three-body integral equations in momentum space. By discretizing the continuum problem into finite matrix equations and extrapolating to the continuum limit, we obtain stable partial-wave amplitudes in the presence of a two-body bound state. Two complementary treatments of the pole contribution are implemented and shown to reproduce previous finite volume results, with controlled estimates …

Determining The 17f(Α,P)20ne Reaction Rate For Application In Type I X-Ray Bursts, William Braverman

LSU Doctoral Dissertations

The ¹⁷F(α, p)²⁰Ne reaction has been identified as an alternate pathway for breakout from the hot-CNO cycle that can be important in some X-ray burst scenarios. The ¹⁷F(α, p)²⁰Ne reaction rate was previously determined through a parameterized exponential S-factor with a large enhancement from thermally-excited states based on statistical models with large uncertainties. We have measured the time-inverse ²⁰Ne(p,α)¹⁷F cross section at center-of-mass energies ranging from 5.50 to 7.10 MeV using an activation method with a proton beam on a neon gas cell. Coincident detections of 511-keV γ-rays, resulting from electron-positron …

Collisional Excitation Of Hcn By Co To Refine The Modeling Of Cometary Comae, Francesca Tonolo, Ernesto Quintas-Sánchez, Adrian Batista-Planas, Richard Dawes, François Lique

Chemistry Faculty Research & Creative Works

We present the first dataset of collisional (de)-excitation rate coefficients of HCN induced by CO, one of the main perturbing gases in cometary atmospheres. The dataset spans the temperature range of 5–50 K. It includes both state-to-state rate coefficients involving the lowest ten and nine rotational levels of HCN and CO, respectively, and the so-called "thermalized" rate coefficients over the rotational population of CO at each kinetic temperature. The derivation of these coefficients exploited the good performance of the statistical adiabatic channel model (SACM) on top of an accurate interaction potential computed at the CCSD(T)-F12b/CBS level of theory. The reliability …

Correlation Of Radon Gas Concentrations And Associated Radiological Risks In Soil Using Ssntds With Gis And Spss At Najaf Governorate, Iraq, Rafal Mohamed Abdulsada, Lubna A. Alasadi

Al-Bahir

All human beings are affected by soil directly or indirectly. This study focuses on the effect of radon gas and related radiological risks using SSNTDs, specifically CR-39 detectors, in eighty secondary schools in Najaf and Kufa cities, Najaf Governorate, Iraq. As we recognize the importance of soil and its strong connection to humans, the study focused on areas where public and private schools were built, where students are present, and the potential for radiation risks to affect students' health. The results show that the average concentrations of C, C_Rn were 64.329±59.149 Bq / m³ and 3150.699±2897.036 Bq / …

Nuclear Structure Of Neutron-Deficient Cesium-126 And Cesium-127, Connor M. Gautam

Theses and Dissertations

Lifetimes of seven excited states of ¹²⁷Cs, including the states populating the isomer, were measured through a combination of spectroscopic methods. The spin and parity of the states leading up to the 171-μs isomeric level of ¹²⁶Cs were assigned for the first time, new values were measured for the lifetimes of the two isomeric states, and new evidence was presented for the assignment of a detached sequence of gamma rays to the ¹²⁶Cs nucleus.

How The Inter-Nucleon Force Shapes Emergent Collectivity And Imparts Uncertainties In Ab Initio Nuclear Observables, Kevin Becker

LSU Doctoral Dissertations

The importance of collective motion in atomic nuclei has been well-established for many decades. Even before the advent of the nuclear shell model and its much-needed answers to surprising empirical phenomena, collectivity and surface deformation have played a vital role in broadening our knowledge. Reconciling the collective and single-particle camps into a unified description required tremendous strides in the application of group theory and advances in high-performance supercomputing, and thanks to these efforts the symmetry-adapted no-core shell model, or SA-NCSM, has developed into a reliable model for the study of deformed light and medium-mass nuclei. State-of-the-art calculations reveal remarkably simple …

Spin State Of Positronium In Two Dimensions, Emille Bryant

Theses and Dissertations

We investigate the spin state of the electron-positron system positronium to determine experimental criteria that can identify a positronium anyon. Anyons have been posited to be the basis for a truly fault-tolerant quantum computer, but they have not been indisputably observed in experimental systems. Through the analysis of the fully relativistic symmetry group of fermions and bosons in three dimensions, we investigate the symmetry of its subgroups to determine that positronium in two dimensions behaves as a scalar with respect to rotations. We conclude that positronium in two dimensions has an arbitrary relative spin orientation of annihilation photons and only …

Comparative Modeling Of Nuclear Energy Consumption In The United States And France: An Optimized Structure-Adaptive Grey Model, Alae Chahid '25, Naima Shifa

Student Research

This study investigates nuclear energy consumption trends in the United States, and France by applying advanced time-series modeling and computational optimization techniques. Using annual consumption data from 2005 to 2023, the research compares the predictive accuracy under data scarcity of the AutoRegressive Integrated Moving Average (ARIMA), Grey Model (1,1,t), Grey Model(1,1,t²), and an Optimized Structure-Adaptive Grey Model (OSGM). This OSGM (1,1,_) the traditional Grey Model (1,1) by introducing time-dependent terms and parameter tuning through particle swarm optimization and Monte Carlo simulations. Models are trained and tested using an in-sample and out-of-sample period framework. Then, forecast accuracies are compared using Mean …

The Effects Of I-127 On A High-Granularity Lii(Eu) Bonner Sphere Spectrometer Response Matrix, Adam Card, Andrew W. Decker

Student Publications

The measurement of neutron energy spectra using a Bonner Sphere Spectrometer (BSS) requires spectrum unfolding. One necessary component of spectrum unfolding is an accurate neutron response matrix, which describes the energy shift experienced by neutrons when passing through different moderation configurations prior to detection. Leveraging the recently-released ENDF/B-VIII.0 cross-section library, this work details the development of a new LiI(Eu) scintillator response matrix that features improved energy binning granularity as well as increased isotopic and statistical accuracy. Using MCNP6.2, detector responses were modeled at 105 discrete log-equi-spaced incident neutron energies from 1.000 × 10⁻⁹ to 2.512 × 10¹ MeV …

Enhancing The Design Of Strained Superlattice Gallium Arsenide Based Photocathodes With Distributed Bragg Reflector, Adam D. A. Masters

Electrical & Computer Engineering Theses & Dissertations

Particle accelerators play a crucial role in our understanding of matter and the universe and have numerous practical applications in various fields. These devices enable scientists to examine the smallest components of matter, study the forces that govern their interactions, and probe conditions from the early universe. Moreover, accelerators are valuable in medicine, industry, and research, enhancing imaging methods, cancer therapies, and manufacturing techniques. As the experiments conducted at these facilities evolve and require higher precision, improved particle sources must continue to advance to keep up with their requirements. To do that, we enhanced the design of spin polarized electron …

Facilitating The Clinical Translation Of Flash Radiotherapy Through Dosimetry Development And Beam Parameter Optimization, Kevin Liu

Dissertations and Theses (Open Access)

Advisory Professor: Emil Schüler, PhD

Radiation therapy (RT) is a crucial component of curative cancer therapy, with a majority of cancer patients in the United States receiving RT as part of treatment. The goal of RT is to maximize the therapeutic index in curing disease while minimizing any associated normal-tissue complications¹. Recently, ultra-high dose-rate (UHDR) RT (mean dose rates ≥40 Gy/s for a total duration of ≤200 ms) has been reported to selectively spare normal tissues and organs while maintaining an isoeffective tumoricidal effect compared to conventional (CONV) dose rate RT in a variety of in vivo preclinical …

Unfolding Particle Detector Effects And Solving Qcd Inverse Problem With Generative Ai, Tareq Saeed Alghamdi

Computer Science Theses & Dissertations

Advancements in artificial intelligence (AI) have revolutionized high-energy physics by enabling generative models to address key detector-related Challenges. This work explores the generative model to mitigate smearing, acceptance, and inefficiency in particle detectors, enhancing experimental precision.

We present a generative model-based framework to model and correct detector distortions. Using the Jefferson Lab CLAS g11 experiment as a case study, our approach successfully unfolds detector effects in multi-particle final states while preserving multidimensional correlations despite complex reaction mechanisms. A key focus is addressing the acceptance problem—accurately modeling detector acceptance without computationally expensive simulations. By training generative model-based framework on simulated detector …

Unraveling Nonperturbative Qcd With Transverse Momentum Hadronic Structures, Tommaso Rainaldi

Physics Theses & Dissertations

The main purpose of this thesis is to investigate the theoretical foundations of the factorization theorems that involve transverse quark and gluon momentum distributions, and to better understand the interface between foundational questions and phenomenological applications. Many of these applications involve using transverse parton momentum dependent (TMD) correlation functions as tools for probing the complex nonperturbative structures of the hadrons.

We first introduce the concepts of collinear and TMD factorization in a toy-model theory and, by leveraging the comparative simplicity of such a model, we test the range of validity and limitations of the factorization approach. At the same time, …

A Promising Statistical Approach For Studying The Collisional Excitation Induced By Co: Application To The Cs-Co System, Amélie Godard Palluet, Richard Dawes, Ernesto Quintas-Sánchez, Adrian Batista-Planas, François Lique

Chemistry Faculty Research & Creative Works

The calculations of rate coefficients for the interpretation of molecular spectra are a recognized computationally expensive task. This is particularly true for media like comets, where the dominant species (CO, CO₂, and H₂O) have relatively high masses. Currently, no clear methodology exists to treat the collisional excitation of heavy species at low temperatures, thus limiting the number of collisional studies on such species. We present here a promising statistical approach to determine collisional rate coefficients of heavy systems as an alternative to fully quantum calculations when heavy projectiles such as CO are considered. This is illustrated …

Constraining Nuclear Data Uncertainty Requirements For The 19F(A, N)22Na Reaction For Non-Proliferation Applications, Tyler R. M. Smith

Theses and Dissertations

This thesis explores the requirements on nuclear data uncertainties needed for the use of the ¹⁹F(α, n)²²Na reaction for nuclear non-proliferation applications. An overview of how neutrons are produced from alpha decays in a UF₆ medium is discussed. Calculation demonstrate the role nuclear data uncertainties effect the neutron yield and energy spectra as a function of enrichment.

Bismuth-207 For Purity Monitoring System For Lartpc: Dune And Proto-Dune, Rohit Raut

2025 Spring Honors Capstone Projects - Archive

The Deep Underground Neutrino Experiment (DUNE), the U.S. flagship neutrino experiment, relies on high purity liquid argon (LAr) for optimal detector performance. Ensuring and monitoring LAr purity is crucial, as electronegative impurities can degrade signal quality in detectors. As part of Proto-DUNE, a prototype detector at CERN for DUNE, this study explores the use of Bismuth-207 (Bi-207) as a novel tool for real-time LAr purity monitoring and calibration. Bi-207 emits monochromatic internal conversion electrons, allowing precise impurity assessment without interfering with standard detector operations. By simulating the behavior of radioactive Bi-207 and analyzing data from the Proto-DUNE Vertical Drift detector, …

Probing Freeze Out Sensitivity In Nuclear Collisions Using Exact Solutions Of Fluid Dynamics, Julia Johnson

Seaver College Research And Scholarly Achievement Symposium

One of the primary goals in the field of high-energy nuclear collisions is to create and study a novel phase of matter known as quark-gluon plasma (QGP), a substance which can be extremely well described by fluid dynamics. However, two different criteria are often used to identify the point of freeze out, which defines when the fluid dynamical simulation of a nuclear collision should be terminated: either when the QGP fluid has cooled below a given temperature, or when it has reached a certain Knudsen number (a quantity that estimates how well the system can be modeled by a fluid). …

19ne Excited States In Explosive Nucleosynthesis, Khang Pham

LSU Doctoral Dissertations

Classical novae and Type I X-ray bursts are stellar explosions that occur in binary systems, where nuclear reactions involving ¹⁹Ne play a crucial role in nucleosynthesis. In novae, the destruction of ¹⁸F via the ¹⁸F(p,alpha)¹⁵O reaction significantly affects the amount of ¹⁸F remaining in the ejecta, directly influencing the detectability of predicted 511-keV gamma rays. However, discrepancies between observed and predicted ¹⁸F abundances highlight uncertainties in the reaction rates, primarily due to unknown properties of resonances in the compound nucleus ¹⁹Ne. In Type I X-ray bursts, the ¹⁵O(alpha,gamma)¹⁹Ne reaction …

The Effects Of Snow Cover On The Dynamic Pressure Of Nuclear Detonation Blast Waves, Adam Card, Andrew W. Decker

Faculty Publications

Blast pressure is the primary military targeting metric for nuclear weapons. Any local conditions that affect blast pressure have the potential for altering nuclear plans, both from defensive and offensive standpoints. Understanding the impact of snow to the blast wave, therefore, provides a benefit both to military planners and to warfighters on the ground, for any operation occurring in arctic environments. No existing data provides a quantitative description of how snow on the ground affects a nuclear detonation blast wave passing over it. Similar blast waves passing over dust have experimentally proven to enhance blast pressure in a localized region.1 …

Measuring Cosmic Rays With Muon Detectors (Quarknet), Aiden Burton, Jack W. Maseberg

SACAD: Scholarly Activities

We report measurement of atmospheric muon particles originating from cosmic rays. Using four QuarkNet project scintillators in an unstacked geometry, we are counting muons in coincidence with each other. We are currently refurbishing a second detector apparatus and will soon be capable of measuring coincidence events for larger shower surface areas using a total of eight scintillators.

Investigation Of Neutron Inelastic Scatter Cross Sections On 16O, Molly A. Wakeling

Theses and Dissertations

Nuclear data underpin a number of applications across nuclear reactor design, medicine, astrophysics, nonproliferation, national security, and other related fields. However, data are conflicting or missing across the spectrum of isotopes and reactions, and theoretical calculations can only go so far to predict nuclear properties. A key reaction with incomplete data is neutron inelastic scatter on ¹⁶O, which reduces neutron energies and produces high-energy gamma rays that are often not taken into account in simulations of nuclear reactors, nuclear weapon detonations, nuclear fusion, and other areas. To fill these gaps, the Gamma-Energy Neutron-Energy Spectrometer for Inelastic Scattering, or GENESIS, …

Studying The Low-Lying Structure Of 9b Via The 10b(3he,A)9b Reaction, Rachel M. Shaffer

LSU Doctoral Dissertations

The unstable nature of ⁹B makes it a challenging isotope to study. The first-excited state of ⁹B has been particularly difficult to characterize. Since the first experimental observation of this state in 1955, many experimental and theoretical nuclear structure studies have sought to classify it, but with large discrepancies in the energy and width values from these results, the properties of the state remain inconclusive.

An experiment using the ¹⁰B(³He,α)⁹B reaction was performed at the John D. Fox Superconducting Linear Accelerator Laboratory at Florida State University in an effort to populate and characterize …

An Evaluation On The Uncertainty For The Routine Of Dosimetry Calibration At The National Secondary Standard Dosimetry Laboratory, Albania, Klotilda Nikaj

International Journal of Nuclear Security

Every employer must, in relation to any work with ionizing radiation that they undertake, take all necessary steps to restrict so far as is reasonably practicable the extent to which their employees and other persons are exposed to ionizing radiation. This goal leads to an increased awareness about the proper maintenance and annual calibration of the personal dosimeters to ensure an accurate and precise radiation dose. The present work has described the performance of the radiation system of the ¹³⁷Cs source at the National Secondary Standard Dosimetry Laboratory (SSDL), located at the Institute of Applied Nuclear Physics at the …

Plasma And Magnetic Coil Optimization, William Lee Austin, Lachlan Dean

Undergraduate Theses, Professional Papers, and Capstone Artifacts

Lachlan Dean Coil Optimization for a High-Beta Stellarator-Tokamak Hybrid Magnetic coil configurations are developed for a tokamak-stellarator hybrid that is stable to both pressure- and current-driven modes for high values of beta. Previous work on this configuration [A. S. Ware, et al., Phys. Rev. Lett, 89, 125003 (2002)] was carried out using a fixed-boundary equilibrium (i.e., with no set of external coils) and prior attempts to develop an initial coil set using the COILOPT code were not successful. In this work, the recently developed SIMSOPT code [M. Landreman, et. al., J. Open Source Software 6, 3525 (2021)] is used to …

Fortifying Nuclear Security: Cultivating Vigilance Culture Among Personnel For Enhanced Prevention And Response, Sabariah Kader Ibrahim, Sonia Naz

International Journal of Nuclear Security

A vigorous nuclear security culture is crucial in preventing the theft and sabotage of nuclear material. It requires vigilance from all employees because relying solely on closed-circuit television systems and security personnel is insufficient to deter potential threats. Employee attentiveness plays a vital role in recognizing and preventing suspicious activities. However, achieving a strong security culture is challenging because of the lack of incidents in some facilities, leading to employee complacency.

This paper highlights the pivotal role of personnel in the success of nuclear security measures, emphasizing the need for a proactive and vigilant mindset among staff. Through the analysis …

The Requirements Of A Nuclear Propulsion System For The Human Exploration Of Mars, Scotia Rollins

Pitzer Senior Theses

This thesis investigates the propulsion requirements for a crewed mission to Mars, focusing on how mission architecture, particularly the choice between opposition- and conjunction-class trajectories, influences the selection between nuclear thermal propulsion (NTP) and nuclear electric propulsion (NEP). By applying the Tsiolkovsky rocket equation, the Delta-V (∆V) needed for efficient interplanetary transfers is shown to exceed the performance limits of chemical propulsion, motivating the need for nuclear alternatives. An engineering comparison of NTP and NEP systems evaluates key parameters including specific impulse, thrust, propellant mass fraction, system mass, and power-to-mass ratios. NTP provides high thrust but moderate efficiency, making it …

Three-Dimensional Spreading Of Magnetic Reconnection Between Non-Parallel Flux Ropes With A Guide Field, Regis John

Graduate Theses, Dissertations, and Problem Reports (ETD)

Magnetic reconnection is a fundamental plasma process that facilitates the rapid conversion of magnetic energy into particle acceleration, plasma flows, and heating. It plays a central role in explosive astrophysical events such as solar flares, where vast amounts of magnetic energy are released on short time scales. A key structure in many reconnection sites is the magnetic flux rope, a column of plasma carrying current threaded by helical magnetic fields, which is frequently involved in or generated by reconnection. Understanding how reconnection unfolds in such flux rope systems is critical for interpreting both space weather phenomena and laboratory plasma dynamics. …

Nonlocal Nucleon Matrix Elements In The Rest Frame, Joe Karpie, Christopher Monahan, Anatoly Radyushkin

Physics Faculty Publications

Extracting parton structure from lattice quantum chromodynamics (QCD) calculations requires studying the coordinate scale 𝑧3 dependence of the matrix elements of bilocal operators. The most significant contribution comes from the 𝑧3 dependence induced by ultraviolet (UV) renormalization of the Wilson line. We demonstrate that the next-to-leading order perturbative calculations of the renormalization factor can describe, to a few percent accuracy, the logarithm of the lattice QCD rest frame matrix elements with separations up to distances of 0.6 fm on multiple lattice spacings. The residual discrepancies can be modeled by a leading effect from the structure of the nucleon.

Static And Dynamic Properties Of Atomic Nuclei With High-Resolution Potentials, Alex Gnech, Alessandro Lovato, Noemi Rocco

Physics Faculty Publications

We compute ground-state and dynamical properties of 4He and 16O nuclei using as input high-resolution, phenomenological nucleon-nucleon and three-nucleon forces that are local in coordinate space. The nuclear Schrödinger equation for both nuclei is accurately solved employing the auxiliary-field diffusion Monte Carlo approach. For the 4He nucleus, detailed benchmarks are carried out with the hyperspherical harmonics method. In addition to presenting results for the binding energies and radii, we also analyze the momentum distributions of these nuclei and their Euclidean response function corresponding to the isoscalar density transition. The latter quantity is particularly relevant for lepton-nucleus scattering experiments, as it …