S. Nakamura, A. Kimura, M. Ohta, T. Fujii, S. Fukutani, K. Furutaka,

S. Goko, H. Harada, K. Hirose, J. Hori, M. Igashira, T. Kamiyama,

T. Katabuchi, T. Kin, K. Kino, F. Kitatani, Y. Kiyanagi, M. Koizumi, M. Mizumoto, M. Oshima, K. Takamiya, Y. Toh, and H. Yamana

Abstract To evaluate the feasibility of development of nuclear transmutation technology and an advanced nuclear system, precise nuclear data of neutron capture cross sections for long-lived fission products (LLFPs) and minor actinides (MAs) are indispensable. In this chapter, we present our research activities for the mea­surements of neutron capture cross sections for LLFPs and MAs.

Keywords Activation method • ANNRI • J-PARC • Long-lived fission products • Minor actinides • Neutron capture cross section • Time-of-flight method

S. Nakamura (*) • A. Kimura • M. Ohta • K. Furutaka • S. Goko • H. Harada • K. Hirose

T. Kin • F. Kitatani • M. Koizumi • Y. Toh

Japan Atomic Energy Agency, 2-4 Shirane, Shirakata, Tokai-mura, Naka-gun,

Ibaraki 319-1195, Japan e-mail: nakamura. shoji@jaea. go. jp

T. Fujii • S. Fukutani • J. Hori • K. Takamiya • H. Yamana

Research Reactor Institute, Kyoto University, 2-1010 Asashiro Nishi, Kumatori-cho, Sennan-gun, Osaka 590-0494, Japan

M. Igashira • T. Katabuchi • M. Mizumoto

Research Laboratory for Nuclear Reactors, Tokyo Institute of Technology, O-okayama, Meguro, Tokyo 152-8550, Japan

T. Kamiyama • K. Kino

Faculty of Engineering, Hokkaido University, Kita 13, Nishi 8, Kita-ku,

Sapporo 060-8628, Japan

Y. Kiyanagi

Faculty of Engineering, Hokkaido University, Kita 13, Nishi 8, Kita-ku,

Sapporo 060-8628, Japan

Nagoya University, Furo-cho, Chikusa-ku, Nagoya 464-8601, Japan M. Oshima

Japan Atomic Energy Agency, 2-4 Shirane, Shirakata, Tokai-mura, Naka-gun,

Ibaraki 319-1195, Japan

Japan Chemical Analysis Center, 295-3 Sannou-cho, Inage-ku, Chiba-city,

Chiba 263-0002, Japan © The Author(s) 2015

K. Nakajima (ed.), Nuclear Back-end and Transmutation Technology for Waste Disposal, DOI 10.1007/978-4-431-55111-9_5

5.1 Introduction

Associated with the social acceptability of nuclear power reactors, it is desirable to solve the problems of nuclear waste management of the long-lived fission products (LLFPs) and minor actinides (MAs) existing in spent nuclear fuels. A method of nuclear transmutation seems to be one of the solutions to reduce the radiotoxicity of nuclear wastes. The transmutation method makes it possible to reduce both the size of a repository for packages of nuclear wastes and the storage risks for the long term. To evaluate the feasibility of development of the nuclear transmutation method, precise nuclear data of neutron capture cross sections for LLFPs and MAs are indispensable.

This chapter presents joint research activities by JAEA and universities for measurements of the neutron capture cross sections for LLFPs and MAs by activation and neutron time-of-flight (TOF) methods.