Gamma Ray-Induced Embritilement of Pressure Vessel Alloys

1994 ◽  
Vol 373 ◽  
Author(s):  
Dale E. Alexander ◽  
K. Farrell ◽  
R. E. Stoller ◽  
L. E. Rehn

AbstractHigh-energy gamma rays emitted from the core of a nuclear reactor produce displacement damage in the reactor pressure vessel (RPV). The contribution of gamma damage to RPV embrittlement has in the past been discounted. However, in certain reactor designs the gamma flux at the RPV is sufficiently large that its contribution to displacement damage can be substantial. For example, gamma rays have been implicated in the RPV embrittlement observed in the High Flux Isotope Reactor (HFIR) at Oak Ridge National Laboratory.In the present study, mechanical property changes induced by 10-MeV electron irradiation of a model Fe alloy and an RPV alloy of interest to the HFIR were examined. Tensile specimens were irradiated with high-energy electrons to reproduce damage characteristic of the Compton recoil-electrons induced by gamma bombardment. Substantial increases in yield and ultimate stress were observed in the alloys after irradiation to doses up to 5.3x10−3 dpa at temperatures (~50°C) characteristic of the HFIR pressure vessel. These measured increases were similar to those previously obtained following neutron irradiation, despite the highly disparate nature of the damage generated during electron and neutron irradiations.

2020 ◽  
Vol 492 (4) ◽  
pp. 5980-5986
Author(s):  
M Araya

ABSTRACT G279.0+1.1 is a supernova remnant (SNR) with poorly known parameters, first detected as a dim radio source and classified as an evolved system. An analysis of data from the Fermi-Large Area Telescope (LAT) revealing for the first time an extended source of gamma-rays in the region is presented. The diameter of the GeV region found is ${\sim} 2{^{\circ}_{.}}8$, larger than the latest estimate of the SNR size from radio data. The gamma-ray emission covers most of the known shell and extends further to the north and east of the bulk of the radio emission. The photon spectrum in the 0.5–500 GeV range can be described by a simple power law, $\frac{\mathrm{ d}N}{\mathrm{ d}E} \propto E^{-\Gamma }$, with a spectral index of Γ = 1.86 ± 0.03stat ± 0.06sys. In the leptonic scenario, a steep particle spectrum is required and a distance lower than the previously estimated value of 3 kpc is favoured. The possibility that the high-energy emission results from electrons that already escaped the SNR is also investigated. A hadronic scenario for the gamma-rays yields a particle spectral index of ∼2.0 and no significant constraints on the distance. The production of gamma-rays in old SNRs is discussed. More observations of this source are encouraged to probe the true extent of the shell and its age.


1998 ◽  
Vol 188 ◽  
pp. 125-128
Author(s):  
T. Kifune

The current status of very high energy gamma ray astronomy (in ~ 1 TeV region) is described by using as example results of CANGAROO (Collaboration of Australia and Nippon for a GAmma Ray Observatory in the Outback). Gamma rays at TeV energies, emitted through inverse Compton effect of electrons or π0 decay from proton interaction, provide direct evidence on “hot” non-thermal processes of the Universe, as well as environmental features, such as the strength of magnetic field in the emission region, for the non-thermal processes.


1986 ◽  
Vol 89 ◽  
pp. 305-321
Author(s):  
Richard I. Epstein

AbstractThe power per logarithmic bandwidth in gamma-ray burst spectra generally increases rapidly with energy through the x-ray range and does not cut off sharply above a few MeV. This spectral form indicates that a very small fraction of the energy from a gamma-ray burst source is emitted at low energies or is reprocessed into x-rays and that the high-energy gamma rays are not destroyed by photon-photon interactions. The implications are that the emission mechanism for the gamma-ray bursts is not synchrotron radiation from electrons that lose most of their energy before being re-accelerated and that either the regions from which the gamma rays are emitted are large compared to the size of a neutron star or the emission is collimated and beamed away from the stellar surface.


1994 ◽  
Vol 142 ◽  
pp. 877-881
Author(s):  
David Eichler

AbstractMany proficient gamma-ray sources show energy spectra that are consistent with E−2 primary spectra. Such sources include recently identified gamma-ray quasars and some gamma-ray bursts. Assuming thick target conversion, this is consistent with shock acceleration, and the dominance of the gamma rays of the luminosity is also consistent with previous predictions of high production efficiency of fresh cosmic rays in shocks. The spectral cutoffs in the gamma rays may offer clues as to whether the high-energy particles are electrons or protons. Resolution of this matter might have implications for the nature of the sources and for theory of shock accelerated electrons.Subject headings: acceleration of particles — gamma rays: bursts — shock waves


1982 ◽  
Vol 83 (1-2) ◽  
pp. 279-286 ◽  
Author(s):  
R. W. Clay ◽  
P. R. Gerhardy ◽  
A. G. Gregory

2014 ◽  
Vol 10 (S313) ◽  
pp. 27-32
Author(s):  
Elina Lindfors

AbstractThe detection of Flat Spectrum Radio Quasars (FSRQs) in the Very High Energy (VHE, E>100 GeV) range is challenging, mainly because of their steep soft spectra and distance. Nevertheless four FSRQs are now known to be VHE emitters. The detection of the VHE γ-rays has challenged the emission models of these sources. The sources are also found to exhibit very different behavior. I will give an overview of what is known about the VHE emission of these sources and about the multiwavelength signatures that are connected to the VHE gamma-ray emission.


1996 ◽  
Vol 168 ◽  
pp. 279-288
Author(s):  
P. Sreekumar ◽  
D.A. Kniffen

The all-sky survey in high energy gamma rays (E>30 MeV) carried out by the Energetic Gamma Ray Experiment Telescope (EGRET) aboard the Compton Gamma Ray Observatory provides for the first time an opportunity to examine in detail diffuse gamma-ray emission of extra-galactic origin. The observed diffuse emission at high galactic latitudes is generally assumed to have a galactic component arising from cosmic-ray interactions with the local interstellar gas and radiation, in addition to an isotropic component presumably of extragalactic origin. The galactic component can be estimated from a model of the interstellar medium and cosmic-ray distribution. Since the derived extragalactic spectrum depends very much on the success of our galactic model, the consistency of the galactic diffuse emission model is examined both spectrally and spatially with existing EGRET observations. In conjunction with this model, EGRET observations of the high latitude emission are used to examine the flux and spectrum of the residual extragalactic emission. This residual emission could be either truly diffuse in origin or could arise from accumulated emission from unresolved sources particularly in the light of EGRET observations showing the presence of numerous gamma-ray bright active galactic nuclei.


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