PAA Meetings
5/1/2013
Location: IAC conference room , 3pm
- Agenda
- Group Mission
- Charter
5/8/2013
- Agenda
- Current Project Summary
- Potential Proposals
- Improving PAA at the IAC
- ice core analysis (look for volcanic ash)
- coffee sample analysis
Current Projects
1.) Silver coin project.
Preliminary data exist (three coins irradiated on April 23rd, counted on April 24th, but pretty much the only thing I can see are silver and gold lines), but more analysis is needed. Also, attached is a paper on NAA on silver coins. Eric Ivie is the contact for Deep Blue Marine.
2.) IGEM PAA on gold-bearing ores project.
Proposal is submitted and pending. We should hear about it next week. Maybe Jon Stoner can give more info on it. Student: Sultan
3.)Fossils project.
Fossils obtained from SDSM&T were irradiated and counted in February. Spectra are analyzed, and there is a match between a fossil and a corresponding matrix. Report is written. No proposal, however I think we should proceed with it and contact Darrin Cognac, who provided samples. Doug is interested in this too.
Potential Proposals
1.) Silver Coin Proposal is written, almost finished, but no budget yet.
2.) A proposal to analyze fossils provided by Darrin Cognac at S. Dakota School of Mines and Technology(http://www.sdsmt.edu). Preliminary results have shown promise (see above) in using PAA to associate a fossil with a matrix. Doug is interested in this too.
3.)http://www.nsf.gov/funding/pgm_summ.jsp?pims_id=6186
"2) Development of New Instrumentation, Analytical Techniques or Software that will extend current research and research training capabilities in the Earth sciences. The maximum request is $1,000,000;"
5/15/2013
4pm IAC conference room
- Agenda
- Software
- Improving PAA at the IAC (coincidence counting)
- Proposal writing
- ice core analysis (look for volcanic ash)
- coffee sample analysis
1.) Will write proposal for Deep Blue Marine
2.) Fossil proposal is in search of an RFP, work with Doug and company. Phil may be interested in working on it.
3.)NSF-MRI in
5/29/2013
4pm IAC conference room
- Agenda
- Status of coincidence counting apparatus
- Proposals
- ISO-17025 Accreditation (International Organization for Standardization)
- Run Plan for Gold activation experiment
Status of Coincidence Counting
- Two HpGe are working
- A third HpGe detector needs software to drive the HV. Will test it Monday. If it works we will need a Dewar plug
- 180-2 is an HpGe detector needed neg HV and producing negative output pulses, output 2 has a < 10 usec output while output 1 has a > 10 usec outpu
- 180-3 is takes positive HV and outputs positive pulses, both of its output appear to be the same > 10 usec pulse
- CFDs are in place for both detectors (a third CFD channel is available in case a third HpGe detector comes online).
- A coincidence circuit is available in case we want to have a coincidence trigger
- The smallest capacitor Dewar is refilled every other day(if running on the weekend someone will need to come in on Sunday)
- Next Steps
- invert pulses so they are Negative and measureable by the CAEN V792 ADC
- install level translator to translate CFD pulses to ECL pulses that will go to TDC
- install DAQ1 at the IAC (perhaps near the end of next week)
- begin commissioning of DAQ (energy calibration, efficiency, acceptance, deadtime,...)
- install NaI detector (need -HV PS and another CFD channel)
6/12/2013
- Agenda
- Status of coincidence counting apparatus
- New collaborator (Brian Fairchild)
- Proposals
- Gold mining PAA
Status of Coincidence Counting
- Three HpGe are working (need to measure a source to determine energy resolution)
- DAQ computer is set up
- coincidences were observed using irradiated Gold-sand samples (1 -> 100 Hz)
- Next steps
- setup gates for ADC integration of Detector pulse
- CFDs used for TDC, leading edge for ADC
- The CFD logic pulse is 3 microseconds after leading edge pulse
- Clear TDC after ADC based logic says there is a signal
Gold Activation
Used Jack on June4-5 to irradiate 5 crucibles containing sand and 50 micrograms of gold One blank, 4 had gold
Used same irradiation time (30 minutes)
Used pickup loop to measure peak current
A magnet Dipole was used to measure energy FWHM > 1 MeV.
50 micrograms of gold irradiated for 30 minutes at 40 MeV had a coincidence count rate of about 1 Hz.
6/26/2013
- Agenda
- Status of coincidence counting apparatus (PAA_CoincidenceCounting )
- Proposals
8/28/2013
- Agenda
- Coincidence PAA results using a Ba-133 source R5718-5716_Ba133Analysis
- Short report on a parasitic activation of BaO, Gold, and Yttrium PAA_8-22-13
- Potential proposals:
- A proposal to measure Reference Materials for a distributor
- A proposal to measure nanomaterials for a researcher
10/11/13
Doug Wells speaks on collaborative opportunities for the Collaboration.
John Keller at S. Dakota School mines, may be able to use PAA to test authenticity of parts; for example circuit board authenticity for DoD
File:DFBA W911NF-13-R-0006.pdf
Bill Roggenthen , S. Dakota engineer may have contacts with N. Dakota petroleum industry
Andy detwiller.
EPA & DoD may fund some of these projects.