X-RAYS HELP THE NEXT-GENERATION NEUTRON SOURCE FOR EUROPE

A collaboration of European Laboratories worked out a study for a 'Nex t-Generation Neutron Source for Europe' for basic research work on con densed matter. Part of this new neutron source is a spallation target from mercury to convert the energy of an accelerated proton beam into the release of neutrons due to the physical effect of spallation. The pulsed proton beam hits this target and transfers energy to the mercur y, yielding strong thermal shock waves. To reduce the damaging effects caused by these shock waves it is intended to generate helium gas bub bles in the mercury. For the experimental investigation of the forming process and the behaviour of gas bubbles in mercury, the method of X- ray real-time radioscopy, in combination with an image processing syst em, has been used for the first time. Some better understanding of the phenomena of gas dispersion from single holes and sintered metals in mercury has been gained.