The PAUL project has made significant progress toward planning and designing an underground laboratory to be constructed during the upgrade of the Huguenot Road Tunnel near Paarl in the Western Cape, South Africa. Measurements of muon-flux suppression in the tunnel—critical to demonstrating reduced cosmic-ray backgrounds—will be presented in a separate contribution to this conference. Here, we...
Uranium deposits in Tanzania, particularly at Mkuju, Bahi, and Manyoni, have attracted increasing attention due to their economic potential and environmental implications. Over the past two decades, numerous studies have investigated activity concentrations of naturally occurring radionuclides, including uranium-238, thorium-232, and potassium-40, as well as associated radiological hazards....
The Portable African Neutron-Gamma Laboratory for Innovative Nuclear Science (PANGoLINS) [1] project aims to investigate measurements of both gamma rays and neutrons which forms an important component part on site or in transit and the detection of both fissile material for the use in decarbonised energy sources or disposal thereof. A core component of the project is to miniaturize the weight...
This work investigates the development of a two-stage Compton camera for environmental radiation monitoring, with a focus on energy resolution, detection efficiency, fast timing, and optimal geometrical configuration. While significant advances have been made in radiation imaging technologies, challenges remain in achieving high sensitivity and accurate source localisation in complex...
The rate of poaching of rhinos in South Africa shows little sign of slowing. The numbers are down but there are less animals to be poached. South Africa is custodian of the majority of the world's black and white rhino populations. The conventional methods of anti poaching are proving barely adequate whilst at the same time risking the lives of antipoaching patrols. The Rhisotope Project...
Advanced Nuclear Science and Technology Techniques (ANSTT6) Workshop
18–22 May 2026 — iThemba LABS, Cape Town
Computer-Aided Diagnosis of Breast Cancer via Mammography
Andrew Lucio Mbewe and Dr. Maluba Vernon Chisapi
University of Zambia, School of Natural and Applied Sciences, Lusaka, Zambia
Abstract
Zambia faces a critical shortage of radiologists and...
Background: Radiotherapy is an essential part of the management of left-sided breast cancer, and this requires an optimal balance in target volume coverage and organs at risk, such as the ipsilateral lung and the heart. Advanced techniques such as tangential-intensity modulated radiotherapy (t-IMRT) and volumetric modulated arc therapy (VMAT) are commonly used. However, the dosimetric...
The increasing risk of illicit trafficking and misuse of nuclear and radioactive materials has highlighted the importance of nuclear forensics in supporting radiological crime scene investigations and nuclear security. This study focuses on the categorization and characterization of uranium-bearing materials to support nuclear forensic attribution and investigative processes. Uranium materials...
Environmental measurement is essential for evaluating environmental quality, detecting contamination, and protecting human health. Increasing industrial, agricultural, and urban activities have led to the release of chemical and radiological pollutants into environmental systems. Accurate measurement of these parameters is therefore critical for monitoring environmental media such as air,...
Radon (Rn-222) is a radioactive gas that originates from uranium (U-238) and is ranked as a major source of natural ionising radiation and identified among the leading causes of lung cancer. It is therefore essential for its occurrence and concentration levels present in the environment to be well understood, quantified and assessed. This study characterised indoor radon levels regionally in...
Monitoring natural radionuclides in the environment is important for establishing baseline radioactivity levels that support the evaluation of public exposure. The study presents baseline environmental radioactivity levels measured in collected soil, external gamma, water and indoor radon samples to assess resultant public doses through external, inhalation and ingestion exposure pathways....
The long-term management of contaminated forest landscapes depends not only on declining environmental inventories of radiocesium (137Cs), but also on how this radionuclide is retained within commercially important tree species. Japanese cedar (Cryptomeria japonica), which underpins much of Japan’s plantation forestry, exhibits an unusual internal distribution of 137Cs within wood (stem),...
The extraction and transport of natural gas leads to the accumulation of black powder, a hazardous byproduct composed of corrosion species, microorganisms and Naturally Occurring Radioactive Materials (NORM) within gas pipelines. These NORM contaminants tend to concentrate within dust filters and during periodic 'pigging' operations, posing a potential radiological threat to workers and the...
The emission of high-energy bremsstrahlung photons beyond the expected critical energy during electron cyclotron resonance (ECR) heating has attracted significant attention, and its underlying mechanism remains not fully understood. In this study, we measured the azimuthal angular distribution of bremsstrahlung photons produced in a 28 GHz ECR ion source at the Busan Center of the Korea Basic...
A brief overview will be given of ongoing research directions at Laboratoire de Physique Corpusculaire de Caen related to environmental radiation measurements and the development of innovative portable low-cost detector systems for environmental monitoring applications. Possible avenues for future collaboration between the South African and French teams in this field will also be discussed.
Across the nuclear chart, many interesting and diverse phenomena arise through the interplay of single-particle motion, nucleon pairing and collectivity. One such phenomenon, known as shape coexistence, is defined as the presence of distinct nuclear shapes within the same nucleus and at similar energy [1]. Significant theoretical and experimental effort is taking place to explore this...
Electric monopole (E0) transition studies focus on nuclear transitions between states of the same spin and parity (typically $0^{+}\rightarrow 0^{+}$), which are critical for probing nuclear structure, shape coexistence, and deformation. The E0 strengths ($\rho ^{2}(E0)$) are key parameters to understanding nuclear shape mixing and isomerism in various nuclei, including light, odd-A, and...
We present here a a comprehensive and systematic study of nuclear γ-ray production cross-sections induced by proton reactions on a series of key nuclei, specifically 24,25,26Mg, 28,29,30Si, 40Ca, and 56Fe [1,2]. These investigations are conducted within the framework of an Algeria-France-South Africa collaboration at the iThemba LABS facility, utilizing the high-resolution AFRODITE gamma-ray...
This work presents a detailed investigation of high-spin states in $^{182}$W, populated through a deep-inelastic reaction using an 840 MeV $^{136}$Xe beam on a thick $^{186}$W target and studied using coincidence $\gamma$-ray spectroscopy. Out-of-beam data were used to extend the known level scheme, confirming the $K^{\pi}$ = 16$^{+}$ rotational band up to the 19$^{+}$ state and identifying...
The Isoscalar Giant Monopole Resonance (ISGMR), often referred to as the nuclear "breathing mode," provides essential constraints on the incompressibility of nuclear matter and therefore on the nuclear equation of state. In this contribution, recent investigations of the ISGMR strength distribution and its fine structure obtained through high-resolution inelastic scattering measurements will...
It has been established that inelastic alpha scattering at a few hundreds MeV, particularly at very forward scattering angles including 0◦, is effective for probing the Isoscalar Giant Monopole Resonance (ISGMR) strength distribution (E0) in atomic nuclei. Two previous studies on the evolution of the ISGMR in the even-even 40,42,44,48Ca isotopes were conducted at two different facilities: the...
The NUMEN (NUclear Matrix Elements for Neutrinoless double-beta decay) project aims to obtain the nuclear matrix elements (NME) to be used as inputs in models to determine the lifetime of neutrinoless double-beta ($0\nu\beta\beta$) decay, which is related to the absolute mass of the neutrino [1]. This will be achieved by conducting heavy-ion double charge-exchange (DCE) reactions and measuring...
The search for neutrinoless double beta (0νββ) decay provides a unique probe of the Majorana nature of neutrinos, i.e whether neutrinos are their own antiparticles. The observation of this process would imply the violation of lepton number conservation and signal new physics, beyond the Standard Model. However, the interpretation of 0νββ experimental searches relies critically on nuclear...
Coincidence counting techniques are widely used to determine correlated γ-ray emissions from nuclear decays. Measured singles and coincidence rates share common factors - i.e. absolute efficiency - that can be divided out in analysis. However, standard formulations often assume perfect isotropic correlation between emitted quanta, neglecting possible decay chain losses, and ignore angular...
This presentation highlights the origin of cosmic radiation, their interactions in the earth’s atmosphere, their measurements and their applications. The work by Theodore Wulf and Victor Hess showed increased rates ionization with height above the ground. This observation led to the conclusion that the source of ionization is not from the earth but from space. That marked the discovery of...
The Extreme Energy Events (EEE) Project is an innovative cosmic-ray experiment that combines frontier astroparticle physics with a large-scale educational mission. EEE is built around a network of muon telescopes based on Multigap Resistive Plate Chambers, distributed across Italy and hosted primarily in high schools. One of the defining features of the experiment is the direct involvement of...
The primary cosmic ray particles constitute 85% protons, 12% helium, 3% iron, and heavier elements. They interact with the Earth's atmosphere, producing secondary particles known as Extensive Air Showers (EAS). Among the particles produced in EAS are pions and kaons, which subsequently decay into muons. Cosmic ray muons form the main part of cosmic ray particles that reach on the earth's...
Cosmic radiation, composed of Galactic Cosmic Rays (GCRs), Solar Energetic Particles (SEPs), and their associated secondary particles, represents a recognized radiation risk to space missions, satellites, and air travel. To improve risk assessment models in these contexts, it is essential to measure the various components of the radiation environment at the specific location of interest,...
Research reactors play a pivotal role in transforming fundamental nuclear particles into powerful tools for scientific discovery and societal advancement. Unlike power reactors, these facilities are specifically designed to produce high fluxes of neutrons that can be harnessed for a wide range of applications. This paper explores the journey “from neutrons to knowledge,” highlighting how...
Accurate determination of uranium concentration in uranium ore concentrates is essential for nuclear safeguards, material accountability, and nuclear forensic investigations. Reliable analytical techniques supported by certified reference materials are therefore required to ensure measurement accuracy and traceability. Inductively Coupled Plasma Mass Spectrometry (ICP-MS) is widely used for...
This study evaluates the radiological health implications of human exposure to background ionising radiation (BIR) at the mining site, with particular emphasis on the Annual Effective Dose Equivalent (AEDE) and Excess Lifetime Cancer Risk (ELCR). Soil samples were collected from four distinct zones; dumps, farmland, surface soil and the processing site, and analyzed using a gamma-ray...
Abstract
Radiation therapy using Iodine-131 (I-131) is a widely employed treatment for thyroid disorders; however, it poses potential radiation exposure risks to patient caregivers due to gamma emissions from treated patients. This study estimates the radiation doses received by family members of patients undergoing I-131 therapy in Tanzania, where cultural practices and living conditions...
This study evaluated organ-specific annual effective doses and excess lifetime cancer risk (ELCR) from radon exposure through 20 groundwater samples in a selected population. The experiment was analysised using Liquid Scintillation Counter (LSC). Radon concentrations ranged from 10.6 to 43.1 Bq/L, with over 90% of samples exceeding the U.S. EPA limit of 11.1 Bq/L, though remaining below the...
Accurate occupational dose estimation is essential for optimizing radiation safety and ensuring compliance with regulatory guidelines. The spatial distribution of scatter radiation in the radiography room was characterized using Monte Carlo simulations based on Geant4. A diagnostic X-ray system was accurately modeled and validated using experimental measurements to evaluate the magnitude and...
This study presents the GATE-based Monte Carlo model and performance evaluation of a non-time-of-flight, collimator-free tomographic medical imaging system based on non-collinear cascade gamma-ray Coincidence (CGC) imaging. A CGC imaging model was developed to reconstruct three-dimensional decay vertices from valid coincidence events. A custom geometric back-projection reconstruction algorithm...
Introduction:
I-125 seeds are often used in temporary or permanent radiotherapy implants. The American Association of Physicists in Medicine (AAPM) formed Task Group (TG) 43 to propose a dosimetry protocol for such cylindrically symmetric seeds. The protocol calculates the dose rate at a particular point by taking into account the air kerma strength, dose rate constant, geometry function,...
The low-energy nuclear astrophysics beamline at the iThemba LABS 3-MV Tandetron facility enables the study of radiative capture reactions using proton and alpha beams. The setup can presently be instrumented with either up to twelve 3″×3″ LaBr₃:Ce detectors or six HPGe detectors (with associated BGO Compton-suppression shields), or with a combination of both detector types. To date, proton...
