BEGIN:VCALENDAR VERSION:2.0 PRODID:-//CERN//INDICO//EN BEGIN:VEVENT SUMMARY:Recent Research Activities and Perspectives for Collaboration DTSTART;VALUE=DATE-TIME:20260519T104000Z DTEND;VALUE=DATE-TIME:20260519T110000Z DTSTAMP;VALUE=DATE-TIME:20260606T142241Z UID:indico-contribution-139-3852@indico.tlabs.ac.za DESCRIPTION:Speakers: Armand Bahini (University of Caen Normandie / Labora toire de Physique Corpusculaire Caen (LPC Caen))\nA brief overview will be given of ongoing research directions at Laboratoire de Physique Corpuscul aire de Caen related to environmental radiation measurements and the devel opment 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.\ n\nhttps://indico.tlabs.ac.za/event/139/contributions/3852/ LOCATION:NRF-iThemba LABS\, Old Faure Road\, Cape Town Auditorium URL:https://indico.tlabs.ac.za/event/139/contributions/3852/ END:VEVENT BEGIN:VEVENT SUMMARY:From Nuclear Giant Resonances to Environmental Radiation Monitorin g: Recent Research Activities and Perspectives for Collaboration. DTSTART;VALUE=DATE-TIME:20260520T093000Z DTEND;VALUE=DATE-TIME:20260520T095500Z DTSTAMP;VALUE=DATE-TIME:20260606T142241Z UID:indico-contribution-139-3851@indico.tlabs.ac.za DESCRIPTION:Speakers: Armand Bahini (University of Caen Normandie / Labora toire de Physique Corpusculaire Caen (LPC Caen))\nThe Isoscalar Giant Mono pole Resonance (ISGMR)\, often referred to as the nuclear "breathing mode\ ," provides essential constraints on the incompressibility of nuclear matt er and therefore on the nuclear equation of state. In this contribution\, recent investigations of the ISGMR strength distribution and its fine stru cture obtained through high-resolution inelastic scattering measurements w ill be presented. Particular emphasis will be placed on the extraction and interpretation of fine-structure features and their relation to underlyin g nuclear dynamics and decay mechanisms.\n\n\n\nThese studies were carried out within the framework of nuclear structure research activities at iThe mba LABS and contributed to a better understanding of collective excitatio ns in nuclei.\n\n\n\nIn addition\, a brief overview will be given of ongoi ng research directions at Laboratoire de Physique Corpusculaire de Caen re lated to environmental radiation measurements and the development of innov ative portable low-cost detector systems for environmental monitoring appl ications. Possible avenues for future collaboration between the South Afri can and French teams in this field will also be discussed.\n\nhttps://indi co.tlabs.ac.za/event/139/contributions/3851/ LOCATION:NRF-iThemba LABS\, Old Faure Road\, Cape Town Auditorium URL:https://indico.tlabs.ac.za/event/139/contributions/3851/ END:VEVENT BEGIN:VEVENT SUMMARY:A new 30 MeV cyclotron facility for radioisotopes and research DTSTART;VALUE=DATE-TIME:20260521T102000Z DTEND;VALUE=DATE-TIME:20260521T104000Z DTSTAMP;VALUE=DATE-TIME:20260606T142241Z UID:indico-contribution-139-3849@indico.tlabs.ac.za DESCRIPTION:Speakers: Andy Buffler (UCT)\nThe UCT Proton Therapy Initiativ e has as its primary goal the re-establishment of a proton therapy facilit y in Cape Town. In addition\, the project aims to establish a complementar y facility featuring a 30 MeV cyclotron capable of proton\, deuteron and a lpha-particle beams. This new facility will manufacture a range of short a nd longer-lived radioisotopes and related products that complement those a lready available from the NRF's iThemba LABS\, and other cyclotron facilit ies in the region. In particular the production of radioisotopes situatabl e for Targeted Alpha Therapy for cancer is of particular interest. Beyond radioisotope production for medical use\, the new 30 MeV facility will al so provide a unique platform for fundamental and applied nuclear physics r esearch in the mid-energy range\, complementing higher-energy research at iThemba LABS. A dedicated research vault will include dual beamlines: one for charged-particles\, and one for neutron production\, optimised for tim e-of-flight (TOF) measurements. Together\, these beamlines will support\, for example\, activation and radiation damage studies\, radiobiology\, and instrumentation development with applications across fundamental science\ , metrology\, engineering\, medicine\, and industry.\n\nI provide a status report on this project and seed an audience discussion on the design of t he facility and how it might best serve the broadest user base in South Af rica.\n\nhttps://indico.tlabs.ac.za/event/139/contributions/3849/ LOCATION:NRF-iThemba LABS\, Old Faure Road\, Cape Town Auditorium URL:https://indico.tlabs.ac.za/event/139/contributions/3849/ END:VEVENT BEGIN:VEVENT SUMMARY:From neutrons to knowledge DTSTART;VALUE=DATE-TIME:20260521T093000Z DTEND;VALUE=DATE-TIME:20260521T100000Z DTSTAMP;VALUE=DATE-TIME:20260606T142241Z UID:indico-contribution-139-3847@indico.tlabs.ac.za DESCRIPTION:Speakers: Humbelani Edzani Ratsibi (NECSA)\nResearch reactors play a pivotal role in transforming fundamental nuclear particles into pow erful tools for scientific discovery and societal advancement. Unlike powe r reactors\, these facilities are specifically designed to produce high fl uxes of neutrons that can be harnessed for a wide range of applications. T his paper explores the journey “from neutrons to knowledge\,” highligh ting how research reactors enable breakthroughs in fields such as material s science\, medicine\, energy\, and environmental studies. Through techniq ues like neutron scattering and neutron activation analysis\, researchers can probe the structure and behavior of matter at the atomic level\, provi ding insights that are often unattainable by other methods. Additionally\, research reactors contribute to the production of medical isotopes essent ial for diagnostics and cancer treatment\, as well as to the training of s killed scientists and engineers. By examining both the scientific capabili ties and the broader impacts of these facilities\, this work underscores t he enduring importance of research reactors as engines of innovation and t he development of next-generation systems\, including small modular and ad vanced reactors. At the same time\, they support applications in environme ntal monitoring\, isotope production\, radiation protection\, and nuclear security\, demonstrating their broad societal relevance and knowledge gene ration in the modern world.\n\nhttps://indico.tlabs.ac.za/event/139/contri butions/3847/ LOCATION:NRF-iThemba LABS\, Old Faure Road\, Cape Town Auditorium URL:https://indico.tlabs.ac.za/event/139/contributions/3847/ END:VEVENT BEGIN:VEVENT SUMMARY:Review of Environmental Radioactivity in Mkuju\, Manyoni\, and Bah i Uranium Deposits in Tanzania DTSTART;VALUE=DATE-TIME:20260518T093000Z DTEND;VALUE=DATE-TIME:20260518T100000Z DTSTAMP;VALUE=DATE-TIME:20260606T142241Z UID:indico-contribution-139-3842@indico.tlabs.ac.za DESCRIPTION:Speakers: Mohamed Mazunga (University of Dar es Salaam)\nUrani um deposits in Tanzania\, particularly at Mkuju\, Bahi\, and Manyoni\, hav e attracted increasing attention due to their economic potential and envir onmental implications. Over the past two decades\, numerous studies have i nvestigated activity concentrations of naturally occurring radionuclides\, including uranium-238\, thorium-232\, and potassium-40\, as well as assoc iated radiological hazards. However\, these studies remain scattered\, lim iting a spatial pattern\, methodological consistency\, potential environme ntal and public health implications. This paper aims to systematically rev iew and synthesize published studies on natural radioactivity in the Mkuju \, Bahi\, and Manyoni uranium deposits. The findings reveal that activity concentrations in soil for 238U (21 to 846 Bq/kg)\, 232Th (12 to 107 Bq/kg ) and 40K (38 to 791 Bq/kg) in Manyoni indicating moderate to high variabi lity depending on sampling location. In contrast\, Mkuju exhibits the high est radioactivity levels\, particularly within concession areas where 226R a reaches extremely elevated values of 2430 – 4200 Bq/kg\, accompanied b y increased 232Th (130 – 220 Bq/kg) and 40K (up to ~1466 Bq/kg). Bahi de posit shows comparatively lower to moderate 226Ra concentrations (9.19 – 69.38 Bq/kg)\, but relatively high 40Klevels\, reaching up to 1384.75 Bq/ kg. Despite these observations\, inconsistencies in sampling strategies an d limited longitudinal studies hinder reliable comparisons and comprehensi ve trend analysis. This review emphasizes the need for standardized method ologies\, long-term environmental monitoring\, GIS-based mapping\, geochem ical fingerprinting and expanded studies on radionuclide transfer through environmental pathways. This review provides a comprehensive perspective o n radioactivity measurements in Tanzanian uranium deposits and serves as a benchmark for future investigations in radiation safety and sustainable u ranium exploitation in Tanzania.\n\nhttps://indico.tlabs.ac.za/event/139/c ontributions/3842/ LOCATION:NRF-iThemba LABS\, Old Faure Road\, Cape Town Auditorium URL:https://indico.tlabs.ac.za/event/139/contributions/3842/ END:VEVENT BEGIN:VEVENT SUMMARY:Collimator-Free Non-Collinear Cascade Gamma Coincidence Imaging: A GATE-Based Study Achieving Sub-Millimeter Resolution and High Sensitivity DTSTART;VALUE=DATE-TIME:20260522T095000Z DTEND;VALUE=DATE-TIME:20260522T101000Z DTSTAMP;VALUE=DATE-TIME:20260606T142241Z UID:indico-contribution-139-3845@indico.tlabs.ac.za DESCRIPTION:Speakers: Enock Mtatiro Mwita (University of Dar es Salaam)\nT his study presents the GATE-based Monte Carlo model and performance evalua tion 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-projectio n reconstruction algorithm was implemented to generate tomographic images in transverse\, coronal\, and sagittal views\, enabling quantitative asses sment of spatial resolution\, sensitivity\, and coincidence detection effi ciency (CDE). The results show\, with 111In-ion point source at the center of field of view (FoV)\, the modeled imaging system achieved sub-millimet er isotropic spatial resolution of approximately 0.477 mm (FWHM) along all axes and demonstrated resolving capability between 1.5-2.0 mm for closely spaced point sources. The CGC imager achieved a coincidence efficiency of 1.50588 × 10⁻2 and sensitivity of 15\,058.8 cps/MBq for a 111In source at the center of the FoV in air\, their corresponding values for source i n PMMA phantom were 1.25279 × 10-2 and 12\,527.9 cps/MBq\, respectively. These values were significantly higher than those reported for conventiona l parallel-hole\, focused\, and hybrid collimator-based systems\, represen ting improvements of several orders of magnitude. For positional reconstru ction\, the analysis confirmed the reconstructed source position within ± 16 mm transaxially and ±17 mm axially resembles to simulated position. To evaluate the impact of radionuclide decay characteristics on imaging perf ormance\, four cascade gamma emitters (43K\, 73Se\, 111In and 177Lu) were simulated under identical conditions. 111In and 73Se exhibit the highest C DEs\, followed by 177Lu\, while 43K shows the lowest due to its extremely short intermediate-state half-life of 46 ps\, which is below the detector timing resolution (~0.549 ns)\, leading to missed valid coincidence events . The higher CDE for 111In is partly from random coincidences caused by it s longer half-life and wider timing window. These results emphasize that d etector timing resolution\, isotope selection\, and coincidence window des ign are critical for optimizing cascade gamma imaging performance. On the other hand\, spatial resolution remained the same (~0.477 mm FWHM) across radionuclides. This finding confirms that system resolution is governed by detector geometry and reconstruction parameters rather than decay propert ies. The findings demonstrate that non-collinear CGC imaging enables the s imultaneous achievement of both high sensitivity and sub-millimeter spatia l resolution. However\, experimental testing of the system should be condu cted to assess its practical performance.\n\nhttps://indico.tlabs.ac.za/ev ent/139/contributions/3845/ LOCATION:NRF-iThemba LABS\, Old Faure Road\, Cape Town Auditorium URL:https://indico.tlabs.ac.za/event/139/contributions/3845/ END:VEVENT BEGIN:VEVENT SUMMARY:Monte Carlo-Based Optimization of Occupational Radiation Protectio n in a Diagnostic Radiology Facility at Kitui County Level V Hospital\, Ke nya DTSTART;VALUE=DATE-TIME:20260522T093000Z DTEND;VALUE=DATE-TIME:20260522T095000Z DTSTAMP;VALUE=DATE-TIME:20260606T142241Z UID:indico-contribution-139-3819@indico.tlabs.ac.za DESCRIPTION:Speakers: Muthama Matsitsi (South Eastern Kenya University)\nA ccurate occupational dose estimation is essential for optimizing radiation safety and ensuring compliance with regulatory guidelines. The spatial di stribution of scatter radiation in the radiography room was characterized using Monte Carlo simulations based on Geant4. A diagnostic X-ray system w as accurately modeled and validated using experimental measurements to eva luate the magnitude and distribution of scattered radiation. Simulated and measured dose rates showed good agreement within ±10%\, with a root mean square error of 0.08 µSv h⁻¹\, indicating strong model reliability. S catter dose exhibited a general decrease with distance from the source\, a pproximately following the Inverse Square Law\, although deviations were o bserved due to distributed scatter sources and attenuation in air. The sca tter dose decreased from 1.51 µSv h⁻¹ at 0.25 m to 0.36 µSv h⁻¹ at 2.0 m from the source\, representing approximately a 76% reduction. Incre asing the field size from 10 × 10 cm² to 20 × 20 cm² and 30 × 30 cm² significantly increased scatter dose even at far-field positions. The com bined use of lead protective clothing and 0.5 mm mobile lead shielding red uced scatter dose by approximately 90–96%. Overall\, the estimated occup ational dose levels were within internationally recommended limits. The ob served distribution and variability of scatter radiation highlight the imp ortance of continuous radiation protection optimization. The study therefo re recommends routine indoor radiation monitoring\, particularly for staff working in radiology departments. Strict implementation of the ALARA prin ciple through appropriate positioning and effective shielding using lead a prons is strongly recommended.\n\nKeywords: Occupational dose\, Monte Carl o simulation\, X-ray dosimetry\, Scatter Dose\, radiation safety.\n\nhttps ://indico.tlabs.ac.za/event/139/contributions/3819/ LOCATION:NRF-iThemba LABS\, Old Faure Road\, Cape Town Auditorium URL:https://indico.tlabs.ac.za/event/139/contributions/3819/ END:VEVENT BEGIN:VEVENT SUMMARY:Organ-Specific Dosimetric Assessment of Radon Exposure via Drinkin g Water in a Selected Population DTSTART;VALUE=DATE-TIME:20260522T083500Z DTEND;VALUE=DATE-TIME:20260522T085500Z DTSTAMP;VALUE=DATE-TIME:20260606T142241Z UID:indico-contribution-139-3805@indico.tlabs.ac.za DESCRIPTION:Speakers: Ibrahim Ayodeji Bello (Kabba College of Agriculture\ , Ahmadu Bello University)\nThis study evaluated organ-specific annual eff ective doses and excess lifetime cancer risk (ELCR) from radon exposure th rough 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 WHO limit of 100 Bq /L. Total annual effective doses ranged from 34.4 to 140.1 µSv/year\, wit h the lungs receiving the highest organ-specific dose (up to 13.0 µSv/yea r)\, followed by the stomach. Estimated ELCR values (1.21 × 10⁻⁴ to 4 .90 × 10⁻⁴) exceeded the EPA's acceptable threshold of 1.00 × 10⁻ ⁴ in most samples\, suggesting a notable radiological health risk. Inhal ation was the dominant exposure pathway. These findings underscore the nee d for regular monitoring\, public awareness\, and mitigation measures in a reas with elevated groundwater radon levels.\n\nhttps://indico.tlabs.ac.za /event/139/contributions/3805/ LOCATION:NRF-iThemba LABS\, Old Faure Road\, Cape Town Auditorium URL:https://indico.tlabs.ac.za/event/139/contributions/3805/ END:VEVENT BEGIN:VEVENT SUMMARY:Establishment of Local Diagnostic Reference Levels for Adult and P ediatric Patients in Intraoral Radiography at South African Oral Health Ca re Center DTSTART;VALUE=DATE-TIME:20260522T081500Z DTEND;VALUE=DATE-TIME:20260522T083500Z DTSTAMP;VALUE=DATE-TIME:20260606T142241Z UID:indico-contribution-139-3832@indico.tlabs.ac.za DESCRIPTION:Speakers: Sello Mashinini ()\nThis work contributes to the Rad iation and Health Physics theme through the application of dose quantifica tion and optimization methodologies in intraoral radiography. By establish ing locally relevant Diagnostic Reference Levels (DRLs) for both adult and pediatric populations\, the study addresses a key gap in South African ra diological protection practice. The findings support standardization effor ts and provide a framework for future national DRL development and optimiz ation strategies in medical imaging.\n\nhttps://indico.tlabs.ac.za/event/1 39/contributions/3832/ LOCATION:NRF-iThemba LABS\, Old Faure Road\, Cape Town Auditorium URL:https://indico.tlabs.ac.za/event/139/contributions/3832/ END:VEVENT BEGIN:VEVENT SUMMARY:Estimation of radiation exposure to family members of patients tre ated with I-131 in Tanzania DTSTART;VALUE=DATE-TIME:20260522T075500Z DTEND;VALUE=DATE-TIME:20260522T081500Z DTSTAMP;VALUE=DATE-TIME:20260606T142241Z UID:indico-contribution-139-3809@indico.tlabs.ac.za DESCRIPTION:Speakers: Penina Mbago (University of Dar es Salaam)\, Innocen t Lugendo (University of Dar es Salaam)\nAbstract\nRadiation therapy using Iodine-131 (I-131) is a widely employed treatment for thyroid disorders\; however\, it poses potential radiation exposure risks to patient caregive rs due to gamma emissions from treated patients. This study estimates the radiation doses received by family members of patients undergoing I-131 th erapy in Tanzania\, where cultural practices and living conditions complic ate adherence to international safety guidelines. Using the Particle and H eavy Ions Transport-code System (PHITS)\, exposure scenarios during hospit alization and post-discharge phases were modelled\, accounting for proximi ty\, activity levels\, and caregiver-patient interactions. These models we re utilized to estimate the radiation exposure to family members of patien ts treated with I-131 in Tanzania. Results indicate that family members as sisting dependent patients during hospitalization received doses of 1.53\, 2.33\, and 2.99 mSv for 3700\, 5550\, and 7400 MBq\, respectively. These doses are below the 5 mSv/episode limit but exceed the 1 mSv/year public d ose limit. Post-hospitalization\, the doses decreased significantly\, with the highest exposure caused by close-contact activities. Meanwhile\, tran sportation scenarios showed the exposure to be less than 1 mSv/year for sh ort durations. Nevertheless\, strict adherence to maintaining a one-meter distance and minimizing the duration of close contact is emphasized. These findings provide critical insights for maintaining public health while en suring effective thyroid cancer treatment. \nKeywords: Caregiver safety\, family members\, Iodine-131 therapy\, PHITS simulation\, radiation exposu re\, Tanzania\, thyroid cancer.\n\nhttps://indico.tlabs.ac.za/event/139/co ntributions/3809/ LOCATION:NRF-iThemba LABS\, Old Faure Road\, Cape Town Auditorium URL:https://indico.tlabs.ac.za/event/139/contributions/3809/ END:VEVENT BEGIN:VEVENT SUMMARY:Estimation of Annual Effective Dose and Excess Lifetime Cancer Ris k from Background Ionizing Radiation at Udege Mbeki Abandoned Excavated Mi ning Site\, Nasarawa State\, Nigeria DTSTART;VALUE=DATE-TIME:20260522T073000Z DTEND;VALUE=DATE-TIME:20260522T075500Z DTSTAMP;VALUE=DATE-TIME:20260606T142241Z UID:indico-contribution-139-3807@indico.tlabs.ac.za DESCRIPTION:Speakers: Michael Adeleye (Bingham University\, Nigeria)\nThis 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 Lifetim e 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 spectrometer to determine the activity concentrations of naturally occurring radionuclides 40K\, 226Ra\, and 232Th. Radiological h azard indices\, including absorbed dose rate\, AEDE\, and ELCR were subseq uently computed. At the processing site\, mean activity concentrations of 40K\, 226Ra\, and 232Th were 218.58 Bq kg⁻¹\, 114.35 Bq kg⁻¹\, and 4 20.06 Bq kg⁻¹\, respectively. These elevated radionuclide levels result ed in a mean absorbed dose rate of 315.66 ± 9.72 nGy h⁻¹\, correspondi ng to a mean AEDE of 161.30 ± 4.97 mSv y⁻¹ and a mean ELCR of 564.56 × 10⁻³. The highest values were recorded at sample point P7\, with AED E and ELCR reaching 387.03 mSv y⁻¹ and 1354.59 × 10⁻³\, respectivel y. In the dumps\, mean AEDE and ELCR were 148.81 ± 4.49 mSv y⁻¹ and 52 0.83 × 10⁻³\, respectively\, while farmland soils showed comparatively lower values with mean AEDE of 67.12 ± 2.67 mSv y⁻¹ and ELCR of 234.9 2 × 10⁻³. Surface soils exhibited intermediate radiological characteri stics\, with mean AEDE and ELCR of 121.49 ± 3.48 mSv y⁻¹ and 425.22 × 10⁻³\, respectively. Overall\, the estimated AEDE and ELCR values acro ss the studied locations exceeded internationally recommended safety limit s for public exposure\, indicating significant radiological risk\, particu larly within the processing and dump sites. The elevated ELCR values sugge st an increased probability of cancer development over a lifetime of expos ure. These findings underscore the need for continuous environmental monit oring\, restriction of prolonged human activities within high-exposure zon es of the mined area to mitigate long-term health risks and enforcement of land reclamation agreement to restore excavated mining sites into usable land for agriculture or residential purposes.\n\nhttps://indico.tlabs.ac.z a/event/139/contributions/3807/ LOCATION:NRF-iThemba LABS\, Old Faure Road\, Cape Town Auditorium URL:https://indico.tlabs.ac.za/event/139/contributions/3807/ END:VEVENT BEGIN:VEVENT SUMMARY:Quantitative Determination of Uranium in a Certified Uranium Ore C oncentrate Reference Material Using ICP-MS DTSTART;VALUE=DATE-TIME:20260521T100000Z DTEND;VALUE=DATE-TIME:20260521T102000Z DTSTAMP;VALUE=DATE-TIME:20260606T142241Z UID:indico-contribution-139-3810@indico.tlabs.ac.za DESCRIPTION:Speakers: Tebogo Gilbert Kupi (North-West University)\nAccurat e determination of uranium concentration in uranium ore concentrates is es sential for nuclear safeguards\, material accountability\, and nuclear for ensic investigations. Reliable analytical techniques supported by certifie d reference materials are therefore required to ensure measurement accurac y and traceability. Inductively Coupled Plasma Mass Spectrometry (ICP-MS) is widely used for quantitative determination of uranium due to its high s ensitivity\, low detection limits\, and capability for multi-element analy sis. In this study\, the uranium content of a Canadian Certified Reference Material (CRM) uranium ore concentrate was quantitatively determined usin g ICP-MS following acid digestion and dilution procedures. The solid CRM s ample was digested using nitric acids under controlled laboratory conditio ns to ensure complete dissolution of the sample matrix. The resulting solu tion was analysed using a NexION 2000 ICP-MS\, and the measured uranium co ncentration was converted into weight percent uranium through appropriate dilution and mass balance calculations.\n\nThe analytical results indicate d a uranium concentration of approximately 76.55 wt.% U\, corresponding to 90.27 wt.% U₃O₈ equivalent\, which is consistent with the expected co mposition range for high-grade uranium ore concentrates. The use of a cert ified reference material provided confidence in the accuracy and reliabili ty of the analytical methodology. These findings demonstrate the effective ness of ICP-MS for quantitative uranium analysis in uranium ore concentrat es and highlight the importance of validated analytical techniques for nuc lear safeguards\, nuclear forensics\, and material verification. The devel opment and application of such analytical capabilities contribute to stren gthening nuclear security frameworks and support ongoing efforts to establ ish nuclear forensic databases and analytical capacity within Africa.\n\nh ttps://indico.tlabs.ac.za/event/139/contributions/3810/ LOCATION:NRF-iThemba LABS\, Old Faure Road\, Cape Town Auditorium URL:https://indico.tlabs.ac.za/event/139/contributions/3810/ END:VEVENT BEGIN:VEVENT SUMMARY:Compact scintillator-based neutron spectrometers for use in aviati on and space applications DTSTART;VALUE=DATE-TIME:20260521T084500Z DTEND;VALUE=DATE-TIME:20260521T090500Z DTSTAMP;VALUE=DATE-TIME:20260606T142241Z UID:indico-contribution-139-3821@indico.tlabs.ac.za DESCRIPTION:Speakers: Miles Kidson (University of Cape Town)\nCosmic radia tion\, composed of Galactic Cosmic Rays (GCRs)\, Solar Energetic Particles (SEPs)\, and their associated secondary particles\, represents a recogniz ed radiation risk to space missions\, satellites\, and air travel. To impr ove risk assessment models in these contexts\, it is essential to measure the various components of the radiation environment at the specific locati on of interest\, particularly during unexpected high-energy space weather events. Secondary neutrons\, with characteristic spectral features around 1 MeV and 100 MeV\, are produced by cosmic ray interactions with matter an d contribute substantially to overall radiation exposure at flight altitud es and in space. Neutrons pose a particular hazard to biological tissue be cause they interact directly with atomic nuclei\, producing energetic\, de nsely ionizing recoil particles that induce DNA damage. Continuous monitor ing of radiation environments aboard aircraft and spacecraft using active radiation detectors would provide key data for improved risk assessment.\n \nCurrent neutron spectrometry technologies\, such as Bonner sphere system s or liquid organic scintillators coupled to photomultiplier tubes\, are n ot well suited for use outside the laboratory. This work aims to develop a compact detector system based on plastic scintillators and silicon photom ultipliers that is robust\, portable\, and suitable for non-expert use. A prototype spectrometer has been constructed for operation in high-energy n eutron fields. Accurate spectrometry using unfolding techniques relies on well-characterized detector response functions covering the full energy ra nge of interest. The high-energy neutron facility at iThemba LABS in Cape Town\, South Africa\, provides a unique opportunity to directly measure de tector response functions up to 200 MeV.\n\nWe present progress toward the development of a novel detector system for high-energy neutron spectromet ry in aviation and space environments\, as well as in accelerator faciliti es such as proton therapy centres. Detector design\, calibration methodolo gy\, and planned field testing are discussed.\n\nhttps://indico.tlabs.ac.z a/event/139/contributions/3821/ LOCATION:NRF-iThemba LABS\, Old Faure Road\, Cape Town Auditorium URL:https://indico.tlabs.ac.za/event/139/contributions/3821/ END:VEVENT BEGIN:VEVENT SUMMARY:Estimation of the composition of the primary cosmic ray particles by measurements of the cosmic ray muon component DTSTART;VALUE=DATE-TIME:20260521T082500Z DTEND;VALUE=DATE-TIME:20260521T084500Z DTSTAMP;VALUE=DATE-TIME:20260606T142241Z UID:indico-contribution-139-3814@indico.tlabs.ac.za DESCRIPTION:Speakers: Veronicah Kihagi (Kenyatta University)\nThe primary cosmic ray particles constitute 85% protons\, 12% helium\, 3% iron\, and h eavier elements. They interact with the Earth's atmosphere\, producing sec ondary 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 o n the earth's surface. The lateral distribution of cosmic ray muon coincid ences is often used to model and understand the development of the EAS in the earth’s atmosphere. In this work\, the lateral distribution of cosmi c ray muons was investigated using two-fold coincidences. Four detectors w ere positioned at two-fold coincidence separated at regular intervals. The coincidence rate was between these detector stations was measured. The me asured data was compared with Monte Carlo (MC) simulations of EAS. The EPO S and GHEISHA models were used for high and low-energy particle interactio ns respectively. The analyses indicate the following composition of primar y cosmic ray: protons (81±0.01) %\, helium (10±0.04) %\, and iron and he avier elements (9±5.88) %. The knowledge gained from the lateral distribu tion of cosmic ray muons is essential for the understanding of the interac tion of cosmic ray particles and the development of extensive air showers. Furthermore\, this information enhances our understanding of the chemical composition of primary cosmic ray particles.\n\nhttps://indico.tlabs.ac.z a/event/139/contributions/3814/ LOCATION:NRF-iThemba LABS\, Old Faure Road\, Cape Town Auditorium URL:https://indico.tlabs.ac.za/event/139/contributions/3814/ END:VEVENT BEGIN:VEVENT SUMMARY:Extreme Energy Events Project: A National Network of MRPC Muon Tel escopes for Cosmic-Ray Physics and Science in Schools DTSTART;VALUE=DATE-TIME:20260521T080000Z DTEND;VALUE=DATE-TIME:20260521T082500Z DTSTAMP;VALUE=DATE-TIME:20260606T142241Z UID:indico-contribution-139-3833@indico.tlabs.ac.za DESCRIPTION:Speakers: Marco Garbini (Museo Storico della Fisica e Centro S tudi e Ricerche "Enrico Fermi"\, Roma)\nThe Extreme Energy Events (EEE) Pr oject is an innovative cosmic-ray experiment that combines frontier astrop article physics with a large-scale educational mission. EEE is built aroun d a network of muon telescopes based on Multigap Resistive Plate Chambers\ , distributed across Italy and hosted primarily in high schools. One of th e defining features of the experiment is the direct involvement of student s and teachers in many stages of the scientific process\, from detector co nstruction and commissioning to monitoring\, data taking\, and analysis. \ n\nEEE addresses several key topics in cosmic-ray physics\, including meas urements of the secondary muon flux at ground level\, the observation of e xtensive air showers\, and the study of correlations between distant event s through synchronized observations over a wide geographical area. The dis tributed nature of the array\, together with centralized reconstruction an d analysis\, makes EEE an effective observatory for investigating both loc al and large-scale features of cosmic radiation.\nIn 2018\, the EEE scient ific program was further extended through the PolarquEEEst initiative\, wh ich introduced compact scintillator-based detectors to perform cosmic-ray measurements at very high geomagnetic latitudes. The first campaign explor ed the latitude dependence of the secondary cosmic-ray flux up to the Sval bard archipelago\, and in 2019 three detectors were installed at Ny-Ålesu nd (Svabard) enabling long-term monitoring of muons in an extreme environm ent. This extension broadened the scientific reach of EEE toward high-lati tude studies\, with potential connections to atmospheric and environmental phenomena\, while preserving the project's emphasis on compact instrument ation and distributed measurements.\n\nThe talk will provide an overview o f the EEE scientific program\, the detector and network architecture\, and selected physics results\, while also discussing the broader impact of th e project as a model of research-driven education. EEE demonstrates that a school-based infrastructure can produce meaningful scientific results whi le at the same time fostering scientific culture\, hands-on training\, and long-term collaborative communities in experimental physics.\n\nhttps://i ndico.tlabs.ac.za/event/139/contributions/3833/ LOCATION:NRF-iThemba LABS\, Old Faure Road\, Cape Town Auditorium URL:https://indico.tlabs.ac.za/event/139/contributions/3833/ END:VEVENT BEGIN:VEVENT SUMMARY:Cosmic rays – origin\, composition\, interactions and applicatio ns DTSTART;VALUE=DATE-TIME:20260521T073000Z DTEND;VALUE=DATE-TIME:20260521T080000Z DTSTAMP;VALUE=DATE-TIME:20260606T142241Z UID:indico-contribution-139-3816@indico.tlabs.ac.za DESCRIPTION:Speakers: Nadir Hashim (Kenyatta University)\nThis presentatio n highlights the origin of cosmic radiation\, their interactions in the ea rth’s atmosphere\, their measurements and their applications. The work b y Theodore Wulf and Victor Hess showed increased rates ionization with hei ght above the ground. This observation led to the conclusion that the sour ce of ionization is not from the earth but from space. That marked the dis covery of cosmic radiation. Over the years\, there has been extensive rese arch work carried out in order to understand cosmic radiation. It is now k nown that the primary cosmic ray particles comprise of about 85% protons\, 12% helium\, 3% iron and other heavier elements. These primary cosmic ray particles interact with nuclei in the earth’s atmosphere to produce sec ondary particles such as kaons\, pions\, neutrons. The kaons and pions dec ay into muons which further decay into electrons. Neutrinos are produced i n these decay processes. Experimental data shows that the all-particle cos mic ray energy spectrum follows a simple power law with a spectral index o f about 2.7. However\, the value of the spectral index changes at cosmic r ay energies of about 10^6 GeV – known as the “knee” region and 10^9 GeV known as the “ankle” region. The bending of the spectrum at the kn ee region is attributed to the varied energy loses due to the difference i n masses of the cosmic ray particles at those energies. Cosmic ray particl es with energies beyond 10^9 GeV have been observed by several experiments . These are known as Ultra-High-Energy-Cosmic-Ray (UHECR) particles. The U HECR particles are thought to be of extra-galactic origin. These particles lose a large fraction of their energies when they interact with photons f rom the Cosmic Microwave Background Radiation (CMBR). This leads to a dras tic cut-off on the cosmic ray energy spectrum – known as the Greisen-Zat sepin-Kuzmin (GZK) cut-off. The earth’s magnetic field acts as a shield for charged cosmic ray particles. Exposure to cosmic radiation is therefor e not only dependent on the altitude but also on the latitude on the earth surface. The dose due to cosmic radiation is minimum around the equator a nd increases as one moves away from the equator. On the earth surface\, co smic radiation comprises mostly of cosmic ray muons. These cosmic ray muon s are useful in imaging large structures like volcanos and pyramids on the earth. They are also useful in security applications and in the nuclear i ndustry. In the field of agricultural science\, the flux of cosmic ray neu trons on the earth surface provides a reliable and efficient means of moni toring the moisture content of the soil. The knowledge of cosmic radiation in our earth’s atmosphere and on the earth has applications in diverse fields of science and technology in support of our development goals at th e national\, regional and global levels.\n\nhttps://indico.tlabs.ac.za/eve nt/139/contributions/3816/ LOCATION:NRF-iThemba LABS\, Old Faure Road\, Cape Town Auditorium URL:https://indico.tlabs.ac.za/event/139/contributions/3816/ END:VEVENT BEGIN:VEVENT SUMMARY:Measurement of angular correlations in gamma-gamma cascades using coincidence detection and Monte Carlo simulation DTSTART;VALUE=DATE-TIME:20260520T105500Z DTEND;VALUE=DATE-TIME:20260520T111500Z DTSTAMP;VALUE=DATE-TIME:20260606T142241Z UID:indico-contribution-139-3820@indico.tlabs.ac.za DESCRIPTION:Speakers: Mikayla Chaplin ()\nCoincidence counting techniques are widely used to determine correlated γ-ray emissions from nuclear deca ys. Measured singles and coincidence rates share common factors - i.e. abs olute efficiency - that can be divided out in analysis. However\, standard formulations often assume perfect isotropic correlation between emitted q uanta\, neglecting possible decay chain losses\, and ignore angular correl ations. In this work\, we use coincidence-based absolute activity measurem ents to show that the angular correlation function\, W (θ)\, modulates th e detection probability of cascade pairs. Using 60Co and 22Na as benchmark sources with differing cascade and correlation properties\, we demonstrat e that the true coincidence rate reflects detector efficiencies and angula r correlations\, which can be extracted from the observed measurands.\nA c ustom FLUKA Monte Carlo source routine was developed to implement angular distributions in γ − γ correlations to support these observations. A P ython proof-of-concept generated the normalised cumulative distribution fu nctions of W (θ)\, which were incorporated into FLUKA for multi-detector simulations. The Monte Carlo results successfully reproduce the experiment ally observed angular modulation\, confirming that coincidence counting co mbined with a tailored simulation framework can probe angular correlations .\nOur approach forms the groundwork for future studies of more complex de cay schemes with non-trivial cascade probabilities and for developing mult i-detector techniques for angular-correlation metrology.\n\nhttps://indico .tlabs.ac.za/event/139/contributions/3820/ LOCATION:NRF-iThemba LABS\, Old Faure Road\, Cape Town Auditorium URL:https://indico.tlabs.ac.za/event/139/contributions/3820/ END:VEVENT BEGIN:VEVENT SUMMARY:Nuclear structure studies relevant for 136Xe neutrinoless double b eta decay DTSTART;VALUE=DATE-TIME:20260520T103500Z DTEND;VALUE=DATE-TIME:20260520T105500Z DTSTAMP;VALUE=DATE-TIME:20260606T142241Z UID:indico-contribution-139-3838@indico.tlabs.ac.za DESCRIPTION:Speakers: Jespere Calderone Nzobadila Ondze (University of the Western Cape)\nThe search for neutrinoless double beta (0νββ) decay pr ovides a unique probe of the Majorana nature of neutrinos\, i.e whether ne utrinos 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 exper imental searches relies critically on nuclear matrix element (NME) calcula tions\, which are sensitive to nuclear structure inputs and remain a signi ficant source of uncertainty. In this talk\, I will discuss nuclear struct ure properties relevant to the 136Xe 0νββ decay\, investigated via the 137Ba(d\,3He)136Cs single-nucleon transfer reaction. The results provide e xperimental constraints on single-proton occupancies and contribute to red ucing uncertainties in NME calculations.\n\nReferences\n[1] S. J. Freeman et al\, Experimental study of the rearrangements of valence protons and ne utrons amongst single-particle orbits during double β decay in 100Mo. Phy s. Rev. C\, 96:054325\, 2017.\n[2] J.P. Entwisle et al\, Change of nuclear configurations in the neutrinoless double-β decay of 130Te →130 Xe and 136Xe →136 Ba\, Phys. Rev. C\, 93:064312\, 2016..\n[3] B. P. Kay et al\ , Nuclear structure relevant to neutrinoless double β decay: The valence protons in 76Ge and 76Se. Phys. Rev. C\, 79:021301\, 2009\n\nhttps://indic o.tlabs.ac.za/event/139/contributions/3838/ LOCATION:NRF-iThemba LABS\, Old Faure Road\, Cape Town Auditorium URL:https://indico.tlabs.ac.za/event/139/contributions/3838/ END:VEVENT BEGIN:VEVENT SUMMARY:K600 magnetic spectrometer and the NUMEN project DTSTART;VALUE=DATE-TIME:20260520T101500Z DTEND;VALUE=DATE-TIME:20260520T103500Z DTSTAMP;VALUE=DATE-TIME:20260606T142241Z UID:indico-contribution-139-3829@indico.tlabs.ac.za DESCRIPTION:Speakers: Thuthukile Khumalo (iThemba LABS)\nThe NUMEN (NUclea r Matrix Elements for Neutrinoless double-beta decay) project aims to obta in the nuclear matrix elements (NME) to be used as inputs in models to det ermine the lifetime of neutrinoless double-beta ($0\\nu\\beta\\beta$) deca y\, which is related to the absolute mass of the neutrino [1]. This will b e achieved by conducting heavy-ion double charge-exchange (DCE) reactions and measuring the cross sections of these reactions for all isotopes that have been identified to undergo $0\\nu\\beta\\beta$ decay [1]. The occurr ence of the $0\\nu\\beta\\beta$ decay will imply that the lepton number is violated [2]. It is\, therefore\, very important to determine the NMEs as they will assist in elucidating Physics beyond the Standard Model [2]. Th e transition operators of the $0\\nu\\beta\\beta$ decay and DCE reactions have a similar mathematical structure with a combination of short $0\\nu\\ beta\\beta$ decay range Fermi\, Gamow-Teller\, and rank-2 tensor component s [3]. The weights of such components are different\, being controlled by the axial and vector coupling constants in the weak sector and by the ener gy-dependent isospin\, spin-isospin\, and tensor coupling strengths for th e strong interaction [3]. Therefore\, more experimental data are required from a range of incident beam energies for DCE measurements. Additionally\ , to explore the candidate nuclei of $0\\nu\\beta\\beta$ decay in a system atic way\, more experimental data are required. Previous experiments for t he NUMEN project at Istituto Nazionale di Fisica Nucleare - Laboratori Naz ionali del Sud (INFN-LNS) have suffered from high signal rate due to the i nteraction of the target and projectile\, which greatly outnumber any pote ntial DCE events. Additionally\, the limited energy resolution of the MAGN EX spectrometer for DCE measurements makes it a cumbersome task to decoupl e transitions of interest relevant to the NUMEN project. Particle-$\\gamma $ coincidence measurements are a plausible attempt at a solution for this problem. Thus\, a high-resolution magnetic spectrometer like the K600 at t he iThemba Laboratory for Accelerator Based Sciences (iThemba LABS)\, whic h is already used for coincidence measurements\, is a perfect candidate fo r baseline measurements especially given that the LNS facility is still un der upgrade. However\, in its current design\, the existing K600 detection system is limited in the detection of heavy ions (e.g. $^{6}\\mathrm{Li}\ , ^{12}\\mathrm{C}\, ^{18}\\mathrm{O}\, ^{18}\\mathrm{Ne}$) at moderate ki netic energies ($\\approx$ 10~MeV$/u$) and light ions at low energies ($\\ approx$ 5~MeV$/u$)[4]. The development of a new low-pressure detection sys tem for the K600 is currently underway to expand the spectrometer research program [4]. Thus\, an already existing detection system from the MAGNEX large-acceptance spectrometer at INFN-LNS has been coupled to the K600 to provide a baseline as to how the K600 will operate with a low-pressure det ection system. The coupling of the MAGNEX focal-plane detection system wit h the K600 is also beneficial for other nuclear-structure studies to be co nducted with the K600 spectrometer.\n\n1] F. Cappuzzello\, C. Agodi\, M. C avallaro\, et al. The NUMEN project: NUclear Matrix Elements for Neutrinol ess double\nbeta decay. The European Physical Journal A 54\, 1–46 (2018) .\n[2] M.J Dolinski\, A.W.P. Poon\, and W. Rodejohann. Neutrinoless Double -Beta Decay: Status and Prospects. Annual Review\nof Nuclear and Particle Science 69\, 219–251 (2019).\n[3] F. Cappuzzello\, L. Acosta\, C. Agodi\ , et al. The NUMEN Project: An Update of the Facility Toward the Future Ex peri-\nmental Campaigns. Frontiers in Astronomy and Space Sciences 8\, 668 587 (2021).\n[4] T. Khumalo. “Low-Pressure Focal-plane detector for the K600: a design study\,” MA thesis. 2020.\n\nhttps://indico.tlabs.ac.za/e vent/139/contributions/3829/ LOCATION:NRF-iThemba LABS\, Old Faure Road\, Cape Town Auditorium URL:https://indico.tlabs.ac.za/event/139/contributions/3829/ END:VEVENT BEGIN:VEVENT SUMMARY:Extraction of Giant Monopole Resonance strength with Multipole Dec omposition Analysis DTSTART;VALUE=DATE-TIME:20260520T095500Z DTEND;VALUE=DATE-TIME:20260520T101500Z DTSTAMP;VALUE=DATE-TIME:20260606T142241Z UID:indico-contribution-139-3839@indico.tlabs.ac.za DESCRIPTION:Speakers: Lesedi Jafta (iThemba LABS)\nIt has been established that inelastic alpha scattering at a few hundreds MeV\, particularly at v ery forward scattering angles including 0◦\, is effective for probing th e 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 facili ties: the Research Center for Nuclear Physics (RCNP) and the Texas A&M Uni versity Cyclotron Institute (TAMU). These studies produced conflicting res ults regarding the systematic trend of nuclear incompressibility across th e calcium isotopic chain under investigation.\n\nIn response\, the iThemba LABS group conducted an independent study of the same\nisotopes to invest igate the potential origins of these discrepancies. Measurements\nwere car ried out at 0◦ and 4◦ scattering angles\, and an energy-dependent vers ion of the difference-of-spectra (DoS) method was initially employed. Whil e this method offers high energy resolution\, it relies on the strength co ntributions of all L ≥ 0 multipolarity components published in the liter ature\, thereby compromising the independence of our results. To address t his\, Multipole Decomposition Analysis (MDA) was applied to extract the E0 strength distributions. Although the limited angular range may reduce the precision for higher multipolarity strengths\, it does allow for the accu rate extraction of the E0 component independently of other studies.\n\nTwo MDA methods were used in the analysis: the emcee Python code\, which empl oys the sophisticated Markov Chain Monte Carlo (MCMC) sampling algorithm\, \nand a second MDA method is based on the MINUIT algorithm\, implemented w ithin\nthe ROOT data analysis framework. Selected results obtained using b oth methods\nwill be presented at the workshop.\n\nThis research work is s upported by the National Research Foundation (ref no:\nPMDS22062727817).\n \nhttps://indico.tlabs.ac.za/event/139/contributions/3839/ LOCATION:NRF-iThemba LABS\, Old Faure Road\, Cape Town Auditorium URL:https://indico.tlabs.ac.za/event/139/contributions/3839/ END:VEVENT BEGIN:VEVENT SUMMARY:New High-spin states in W-182 DTSTART;VALUE=DATE-TIME:20260520T084500Z DTEND;VALUE=DATE-TIME:20260520T090500Z DTSTAMP;VALUE=DATE-TIME:20260606T142241Z UID:indico-contribution-139-3827@indico.tlabs.ac.za DESCRIPTION:Speakers: Lefika Maphage (iThemba LABS/UCT)\nThis work present s a detailed investigation of high-spin states in $^{182}$W\, populated th rough a deep-inelastic reaction using an 840 MeV $^{136}$Xe beam on a thic k $^{186}$W target and studied using coincidence $\\gamma$-ray spectroscop y. Out-of-beam data were used to extend the known level scheme\, confirmin g the $K^{\\pi}$ = 16$^{+}$ rotational band up to the 19$^{+}$ state and i dentifying new levels feeding this structure. The study is motivated by th e need to understand how nuclear structure evolves at high angular momentu m. Several new intrinsic states have been observed up to 6549 keV\, includ ing an isomeric state with a lifetime of 148(9) ns. Spin and parity assign ments were derived from transition multipolarities using internal conversi on coefficients\, angular correlation and mixing ratios\, with most states firmly characterized\, including the 6549 keV state assigned $K^{\\pi}$ = 24$^{-}$.\n\nNo new rotational bands were observed\, indicating a dominan ce of intrinsic configurations at high spin. Configuration assignments\, s upported by multi-quasiparticle calculations\, led to the identification o f several six-quasiparticle states with transition strengths consistent wi th neighboring nuclei in the A $\\approx$ 180 region. At high $K$-values\, weak transitions intensities limited the full characterization of some st ates\, however\, the long lifetime of the $K^{\\pi}$ = 24$^{-}$ isomer is suggested to arise from configuration changes rather than $K$-forbidden de cay\, while $K^{\\pi}$ = 20$^{+}$ isomer shows behavior consistent with $K $-isomerism. Overall\, this work provides insight into the increasing domi nance of intrinsic structure over collective motion at high-spin in $^{182 }$W.\n\nhttps://indico.tlabs.ac.za/event/139/contributions/3827/ LOCATION:NRF-iThemba LABS\, Old Faure Road\, Cape Town Auditorium URL:https://indico.tlabs.ac.za/event/139/contributions/3827/ END:VEVENT BEGIN:VEVENT SUMMARY:Bridging Reaction Physics and Nuclear Structure: γ-Ray Spectrosco py and Cross-Section Systematics for Nucleon-Induced Reactions DTSTART;VALUE=DATE-TIME:20260520T082500Z DTEND;VALUE=DATE-TIME:20260520T084500Z DTSTAMP;VALUE=DATE-TIME:20260606T142241Z UID:indico-contribution-139-3836@indico.tlabs.ac.za DESCRIPTION:Speakers: Walid Yahia Cherif (Nuclear research center of Algie rs (CRNA))\nWe present here a a comprehensive and systematic study of nucl ear γ-ray production cross-sections induced by proton reactions on a seri es of key nuclei\, specifically 24\,25\,26Mg\, 28\,29\,30Si\, 40Ca\, and 5 6Fe [1\,2]. These investigations are conducted within the framework of an Algeria-France-South Africa collaboration at the iThemba LABS facility\, u tilizing the high-resolution AFRODITE gamma-ray spectrometer. The primary objective is to provide high-precision experimental data in a proton energ y range of 30-200 MeV [1\,3] where existing data are often scarce or incon sistent\, yet crucial for multiple scientific domains.\nThe measured cross -sections serve as a cornerstone for several applications. In medical phys ics\, they are essential for optimizing radioisotope production and improv ing dose calculations in proton therapy. In nuclear astrophysics\, these d ata are employed to simulate γ-ray line emissions resulting from the inte raction of galactic cosmic rays (GCRs) with abundant elements in the inter stellar medium (ISM) and solar flares. By comparing laboratory measurement s with satellite observations (such as those from INTEGRAL or COMPTEL)\, w e can better determine the chemical composition and understand the energet ic processes of the cosmos.\nA central technical aspect of this work invol ves the adjustment of optical model potential (OMP) parameters for nucleon -nucleus interactions. Beyond the primary gamma-ray line analyses followi ng inelastic scattering on target nuclei\, our analysis allows for the mea surement of production cross-sections for a wide range of residual nuclei. Indeed\, the complex interaction mechanisms lead to the observation of va rious isotopes resulting from nucleon or alpha emission\, such as 21\,22Ne \, 22\,23Na\, and 24\,25\,26Al from magnesium and silicon targets\, as wel l as 38\,39K\, 36\,38Ar\, 54\,55Fe\, and 52Cr for heavier targets. To ensu re the highest accuracy\, the analysis of the γ-ray spectra is complement ed\, whenever necessary and possible\, by a lineshape calculation to accou nt for Doppler effects and peak broadening.\nThis process is a fundamental approach to better understand the physics of reactions and the complex in teractions between the candidates (incident particles and target nuclei). By systematically adjusting the OMP parameters\, we can adjust the nuclear level coupling and determine the nuclear deformation parameters (β2​ a nd β4​). While the analysis of the 40Ca data is currently in progress-f ocusing on the optimization of nucleon-induced reactions and their implica tions for residual Argon nuclei-future objectives aim to extend this metho dology to α-particle induced reactions as they are rather scarce. Ultimat ely\, this hierarchical approach - moving from fundamental interaction phy sics to the adjustment of theoretical models - is needed for improving the predictive accuracy of global nuclear reaction codes such as TALYS.\nThe experimental and theoretical results obtained and compiled will be present ed and discussed.\n\nReferences:\n[1] W. Yahia-Cherif\, et al. (2020). Mea surement and analysis of nuclear γ-ray production cross sections in proto n interactions with Mg\, Si\, and Fe nuclei abundant in astrophysical site s over the incident energy range Ep​=30-66 MeV. Phys. Rev. C\, 102(2)\, 025802. DOI: 10.1103/PhysRevC.102.025802\n[2] W. Yahia-Cherif (2025). Opti cal model potential parameter optimization for nucleon-induced reactions o n 40Ca: Implications on γ-ray production cross sections for residual Argo n nuclei. EPJ Web of Conferences\, 322\, 05004. DOI: 10.1051/epjconf/20253 2205004\n[3] Y. Rahma\, W. Yahia-Cherif\, et al. (2023). γ-ray emission i n proton-induced nuclear reactions on natC and Mylar targets over the inci dent energy range Ep​=30-200 MeV. Astrophysical implications. Nucl. Phys . A\, 1032\, 122622. DOI: 10.1016/j.nuclphysa.2023.122622\n\nhttps://indic o.tlabs.ac.za/event/139/contributions/3836/ LOCATION:NRF-iThemba LABS\, Old Faure Road\, Cape Town Auditorium URL:https://indico.tlabs.ac.za/event/139/contributions/3836/ END:VEVENT BEGIN:VEVENT SUMMARY:Electric monopole (E0) studies at iThemba LABS DTSTART;VALUE=DATE-TIME:20260520T080000Z DTEND;VALUE=DATE-TIME:20260520T082500Z DTSTAMP;VALUE=DATE-TIME:20260606T142241Z UID:indico-contribution-139-3802@indico.tlabs.ac.za DESCRIPTION:Speakers: Maluba Vernon J. Chisapi (iThemba LABS/Stellenbosch University)\nElectric monopole (E0) transition studies focus on nuclear tr ansitions between states of the same spin and parity (typically $0^{+}\\ri ghtarrow 0^{+}$)\, which are critical for probing nuclear structure\, shap e coexistence\, and deformation. The E0 strengths ($\\rho ^{2}(E0)$) are key parameters to understanding nuclear shape mixing and isomerism in vari ous nuclei\, including light\, odd-A\, and shape-coexistence in nuclei.\nB ecause single-photon emission is forbidden\, these transitions are measure d via internal conversion electrons (ICE) or electron-positron pair format ion (IPF)\, serving as a sensitive indicator of changes in the mean-square d charge radius. \nAs such\, high-precision electron spectrometers (e.g.\, Si(Li) detectors) and detector arrays consisting of HPGe and LaBr3:Ce de tectors are used to measure internal conversion coefficients (ICC) to iden tify E0 components. \n iThemba LABS has\, in the last 5 to 10 years\, been developing spectrometers suited for E0 transition studies. This talk will focus on the in-house refurbishment of the existing solenoid magnetic len s into an electron and internal-pairs spectrometer\, the in-beam experimen t involving 30 MeV proton beam on a $^{50}$Ti target aimed at investigatin g the excited 0$^{+}_{2}$ state in $^{50}$Ti\, as well as future experime ntal possibilities\, for example when this facility will be used in conjun ction with other existing spectrometers like the K600.\n\nhttps://indico.t labs.ac.za/event/139/contributions/3802/ LOCATION:NRF-iThemba LABS\, Old Faure Road\, Cape Town Auditorium URL:https://indico.tlabs.ac.za/event/139/contributions/3802/ END:VEVENT BEGIN:VEVENT SUMMARY:Shape coexistence in neutron deficient nuclei DTSTART;VALUE=DATE-TIME:20260520T073000Z DTEND;VALUE=DATE-TIME:20260520T080000Z DTSTAMP;VALUE=DATE-TIME:20260606T142241Z UID:indico-contribution-139-3831@indico.tlabs.ac.za DESCRIPTION:Speakers: Philippos Papadakis (STFC Daresbury Laboratory)\nAcr oss the nuclear chart\, many interesting and diverse phenomena arise throu gh the interplay of single-particle motion\, nucleon pairing and collectiv ity. 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 pla ce to explore this phenomenon in different mass regions\, while it is sugg ested that it could manifest in most\, if not all nuclei [2].\n\nOne of th e more prominent regions where shape coexistence has been observed\, is in neutron-deficient nuclei close to the neutron mid-shell at N=104 and the Z=82 magic number. A broad range of experimental approaches including lase r spectroscopy\, α-decay fine structure measurements\, in-beam γ-ray and conversion electron spectroscopy\, lifetime measurements and Coulomb exci tation experiments have been employed to study this phenomenon in detail.\ n\nIn this presentation\, we will explore some of these techniques\, focus ing primarily on simultaneous in-beam γ-ray and conversion electron spect roscopy [3]\, that has been instrumental in recent years in the study of s hape coexistence in lead nuclei [4-8]. To demonstrate its effectiveness we will discuss some of the latest findings in particular in even-even lead isotopes.\n\n[1] P. Garrett\, M. Zielinska and E. Clément\, Prog. Part. a nd Nucl. Phys. 124\, 103931 (2022).\n[2] K. Heyde and J.L. Wood\, Review o f Mod. Phys. 83\, 1467 (2011).\n[3] J. Pakarinen et al.\, Eur. Phys. J A 5 0\, 53 (2014).\n[4] J. Ojala et al.\, Communication Physics 5:213 (2022).\ n[5] P. Papadakis et al.\, Phys. Lett. B 858\, 139048 (2024).\n[6] A.M. Pl aza et al.\, Communication Physics 8:8 (2025).\n[7] J. Ojala et al.\, Phys . Lett. B 867\, 139601 (2025).\n[8] A.M. Plaza et al.\, Phys. Lett. B 870\ , 139906 (2025).\n\nhttps://indico.tlabs.ac.za/event/139/contributions/383 1/ LOCATION:NRF-iThemba LABS\, Old Faure Road\, Cape Town Auditorium URL:https://indico.tlabs.ac.za/event/139/contributions/3831/ END:VEVENT BEGIN:VEVENT SUMMARY:Measurement of Azimuthal Bremsstrahlung Photon Emission from a 28- GHz ECR Ion Source Using NaI(Tl) Detectors DTSTART;VALUE=DATE-TIME:20260519T102000Z DTEND;VALUE=DATE-TIME:20260519T104000Z DTSTAMP;VALUE=DATE-TIME:20260606T142241Z UID:indico-contribution-139-3822@indico.tlabs.ac.za DESCRIPTION:Speakers: Mwingereza John Kumwenda (University of Dar es Salaa m)\nThe emission of high-energy bremsstrahlung photons beyond the expected critical energy during electron cyclotron resonance (ECR) heating has att racted significant attention\, and its underlying mechanism remains not fu lly understood. In this study\, we measured the azimuthal angular distribu tion of bremsstrahlung photons produced in a 28 GHz ECR ion source at the Busan Center of the Korea Basic Science Institute (KBSI). Three round-type NaI(Tl) scintillation detectors were used to simultaneously measure brems strahlung photons emitted radially from the plasma chamber. An additional NaI(Tl) detector was positioned downstream of the ECR ion source to monito r the overall photon intensity. The ion source was operated at an RF power of 1 kW to extract an 16O ion beam\, with dominant charge states of O³ ⁺ and O⁴⁺. Bremsstrahlung photon energy spectra were recorded at nin e azimuthal angles on the extraction side of the ion source. To evaluate p ossible systematic uncertainties arising from differences among the three detectors\, measurements were repeated by alternating the detector positio ns. Geant4 Monte Carlo simulations were performed to account for geometric al acceptance and energy-dependent detection efficiency caused by non-unif ormities in the material budget. The true bremsstrahlung spectra were then reconstructed using an inverse-matrix unfolding method. The extracted end -point energies of the bremsstrahlung spectra were (2.040 ± 0.045) MeV at 150°\, (1.650 ± 0.040) MeV at 330°\, and (1.610 ± 0.040) MeV at 330° for detectors D1\, D2\, and D3\, respectively. These values exceed the ma ximum electron kinetic energy of approximately 1.330 MeV expected from sta ndard ECRIS operating parameters. The higher end-point energy observed nea r 150° appears to correlate with the structural configuration of the ion source and the the shape of the ECR plasma. However\, the secondary maximu m near 330°\, located roughly 180° opposite to 150∘ which is among the maximum angles\, cannot be explained solely by the shape of the ECR plasm a. We interpret these observations as evidence of unconfined high-energy e lectrons reaching the chamber wall and producing bremsstrahlung radiation. These escaping electrons likely arise from imperfect magnetic confinement within the ECR plasma. The results provide new insight into the mechanism s of high-energy bremsstrahlung production in ECR ion sources and suggest that improved magnetic confinement design could reduce electron losses and associated high-energy photon emission.\n\nhttps://indico.tlabs.ac.za/eve nt/139/contributions/3822/ LOCATION:NRF-iThemba LABS\, Old Faure Road\, Cape Town Auditorium URL:https://indico.tlabs.ac.za/event/139/contributions/3822/ END:VEVENT BEGIN:VEVENT SUMMARY:Investigating radiological risk due to solid-phase ‘black powder ’ from the Secunda Gas Pipeline DTSTART;VALUE=DATE-TIME:20260519T100000Z DTEND;VALUE=DATE-TIME:20260519T102000Z DTSTAMP;VALUE=DATE-TIME:20260606T142241Z UID:indico-contribution-139-3813@indico.tlabs.ac.za DESCRIPTION:Speakers: Tsholofelo Mokgele (North-West University )\nThe ext raction and transport of natural gas leads to the accumulation of black po wder\, a hazardous byproduct composed of corrosion species\, microorganism s and Naturally Occurring Radioactive Materials (NORM) within gas pipeline s. These NORM contaminants tend to concentrate within dust filters and dur ing periodic 'pigging' operations\, posing a potential radiological threat to workers and the environment. The study evaluated the radiological asse ssment of black powder collected at the Secunda gas pipeline by determinin g the activity concentrations of naturally occurring radionuclides 226Ra\, 232Th and 40K using gamma spectrometry. Results show that the average act ivity concentrations for black powder obtained from pigging operations wer e 2.53 ± 0.18 (range: 1.87 - 2.94)\, 4.23 ± 0.32 (range: 2.78 - 5.00) an d 27.17 ± 1.75 (range: 23.59 - 29.76) Bq/kg for 226Ra\, 232Th and 40K res pectively. Similarly\, the average activity concentrations for black powde r obtained from dust filters during normal operations resulted in 1.82 ± 0.21 (range: 1.34 - 2.24)\, 1.67 ± 0.26 (range: 1.27 - 2.21)\, 25.98 ± 1 .73 (range: 18.36 - 2.71) Bq/kg for 226Ra\, 232Th and 40K respectively. Ra diological hazard indices were also determined by calculating the Raeq\, D \, Hex\, Hin\, AEDE and ELCR. Average values for these indices for black p owder samples from pigging operations were 10.68 Bq/kg\, 4.86 nGy/h\, 0.03 \,0.04\, 5.96 × 10-3 mSv/yr and 2.0 × 10-5 respectively. For black powde r samples from dust filters\, the corresponding average values were 5.13 B q/kg\, 2.47 nGy/h\, 0.01\, 0.02\, 3.03× 10-3 mSv/yr and 1.06 × 10-5\, re spectively. All calculated radiological hazard indices were significantly below the recommended regulatory safety limits\, indicating negligible rad iological risks to maintenance workers during pigging and filter replaceme nt operations.\n\nhttps://indico.tlabs.ac.za/event/139/contributions/3813/ LOCATION:NRF-iThemba LABS\, Old Faure Road\, Cape Town Auditorium URL:https://indico.tlabs.ac.za/event/139/contributions/3813/ END:VEVENT BEGIN:VEVENT SUMMARY:Revisiting Radiocesium Retention in Japanese Cedar: Implications f or Post-Accident Forest Recovery DTSTART;VALUE=DATE-TIME:20260519T093000Z DTEND;VALUE=DATE-TIME:20260519T100000Z DTSTAMP;VALUE=DATE-TIME:20260606T142241Z UID:indico-contribution-139-3837@indico.tlabs.ac.za DESCRIPTION:Speakers: Muyiwa Orosun (Institute of Environmental Radioactiv ity\, Fukushima University)\nThe long-term management of contaminated fore st landscapes depends not only on declining environmental inventories of r adiocesium (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 unu sual internal distribution of 137Cs within wood (stem)\, marked by prefere ntial accumulation in heartwood rather than sapwood. This pattern challeng es conventional assumptions about radionuclide behavior in woody tissues a nd raises questions about the processes controlling internal redistributio n and retention. This study synthesizes current knowledge and ongoing work s on radial radiocesium dynamics in Japanese cedar\, focusing on anatomica l\, physiological\, and environmental factors that may drive these observa tions. Key uncertainties are identified\, and directions for future resear ch are outlined to improve predictive capability and inform risk-based dec isions on the utilization of forest timber in post-accident environments. \n\nKeywords: Japanese cedar\, Radiocesium\, Forest ecosystems\, Fukushima .\n\nhttps://indico.tlabs.ac.za/event/139/contributions/3837/ LOCATION:NRF-iThemba LABS\, Old Faure Road\, Cape Town Auditorium URL:https://indico.tlabs.ac.za/event/139/contributions/3837/ END:VEVENT BEGIN:VEVENT SUMMARY:An Integrated Baseline Environmental Radioactivity Assessment Acro ss Various Exposure Pathways DTSTART;VALUE=DATE-TIME:20260519T082000Z DTEND;VALUE=DATE-TIME:20260519T084000Z DTSTAMP;VALUE=DATE-TIME:20260606T142241Z UID:indico-contribution-139-3830@indico.tlabs.ac.za DESCRIPTION:Speakers: Thato Molokwe (Centre for Nuclear Safety and Securit y)\nMonitoring natural radionuclides in the environment is important for e stablishing baseline radioactivity levels that support the evaluation of p ublic exposure. The study presents baseline environmental radioactivity le vels measured in collected soil\, external gamma\, water and indoor radon samples to assess resultant public doses through external\, inhalation and ingestion exposure pathways. \n\nThe soil media comprised six (6) beach s and samples\, seven (7) sediments\, and twenty-two (22) surface soils. Wat er samples included twelve (12) surface water\, five (5) seawater\, and si xteen (16) groundwater samples\, which were analysed for natural radionucl ides originating from the Uranium-238\, Uranium-235 and Thorium-232 decay series. External gamma radiation measurements were conducted at fifty-thre e (53) locations\, and indoor radon concentrations were measured in fiftee n (15) dwellings. The water and soil samples were analysed using calibrate d gamma spectrometry and alpha spectrometry. External gamma radiation was measured in situ using a calibrated portable gamma survey meter (RS-230) t o determine ambient dose rates. Passive solid-state nuclear track detector s were deployed in dwellings for a period of three (3) months to measure i ndoor radon (Radon-222) concentrations.\n \nThe radioactivity levels measu red in soil samples were found to be significantly lower than the reported worldwide average values of 420 Bq/kg for Potassium-40\, 32 Bq/kg for Rad ium-226\, and 45 Bq/kg for Thorium-232. The calculated radiological hazard indices\, including radium equivalent activity and external hazard index\ , were also below internationally recommended safety limits. Similarly\, r adioactivity levels in water samples were below the World Health Organisat ion’s (WHO) recommended drinking water reference levels\, corresponding to an annual committed effective dose of less than 0.1 mSv/year. The measu red external gamma dose in the study area due to natural background radiat ion was below the reference level of 1 mSv/year\, which is the public dose limit for planned exposure situations. Indoor radon concentrations were g enerally below the 100 Bq/m³ reference level recommended by the World Hea lth Organisation\, except for one measurement (117 Bq/m³)\, which was non etheless below the 300 Bq/m³ action level recommended by the Internationa l Atomic Energy Agency (IAEA). Further investigations indicated that the e levated level was unlikely to be attributed to underlying geology but may instead be attributed to factors such as building characteristics or venti lation.\n\nThe results of this study provide integrated baseline data of e nvironmental radioactivity levels\, which are relevant for environmental m onitoring and assessment of public exposure. These findings support radiat ion protection and safety initiatives.\n\nhttps://indico.tlabs.ac.za/event /139/contributions/3830/ LOCATION:NRF-iThemba LABS\, Old Faure Road\, Cape Town Auditorium URL:https://indico.tlabs.ac.za/event/139/contributions/3830/ END:VEVENT BEGIN:VEVENT SUMMARY:Use of Environmental Measurements as a Tool to Understand Factors Influencing Radionuclides Concentrations DTSTART;VALUE=DATE-TIME:20260519T080000Z DTEND;VALUE=DATE-TIME:20260519T082000Z DTSTAMP;VALUE=DATE-TIME:20260606T142241Z UID:indico-contribution-139-3828@indico.tlabs.ac.za DESCRIPTION:Speakers: Paballo Marakalla (National Nuclear Regulator (CNSS) )\nRadon (Rn-222) is a radioactive gas that originates from uranium (U-238 ) and is ranked as a major source of natural ionising radiation and identi fied among the leading causes of lung cancer. It is therefore essential fo r its occurrence and concentration levels present in the environment to be well understood\, quantified and assessed. This study characterised indoo r radon levels regionally in the gold mining sites of Gauteng Province and coal mining sites in the Mpumalanga Province using the solid-state nuclea r track detectors\, which were deployed predominantly during summer and wi nter months. Moreover\, radon parent nuclides were determined in mine tail ing residues\, soils\, rocks and water to help in the understanding of the primary sources and controls of radon.\n \nThe study aimed to evaluate th e extent to which the local conditions such as the underlying lithology\, content of the parent radioisotopes in primary sources\, mining activities \, seasonal variations and building characteristics affect indoor radon. I t was found that the gold tailings residues and coal related operations ha ve no drastic effect on indoor radon concentrations measured in the dwelli ngs studied\, other than at a localized location where contamination resul ting from tailings materials was observed. The major contributing factors were the uranium content in geological formations and soil\, which depicte d a positive correlation with indoor radon concentrations at R² = 0.7827 for rocks and R² = 0.5302 for soil. The uranium content in the ground sur face was proven to be a good first indicator of indoor radon. Contribution s from water to indoor radon were found to be negligible. Variations in me teorological conditions with seasons\, ventilation rate of the house and t he rooms where measurements are conducted\, the age of the dwelling and ty pe of building materials were found as additional contributors and control s to indoor radon concentrations.\n\nhttps://indico.tlabs.ac.za/event/139/ contributions/3828/ LOCATION:NRF-iThemba LABS\, Old Faure Road\, Cape Town Auditorium URL:https://indico.tlabs.ac.za/event/139/contributions/3828/ END:VEVENT BEGIN:VEVENT SUMMARY:Why the Need for Environmental Measurement? DTSTART;VALUE=DATE-TIME:20260519T073000Z DTEND;VALUE=DATE-TIME:20260519T080000Z DTSTAMP;VALUE=DATE-TIME:20260606T142241Z UID:indico-contribution-139-3818@indico.tlabs.ac.za DESCRIPTION:Speakers: Munirat Bashir (Ibrahim Badamasi Babangida Universit y Lapai\, Nigeria)\nEnvironmental measurement is essential for evaluating environmental quality\, detecting contamination\, and protecting human hea lth. 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 fo r monitoring environmental media such as air\, water\, and soil. This lect ure highlights the importance of environmental measurement in pollution de tection\, environmental risk assessment\, and regulatory compliance. Parti cular emphasis is placed on environmental radioactivity monitoring and the application of radiation detection techniques in assessing naturally occu rring and anthropogenic radionuclides. Strengthening environmental monitor ing capacity remains vital for effective environmental management and sust ainable development.\n\nhttps://indico.tlabs.ac.za/event/139/contributions /3818/ LOCATION:NRF-iThemba LABS\, Old Faure Road\, Cape Town Auditorium URL:https://indico.tlabs.ac.za/event/139/contributions/3818/ END:VEVENT BEGIN:VEVENT SUMMARY:Categorization and characterization of uranium-bearing materials f or nuclear forensic attribution using ICP-MS DTSTART;VALUE=DATE-TIME:20260518T124100Z DTEND;VALUE=DATE-TIME:20260518T124900Z DTSTAMP;VALUE=DATE-TIME:20260606T142241Z UID:indico-contribution-139-3817@indico.tlabs.ac.za DESCRIPTION:Speakers: Khumoetsile Jonas (North-west university )\nThe incr easing risk of illicit trafficking and misuse of nuclear and radioactive m aterials 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 mate rials to support nuclear forensic attribution and investigative processes. Uranium materials originating from different stages of the nuclear fuel c ycle were analyzed using advanced analytical techniques to determine their physical\, chemical and isotopic signatures. Samples including Uranium or e and triuranium octoxide were prepared through crushing\,pulverization an d microwave digestion prior to analysis. Elemental and isotopic measuremen ts were performed using Inductively Coupled Plasma Mass Spectrometry. The se techniques enabled the determination of trace elements concentrations\, rare-earth elements (REE) patterns\, uranium isotopic ratios and lead iso topic ratios that serve as distinctive nuclear forensic signatures. \n\nTh e results demonstrate that uranium-bearing materials possess measurable el emental and isotopic characteristics that can be used to distinguish mater ials originating from different geological sources and processing stages. Rare-earth element distributions\, uranium and lead isotopic compositions provided valuable geochemical fingerprints that support source attribution . Overall\, the study highlights the importance of combining elemental and isotopic analysis for reliable categorization and characterization of ura nium-bearing materials. These signatures provide critical information for nuclear forensic investigations and may contribute to the development of a national nuclear forensic library to assist law enforcement and regulator y authorities in identifying the origin and history of intercepted nuclear materials.\n\nhttps://indico.tlabs.ac.za/event/139/contributions/3817/ LOCATION:NRF-iThemba LABS\, Old Faure Road\, Cape Town Auditorium URL:https://indico.tlabs.ac.za/event/139/contributions/3817/ END:VEVENT BEGIN:VEVENT SUMMARY:Comparison of tangential-intensity modulated radiotherapy (t-IMRT) and volumetric modulated arc therapy (VMAT) for different sizes of left b reast cancer DTSTART;VALUE=DATE-TIME:20260518T123300Z DTEND;VALUE=DATE-TIME:20260518T124100Z DTSTAMP;VALUE=DATE-TIME:20260606T142241Z UID:indico-contribution-139-3815@indico.tlabs.ac.za DESCRIPTION:Speakers: Abuobaida Ahmed (North-West University)\nBackground: Radiotherapy is an essential part of the management of left-sided breast cancer\, and this requires an optimal balance in target volume coverage an d organs at risk\, such as the ipsilateral lung and the heart. Advanced te chniques such as tangential-intensity modulated radiotherapy (t-IMRT) and volumetric modulated arc therapy (VMAT) are commonly used. However\, the d osimetric performance of t-IMRT and VMAT for varying breast sizes has been poorly characterized. \nAim: To compare the effectiveness of tangential-I MRT and VMAT for hypo-fractionated left-sided breast cancers across small\ , medium\, and large breast sizes.\nMaterials & Methods: A total of 30 CT datasets from female patients with left-sided breast cancer\, acquired bet ween 2020 and 2025\, were analyzed. Patients were divided into groups base d on breast volume\, with a mean volume of 781.00 cc. For each patient\, t wo treatment plans were designed using the Monaco treatment planning syste m\, which uses the Monte Carlo method. A dose of 26 Gy in 5 fractions was prescribed according to the FAST-Forward hypo-fractionated protocol. Evalu ation of the dosimetric parameters included the Planning Target Volume (PT V) coverage indices D2%\, D5%\, D95%\, Homogeneity Index (HI)\, Conformity Index (CI)\, and doses to the heart (V7 and V1.5 Gy)\, as well as the ips ilateral lung volume receiving V8 Gy. A two-way ANOVA was performed\, with a significance (p < 0.05).\nResults: VMAT showed superior target coverage \, conformity\, and dose homogeneity compared to t-IMRT across all breast sizes (p < 0.05). PTV D95% coverage with the VMAT plans was 99.8%\, 98.3%\ , and 97.0% for small\, medium\, and large breasts\, respectively\, wherea s the t-IMRT plans failed to achieve the required coverage of ≥95% and r esulted in 89.2-90.0% coverage across all the breast sizes. Also\, the hom ogeneity and conformity indices were improved with the VMAT plan. Both pla ns satisfied the PTV hotspot constraints of D2% < 107% and D5% < 105%. Alt hough the t-IMRT plans resulted in lower hotspot doses for small and mediu m breasts\, the VMAT plans resulted in slightly better hotspot dose contro l for large breasts. However\, the differences were not clinically signifi cant\, as they were within 1%. However\, the t-IMRT plans resulted in supe rior OAR sparing\, with lower ipsilateral lung V8 Gy and lower high-dose c ardiac exposure (Heart V1.5 Gy: 0.9 - 1.1 Gy)\, compared to the VMAT plan s\, which resulted in higher high-dose cardiac exposure (2.9 - 3.3 Gy)\, e xceeding the tolerance limit\, though the VMAT plans resulted in lower low -dose cardiac exposure (Heart V7 Gy).\nConclusion: VMAT provided superior target coverage\, conformity\, and homogeneity across all breasts compared to t-IMRT\, achieving the required PTV D95% ≥ 95% in all cases. Both te chniques were able to meet the PTV hotspot requirements\, with slightly im proved control for larger breasts with VMAT\, while this may not have a cl inically significant impact. However\, t-IMRT showed superior sparing of O ARs\, particularly the ipsilateral lung and high-dose cardiac areas. In co ntrast\, VMAT showed increased dose to high-dose cardiac areas and decreas ed dose to low-dose cardiac areas.\nKeywords: VMAT\, Tangential-IMRT\, Lef t-sided Breast radiotherapy\, Breast sizes\, UK FSAT-Forward protocol.\n\n https://indico.tlabs.ac.za/event/139/contributions/3815/ LOCATION:NRF-iThemba LABS\, Old Faure Road\, Cape Town Auditorium URL:https://indico.tlabs.ac.za/event/139/contributions/3815/ END:VEVENT BEGIN:VEVENT SUMMARY:Computer-Aided Diagnosis of Breast Cancer via Mammography DTSTART;VALUE=DATE-TIME:20260518T122500Z DTEND;VALUE=DATE-TIME:20260518T123300Z DTSTAMP;VALUE=DATE-TIME:20260606T142241Z UID:indico-contribution-139-3806@indico.tlabs.ac.za DESCRIPTION:Speakers: Andrew Lucio Mbewe (Researcher)\n## Advanced Nuclear Science and Technology Techniques (ANSTT6) Workshop\n*18–22 May 2026 — iThemba LABS\, Cape Town*\n\n# Computer-Aided Diagnosis of Breast Canc er via Mammography\n\n**Andrew Lucio Mbewe and Dr. Maluba Vernon Chisapi** \n*University of Zambia\, School of Natural and Applied Sciences\, Lusaka \, Zambia*\n\n---\n\n### Abstract\nZambia faces a critical shortage of rad iologists and limited mammography infrastructure. This has resulted in sig nificant diagnostic delays and in turn to high mortality rates due to late -stage breast cancer presentation [1]. This study aimed to develop and val idate a computer-aided diagnosis (CAD) system utilizing the YOLOv11 deep l earning architecture to automate the detection and classification of breas t cancer lesions in mammograms [2]. A quantitative research design was emp loyed\, using a dataset of 4\,060 anonymized mammograms collected from Mai na Soko Hospital in Lusaka\, Zambia. The model was developed using a progr essive training strategy\, incorporating curriculum learning [3] and utili zed both manual and model-assisted annotation to identify masses\, calcifi cations\, and architectural distortions. The CAD system achieved robust pe rformance results\, reaching an accuracy of **71.4%**\, precision of **72. 2%**\, recall of **70.8%**\, and an F1-score of **71.1%**. While the progr essive training strategy successfully improved detection of underrepresent ed lesions like architectural distortions\, the model faced challenges wit h small lesions and false positive results. These findings demonstrate tha t deep learning-based CAD systems can enhance radiological workflows in re source-limited environments through fast\, automated screening.\n\n**Keywo rds:** Breast Cancer\, YOLOv11\, Computer-Aided Diagnosis (CAD)\, Mammogra phy\, Zambia. \n**Category:** Radiation and Health Physics\n\n---\n\n### References\n1. F. Bray et al.\, “Global cancer statistics 2022: GLOBOCAN estimates of incidence and mortality worldwide for 36 cancers in 185 coun tries\,” *CA Cancer J Clin*\, vol. 74\, no. 3\, pp. 229–263\, 2024.\n2 . T. Abd El-Hafeez\, M. A. Shams\, and N. E. Farrag\, “Optimizing YOLOv1 1 for automated classification of breast cancer histopathology images\,” *Scientific Reports*\, vol. 15\, p. 1234\, 2025.\n3. Y. Bengio\, J. Loura dour\, R. Collobert\, and J. Weston\, “Curriculum learning\,” in *Proc . of the 26th Annual Int. Conf. on Machine Learning*\, pp. 41–48\, 2009. \n\nhttps://indico.tlabs.ac.za/event/139/contributions/3806/ LOCATION:NRF-iThemba LABS\, Old Faure Road\, Cape Town Auditorium URL:https://indico.tlabs.ac.za/event/139/contributions/3806/ END:VEVENT BEGIN:VEVENT SUMMARY:The Rhisotope Project - A novel use of radiation to deter poaching DTSTART;VALUE=DATE-TIME:20260518T120000Z DTEND;VALUE=DATE-TIME:20260518T122500Z DTSTAMP;VALUE=DATE-TIME:20260606T142241Z UID:indico-contribution-139-3844@indico.tlabs.ac.za DESCRIPTION:Speakers: James Larkin (University of Witwatersrand)\nThe rate of poaching of rhinos in South Africa shows little sign of slowing. The n umbers 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 wh ilst at the same time risking the lives of antipoaching patrols. The Rhiso tope Project utilises nuclear science in a novel manner to protect these m egaherbivores and give them the chance to survive and thrive once again.\n \nhttps://indico.tlabs.ac.za/event/139/contributions/3844/ LOCATION:NRF-iThemba LABS\, Old Faure Road\, Cape Town Auditorium URL:https://indico.tlabs.ac.za/event/139/contributions/3844/ END:VEVENT BEGIN:VEVENT SUMMARY:Development and Optimisation of a Two-Stage SiPM-Based Compton Cam era DTSTART;VALUE=DATE-TIME:20260518T103000Z DTEND;VALUE=DATE-TIME:20260518T105000Z DTSTAMP;VALUE=DATE-TIME:20260606T142241Z UID:indico-contribution-139-3825@indico.tlabs.ac.za DESCRIPTION:Speakers: Shanyn Hart (iThemba LABS)\nThis work investigates t he development of a two-stage Compton camera for environmental radiation m onitoring\, with a focus on energy resolution\, detection efficiency\, fas t timing\, and optimal geometrical configuration. While significant advanc es have been made in radiation imaging technologies\, challenges remain in achieving high sensitivity and accurate source localisation in complex en vironments.\n\nA prototype Compton camera is studied using compact\, low-v oltage 14 × 14 × 25.4 mm LaBr$_3$:Ce scintillation detectors coupled to SiPM readout\, with the aim of leveraging the advantages of modern SiPM te chnology. These detectors\, manufactured by CapeScint (MA\, USA)\, demonst rate excellent energy resolution (3.4% at 662 keV) and fast timing perform ance. Scatter event tracking is modelled using the TOPAS Monte Carlo toolk it to determine optimal detector geometry and timing characteristics\, com plemented by experimental measurements with standard gamma-ray sources.\n\ nIn addition\, two Cs$_2$LiYCl$_6$ (CLYC-6) SiPM-readout detectors of the same geometry have been commissioned to exploit their neutron sensitivity. Pulse shape discrimination is used to distinguish neutron and gamma-ray i nteractions\, enabling simultaneous gamma–neutron detection for comprehe nsive environmental radiation assessment.\n\nThe development of this syste m has the potential to improve radiation source localisation\, contaminati on mapping\, and situational awareness in environmental and nuclear safety applications. Its compact design and fast-timing capabilities make it wel l suited for field deployment in scenarios such as nuclear facility monito ring\, waste management\, and emergency response. Preliminary results from simulation and experimental studies will be presented.\n\nhttps://indico. tlabs.ac.za/event/139/contributions/3825/ LOCATION:NRF-iThemba LABS\, Old Faure Road\, Cape Town Auditorium URL:https://indico.tlabs.ac.za/event/139/contributions/3825/ END:VEVENT BEGIN:VEVENT SUMMARY:Portable African Neutron-Gamma Laboratory for Innovative Nuclear S cience DTSTART;VALUE=DATE-TIME:20260518T100000Z DTEND;VALUE=DATE-TIME:20260518T103000Z DTSTAMP;VALUE=DATE-TIME:20260606T142241Z UID:indico-contribution-139-3799@indico.tlabs.ac.za DESCRIPTION:Speakers: Pete Jones (iThemba LABS)\nThe Portable African Neut ron-Gamma Laboratory for Innovative Nuclear Science (PANGoLINS) [1] projec t aims to investigate measurements of both gamma rays and neutrons which f orms an important component part on site or in transit and the detection o f both fissile material for the use in decarbonised energy sources or disp osal thereof. A core component of the project is to miniaturize the weigh t of the gamma ray detection device and associated infrastructure so that it can be loaded on an unmanned aerial vehicle to enable access to and enh ance performance of radiation monitoring measurements at remote sites lead ing to autonomous operations.\n\nPANGoLINS incorporates commercial detecto r assemblies of LaBr3(Ce)\, SrI2(Eu) and/or CLYC(Ce) for spectroscopy. In addition\, the project encompasses the instrumentation of other scintilla tion detectors with silicon photomultiplier technologies. The coupling of these to readout devices such as high-density ADC readout are planned for applications for nuclear science\, medical imaging [2] or astronomy.\n\nA n overview of the project\, its progress and potential outcomes will be pr esented.\n\nReferences\n\n [1] Jones\, P. et al.\, IEEE Nuclear Science Symposium (2025) DOI: 10.1109/NSS/MIC/RTSD57106.2025.11286641\n [2] Hart \, S. et al.\, IEEE Nuclear Science Symposium (2025) DOI: 10.1109/NSS/MIC/ RTSD57106.2025.11287197\n\nhttps://indico.tlabs.ac.za/event/139/contributi ons/3799/ LOCATION:NRF-iThemba LABS\, Old Faure Road\, Cape Town Auditorium URL:https://indico.tlabs.ac.za/event/139/contributions/3799/ END:VEVENT BEGIN:VEVENT SUMMARY:Gamma and radon measurements in the Huguenot tunnel for the PAUL p roject DTSTART;VALUE=DATE-TIME:20260518T084500Z DTEND;VALUE=DATE-TIME:20260518T090500Z DTSTAMP;VALUE=DATE-TIME:20260606T142241Z UID:indico-contribution-139-3834@indico.tlabs.ac.za DESCRIPTION:Speakers: Robbie Lindsay (UWC)\nThe PAUL project has made sign ificant progress toward planning and designing an underground laboratory t o 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 report on measurements of the gamma-ray background and radon concentra tions\, which are also crucial for assessing the site’s suitability for low-background experiments.\n\nThis presentation summarizes radon monitori ng results\, gamma-ray spectra measured in the tunnel\, and the concentrat ions of naturally occurring radionuclides in the surrounding rock. Measure ment methods and results will be described\, with emphasis on implications for background mitigation and for the design of the planned underground l aboratory.\n\nhttps://indico.tlabs.ac.za/event/139/contributions/3834/ LOCATION:NRF-iThemba LABS\, Old Faure Road\, Cape Town Auditorium URL:https://indico.tlabs.ac.za/event/139/contributions/3834/ END:VEVENT BEGIN:VEVENT SUMMARY:Radiological Health Risk Assessment of Agricultural Soils Around Selected Quarry Sites in Selected States\, Nigeria DTSTART;VALUE=DATE-TIME:20260518T082000Z DTEND;VALUE=DATE-TIME:20260518T084500Z DTSTAMP;VALUE=DATE-TIME:20260606T142241Z UID:indico-contribution-139-3803@indico.tlabs.ac.za DESCRIPTION:Speakers: Mojisola Usikalu ()\nSoil samples in the agricultura l farmland surrounding selected quarry sites in Ondo and Ekiti states was assessed to measure the concentration of 238U\, 232Th\, 40K using NaI (TI) detector and estimating radiological parameters in order to determine the possible radiation effects to the farmers and member of the public consum ing the farm products. Analysis of the result revealed that the average co ntents of the measured radioelements were 15.19\, 31.92 and 1354.15\, 16.5 5\, 38.60 and 1185.44\, 24.66\, 34.25\, 1385.89 and 18.10\, 37.66\, 1242.6 7 Bq/kg for Iyin\, Ita ogbolu\, Aaye and Ikere quarry sites\, accordingly. The absorbed dose rate in the soil samples ranges from 64.91 nGy/h in Iyi n quarry site to 146.88 nGy/h in Aaye quarry site with the mean value of 8 6.06 nGy/h for the four study locations. The concentration of 40K\, the ab sorbed dose rate\, the indoor and outdoor annual effective dose and the ex cess lifetime cancer risk were higher than the world limit in the study ar ea\, predisposing the member of the public in these locations to hazard of radiation exposure. There is the need for constant monitoring of the quar ry sites\, provision of radiation protective shield for workers mining at the sites\, awareness of radiation risks to the farmers and members of the public around the quarry sites.\n\nhttps://indico.tlabs.ac.za/event/139/c ontributions/3803/ LOCATION:NRF-iThemba LABS\, Old Faure Road\, Cape Town Auditorium URL:https://indico.tlabs.ac.za/event/139/contributions/3803/ END:VEVENT BEGIN:VEVENT SUMMARY:Applications of Accelerator Mass Spectrometry in southern Africa DTSTART;VALUE=DATE-TIME:20260518T075000Z DTEND;VALUE=DATE-TIME:20260518T082000Z DTSTAMP;VALUE=DATE-TIME:20260606T142241Z UID:indico-contribution-139-3841@indico.tlabs.ac.za DESCRIPTION:Speakers: Stephan Woodborne ()\nThe AMS facility at iThemba LA BS is the only one of its kind on the African continent. It operates with NRF support to achieve a threefold mandate: to provide a technology platfo rm for users\, to train future science leaders\, and to do research. In me eting this mandate the AMS facility operates in a partnership with the use r base in the provision of know-how to run analyses on science agendas set by the users\, and in leading in-house research that accommodates academi c partners and post-graduate student training. While the AMS facility is f ramed securely in the particle physics domain\, the greatest impact is fou nd in applied disciplines. The greatest demand is from the traditional her itage market\, and the “recent archaeology” of southern Africa is almo st entirely dependent on AMS radiocarbon dating to provide a chronological framework. Other important applications include testing climate change fo recasts\, dating groundwater recharge\, assessing global phenomenon such a s magnetic field fluctuations over the last 50 000 years\, and assessing t he mechanisms of coastal erosion. The essence of the AMS program is to use particle physics for the benefit of the people of South Africa\, and Afri ca\, and this depends on attracting innovative young scientists into the f ield.\n\nhttps://indico.tlabs.ac.za/event/139/contributions/3841/ LOCATION:NRF-iThemba LABS\, Old Faure Road\, Cape Town Auditorium URL:https://indico.tlabs.ac.za/event/139/contributions/3841/ END:VEVENT END:VCALENDAR