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The Universal Nuclide Chart (UNC) is a web-based nuclide chart in Nucleonica. In contrast to Nucleonica’s Nuclide Explorer (which provides comprehensive nuclear data), the UNC allows the user to simulate radioactive decay processes and actinide build-up in reactors through transmutation. This new version of the application is based on the JEFF3.1 radioactive decay data. The older version of the application was based on the earlier JEF2.2 data.

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A new version of the Decay Engine – one of the most popular tools in Nucleonica – has been released. The application has been streamlined to improve the user-friendliness and ease of operation. There are now two modes of operation which can be selected in the Options:
1. Time mode: For an initial activity of a given nuclide or mixture, the final activity is calculated after a decay time.
2. Date mode: if a activity is known at some time (date), then the activity can be calculated at any other time (date). In this date mode, the user can enter a date (e.g. when the sample was taken). The calculation result then shows the activity at any later time (date). This is useful for the calculations of standards.

Other new features include: easier selection of nuclides or groups of nuclides for plotting; activation of features to be shown in the main tab; selection of quantities to be shown in the grid output; new decay “tree” manifestation of the decay processes.

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ScienceCinema is an innovative, state-of-the-art audio indexing and speech recognition technology which to allow users to quickly find video files produced by the DOE National Laboratories, other DOE research facilities, and the European Organization for Nuclear Research (CERN).
Nucleonica now offers direct link to some important/historical videos on nuclear science. A recent video describes the discovery of element 117 by Yuri Oganessian

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Nucleonica can be used on smartphones and mobile devices. In a new wiki page we describe how the Nucleonica can be setup and used on a variety of smartphones such as the Apple iPhone, Samsung Galaxy, etc. In a first step it is described how to create a Nucleonica icon on the Home Screen. Thereafter the website can be quickly accessed through the Nucleonica icon. The user can login to Nucleonica through the mobile login page to reach the nuclear science applications. For even easier access, the user can save the login details.

Most of the Nucleonica applications will work on the smartphones. There are some exceptions which require the use of plugins and these plugins are not available for the web browser. In the Data Centre, all modules work with the exception of the Universal Nuclide Chart (UNC). The UNC requires Java to be installed on the device. Currently, the iPhone does not support Java. For the Virtual Cloud Chamber requires the CORTONA 3D virtual reality plugin, WESPA requires the Adobe Flash Player. These plugins are not available for Smartphones.

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A Training Course on Core Capabilities in Nuclear Forensics took place from 16 – 20 April 2012 at the KIT centre in Karlsruhe. The course was arranged through the European Nuclear Security Training Centre (EUSECTRA) and involved approximately 15 participants form South East Asian countries including Malysia, Indonesia, Philipines, Thailand, Singapore and Vietnam.

The training course also involved practical work at the Institute for Transuranium Elements. A general introduction to Nucleonica was given together with a number of applications on the use in the context of Nuclear security. The course proceedings are available on CD-ROM (or USB key) for the participants.

This new application – the Mass Activity Converter – is a completely redesigned version of the Mass Activity Calculator. The main tab now shows the physical quantities expressed explicitly as a number multiplied by a unit (see figure).

Another new feature is that the user can now choose between SI units (Bq, Gy, Sv) and non-SI units (Ci, rad, rem, etc.)

For further information see Mass Activity Converter wiki page.

Through an institutional license agreement, staff at the CERN has now full Premium access to the Nucleonica applications and features. CERN, the European Organization for Nuclear Research, is one of the world’s largest and most respected centres for scientific research. Its business is fundamental physics, finding out what the Universe is made of and how it works. At CERN, the world’s largest and most complex scientific instruments are used to study the basic constituents of matter — the fundamental particles.

The Nucleonica team looks forward to a close interaction with the CERN colleagues and encourages a strong use of the web portal.

Through an institutional license agreement, staff at the TRIUMF – Canada’s national laboratory for particle and nuclear physics – has now full Premium access to the Nucleonica applications and features. TRIUMF is one of the world’s leading subatomic physics laboratories. It brings together dedicated physicists and interdisciplinary talent, sophisticated technical resources, and commercial partners.

The Nucleonica team looks forward to a close interaction with the TRIUMF colleagues and encourages a strong use of the web portal.

We have just released a new version of the Mass Activity Calculator. Apart from cosmetic changes, two new tabs have been introduced: Options and Mixture details. In the Options tab the user can specify the distance from the source in the calculation of the gamma dose rate (default value is 100 cm). In the Mixture details tab, the user can now see the nuclide components and their masses, activities, etc. when a mixture is selected. Previously, one had to go to the Nuclide Mixture module to see this information.
For further information see Mass Activity Calculator wiki page.

A joint IUPAC/IUPAP Working Party (JWP) has confirmed the discovery of the elements with atomic numbers 114 and 116. In accord with IUPAC procedures, the discoverers proposed names as follows: flerovium and symbol, Fl, for the element with Z = 114 and livermorium with the symbol Lv for the element with Z = 116. The Inorganic Chemistry Division recommended these proposals for acceptance.
Comments should be submitted by 30 April 2012. The text of the Provisional Recommendation can be downloaded from http://media.iupac.org/reports/provisional/abstract11/corish_300412.html. Comments should be sent to Prof. John Corish at jcorish@tcd.ie.
Extract from the new 8th Edition (2012) of the Karlsruhe Nuclide Chart showing the isotopes of flerovium and livermorium.