IRMM - Institute for Reference Materials and Measurements Geel - Belgium Joint Research Centre (JRC) NEA Databank 9-10 June 2009 On the current role and activities of the NEA Data Bank Peter Rullhusen

NEA Databank 9-10 June 2009 Observations on the answers given to the Data Bank questionnaire  Current role and activities  Relations with the EC  Dissemination of data and codes  Education and Training

NEA Databank 9-10 June 2009 Extract from NEA Strategic Plan for (NEA/NE(2008)6) – EG: Current role The Committee shall also supervise the work of the Data Bank, which acts as an international centre of reference for its Member countries with respect to basic nuclear tools, such as computer codes and nuclear data, used for the analysis and prediction of phenomena in the nuclear field, and which provides a direct service to its users by developing, improving and validating these tools and making them available as requested. Comments:  The development, improvement and validation of codes and data files is largely done by NEA member states on a voluntary basis. The main and very important role of the NEA DB is the coordination of these efforts and dissemination of the results.  A crucial aspect is the sustainable preservation of these data over long periods of time ensuring an adequate maintenance of the data bases and free access. This can only be guaranteed by an international organisation such as, e.g., the NEA. I.A.1. Does the current Strategic Plan adequately identify the role of the NEA Data Bank?

NEA Databank 9-10 June 2009 relations with the EC I.B.4. How do you judge, within the framework of its role, the effectiveness of the Data Bank’s interactions with:... the EC ? Comments:  It is worthwhile remembering that the Euratom Framework Programme is set by the EU Member States (Council and Parliament)  In the interactions with the OECD-NEA two areas should be discussed sparately: the direct actions of the EC (i.e. the JRC work program) the indirect actions (managed by DG RTD)

NEA Databank 9-10 June 2009 Euratom FP7 Direct Actions (JRC)  nuclear safety and security  nuclear waste management  environmental impact and basic knowledge Indirect Actions  fusion energy research  nuclear fission and radiation protection EC participation in all NEA Committees (DGs: TREN, RTD, JRC, ECFIN, ELARG)

NEA Databank 9-10 June 2009 FP7 Indirect Actions Important imput to the work programme: Technology platforms:...bring together a broad spectrum of stakeholders to formulate and implement common research agendas... Sustainable Nuclear Energy Technology Platform SNE-TP launched 21 September 2007 Strategic Research Agenda (SRA) Draft published 26 November 2008  public review

NEA Databank 9-10 June 2009 Direct Actions (JRC) JRC participation in NEA committees: CSNI(PRG, IAGE, WGRISK, GAMA, SEG HOE, SEG FSM, SCC-SCAP) CNRA (WGIP, WGOE, WGRNR, TGRE) RWMC(Reg. Forum, IGSC, FSC, WPDD, CPD) NDC(MCNI, Licensing process) NSC(WPEC, WPFC, WPMM, EGRES, ) NEA DB(EG, JEFF) PS: nuclear data obtained in the frame of EC supported projects (e.g. HINDAS, NUDATRA, n_TOF-ND-ADS, EFNUDAT, NUDAME, EUFRAT) are sent to the NEA databank for public dissemination

NEA Databank 9-10 June 2009 Education and Training The NEA DB shall assist its members countries in preserving know-how in computer program and nuclear data validation by:  advising customers on the choice of available computer programs and nuclear data to be used in different application areas;  organising courses, seminars and benchmark exercises to educate the scientific community in the proper use of these basic nuclear tools Comment: The infrastructure at the NEA in Paris is very good But: fees for some courses are rather high  negotiate with the license owners that they allow for organising less expensive courses by knowledgeable scientists, either in Paris or in DB member states? (example: recent course on resonance analysis at IRMM)

NEA Databank 9-10 June 2009 dissemination Comments: Codes: the system of "liaison officers" makes it sometimes cumbersome for retrieving codes. EXFOR: attention to not well documented data sets (e.g. scans from conference proceedings). The deficiencies have been clearly identified and correction of obvious mistakes is being carried out by a WPEC subgroup. The DB should ensure that such a-posteriori corrections are clearly identified as such in the file. All data libraries should be free. For computer codes, the category should be decided by the license owner.

NEA Databank 9-10 June 2009 conclusions The NEA DB has an essential role in knowledge preservation and dissemination of data (integral, differential) The EC supports the NEA through active participation in many NEA committees, especially in the NSC and the NEA DB. Nuclear data obtained in the frame of EC supported projects are sent to the NEA databank for public dissemination Via the direct actions in the Euratom FP the EC is supporting considerably the nuclear data activities in Europe (main data provider for the JEFF project in the last years). Prorities in the nuclear data work programme are guided by the HPRL.