Determination of (235)U, (239)Pu, (240)Pu, and (241)Am in a nuclear bomb particle using a position-sensitive α-γ coincidence technique.
A nuclear bomb particle containing 1.6 ng of Pu was investigated nondestructively with a position-sensitive α detector and a broad-energy HPGe γ-ray detector. An event-mode data acquisition system was used to record the data. α-γ coincidence counting was shown to be well suited to nondestructive isotope ratio determination. Because of the very small background, the 51.6 keV γ rays of (239)Pu and the 45.2 keV γ rays of (240)Pu were identified, which enabled isotopic ratio calculations. In the present work, the (239)Pu/((239)Pu+(240)Pu) atom ratio was determined to be 0.950 ± 0.010. The uncertainties were much smaller than in the previous more conventional nondestructive studies on this particle. Obtained results are also in good agreement with the data from the destructive mass spectrometric studies obtained previously by other investigators.
STUK - Radiation and Nuclear Safety Authority, Helsinki, Finland. kari.perajarvi@stuk.fi
Kari A
KA
Peräjärvi
Sakari
S
Ihantola
Roy C
RC
Pöllänen
Harri I
HI
Toivonen
Jani A
JA
Turunen
D005720:Gamma Rays; D013058:Mass Spectrometry / Q000379:methods; D054043:Nuclear Weapons; D011005:Plutonium / Q000032:analysis* / Q000737:chemistry
D011005:Plutonium