title: Determination of origin and intended use of plutonium metal using nuclear forensic techniques.
abstract: Nuclear forensics techniques, including micro-XRF, gamma spectrometry, trace elemental analysis and isotopic/chronometric characterization were used to interrogate two, potentially related plutonium metal foils. These samples were submitted for analysis with only limited production information, and a comprehensive suite of forensic analyses were performed. Resulting analytical data was paired with available reactor model and historical information to provide insight into the materials' properties, origins, and likely intended uses. Both were super-grade plutonium, containing less than 3%240Pu, and age-dating suggested that most recent chemical purification occurred in 1948 and 1955 for the respective metals. Additional consideration of reactor modeling feedback and trace elemental observables indicate plausible U.S. reactor origin associated with the Hanford site production efforts. Based on this investigation, the most likely intended use for these plutonium foils was239Pu fission foil targets for physics experiments, such as cross-section measurements, etc.
authors.affiliation: Los Alamos National Laboratory, 30 Bikini Atoll, Los Alamos, NM 87545, United States. Electronic address: jrim@lanl.gov.
authors.forename: Jung H
authors.initials: JH
authors.lastname: Rim
authors.affiliation: Los Alamos National Laboratory, 30 Bikini Atoll, Los Alamos, NM 87545, United States. Electronic address: kkuhn@lanl.gov.
authors.forename: Kevin J
authors.initials: KJ
authors.lastname: Kuhn
authors.affiliation: Los Alamos National Laboratory, 30 Bikini Atoll, Los Alamos, NM 87545, United States. Electronic address: tandon@lanl.gov.
authors.forename: Lav
authors.initials: L
authors.lastname: Tandon
authors.affiliation: Los Alamos National Laboratory, 30 Bikini Atoll, Los Alamos, NM 87545, United States. Electronic address: ningxu@lanl.gov.
authors.forename: Ning
authors.initials: N
authors.lastname: Xu
authors.affiliation: Los Alamos National Laboratory, 30 Bikini Atoll, Los Alamos, NM 87545, United States. Electronic address: dporterfield@lanl.gov.
authors.forename: Donivan R
authors.initials: DR
authors.lastname: Porterfield
authors.affiliation: Los Alamos National Laboratory, 30 Bikini Atoll, Los Alamos, NM 87545, United States. Electronic address: cworley@lanl.gov.
authors.forename: Christopher G
authors.initials: CG
authors.lastname: Worley
authors.affiliation: Los Alamos National Laboratory, 30 Bikini Atoll, Los Alamos, NM 87545, United States. Electronic address: thomas@lanl.gov.
authors.forename: Mariam R
authors.initials: MR
authors.lastname: Thomas
authors.affiliation: Los Alamos National Laboratory, 30 Bikini Atoll, Los Alamos, NM 87545, United States. Electronic address: spencerk@lanl.gov.
authors.forename: Khalil J
authors.initials: KJ
authors.lastname: Spencer
authors.affiliation: Los Alamos National Laboratory, 30 Bikini Atoll, Los Alamos, NM 87545, United States. Electronic address: floyd@lanl.gov.
authors.forename: Floyd E
authors.initials: FE
authors.lastname: Stanley
authors.affiliation: Los Alamos National Laboratory, 30 Bikini Atoll, Los Alamos, NM 87545, United States. Electronic address: ejlujan@lanl.gov.
authors.forename: Elmer J
authors.initials: EJ
authors.lastname: Lujan
authors.affiliation: Los Alamos National Laboratory, 30 Bikini Atoll, Los Alamos, NM 87545, United States. Electronic address: garduno@lanl.gov.
authors.forename: Katherine
authors.initials: K
authors.lastname: Garduno
authors.affiliation: Los Alamos National Laboratory, 30 Bikini Atoll, Los Alamos, NM 87545, United States. Electronic address: trellue@lanl.gov.
authors.forename: Holly R
authors.initials: HR
authors.lastname: Trellue
keywords: Age dating; Chronometry; Fission foil; Nuclear forensics; Plutonium; Special nuclear materials