Abstract
The goal of nuclear forensics is to establish an unambiguous link between illicitly trafficked nuclear material and its origin. The Los Alamos National Laboratory (LANL) Nuclear Materials Signatures Program has implemented a graded “conduct of operations” type analysis flow path approach for determining the key nuclear, chemical, and physical signatures needed to identify the manufacturing process, intended use, and origin of interdicted nuclear material. This analysis flow path includes both destructive and non-destructive characterization techniques and has been exercized against different nuclear materials from LANL’s special nuclear materials archive. Results obtained from the case study will be presented to highlight analytical techniques that offer the critical attribution information.
This is a preview of subscription content, log in via an institution to check access.
Similar content being viewed by others
References
R. Ziesler, D. L. Donohue, J. Radioanal. Nucl. Chem., 194 (1995) 229.
M. Wallenius, P. Peerani, L. Koch, J. Radioanal. Nucl. Chem., 246 (2000) 317.
K. J. Moody, I. D. Hutcheon, P. M. Grant, Nuclear Forensic Analysis, Taylor & Group, Boca Raton, FL, 2005.
B. Salbu, Radiat. Prot. Dosim., 92 (2000) 49.
B. Salbu, Actinides Associated with Particles, in: Plutonium in the Environment, A. Kudo (Ed.), Elsevier Science Ltd., Oxford, 2001, p. 121.
S. C. Myers, K. M. Gruetzmacher, R. M. Bustos, S. G. Ferran, Systematic bias estimates of the SNAP analytical technique in measurement trials of known Pu standards in mockup drums at Los Alamos National Laboratory, and Intercomparison study of the SNAP gamma-spectroscopy analytical technique with two WIPP-certified nondestructive assay systems at LANL, Los Alamos National Laboratory, Los Alamos, NM, Technical Report Nos LA-UR-01-5728, 2001 and LA-UR-02-3923, 2002.
T. E. Sampson, T. A. Kelley, Appl. Radiation Isotopes, 48 (1997) 1543.
R. B. Von Dreele, J. Appl. Cryst., 30 (1997) 517.
A. C. Larson, R. B. Von Dreele, Los Alamos National Laboratory, Los Alamos NM, Technical Report LA-UR 86-748, 2001.
E. L. Callis, R. M. Abernathey, Intern. J. Mass Spectr. Ion Proc., 103 (1991) 93.
R. M. Abernathey, G. M. Matlack, J. E. Rein, Analytical Methods in the Nuclear Fuel Cycle, Proc. Symp. Analytical Methods in the Nuclear Fuel Cycle, Vienna, 1972.
S. F. Marsh, M. R. Oritz, R. M. Abernathey, J. E. Rein, Improved Two-Column Ion-Exchange Separation of Plutonium, Uranium, and Neodymium in Mixed Uranium-Plutonium Fuels for Burnup Measurements, Los Alamos Scientific Laboratory, Los Alamos NM, Technical Report LA-5568, 1974.
J. J. Katz, G. T. Seaborg, L. R. Morss, The Chemistry of the Actinide Elements, 2nd ed., Chapman and Hall, New York/London, 1986.
J. M. Cleveland, The Chemistry of Plutonium, American Nuclear Society, La Grange Park, IL., 1979.
N. G. Pope, S. L. Yarbro, S. B. Schreiber, R. S. Day, An Introduction to the Advanced Testing Line for Actinide Separations (ATLAS), Los Alamos National Laboratory, Los Alamos NM, Technical Report LA-12156, 1992.
Los Alamos Scientific Laboratory, Plutonium Recovery at the Los Alamos Scientific Laboratory, Los Alamos Scientific Laboratory, Los Alamos NM, Technical Report LA-UR-80-1168, 1980.
M. Betti, G. Tamborini, L. Koch, Anal. Chem., 71 (1999) 2616.
M. Benedict, T. H. Pigford, H. W. Levi, Nuclear Chemical Engineering, 2nd ed., McGraw-Hill Book Company, New York, 1981.
Author information
Authors and Affiliations
Corresponding author
Rights and permissions
About this article
Cite this article
Tandon, L., Hastings, E., Banar, J. et al. Nuclear, chemical, and physical characterization of nuclear materials. J Radioanal Nucl Chem 276, 467–473 (2008). https://doi.org/10.1007/s10967-008-0528-7
Received:
Published:
Issue Date:
DOI: https://doi.org/10.1007/s10967-008-0528-7