New horizons in microparticle forensics: Actinide imaging and detection of ²³⁸ Pu and ^242m Am in hot particles

Abstract

Quasi non-desctructive actinide isotope detection and imaging on the 100nm scale advances single particle nuclear forensics.

Investigation of the atomic structure of curium and determination of its first ionization potential

“…Finally, the yaxis intercept corresponds to the IP yielding a value of 48333(2)cm −1 . The slope of the linear function is −6.04 (23) (V/cm) −1/2 perfectly confirming the expectation of −6.12 (V/cm) −1/2 [20].…”

“…As determined by non-resonant RIS, the GS transition FES B to 24747.71cm −1 is somewhat stronger than those to FES A and FES C to 23083.19cm −1 and 25287.08cm −1 . Scheme A has already been successfully used for RIMS at Mainz University as well as for ultratrace analysis at Hannover University using rL-SNMS [23]. In these studies, scheme A was superior in elemental selectivity, as, e.g., americium was completely suppressed when the lasers were configured for the ioniza-Fig.…”

Multi-Element Isotopic Analysis of Hot Particles from Chornobyl

“…A standard Pu solution was measured to correct for instrumental mass fractionation. Rastering the ion gun over the sample allows for a spatially resolved elemental intensity map at a beam size down to 70 nm, with the resolution achieved depending on the total ion signal available [2,41]. For isotopes on the order of 10 2 counts per sample, 126 × 126 pixel raster size is chosen to balance signal intensity with spatial resolution.…”

“…Previous work has demonstrated how the resonant laser secondary neutral mass spectrometry (rL-SNMS) instrument in Hannover, Germany can measure isotope ratios in the actinides U, Pu and Am on hot particles from the Chornobyl Exclusion Zone (CEZ) [1,2]. Here, this capability is extended to the fission products Cs, Rb, Sr and Ba by use of the laser ionization of neutrals (LION) instrument in Livermore, USA [3].…”

Identification, isolation, and characterization of a novel type of Fukushima-derived microparticle

“…Various interesting observations were made lately, for example nanoparticulate Pu inclusions in CsMP [34]. Various methods have been tested to localize radioactive particles, especially uranium-bearing particles, including α-tracks [35], fission tracks, imaging plates, and real time autoradiography [36,37] or scanning electron microscopy (SEM) in backscattered electrons mode [38]. In this study, we investigated grass from Fukushima prefecture by autoradiography for possible presence of microparticles.…”