The "age" of plutonium particles

Wallenius, Maria; Tamborini, Gloria; Koch, L.

doi:10.1524/ract.2001.89.1.055

Cited by 51 publications

(44 citation statements)

References 5 publications

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“…Isotope dilution methods are used for quantification of parent and progeny isotope abundances by TIMS or ICP-MS. For ICP-MS and TIMS, the analyte must be purified from sample matrix, whereas SIMS analysis utilizes bulk sample. Sample requirements may be as low as 1 μg of uranium for TIMS analysis (Pointurier et al 2013) or plutonium particles on the order of 10 μm for in situ SIMS analysis (Wallenius et al 2001).…”

Section: Methodsmentioning

confidence: 99%

Nuclear Forensic Science: Analysis of Nuclear Material Out of Regulatory Control

Kristo

Gaffney

Marks

et al. 2016

Annu. Rev. Earth Planet. Sci.

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Nuclear forensic science seeks to identify the origin of nuclear materials found outside regulatory control. It is increasingly recognized as an integral part of a robust nuclear security program. This review highlights areas of active, evolving research in nuclear forensics, with a focus on analytical techniques commonly employed in Earth and planetary sciences. Applications of nuclear forensics to uranium ore concentrates (UOCs) are discussed first. UOCs have become an attractive target for nuclear forensic researchers because of the richness in impurities compared to materials produced later in the fuel cycle. The development of chronometric methods for age dating nuclear materials is then discussed, with an emphasis on improvements in accuracy that have been gained from measurements of multiple radioisotopic systems. Finally, papers that report on casework are reviewed, to provide a window into current scientific practice. Ian Hutcheon, our friend, colleague, and mentor, passed away on March 26, 2015, during the writing of this review paper. Ian (PhD, Physics, University of California, Berkeley, 1974)

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Section: Methodsmentioning

confidence: 99%

Nuclear Forensic Science: Analysis of Nuclear Material Out of Regulatory Control

Kristo

Gaffney

Marks

et al. 2016

Annu. Rev. Earth Planet. Sci.

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“…WALLENIUS and colleagues [1][2][3] have, in a series of publications, exploited different types of mass spectrometers for determining the age and origin of Pu. They applied secondary ion mass spectrometry (SIMS) for the dating of single plutonium particles.…”

Section: Introductionmentioning

confidence: 99%

“…They applied secondary ion mass spectrometry (SIMS) for the dating of single plutonium particles. 1 Thermal ionization mass spectrometry (TIMS) and quadrupolebased inductively coupled plasma mass spectrometry (ICP-QMS) were used for the age determination of plutonium reference materials and plutonium pellet samples. 2,3 The age determinations using mass spectrometry were primarily based on the 238 Pu/ 234 U, 239 Pu/ 235 U and 240 Pu/ 236 U ratios, and the results were generally in good agreement with the reported ages.…”

Section: Introductionmentioning

confidence: 99%

Age determination of plutonium using inductively coupled plasma mass spectrometry

Nygren

Ramebäck

Nilsson

2007

J Radioanal Nucl Chem

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The age of plutonium is defined as the time since the last separation of the plutonium isotopes from their daughter nuclides. In this paper, a method for age determination based on analysis of 241 Pu/ 241 Am and 240 Pu/ 236 Pu using ICP-SFMS is described. Separation of Pu and Am was performed using a solid phase extraction procedure including UTEVA, TEVA, TRU and Ln-resins. The procedure provided separation factors adequate for this purpose. Age determinations were performed on two plutonium reference solutions from the Institute for Reference Materials and Measurements, IRMM081 ( 239 Pu) and IRMM083 ( 240 Pu), on sediment from the Marshall Islands (reference material IAEA367) and on soil from the Trinity test site (Trinitite). The measured ages based on the 241 Am/ 241 Pu ratio corresponded well with the time since the last parent-daughter separations of all the materials. The ages derived from the 236 U/ 240 Pu ratio were in agreement for the IRMM materials, but for IAEA367 the determination of 236 U was interfered by tailing from 238 U, and for Trinitite the determined age was biased due to formation of 236 U in the detonation of the "Gadget".

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“…Age determination of Pu particles poses a particular challenge [16]. In the case of single particles, no U/Pu/Am separation can be performed; the isotope ratios need to be measured directly by SIMS.…”

Section: Age Determinationmentioning

confidence: 99%

“…The natural variations in the isotopic composition of certain elements may provide clues on the geographic origin of the material, and is in fact one of the methodologies used in geolocation [30] 16 O ratio have been observed in rain water. These variations depend on the average annual temperature, the average distance from the ocean and on the latitude.…”

Section: Geolocationmentioning

confidence: 99%

Tracing the Origin of Diverted or Stolen Nuclear Material through Nuclear Forensic Investigations

Mayer

Wallenius

Ray

Verifying Treaty Compliance

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The "age" of plutonium particles

Cited by 51 publications

References 5 publications

Nuclear Forensic Science: Analysis of Nuclear Material Out of Regulatory Control

Nuclear Forensic Science: Analysis of Nuclear Material Out of Regulatory Control

Age determination of plutonium using inductively coupled plasma mass spectrometry

Tracing the Origin of Diverted or Stolen Nuclear Material through Nuclear Forensic Investigations

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