Method of photon spectral analysis
Abstract
A spectroscopic method to rapidly measure the presence of plutonium in soils, filters, smears, and glass waste forms by measuring the uranium L-shell x-ray emissions associated with the decay of plutonium. In addition, the technique can simultaneously acquire spectra of samples and automatically analyze them for the amount of americium and .gamma.-ray emitting activation and fission products present. The samples are counted with a large area, thin-window, n-type germanium spectrometer which is equally efficient for the detection of low-energy x-rays (10-2000 keV), as well as high-energy .gamma. rays (>1 MeV). A 8192- or 16,384 channel analyzer is used to acquire the entire photon spectrum at one time. A dual-energy, time-tagged pulser, that is injected into the test input of the preamplifier to monitor the energy scale, and detector resolution. The L x-ray portion of each spectrum is analyzed by a linear-least-squares spectral fitting technique. The .gamma.-ray portion of each spectrum is analyzed by a standard Ge .gamma.-ray analysis program. This method can be applied to any analysis involving x- and .gamma.-ray analysis in one spectrum and is especially useful when interferences in the x-ray region can be identified from the .gamma.-ray analysis and accommodated during the x-ray analysis.
- Inventors:
-
- Idaho Falls, ID
- Blackfoot, ID
- Pocatello, ID
- Issue Date:
- Research Org.:
- EG & G IDAHO INC
- OSTI Identifier:
- 868762
- Patent Number(s):
- 5206174
- Assignee:
- EG&G Idaho, Inc. (Idaho Falls, ID)
- Patent Classifications (CPCs):
-
G - PHYSICS G01 - MEASURING G01T - MEASUREMENT OF NUCLEAR OR X-RADIATION
- DOE Contract Number:
- AC07-76ID01570
- Resource Type:
- Patent
- Country of Publication:
- United States
- Language:
- English
- Subject:
- method; photon; spectral; analysis; spectroscopic; rapidly; measure; presence; plutonium; soils; filters; smears; glass; waste; forms; measuring; uranium; l-shell; x-ray; emissions; associated; decay; addition; technique; simultaneously; acquire; spectra; samples; automatically; analyze; amount; americium; gamma; -ray; emitting; activation; fission; products; counted; thin-window; n-type; germanium; spectrometer; equally; efficient; detection; low-energy; x-rays; 10-2000; kev; high-energy; rays; mev; 8192-; 16; 384; channel; analyzer; entire; spectrum; time; dual-energy; time-tagged; pulser; injected; input; preamplifier; monitor; energy; scale; detector; resolution; portion; analyzed; linear-least-squares; fitting; standard; applied; involving; x-; especially; useful; interferences; region; identified; accommodated; spectral analysis; waste form; fission product; fission products; especially useful; waste forms; x-ray emission; energy x-rays; ray emissions; channel analyzer; fitting technique; -ray emitting; spectroscopic method; analysis involving; low-energy x-ray; /436/250/378/
Citation Formats
Gehrke, Robert J, Putnam, Marie H, Killian, E Wayne, Helmer, Richard G, Kynaston, Ronnie L, Goodwin, Scott G, and Johnson, Larry O. Method of photon spectral analysis. United States: N. p., 1993.
Web.
Gehrke, Robert J, Putnam, Marie H, Killian, E Wayne, Helmer, Richard G, Kynaston, Ronnie L, Goodwin, Scott G, & Johnson, Larry O. Method of photon spectral analysis. United States.
Gehrke, Robert J, Putnam, Marie H, Killian, E Wayne, Helmer, Richard G, Kynaston, Ronnie L, Goodwin, Scott G, and Johnson, Larry O. Fri .
"Method of photon spectral analysis". United States. https://www.osti.gov/servlets/purl/868762.
@article{osti_868762,
title = {Method of photon spectral analysis},
author = {Gehrke, Robert J and Putnam, Marie H and Killian, E Wayne and Helmer, Richard G and Kynaston, Ronnie L and Goodwin, Scott G and Johnson, Larry O},
abstractNote = {A spectroscopic method to rapidly measure the presence of plutonium in soils, filters, smears, and glass waste forms by measuring the uranium L-shell x-ray emissions associated with the decay of plutonium. In addition, the technique can simultaneously acquire spectra of samples and automatically analyze them for the amount of americium and .gamma.-ray emitting activation and fission products present. The samples are counted with a large area, thin-window, n-type germanium spectrometer which is equally efficient for the detection of low-energy x-rays (10-2000 keV), as well as high-energy .gamma. rays (>1 MeV). A 8192- or 16,384 channel analyzer is used to acquire the entire photon spectrum at one time. A dual-energy, time-tagged pulser, that is injected into the test input of the preamplifier to monitor the energy scale, and detector resolution. The L x-ray portion of each spectrum is analyzed by a linear-least-squares spectral fitting technique. The .gamma.-ray portion of each spectrum is analyzed by a standard Ge .gamma.-ray analysis program. This method can be applied to any analysis involving x- and .gamma.-ray analysis in one spectrum and is especially useful when interferences in the x-ray region can be identified from the .gamma.-ray analysis and accommodated during the x-ray analysis.},
doi = {},
journal = {},
number = ,
volume = ,
place = {United States},
year = {Fri Jan 01 00:00:00 EST 1993},
month = {Fri Jan 01 00:00:00 EST 1993}
}