Discriminating Uranium Isotopes Based on Fission Signatures Induced by Delayed Neutrons

Ogren, Kris; Nattress, Jason; Jovanovic, Igor

doi:10.1103/physrevapplied.14.014033

Title: Discriminating Uranium Isotopes Based on Fission Signatures Induced by Delayed Neutrons

Abstract

The use of active interrogation to induce delayed neutron emission is a well-established technique for the characterization of special nuclear materials (SNM). Delayed neutrons have isotope-characteristic spectral and temporal signatures, which provide the basis for isotope identification. However, in bulk materials that contain an appreciable fissile (e.g., 235U or 233U) fraction, such as highly-enriched uranium (HEU), delayed neutrons have a high probability of inducing additional fissions. As a result, the overall delayed neutron signature consists of two distinct components: the \primary" delayed neutrons (emitted directly by fission fragments), and the \secondary prompt" fission neutrons produced in fission induced by primary delayed neutrons. These prompt products differ from \primary" delayed neutrons both in their energy spectra and in the presence of coincident radiation released by the parent fission event. The presence and relative quantity of prompt products from delayed fission depend on the cross-section of the material in the energy range of delayed neutrons, which may differ significantly between isotopes, thus providing an exploitable means for isotope differentiation. In this work, we demonstrate two experimental approaches for discriminating between 235U and 238U isotopes based on the measurement of delayed neutron-induced fission products. First, HEU and depleted uranium objects are differentiated throughmore »« less

Authors:

^[1];

^[2];

^[1]

Univ. of Michigan, Ann Arbor, MI (United States)
Oak Ridge National Lab. (ORNL), Oak Ridge, TN (United States)

Publication Date:: Mon Jul 13 00:00:00 EDT 2020

Research Org.:: Oak Ridge National Laboratory (ORNL), Oak Ridge, TN (United States); Univ. of Michigan, Ann Arbor, MI (United States)

Sponsoring Org.:: USDOE National Nuclear Security Administration (NNSA); US Department of Homeland Security (DHS)

OSTI Identifier:: 1659576

Alternate Identifier(s):: OSTI ID: 1695706

Grant/Contract Number:: AC05-00OR22725; 2014-DN-077-ARI078-02; 2015-DN-077-ARI096; NA0002534; NA0003920

Resource Type:: Accepted Manuscript

Journal Name:: Physical Review Applied

Additional Journal Information:: Journal Volume: 14; Journal Issue: 1; Journal ID: ISSN 2331-7019

Publisher:: American Physical Society (APS)

Country of Publication:: United States

Language:: English

Subject:: 07 ISOTOPE AND RADIATION SOURCES

Citation Formats


                    Ogren, Kris, Nattress, Jason, and Jovanovic, Igor. Discriminating Uranium Isotopes Based on Fission Signatures Induced by Delayed Neutrons.  United States: N. p., 2020. 
Web.  doi:10.1103/physrevapplied.14.014033.

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                    Ogren, Kris, Nattress, Jason, & Jovanovic, Igor. Discriminating Uranium Isotopes Based on Fission Signatures Induced by Delayed Neutrons.  United States.  https://doi.org/10.1103/physrevapplied.14.014033

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                    Ogren, Kris, Nattress, Jason, and Jovanovic, Igor. Mon .  
"Discriminating Uranium Isotopes Based on Fission Signatures Induced by Delayed Neutrons".  United States.  https://doi.org/10.1103/physrevapplied.14.014033.  https://www.osti.gov/servlets/purl/1659576.

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@article{osti_1659576,

  title        = {Discriminating Uranium Isotopes Based on Fission Signatures Induced by Delayed Neutrons},

  author       = {Ogren, Kris and Nattress, Jason and Jovanovic, Igor},

  abstractNote = {The use of active interrogation to induce delayed neutron emission is a well-established technique for the characterization of special nuclear materials (SNM). Delayed neutrons have isotope-characteristic spectral and temporal signatures, which provide the basis for isotope identification. However, in bulk materials that contain an appreciable fissile (e.g., 235U or 233U) fraction, such as highly-enriched uranium (HEU), delayed neutrons have a high probability of inducing additional fissions. As a result, the overall delayed neutron signature consists of two distinct components: the \primary" delayed neutrons (emitted directly by fission fragments), and the \secondary prompt" fission neutrons produced in fission induced by primary delayed neutrons. These prompt products differ from \primary" delayed neutrons both in their energy spectra and in the presence of coincident radiation released by the parent fission event. The presence and relative quantity of prompt products from delayed fission depend on the cross-section of the material in the energy range of delayed neutrons, which may differ significantly between isotopes, thus providing an exploitable means for isotope differentiation. In this work, we demonstrate two experimental approaches for discriminating between 235U and 238U isotopes based on the measurement of delayed neutron-induced fission products. First, HEU and depleted uranium objects are differentiated through the detection of high-energy prompt neutrons from delayed fission using both recoil-based organic liquid scintillators and thermalization spectra from a custom-built capture-gated composite detector. Secondly, coincident radiation measurements are used as the basis for discrimination by comparing the overall rates and time evolution of fission events when delayed neutrons are present.},

  doi          = {10.1103/physrevapplied.14.014033},

  journal      = {Physical Review Applied},

  number       = 1,

  volume       = 14,

  place        = {United States},

  year         = {Mon Jul 13 00:00:00 EDT 2020},

  month        = {Mon Jul 13 00:00:00 EDT 2020}

}

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Similar Records

Title: Discriminating Uranium Isotopes Based on Fission Signatures Induced by Delayed Neutrons

Abstract

Citation Formats

Rattling nucleons: New developments in active interrogation of special nuclear material journal, January 2012

The Delayed Neutron Emission which Accompanies Fission of Uranium and Thorium journal, April 1939

The Mechanism of Nuclear Fission journal, September 1939

Fissionable isotope identification using the time dependence of delayed neutron emission journal, June 2006

Pulsed neutron differential die away analysis for detection of nuclear materials journal, August 2007

Measurements with a Pulsed Neutron Source journal, July 1957

Fission Neutron Spectrum of U 235 journal, August 1956

The Energy Distribution of Delayed Fission Neutrons journal, May 1973

Geant4—a simulation toolkit journal, July 2003

235U enrichment or UF6 mass determination on UF6 cylinders with non-destructive analysis methods journal, January 2010

Development and characterization of a neutron detector based on a lithium glass–polymer composite journal, June 2015

Detection of special nuclear material from delayed neutron emission induced by a dual-particle monoenergetic source journal, June 2016

Neutron spectroscopy by thermalization light yield measurement in a composite heterogeneous scintillator journal, December 2016

Securing special nuclear material: Recent advances in neutron detection and their role in nonproliferation journal, December 2010

MCNPX-PoliMi for nuclear nonproliferation applications journal, December 2012

Analytical Applications of Delayed Neutron Emission in Fissionable Elements. journal, December 1962

Further Observations on the Splitting of Uranium and Thorium journal, March 1939

Discriminating Uranium Isotopes Using the Time-Emission Profiles of Long-Lived Delayed Neutrons journal, August 2018

Neutron light output response and resolution functions in EJ-309 liquid scintillation detectors journal, July 2013

An automated delayed neutron counting system for mass determinations of special nuclear materials journal, June 2011

Response and calibration of organic scintillators for gamma-ray spectroscopy up to 15-MeV range journal, November 2017

Rapid determination of uranium and plutonium content in mixtures through measurement of the intensity–time curve of delayed neutrons journal, January 2004

Capture-gated Spectroscopic Measurements of Monoenergetic Neutrons with a Composite Scintillation Detector journal, April 2016

The energy of delayed neutrons from fission journal, August 1956

Pulsed neutron differential die away analysis for detection of nuclear materials journal, August 2007

Rattling nucleons: New developments in active interrogation of special nuclear material
journal, January 2012

The Delayed Neutron Emission which Accompanies Fission of Uranium and Thorium
journal, April 1939

The Mechanism of Nuclear Fission
journal, September 1939

Fissionable isotope identification using the time dependence of delayed neutron emission
journal, June 2006

Pulsed neutron differential die away analysis for detection of nuclear materials
journal, August 2007

Measurements with a Pulsed Neutron Source
journal, July 1957

Fission Neutron Spectrum of $U^{235}$
journal, August 1956

The Energy Distribution of Delayed Fission Neutrons
journal, May 1973

Geant4—a simulation toolkit
journal, July 2003

235U enrichment or UF6 mass determination on UF6 cylinders with non-destructive analysis methods
journal, January 2010

Development and characterization of a neutron detector based on a lithium glass–polymer composite
journal, June 2015

Detection of special nuclear material from delayed neutron emission induced by a dual-particle monoenergetic source
journal, June 2016

Neutron spectroscopy by thermalization light yield measurement in a composite heterogeneous scintillator
journal, December 2016

Securing special nuclear material: Recent advances in neutron detection and their role in nonproliferation
journal, December 2010

MCNPX-PoliMi for nuclear nonproliferation applications
journal, December 2012

Analytical Applications of Delayed Neutron Emission in Fissionable Elements.
journal, December 1962

Further Observations on the Splitting of Uranium and Thorium
journal, March 1939

Discriminating Uranium Isotopes Using the Time-Emission Profiles of Long-Lived Delayed Neutrons
journal, August 2018

Neutron light output response and resolution functions in EJ-309 liquid scintillation detectors
journal, July 2013

An automated delayed neutron counting system for mass determinations of special nuclear materials
journal, June 2011

Response and calibration of organic scintillators for gamma-ray spectroscopy up to 15-MeV range
journal, November 2017

Rapid determination of uranium and plutonium content in mixtures through measurement of the intensity–time curve of delayed neutrons
journal, January 2004

Capture-gated Spectroscopic Measurements of Monoenergetic Neutrons with a Composite Scintillation Detector
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The energy of delayed neutrons from fission
journal, August 1956

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