Nuclear forensics of a non-traditional sample: Neptunium
Abstract
Recent nuclear forensics cases have focused primarily on plutonium (Pu) and uranium (U) materials. By definition however, nuclear forensics can apply to any diverted nuclear material. This includes neptunium (Np), an internationally safeguarded material like Pu and U, that could offer a nuclear security concern if significant quantities were found outside of regulatory control. This case study couples scanning electron microscopy (SEM) with quantitative analysis using newly developed specialized software, to evaluate a non-traditional nuclear forensic sample of Np. Here, the results of the morphological analyses were compared with another Np sample of known pedigree, as well as other traditional actinide materials in order to determine potential processing and point-of-origin.
- Authors:
-
- Los Alamos National Lab. (LANL), Los Alamos, NM (United States)
- Publication Date:
- Research Org.:
- Los Alamos National Lab. (LANL), Los Alamos, NM (United States)
- Sponsoring Org.:
- USDOE
- OSTI Identifier:
- 1255279
- Report Number(s):
- LA-UR-16-21702
Journal ID: ISSN 2059-8521; TRN: US1601735
- Grant/Contract Number:
- AC52-06NA25396
- Resource Type:
- Journal Article: Accepted Manuscript
- Journal Name:
- MRS Advances
- Additional Journal Information:
- Journal Name: MRS Advances; Journal ID: ISSN 2059-8521
- Publisher:
- Materials Research Society (MRS)
- Country of Publication:
- United States
- Language:
- English
- Subject:
- 37 INORGANIC, ORGANIC, PHYSICAL, AND ANALYTICAL CHEMISTRY; 98 NUCLEAR DISARMAMENT, SAFEGUARDS, AND PHYSICAL PROTECTION; scanning electron microscopy; neptunium; morphology; nuclear forensics
Citation Formats
Doyle, Jamie L., Schwartz, Daniel, and Tandon, Lav. Nuclear forensics of a non-traditional sample: Neptunium. United States: N. p., 2016.
Web. doi:10.1557/adv.2016.353.
Doyle, Jamie L., Schwartz, Daniel, & Tandon, Lav. Nuclear forensics of a non-traditional sample: Neptunium. United States. https://doi.org/10.1557/adv.2016.353
Doyle, Jamie L., Schwartz, Daniel, and Tandon, Lav. 2016.
"Nuclear forensics of a non-traditional sample: Neptunium". United States. https://doi.org/10.1557/adv.2016.353. https://www.osti.gov/servlets/purl/1255279.
@article{osti_1255279,
title = {Nuclear forensics of a non-traditional sample: Neptunium},
author = {Doyle, Jamie L. and Schwartz, Daniel and Tandon, Lav},
abstractNote = {Recent nuclear forensics cases have focused primarily on plutonium (Pu) and uranium (U) materials. By definition however, nuclear forensics can apply to any diverted nuclear material. This includes neptunium (Np), an internationally safeguarded material like Pu and U, that could offer a nuclear security concern if significant quantities were found outside of regulatory control. This case study couples scanning electron microscopy (SEM) with quantitative analysis using newly developed specialized software, to evaluate a non-traditional nuclear forensic sample of Np. Here, the results of the morphological analyses were compared with another Np sample of known pedigree, as well as other traditional actinide materials in order to determine potential processing and point-of-origin.},
doi = {10.1557/adv.2016.353},
url = {https://www.osti.gov/biblio/1255279},
journal = {MRS Advances},
issn = {2059-8521},
number = ,
volume = ,
place = {United States},
year = {Mon May 16 00:00:00 EDT 2016},
month = {Mon May 16 00:00:00 EDT 2016}
}