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Title: A gamma-ray verification system for special nuclear material

Abstract

The Safeguards Technology Program at the Lawrence Livermore National Laboratory (LLNL) has developed a gamma-ray screening system for use by the Materials Management Section of the Engineering Sciences Division at LLNL for verifying the presence or absence of special nuclear material (SNM) in a sample. This system facilitates the measurements required under the ``5610`` series of US Department of Energy orders. MMGAM is an intelligent, menu driven software application that runs on a personal computer and requires a precalibrated multi-channel analyzer and HPGe detector. It provides a very quick and easy-to-use means of determining the presence of SNM in a sample. After guiding the operator through a menu driven set-up procedure, the system provides an on-screen GO/NO-GO indication after determining the system calibration status. This system represents advances over earlier used systems in the areas of ease-of use, operator training requirements, and quality assurance. The system records the gamma radiation from a sample using a sequence of measurements involving a background measurement followed immediately by a measurement of the unknown sample. Both spectra are stored and available for analysis or output. In the current application, the presence of {sup 235}U, {sup 238}U, {sup 239}Pu, and {sup 208}Tl isotopes are indicatedmore » by extracting, from the stored spectra, four energy ``windows`` preset around gamma-ray lines characteristic of the radioactive decay of these nuclides. The system is easily extendible to more complicated problems.« less

Authors:
; ; ;
Publication Date:
Research Org.:
Lawrence Livermore National Lab., CA (United States)
Sponsoring Org.:
USDOE, Washington, DC (United States)
OSTI Identifier:
10174789
Report Number(s):
UCRL-JC-116387; CONF-940748-79
ON: DE94016609
DOE Contract Number:  
W-7405-ENG-48
Resource Type:
Conference
Resource Relation:
Conference: 35. annual meeting of the Institute of Nuclear Materials Management (INMM),Naples, FL (United States),17-20 Jul 1994; Other Information: PBD: Jul 1994
Country of Publication:
United States
Language:
English
Subject:
98 NUCLEAR DISARMAMENT, SAFEGUARDS, AND PHYSICAL PROTECTION; 46 INSTRUMENTATION RELATED TO NUCLEAR SCIENCE AND TECHNOLOGY; SAFEGUARDS; DESIGN; URANIUM 235; GAMMA DETECTION; URANIUM 238; PLUTONIUM 239; THALLIUM 208; ARMS CONTROL; VERIFICATION; GAMMA SPECTROSCOPY; NUCLEAR MATERIALS MANAGEMENT; 350300; 055001; 440103; TECHNICAL ASPECTS; NUCLEAR SPECTROSCOPIC INSTRUMENTATION

Citation Formats

Lanier, R G, Prindle, A L, Friensehner, A V, and Buckley, W M. A gamma-ray verification system for special nuclear material. United States: N. p., 1994. Web.
Lanier, R G, Prindle, A L, Friensehner, A V, & Buckley, W M. A gamma-ray verification system for special nuclear material. United States.
Lanier, R G, Prindle, A L, Friensehner, A V, and Buckley, W M. 1994. "A gamma-ray verification system for special nuclear material". United States. https://www.osti.gov/servlets/purl/10174789.
@article{osti_10174789,
title = {A gamma-ray verification system for special nuclear material},
author = {Lanier, R G and Prindle, A L and Friensehner, A V and Buckley, W M},
abstractNote = {The Safeguards Technology Program at the Lawrence Livermore National Laboratory (LLNL) has developed a gamma-ray screening system for use by the Materials Management Section of the Engineering Sciences Division at LLNL for verifying the presence or absence of special nuclear material (SNM) in a sample. This system facilitates the measurements required under the ``5610`` series of US Department of Energy orders. MMGAM is an intelligent, menu driven software application that runs on a personal computer and requires a precalibrated multi-channel analyzer and HPGe detector. It provides a very quick and easy-to-use means of determining the presence of SNM in a sample. After guiding the operator through a menu driven set-up procedure, the system provides an on-screen GO/NO-GO indication after determining the system calibration status. This system represents advances over earlier used systems in the areas of ease-of use, operator training requirements, and quality assurance. The system records the gamma radiation from a sample using a sequence of measurements involving a background measurement followed immediately by a measurement of the unknown sample. Both spectra are stored and available for analysis or output. In the current application, the presence of {sup 235}U, {sup 238}U, {sup 239}Pu, and {sup 208}Tl isotopes are indicated by extracting, from the stored spectra, four energy ``windows`` preset around gamma-ray lines characteristic of the radioactive decay of these nuclides. The system is easily extendible to more complicated problems.},
doi = {},
url = {https://www.osti.gov/biblio/10174789}, journal = {},
number = ,
volume = ,
place = {United States},
year = {Fri Jul 01 00:00:00 EDT 1994},
month = {Fri Jul 01 00:00:00 EDT 1994}
}

Conference:
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