A gamma-ray verification system for special nuclear material
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.
- Research Organization:
- Lawrence Livermore National Lab., CA (United States)
- Sponsoring Organization:
- USDOE, Washington, DC (United States)
- DOE Contract Number:
- W-7405-ENG-48
- OSTI ID:
- 10174789
- Report Number(s):
- UCRL-JC-116387; CONF-940748-79; ON: DE94016609
- 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
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Related Subjects
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