High-Precision Plutonium Isotopic Compositions Measured on Los Alamos National Laboratory’s General’s Tanks Samples: Bearing on Model Ages, Reactor Modelling, and Sources of Material. Further Discussion of Chronometry

Technical Report · Mon Jun 29 00:00:00 EDT 2015

DOI:https://doi.org/10.2172/1188192· OSTI ID:1188192

Spencer, Khalil J. ^[1]; Rim, Jung Ho ^[1]; Porterfield, Donivan R. ^[1]; Roback, Robert Clifford ^[1]; Boukhalfa, Hakim ^[1]; Stanley, Floyd E. ^[1]

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1. Los Alamos National Lab. (LANL), Los Alamos, NM (United States)

In this study, we re-analyzed late-1940’s, Manhattan Project era Plutonium-rich sludge samples recovered from the ''General’s Tanks'' located within the nation’s oldest Plutonium processing facility, Technical Area 21. These samples were initially characterized by lower accuracy, and lower precision mass spectrometric techniques. We report here information that was previously not discernable: the two tanks contain isotopically distinct Pu not only for the major (i.e., ²⁴⁰Pu, ²³⁹Pu) but trace (²³⁸Pu ,²⁴¹Pu, ²⁴²Pu) isotopes. Revised isotopics slightly changed the calculated ²⁴¹Am-²⁴¹Pu model ages and interpretations.

• Research Organization: Los Alamos National Laboratory (LANL), Los Alamos, NM (United States)
• Sponsoring Organization: USDOE
• DOE Contract Number: AC52-06NA25396
• OSTI ID: 1188192
• Report Number(s): LA-UR-15-24855
• Country of Publication: United States
• Language: English

Related Subjects

54 ENVIRONMENTAL SCIENCES
58 GEOSCIENCES
chronometry
fate and transport