Estimating the AmLi Neutron Spectrum from Measured Ring Ratios

Technical Report · Thu Nov 10 00:00:00 EST 2016

DOI:https://doi.org/10.2172/1332205· OSTI ID:1332205

Weinmann-Smith, Robert ^[1]; Beddingfield, David H. ^[2]; Enqvist, Andreas ^[3]; Swinhoe, Martyn Thomas ^[2]

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1. Univ. of Florida, Gainesville, FL (United States); Los Alamos National Lab. (LANL), Los Alamos, NM (United States)
2. Los Alamos National Lab. (LANL), Los Alamos, NM (United States)
3. Univ. of Florida, Gainesville, FL (United States)

These are a set of slides on estimating the AmLi neutron spectrum from measured ring ratios. The IAEA uses an AmLi source in the Uranium Neutron Coincidence Collar (UNCL) to verify compliance with nonproliferation treaties. The UNCL requires calibration with known uranium samples. The AmLi spectrum isn’t known well enough to allow simulated calibrations. Alphas lose energy traveling through AmO₂ particle of unknown size. Energy reduction below Li threshold enhances O contribution. Unknown Li matrix material affects neutron production and thermalization. There is large variation in spectra from each element. Other topics covered include: applications, physics considerations, current spectra, measurement overview, measurement results - variation between sources, simulations, spectra fitting, other simulations, and conclusions.

• Research Organization: Los Alamos National Laboratory (LANL), Los Alamos, NM (United States)
• Sponsoring Organization: USDOE National Nuclear Security Administration (NNSA), Office of Defense Nuclear Nonproliferation
• Contributing Organization: Univ. of Florida, Gainesville, FL (United States)
• DOE Contract Number: AC52-06NA25396; NA0002534
• OSTI ID: 1332205
• Report Number(s): LA-UR-16-28711; TRN: US1700716
• Country of Publication: United States
• Language: English

Related Subjects

07 ISOTOPE AND RADIATION SOURCES
46 INSTRUMENTATION RELATED TO NUCLEAR SCIENCE AND TECHNOLOGY
98 NUCLEAR DISARMAMENT, SAFEGUARDS, AND PHYSICAL PROTECTION
RADIOISOTOPE NEUTRON SOURCES
NEUTRON SPECTRA
NEUTRONS
AMERICIUM OXIDES
AMERICIUM 241
LITHIUM 7
ENERGY SPECTRA
MEV RANGE 01-10
RINGS
SIMULATION
MATRIX MATERIALS
NON-PROLIFERATION TREATY
VERIFICATION
CALIBRATION
THERMALIZATION
VARIATIONS
DATA ANALYSIS