skip to main content
OSTI.GOV title logo U.S. Department of Energy
Office of Scientific and Technical Information

Title: Evaluation of Plutonium Oxidation Using Pulsed Neutron Measurements with 252Cf

Abstract

The unrecognized oxidation of plutonium in "sealed" canisters poses a unique problem for both material control and accountability. A feasibility study was performed to address the use of randomly pulsed neutron measurements with 252Cf to determine if plutonium metal in a canister has oxidized without opening the container. The Monte Carlo code MCNP-DSP was used to determine if time-of-flight transmission measurements could be used to determine oxidation of plutonium in "sealed" cans. In the Monte Carlo models, a plutonium button in a can was positioned between a 252Cf source and a scintillation detector, and the time distribution of counts after 252Cf fission in the detector was calculated. The time distribution of counts after 252Cf fission differs between plutonium metal and plutonium oxide because resonances in oxygen will affect transmission of certain energy neutrons from 252Cf sources in ionization chambers. This method could be used to determine the presence of other materials that react with plutonium in "sealed" cans.

Authors:
 [1];  [1]
  1. Oak Ridge National Lab. (ORNL), Oak Ridge, TN (United States)
Publication Date:
Research Org.:
Oak Ridge National Lab. (ORNL), Oak Ridge, TN (United States)
Sponsoring Org.:
USDOE National Nuclear Security Administration (NNSA), Nuclear Criticality Safety Program (NCSP)
OSTI Identifier:
522712
Report Number(s):
CONF-970744-22
ON: DE97008476; TRN: 97:018497
DOE Contract Number:  
AC05-96OR22464
Resource Type:
Conference
Resource Relation:
Conference: 38. Annual Meeting of the Institute of Nuclear Materials Management , Phoenix, AZ (United States), 20-24 Jul 1997; Other Information: PBD: 1997
Country of Publication:
United States
Language:
English
Subject:
73 NUCLEAR PHYSICS AND RADIATION PHYSICS; 97 MATHEMATICS AND COMPUTING; PLUTONIUM; OXIDATION; NUCLEAR MATERIALS MANAGEMENT; MEASURING METHODS; PULSED NEUTRON TECHNIQUES; TIME-OF-FLIGHT METHOD; Nuclear Criticality Safety Program (NCSP); Plutonium Metal; Scintillation Detector; Monte Carlo Code; MCNP-DSP; Randomly Pulsed Neutron Measurements; Non-Destructive Assay (NDA); Fissile Material; Digital Signal Processing (DSP) Algorithms

Citation Formats

Valentine, Timothy E., and Mihalczo, John T. Evaluation of Plutonium Oxidation Using Pulsed Neutron Measurements with 252Cf. United States: N. p., 1997. Web.
Valentine, Timothy E., & Mihalczo, John T. Evaluation of Plutonium Oxidation Using Pulsed Neutron Measurements with 252Cf. United States.
Valentine, Timothy E., and Mihalczo, John T. 1997. "Evaluation of Plutonium Oxidation Using Pulsed Neutron Measurements with 252Cf". United States. https://www.osti.gov/servlets/purl/522712.
@article{osti_522712,
title = {Evaluation of Plutonium Oxidation Using Pulsed Neutron Measurements with 252Cf},
author = {Valentine, Timothy E. and Mihalczo, John T.},
abstractNote = {The unrecognized oxidation of plutonium in "sealed" canisters poses a unique problem for both material control and accountability. A feasibility study was performed to address the use of randomly pulsed neutron measurements with 252Cf to determine if plutonium metal in a canister has oxidized without opening the container. The Monte Carlo code MCNP-DSP was used to determine if time-of-flight transmission measurements could be used to determine oxidation of plutonium in "sealed" cans. In the Monte Carlo models, a plutonium button in a can was positioned between a 252Cf source and a scintillation detector, and the time distribution of counts after 252Cf fission in the detector was calculated. The time distribution of counts after 252Cf fission differs between plutonium metal and plutonium oxide because resonances in oxygen will affect transmission of certain energy neutrons from 252Cf sources in ionization chambers. This method could be used to determine the presence of other materials that react with plutonium in "sealed" cans.},
doi = {},
url = {https://www.osti.gov/biblio/522712}, journal = {},
number = ,
volume = ,
place = {United States},
year = {Sun Jul 20 00:00:00 EDT 1997},
month = {Sun Jul 20 00:00:00 EDT 1997}
}

Conference:
Other availability
Please see Document Availability for additional information on obtaining the full-text document. Library patrons may search WorldCat to identify libraries that hold this conference proceeding.

Save / Share: