Alpha/beta-gated gamma–gamma spectroscopy of mixed fission products for trace analysis

Pierson, Bruce D.; Archambault, Brian C.; Greenwood, Lawrence R.; Haney, Morgan M.; Cantaloub, Michael G.; Hagen, Alexander R.; Herman, Staci M.; Uhnak, Nicolas E.; Bowen, James M.; Estrada, Jane H.

doi:10.1007/s10967-022-08606-5

Alpha/beta-gated gamma–gamma spectroscopy of mixed fission products for trace analysis

Journal Article · Mon Nov 07 23:00:00 EST 2022 · Journal of Radioanalytical and Nuclear Chemistry

DOI:https://doi.org/10.1007/s10967-022-08606-5· OSTI ID:1987499

^[1]; ^[1]; ^[1]; Haney, Morgan M. ^[1]; Cantaloub, Michael G. ^[1]; Hagen, Alexander R. ^[1]; Herman, Staci M. ^[1]; Uhnak, Nicolas E. ^[1]; Bowen, James M. ^[1]; Estrada, Jane H. ^[1]

Pacific Northwest National Laboratory (PNNL), Richland, WA (United States)

This experiment demonstrated that some hard-to-detect fission products can be quantified directly from mixed fission product samples using advanced radio-emission spectroscopy techniques. A gamma/gamma coincidence detector was combined with a custom liquid scintillation counter to evaluate the benefits of alpha and beta coincident and anti-coincident analysis of mixed fission product samples. Reduction factors in the minimum detectable activity (MDA) relative to traditional gamma counting were quantified for a set of radionuclides. For isotopes like 91Y, 144Ce, 147Nd, and 153Sm MDA reductions of factors of 1-2 were observed using optimized beta thresholds. Using beta anti-coincidence counting reductions of factors 3-5 were observed for isotopes like 89Sr, 95mNb, 115Cd, and 137Cs and factors of 5-7 for isotopes like 235U using alpha coincidence counting. The selectivity of gamma/gamma coincidence and reduction in backgrounds using beta gating were also demonstrated with 136Cs and 153Sm. The improvements observed in the detection sensitivity of fission products and actinides achieved by combining time-correlated radiation signatures is significant and of value to applications such as nuclear fission physics, environmental monitoring for nuclear waste, reactor accidental releases, and nuclear forensics.

Research Organization:: Pacific Northwest National Laboratory (PNNL), Richland, WA (United States)

Sponsoring Organization:: USDOE National Nuclear Security Administration (NNSA)

Grant/Contract Number:: AC05-76RL01830

OSTI ID:: 1987499

Report Number(s):: PNNL-SA-172636

Journal Information:: Journal of Radioanalytical and Nuclear Chemistry, Journal Name: Journal of Radioanalytical and Nuclear Chemistry Journal Issue: 12 Vol. 331; ISSN 0236-5731

Publisher:: SpringerCopyright Statement

Country of Publication:: United States

Language:: English

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