Germanium detector system for the detection of transuranics at low-activity concentrations in soil. [/sup 241/Am, /sup 240/Pu, /sup 239/Pu, /sup 238/U, /sup 232/Th]
Conference
·
OSTI ID:5147073
A photon spectroscopy system is described which is designed for the detection of plutonium and /sup 241/Am in soil samples with a minimum turnaround time. Quantification is based upon the 60-keV gamma emitted in /sup 241/Am decay and upon the uranium L x-rays (energies from 13 to 22 keV) emitted by plutonium isotopes during alpha decay. The detector is a single-crystal, intrinsic-germanium-planar detector with a surface area of 21 cm/sup 2/. Sensitivity is increased by incorporating a detector window with a larger than normal surface area. This optimized window size was established by Monte Carlo calculations. For small, Petri-dish samples, detection limits at the 3 sigma level for a 4-hr counting time are better than 4 pCi/g for plutonium and better than 0.05 pCi/g for /sup 241/Am. The specifications, performance, and cost of the system are discussed.
- Research Organization:
- Los Alamos Scientific Lab., N.Mex. (USA)
- DOE Contract Number:
- W-7405-ENG-36
- OSTI ID:
- 5147073
- Report Number(s):
- LA-UR-78-87; CONF-780110-10
- Country of Publication:
- United States
- Language:
- English
Similar Records
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Updated estimates of /sup 239/ /sup 240/Pu + /sup 241/Am inventory, spatial pattern, and soil tonnage for removal at Nuclear Site-201, NTS
Conference
·
Sat Dec 31 23:00:00 EST 1977
·
OSTI ID:6787291
Determination of the ratios of {sup 239}Pu and {sup 240}Pu to {sup 241}Am for nuclear weapons test sites in Australia
Journal Article
·
Thu Sep 01 00:00:00 EDT 1994
· Health Physics
·
OSTI ID:54473
Updated estimates of /sup 239/ /sup 240/Pu + /sup 241/Am inventory, spatial pattern, and soil tonnage for removal at Nuclear Site-201, NTS
Conference
·
Wed Mar 31 23:00:00 EST 1982
·
OSTI ID:5248472
Related Subjects
440101 -- Radiation Instrumentation-- General Detectors or Monitors & Radiometric Instruments
46 INSTRUMENTATION RELATED TO NUCLEAR SCIENCE AND TECHNOLOGY
510300* -- Environment
Terrestrial-- Radioactive Materials Monitoring & Transport-- (-1989)
54 ENVIRONMENTAL SCIENCES
ACTINIDE ISOTOPES
ACTINIDE NUCLEI
ALPHA DECAY RADIOISOTOPES
AMERICIUM 241
AMERICIUM ISOTOPES
DESIGN
ECOLOGICAL CONCENTRATION
ELEMENTS
EVEN-EVEN NUCLEI
EVEN-ODD NUCLEI
GERMANIUM
HEAVY NUCLEI
ISOTOPES
MEASURING INSTRUMENTS
METALS
MONTE CARLO METHOD
NUCLEI
ODD-EVEN NUCLEI
PERFORMANCE
PLUTONIUM 239
PLUTONIUM 240
PLUTONIUM ISOTOPES
RADIATION DETECTION
RADIATION DETECTORS
RADIOECOLOGICAL CONCENTRATION
RADIOISOTOPES
SOILS
SPECTROSCOPY
THORIUM 232
THORIUM ISOTOPES
TRANSURANIUM ELEMENTS
URANIUM 238
URANIUM ISOTOPES
YEARS LIVING RADIOISOTOPES
46 INSTRUMENTATION RELATED TO NUCLEAR SCIENCE AND TECHNOLOGY
510300* -- Environment
Terrestrial-- Radioactive Materials Monitoring & Transport-- (-1989)
54 ENVIRONMENTAL SCIENCES
ACTINIDE ISOTOPES
ACTINIDE NUCLEI
ALPHA DECAY RADIOISOTOPES
AMERICIUM 241
AMERICIUM ISOTOPES
DESIGN
ECOLOGICAL CONCENTRATION
ELEMENTS
EVEN-EVEN NUCLEI
EVEN-ODD NUCLEI
GERMANIUM
HEAVY NUCLEI
ISOTOPES
MEASURING INSTRUMENTS
METALS
MONTE CARLO METHOD
NUCLEI
ODD-EVEN NUCLEI
PERFORMANCE
PLUTONIUM 239
PLUTONIUM 240
PLUTONIUM ISOTOPES
RADIATION DETECTION
RADIATION DETECTORS
RADIOECOLOGICAL CONCENTRATION
RADIOISOTOPES
SOILS
SPECTROSCOPY
THORIUM 232
THORIUM ISOTOPES
TRANSURANIUM ELEMENTS
URANIUM 238
URANIUM ISOTOPES
YEARS LIVING RADIOISOTOPES