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Title: Noble gas, a potential nuclear proliferation indicator

Abstract

In the post cold war era, it appears that nuclear proliferation will be a continuing problem. At least one reliable technique to detect nuclear activities is needed to deter potential proliferators. This paper proposes a candidate technique for detection. Early efforts to measure nuclear fuel performance, resulted in consideration of a variety of potential techniques. In 1965, Maeck proposed determination of nuclear fuel burnup based on the ratio of two stable fission product isotopes of the same element. Maeck proposed using, three ratios; [sup 84]Kr/[sup 83]Kr, [sup 132]Xe/[sup 131]Xe, and [sup 144]Nd/[sup 143]Nd. More recent work includes useful application of krypton and xenon isotope correlation techniques to safeguards at nuclear fuel reprocessing facilities. The safeguards application requires very precise measurement of the fission product isotopes, detailed fuel exposure history, and knowledge of the neutron spectrum. Meeting all these requirements is extremely, difficult and requires carefully controlled conditions. The most likely scenario for a proliferator to produce nuclear material suitable for weapons applications is reprocessing of reactor fuel to recovery the plutonium. Since useful amounts of plutonium is produced in all uranium fueled reactors, reprocessing the reactor fuel would be much easier and less expensive compared to mining and enriching uraniummore » to weapons grade material. Reprocessing nuclear reactor fuel releases the noble gases, krypton and xenon, from the fuel. Because capture of the noble gases is difficult, expensive, and produces a radiation, the gases will normally be released during reprocessing. These factors provide the basis of this proposed technique of detecting proliferators.« less

Authors:
Publication Date:
Research Org.:
Westinghouse Idaho Nuclear Co., Inc., Idaho Falls, ID (United States)
Sponsoring Org.:
USDOE; USDOE, Washington, DC (United States)
OSTI Identifier:
6473585
Report Number(s):
WINCO-11907; CONF-930601-21
ON: DE93014908
DOE Contract Number:  
AC07-84ID12435
Resource Type:
Conference
Resource Relation:
Conference: American Nuclear Society (ANS) annual meeting, San Diego, CA (United States), 20-24 Jun 1993
Country of Publication:
United States
Language:
English
Subject:
98 NUCLEAR DISARMAMENT, SAFEGUARDS, AND PHYSICAL PROTECTION; NUCLEAR WEAPONS; PROLIFERATION; RARE GASES; DETECTION; MEASURING METHODS; AIR SAMPLERS; FISSION PRODUCT RELEASE; FISSION PRODUCTS; KRYPTON; MASS SPECTROMETERS; PLUTONIUM; REPROCESSING; XENON; ACTINIDES; ELEMENTS; EQUIPMENT; FLUIDS; GASES; ISOTOPES; MATERIALS; MEASURING INSTRUMENTS; METALS; NONMETALS; RADIOACTIVE MATERIALS; SAMPLERS; SEPARATION PROCESSES; SPECTROMETERS; TRANSURANIUM ELEMENTS; WEAPONS; 350200* - Arms Control- Proliferation- (1987-)

Citation Formats

Chapman, T C. Noble gas, a potential nuclear proliferation indicator. United States: N. p., 1993. Web.
Chapman, T C. Noble gas, a potential nuclear proliferation indicator. United States.
Chapman, T C. 1993. "Noble gas, a potential nuclear proliferation indicator". United States.
@article{osti_6473585,
title = {Noble gas, a potential nuclear proliferation indicator},
author = {Chapman, T C},
abstractNote = {In the post cold war era, it appears that nuclear proliferation will be a continuing problem. At least one reliable technique to detect nuclear activities is needed to deter potential proliferators. This paper proposes a candidate technique for detection. Early efforts to measure nuclear fuel performance, resulted in consideration of a variety of potential techniques. In 1965, Maeck proposed determination of nuclear fuel burnup based on the ratio of two stable fission product isotopes of the same element. Maeck proposed using, three ratios; [sup 84]Kr/[sup 83]Kr, [sup 132]Xe/[sup 131]Xe, and [sup 144]Nd/[sup 143]Nd. More recent work includes useful application of krypton and xenon isotope correlation techniques to safeguards at nuclear fuel reprocessing facilities. The safeguards application requires very precise measurement of the fission product isotopes, detailed fuel exposure history, and knowledge of the neutron spectrum. Meeting all these requirements is extremely, difficult and requires carefully controlled conditions. The most likely scenario for a proliferator to produce nuclear material suitable for weapons applications is reprocessing of reactor fuel to recovery the plutonium. Since useful amounts of plutonium is produced in all uranium fueled reactors, reprocessing the reactor fuel would be much easier and less expensive compared to mining and enriching uranium to weapons grade material. Reprocessing nuclear reactor fuel releases the noble gases, krypton and xenon, from the fuel. Because capture of the noble gases is difficult, expensive, and produces a radiation, the gases will normally be released during reprocessing. These factors provide the basis of this proposed technique of detecting proliferators.},
doi = {},
url = {https://www.osti.gov/biblio/6473585}, journal = {},
number = ,
volume = ,
place = {United States},
year = {Fri Jan 01 00:00:00 EST 1993},
month = {Fri Jan 01 00:00:00 EST 1993}
}

Conference:
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