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Neutron multiplicity measurements during LINAC interrogation of safeguards accountable material

Technical Report ·
OSTI ID:7229266
;
The authors used a LINAC to interrogate some arbitrary sample arrays to learn if enriched uranium can be detected when it is embedded in depleted uranium and /sup 6/LiD. Whether the interrogation is by bremsstrahlung or photoneutrons, the interrogating pulse causes fission in any uranium present, leaving delayed neutron precursors embedded wherever fissions have occurred. In the interval between LINAC pulses, we detected neutron multiplicities arising from /sup 235/U fissions caused by delayed neutrons. Because almost all delayed neutrons have energies below the fission threshold of /sup 238/U, a negligible number of fissions occur if /sup 235/U is not present in quantity. We are able to detect a 1-kg cylinder of enriched uranium metal behind approx. 2.3 cm of depleted uranium metal and approx. 2.9 cm of /sup 6/LiD. For this configuration, the threshold for detecting /sup 235/U is approx. 1/3 kg. The results are sensitive to the shape of the uranium sample.
Research Organization:
Los Alamos National Lab., NM (USA)
DOE Contract Number:
W-7405-ENG-36
OSTI ID:
7229266
Report Number(s):
LA-11340-MS; ON: DE88012175
Country of Publication:
United States
Language:
English

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Related Subjects

055000* -- Nuclear Fuels-- Safeguards
Inspection
& Accountability
37 INORGANIC, ORGANIC, PHYSICAL, AND ANALYTICAL CHEMISTRY
400101 -- Activation
Nuclear Reaction
Radiometric & Radiochemical Procedures
98 NUCLEAR DISARMAMENT, SAFEGUARDS, AND PHYSICAL PROTECTION
ACCELERATORS
ACTINIDE ISOTOPES
ACTINIDE NUCLEI
ALPHA DECAY RADIOISOTOPES
BARYONS
BREMSSTRAHLUNG
CHEMICAL ANALYSIS
DATA
DELAYED NEUTRONS
ELECTROMAGNETIC RADIATION
ELEMENTARY PARTICLES
EVEN-ODD NUCLEI
EXPERIMENTAL DATA
FERMIONS
FISSION NEUTRONS
HADRONS
HE-3 COUNTERS
HEAVY NUCLEI
INFORMATION
ISOMERIC TRANSITION ISOTOPES
ISOTOPES
LINEAR ACCELERATORS
MANAGEMENT
MEASURING INSTRUMENTS
MINUTES LIVING RADIOISOTOPES
NEUTRON DETECTORS
NEUTRON SOURCES
NEUTRONS
NUCLEAR MATERIALS MANAGEMENT
NUCLEI
NUCLEONS
NUMERICAL DATA
PARTICLE SOURCES
PROPORTIONAL COUNTERS
QUANTITATIVE CHEMICAL ANALYSIS
RADIATION DETECTORS
RADIATION SOURCES
RADIATIONS
RADIOCHEMICAL ANALYSIS
RADIOISOTOPES
URANIUM 235
URANIUM ISOTOPES
YEARS LIVING RADIOISOTOPES