Spatially-Resolved Analyses of Aerodynamic Fallout from a Uranium-Fueled Nuclear Test
Abstract
The fiive silicate fallout glass spherules produced in a uranium-fueled, near-surface nuclear test were characterized by secondary ion mass spectrometry, electron probe microanalysis, autoradiography, scanning electron microscopy, and energy-dispersive x-ray spectroscopy. Several samples display compositional heterogeneity suggestive of incomplete mixing between major elements and natural U (238U/235U = 0.00725) and enriched U. Samples exhibit extreme spatial heterogeneity in U isotopic composition with 0.02 < 235U/238U < 11.84 among all five spherules and 0.02 < 235U/238U < 7.41 within a single spherule. Moreover, in two spherules, the 235U/238U ratio is correlated with changes in major element composition, suggesting the agglomeration of chemically and isotopically distinct molten precursors. Two samples are nearly homogenous with respect to major element and uranium isotopic composition, suggesting extensive mixing possibly due to experiencing higher temperatures or residing longer in the fireball. Linear correlations between 234U/238U, 235U/238U, and 236U/238U ratios are consistent with a two-component mixing model, which is used to illustrate the extent of mixing between natural and enriched U end members.
- Authors:
-
- Lawrence Livermore National Lab. (LLNL), Livermore, CA (United States); Univ. of California, Berkeley, CA (United States)
- Lawrence Livermore National Lab. (LLNL), Livermore, CA (United States)
- Lawrence Livermore National Lab. (LLNL), Livermore, CA (United States);
- Univ. of California, Berkeley, CA (United States)
- Los Alamos National Lab. (LANL), Los Alamos, NM (United States)
- Publication Date:
- Research Org.:
- Lawrence Livermore National Lab. (LLNL), Livermore, CA (United States)
- Sponsoring Org.:
- USDOE
- OSTI Identifier:
- 1234626
- Alternate Identifier(s):
- OSTI ID: 1249601
- Report Number(s):
- LLNL-JRNL-670091
Journal ID: ISSN 0265-931X
- Grant/Contract Number:
- AC52-07NA27344
- Resource Type:
- Accepted Manuscript
- Journal Name:
- Journal of Environmental Radioactivity
- Additional Journal Information:
- Journal Volume: 148; Journal ID: ISSN 0265-931X
- Publisher:
- Elsevier
- Country of Publication:
- United States
- Language:
- English
- Subject:
- 54 ENVIRONMENTAL SCIENCES; 58 GEOSCIENCES; 22 GENERAL STUDIES OF NUCLEAR REACTORS; 38 RADIATION CHEMISTRY, RADIOCHEMISTRY, AND NUCLEAR CHEMISTRY; SIMS; trinitite; fallout; device debris; nuclear forensics
Citation Formats
Lewis, L. A., Knight, K. B., Matzel, J. E., Prussin, S. G., Zimmer, M. M., Kinman, W S, Ryerson, F. J., and Hutcheon, I. D. Spatially-Resolved Analyses of Aerodynamic Fallout from a Uranium-Fueled Nuclear Test. United States: N. p., 2015.
Web. doi:10.1016/j.jenvrad.2015.04.006.
Lewis, L. A., Knight, K. B., Matzel, J. E., Prussin, S. G., Zimmer, M. M., Kinman, W S, Ryerson, F. J., & Hutcheon, I. D. Spatially-Resolved Analyses of Aerodynamic Fallout from a Uranium-Fueled Nuclear Test. United States. https://doi.org/10.1016/j.jenvrad.2015.04.006
Lewis, L. A., Knight, K. B., Matzel, J. E., Prussin, S. G., Zimmer, M. M., Kinman, W S, Ryerson, F. J., and Hutcheon, I. D. Tue .
"Spatially-Resolved Analyses of Aerodynamic Fallout from a Uranium-Fueled Nuclear Test". United States. https://doi.org/10.1016/j.jenvrad.2015.04.006. https://www.osti.gov/servlets/purl/1234626.
@article{osti_1234626,
title = {Spatially-Resolved Analyses of Aerodynamic Fallout from a Uranium-Fueled Nuclear Test},
author = {Lewis, L. A. and Knight, K. B. and Matzel, J. E. and Prussin, S. G. and Zimmer, M. M. and Kinman, W S and Ryerson, F. J. and Hutcheon, I. D.},
abstractNote = {The fiive silicate fallout glass spherules produced in a uranium-fueled, near-surface nuclear test were characterized by secondary ion mass spectrometry, electron probe microanalysis, autoradiography, scanning electron microscopy, and energy-dispersive x-ray spectroscopy. Several samples display compositional heterogeneity suggestive of incomplete mixing between major elements and natural U (238U/235U = 0.00725) and enriched U. Samples exhibit extreme spatial heterogeneity in U isotopic composition with 0.02 < 235U/238U < 11.84 among all five spherules and 0.02 < 235U/238U < 7.41 within a single spherule. Moreover, in two spherules, the 235U/238U ratio is correlated with changes in major element composition, suggesting the agglomeration of chemically and isotopically distinct molten precursors. Two samples are nearly homogenous with respect to major element and uranium isotopic composition, suggesting extensive mixing possibly due to experiencing higher temperatures or residing longer in the fireball. Linear correlations between 234U/238U, 235U/238U, and 236U/238U ratios are consistent with a two-component mixing model, which is used to illustrate the extent of mixing between natural and enriched U end members.},
doi = {10.1016/j.jenvrad.2015.04.006},
journal = {Journal of Environmental Radioactivity},
number = ,
volume = 148,
place = {United States},
year = {Tue Jul 28 00:00:00 EDT 2015},
month = {Tue Jul 28 00:00:00 EDT 2015}
}
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- Campbell, Keri; Judge, Elizabeth J.; Dirmyer, Matthew R.
- Journal of Radioanalytical and Nuclear Chemistry, Vol. 314, Issue 1
Plutonium segregation in glassy aerodynamic fallout from a nuclear weapon test
journal, January 2017
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- Dalton Transactions, Vol. 46, Issue 6
Mapping of Uranium in Surrogate Nuclear Debris Using Laser-Induced Breakdown Spectroscopy (LIBS)
journal, March 2019
- Shattan, Michael B.; Gragston, Mark; Zhang, Zhili
- Applied Spectroscopy, Vol. 73, Issue 6