Development of a low-level 39Ar calibration standard – Analysis by absolute gas counting measurements augmented with simulation

Williams, Richard M.; Aalseth, C. E.; Brandenberger, J. M.; Day, A. R.; Finn, E.; Fuller, E. S.; Hoppe, E. W.; Humble, P. H.; Keillor, M. E.; Mace, E. K.; Myers, A. W.; Overman, C. T.; Panisko, M. E.; Seifert, A.; White, S. K.

doi:10.1016/j.apradiso.2017.02.018

Title: Development of a low-level ³⁹Ar calibration standard – Analysis by absolute gas counting measurements augmented with simulation

Abstract

Here, this paper describes the generation of ³⁹Ar, via reactor irradiation of potassium carbonate, followed by quantitative analysis (length-compensated proportional counting) to yield two calibration standards that are respectively 50 and 3 times atmospheric background levels. Measurements were performed in Pacific Northwest National Laboratory's shallow underground counting laboratory studying the effect of gas density on beta-transport; these results are compared with simulation. The total expanded uncertainty of the specific activity for the ~50 × ³⁹Ar in P10 standard is 3.6% (k=2).

Authors:

Williams, Richard M. ^[1]; Aalseth, C. E. ^[1]; Brandenberger, J. M. ^[1]; Day, A. R. ^[1]; Finn, E. ^[1]; Fuller, E. S. ^[1]; Hoppe, E. W. ^[1]; Humble, P. H. ^[1]; Keillor, M. E. ^[1]; Mace, E. K. ^[1]; Myers, A. W. ^[1]; Overman, C. T. ^[1]; Panisko, M. E. ^[1]; Seifert, A. ^[1]; White, S. K. ^[1]

Pacific Northwest National Lab. (PNNL), Richland, WA (United States)

Publication Date:: Fri Feb 17 00:00:00 EST 2017

Research Org.:: Pacific Northwest National Lab. (PNNL), Richland, WA (United States)

Sponsoring Org.:: USDOE

OSTI Identifier:: 1347963

Alternate Identifier(s):: OSTI ID: 1550545

Report Number(s):: PNNL-SA-120659
Journal ID: ISSN 0969-8043; PII: S0969804316306297

Grant/Contract Number:: AC057601830; AC05-76RL01830

Resource Type:: Accepted Manuscript

Journal Name:: Applied Radiation and Isotopes

Additional Journal Information:: Journal Volume: 126; Journal ID: ISSN 0969-8043

Publisher:: Elsevier

Country of Publication:: United States

Language:: English

Subject:: 07 ISOTOPE AND RADIATION SOURCES; 21 SPECIFIC NUCLEAR REACTORS AND ASSOCIATED PLANTS; absolute radiation measurement; length compensated proportional counting; ultra-low background; electroformed copper; uncertainty Analysis

Citation Formats


                    Williams, Richard M., Aalseth, C. E., Brandenberger, J. M., Day, A. R., Finn, E., Fuller, E. S., Hoppe, E. W., Humble, P. H., Keillor, M. E., Mace, E. K., Myers, A. W., Overman, C. T., Panisko, M. E., Seifert, A., and White, S. K. Development of a low-level 39Ar calibration standard – Analysis by absolute gas counting measurements augmented with simulation.  United States: N. p., 2017. 
Web.  doi:10.1016/j.apradiso.2017.02.018.

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                    Williams, Richard M., Aalseth, C. E., Brandenberger, J. M., Day, A. R., Finn, E., Fuller, E. S., Hoppe, E. W., Humble, P. H., Keillor, M. E., Mace, E. K., Myers, A. W., Overman, C. T., Panisko, M. E., Seifert, A., & White, S. K. Development of a low-level 39Ar calibration standard – Analysis by absolute gas counting measurements augmented with simulation.  United States.  https://doi.org/10.1016/j.apradiso.2017.02.018

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                    Williams, Richard M., Aalseth, C. E., Brandenberger, J. M., Day, A. R., Finn, E., Fuller, E. S., Hoppe, E. W., Humble, P. H., Keillor, M. E., Mace, E. K., Myers, A. W., Overman, C. T., Panisko, M. E., Seifert, A., and White, S. K. Fri .  
"Development of a low-level 39Ar calibration standard – Analysis by absolute gas counting measurements augmented with simulation".  United States.  https://doi.org/10.1016/j.apradiso.2017.02.018.  https://www.osti.gov/servlets/purl/1347963.

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@article{osti_1347963,

  title        = {Development of a low-level 39Ar calibration standard – Analysis by absolute gas counting measurements augmented with simulation},

  author       = {Williams, Richard M. and Aalseth, C. E. and Brandenberger, J. M. and Day, A. R. and Finn, E. and Fuller, E. S. and Hoppe, E. W. and Humble, P. H. and Keillor, M. E. and Mace, E. K. and Myers, A. W. and Overman, C. T. and Panisko, M. E. and Seifert, A. and White, S. K.},

  abstractNote = {Here, this paper describes the generation of 39Ar, via reactor irradiation of potassium carbonate, followed by quantitative analysis (length-compensated proportional counting) to yield two calibration standards that are respectively 50 and 3 times atmospheric background levels. Measurements were performed in Pacific Northwest National Laboratory's shallow underground counting laboratory studying the effect of gas density on beta-transport; these results are compared with simulation. The total expanded uncertainty of the specific activity for the ~50 × 39Ar in P10 standard is 3.6% (k=2).},

  doi          = {10.1016/j.apradiso.2017.02.018},

  journal      = {Applied Radiation and Isotopes},

  number       = ,

  volume       = 126,

  place        = {United States},

  year         = {Fri Feb 17 00:00:00 EST 2017},

  month        = {Fri Feb 17 00:00:00 EST 2017}

}

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Works referenced in this record:

A shallow underground laboratory for low-background radiation measurements and materials development
journal, November 2012

Aalseth, C. E.; Bonicalzi, R. M.; Cantaloub, M. G.
Review of Scientific Instruments, Vol. 83, Issue 11
DOI: 10.1063/1.4761923

A new shallow underground gas-proportional counting lab—First results and Ar-37 sensitivity
journal, November 2013

Aalseth, C. E.; Day, A. R.; Fuller, E. S.
Applied Radiation and Isotopes, Vol. 81
DOI: 10.1016/j.apradiso.2013.03.050

Measurement of 37Ar to support technology for On-Site Inspection under the Comprehensive Nuclear-Test-BanTreaty
journal, October 2011

Aalseth, C. E.; Day, A. R.; Haas, D. A.
Nuclear Instruments and Methods in Physics Research Section A: Accelerators, Spectrometers, Detectors and Associated Equipment, Vol. 652, Issue 1
DOI: 10.1016/j.nima.2010.09.135

Design and construction of a low-background, internal-source proportional counter
journal, July 2009

Aalseth, Craig E.; Day, Anthony R.; Hoppe, Eric W.
Journal of Radioanalytical and Nuclear Chemistry, Vol. 282, Issue 1
DOI: 10.1007/s10967-009-0258-5

Measurement of the specific activity of 39Ar in natural argon
journal, April 2007

Benetti, P.; Calaprice, F.; Calligarich, E.
Nuclear Instruments and Methods in Physics Research Section A: Accelerators, Spectrometers, Detectors and Associated Equipment, Vol. 574, Issue 1
DOI: 10.1016/j.nima.2007.01.106

39Ar/Ar measurements using ultra-low background proportional counters
journal, January 2016

Hall, Jeter; Aalseth, Craig E.; Bonicalzi, Ricco M.
Applied Radiation and Isotopes, Vol. 107
DOI: 10.1016/j.apradiso.2015.10.006

Primary radioactive gas standards (excluding radon)
journal, August 2007

Unterweger, M. P.
Metrologia, Vol. 44, Issue 4
DOI: 10.1088/0026-1394/44/4/S10

Development of a low-level 37Ar calibration standard
journal, March 2016

Williams, R. M.; Aalseth, C. E.; Bowyer, T. W.
Applied Radiation and Isotopes, Vol. 109
DOI: 10.1016/j.apradiso.2015.12.027

Development of an absolute gas-counting capability for low to medium activities
journal, November 2013

Williams, R. M.; Aalseth, C. E.; Ely, J. H.
Applied Radiation and Isotopes, Vol. 81
DOI: 10.1016/j.apradiso.2013.03.064

Works referencing / citing this record:

A method to quantify the 37Ar emanation fraction in powders and rocks
journal, July 2018

Johnson, Christine; Prinke, Amanda; Lowrey, Justin D.
Journal of Radioanalytical and Nuclear Chemistry, Vol. 318, Issue 1
DOI: 10.1007/s10967-018-6024-9

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Title: Development of a low-level 39Ar calibration standard – Analysis by absolute gas counting measurements augmented with simulation

Abstract

Citation Formats

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Title: Development of a low-level ³⁹Ar calibration standard – Analysis by absolute gas counting measurements augmented with simulation

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journal, November 2012

A new shallow underground gas-proportional counting lab—First results and Ar-37 sensitivity
journal, November 2013

Measurement of 37Ar to support technology for On-Site Inspection under the Comprehensive Nuclear-Test-BanTreaty
journal, October 2011

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journal, July 2009

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journal, April 2007

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