SIMS Analyses of Aerodynamic Fallout from a Uranium-Fueled Test
- 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)
- Los Alamos National Lab. (LANL), Los Alamos, NM (United States)
Five 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 distinctive compositional heterogeneity suggestive of incomplete mixing, and exhibit heterogeneity in U isotopes with 0.02 < 235U/ 238U < 11.8 among all five samples and 0.02 < 235U/ 238U < 7.81 within a single sample. In two samples, the 235U/ 238U ratio is correlated with major element composition, consistent with the agglomeration of chemically and isotopically distinct molten precursors. Two samples are quasi-homogeneous with respect to composition and uranium isotopic composition, suggesting extensive mixing possibly due longer residence time in the fireball. Correlated variations between 234U, 235U, 236U and 238U abundances point to mixing of end-members corresponding to uranium derived from the device and natural U ( 238U/ 235U = 0.00725) found in soil.
- Research Organization:
- Lawrence Livermore National Lab. (LLNL), Livermore, CA (United States)
- Sponsoring Organization:
- USDOE National Nuclear Security Administration (NNSA)
- DOE Contract Number:
- AC52-07NA27344
- OSTI ID:
- 1252626
- Report Number(s):
- LLNL-TR-660055
- Country of Publication:
- United States
- Language:
- English
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