Measurement of an upper limit of fission energy release in HOLOG using a germanium gamma ray detector
An upper limit of less than 4 mg TNT equivalent fission energy release from the HOLOG experiment was determined using a germanium {gamma}-ray detector to measure the ratio of selected fission-product and plutonium {gamma} rays. Only three hours of {gamma}-ray data collected immediately after the zero-time were analyzed to calculate the above limit. We found no peaks corresponding to the {sup 97} Zr - {sup 97} Nb fission product pair at the gamma-ray energies of E{sub {gamma}} = 743 keV and E{sub {gamma}} = 658 keV, respectively. No information on the plutonium isotopic ratios is revealed because {gamma}-ray peaks in the energy region below 100 keV are not observed due to the high absorption in the containment barrier. The measurement is relatively easy to perform and is not subject to false-positive results because specific fission product and plutonium {gamma} ray energies need to be detected.
- Research Organization:
- Lawrence Livermore National Lab. (LLNL), Livermore, CA (United States)
- Sponsoring Organization:
- USDOE, Washington, DC (United States)
- DOE Contract Number:
- W-7405-ENG-48
- OSTI ID:
- 303922
- Report Number(s):
- UCRL-ID-129439; ON: DE98054687; BR: DP0102012
- Resource Relation:
- Other Information: PBD: 1 Jan 1998
- Country of Publication:
- United States
- Language:
- English
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