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Effect of Stainless-Steel Containers on High-Resolution Gamma-Ray Analysis of Plutonium.

DE200415006490

Publication Date	2000
Personal Author	Dougan, R.; Koenig, Z.; Kitt, B.
Page Count	28
Abstract	The goal of this work was to determine the effects on plutonium isotopic analysis of having plutonium inside of a 0.25 inch thick stainless steel can. To do this, they analyzed plutonium samples with a U-Pu InSpector (which uses a high-resolution gamma-ray detector and the analysis code MGA (Multi Group Analysis)), to determine both the 240-Pu/239-Pu ratio and the years since the plutonium was separated from americium. They analyzed a 1.6 kg plutonium sample that was placed inside of a 0.25 inch can at varying distances (0-2 meters) and count times (10 seconds-30 minutes). In separate experiments, they analyzed 0.4g plutonium sources with stainless-steel thickness' ranging from 0.125 to 1.0 inch. This report will show three effects of having plutonium in a stainless steel can: (1) 240-Pu/240-Pu can be quickly and accurately determined for a 1.6 kg plutonium sample inside of a 0.25 inch thick stainless-steel can, as this thickness of stainless steel acts as a perfect filter to reduce the intense 59 keV gamma peak from 241-Am. (2) The accuracy of determining the plutonium-americium separation date is not effected by 0.25 inch of stainless steel. (3) Both 240-Pu/239-Pu and the americium separation date can be accurately determined for stainless-steel thickness' up to 0.5 inches, requiring additional counting time with increasing thickness to obtain desired precision. For stainless-steel absorber thickness' greater than 0.5 inch, MGA analyses are not reliable.
Keywords	Containers Stainless steels Plutonium Isotope ratio Gamma detection Plutonium isotopes
Source Agency	Technical Information Center Oak Ridge Tennessee
Corporate Authors	Lawrence Livermore National Lab., CA.; Department of Energy, Washington, DC.
Supplemental Notes	Sponsored by Department of Energy, Washington, DC.
Document Type	Technical Report
NTIS Issue Number	200416

Effect of Stainless-Steel Containers on High-Resolution Gamma-Ray Analysis of Plutonium.

Effect of Stainless-Steel Containers on High-Resolution Gamma-Ray Analysis of Plutonium.
DE200415006490

Publication Date	2000
Personal Author	Dougan, R.; Koenig, Z.; Kitt, B.
Page Count	28
Abstract	The goal of this work was to determine the effects on plutonium isotopic analysis of having plutonium inside of a 0.25 inch thick stainless steel can. To do this, they analyzed plutonium samples with a U-Pu InSpector (which uses a high-resolution gamma-ray detector and the analysis code MGA (Multi Group Analysis)), to determine both the 240-Pu/239-Pu ratio and the years since the plutonium was separated from americium. They analyzed a 1.6 kg plutonium sample that was placed inside of a 0.25 inch can at varying distances (0-2 meters) and count times (10 seconds-30 minutes). In separate experiments, they analyzed 0.4g plutonium sources with stainless-steel thickness' ranging from 0.125 to 1.0 inch. This report will show three effects of having plutonium in a stainless steel can: (1) 240-Pu/240-Pu can be quickly and accurately determined for a 1.6 kg plutonium sample inside of a 0.25 inch thick stainless-steel can, as this thickness of stainless steel acts as a perfect filter to reduce the intense 59 keV gamma peak from 241-Am. (2) The accuracy of determining the plutonium-americium separation date is not effected by 0.25 inch of stainless steel. (3) Both 240-Pu/239-Pu and the americium separation date can be accurately determined for stainless-steel thickness' up to 0.5 inches, requiring additional counting time with increasing thickness to obtain desired precision. For stainless-steel absorber thickness' greater than 0.5 inch, MGA analyses are not reliable.
Keywords	Containers Stainless steels Plutonium Isotope ratio Gamma detection Plutonium isotopes
Source Agency	Technical Information Center Oak Ridge Tennessee
Corporate Authors	Lawrence Livermore National Lab., CA.; Department of Energy, Washington, DC.
Supplemental Notes	Sponsored by Department of Energy, Washington, DC.
Document Type	Technical Report
NTIS Issue Number	200416