PNNL

Abstract

In this paper we describe a new laboratory approach for the bench top production of Surrogate Nuclear Explosion Debris (SNED) that resembles a nuclear explosion glass often called “Trinitite” after the first nuclear test in 1945 called Trinity. The process involves heating materials in different forms using a high power Continuous Wave (CW) carbon dioxide (CO2) laser. High surface temperatures >2500 K can be rapidly attained with this type of heating allowing virtually any combination of materials to be utilized; sediments, glass, concrete, asphalt, brick and even metals can be incorporated into the glassy matrix. Materials produced by this technique can display graded melting and the formation of gaseous voids in much the same fashion as nuclear explosion debris like Trinitite. Examples of the fused glasses and their morphological characteristics will be presented, as this rapid surface heating process cannot be readily mimicked by the more conventional approach of bulk furnace heating. Elemental thermal fractionation effects were studied by exposing the NIST glass standard (SRM-612) in powdered form to varying lengths of laser heating then analyzing the reformed glass for elemental loss by Inductively Coupled Plasma-Mass Spectrometry (ICP-MS). The material benefits of this heating process will be discussed along with the thermal fractionation effects that can be induced and its similarity to both real and synthetic nuclear explosion debris.