March 23, 2023
Journal Article

The Preparation of Non-radioactive Glassy Surrogate Nuclear Explosion Debris (SNED) Loaded with an Isotopically Altered Noble Gas

Abstract

The measurement of the Kr and Xe isotope ratios in nuclear explosion debris is an important forensic tool as the method requires very little sample preparation. Fragments of debris are simply crushed or heated to release the trapped gases Kr and Xe arising from fission product decay. As suitable test materials are not readily available we have been investigating a method to incorporate isotopically enriched 129Xe in glassy materials that mimic nuclear explosion debris. The approach used to prepare these materials will be described along with some of the example results obtained.

Published: March 23, 2023

Citation

Liezers M., A.J. Carman, and G.C. Eiden. 2016. The Preparation of Non-radioactive Glassy Surrogate Nuclear Explosion Debris (SNED) Loaded with an Isotopically Altered Noble Gas. Journal of Radioanalytical and Nuclear Chemistry 307, no. 3:1811–1817. PNNL-SA-109258. doi:10.1007/s10967-015-4396-7