Nuclear Sample Provenance and Age Determination Using Ruthenium Isotopes.

Measurements of the ruthenium isotopic composition of nuclear samples could provide information about the method of sample production, sample irradiation history, and age. To investigate the feasibility and applicability of this idea, this study focuses on measurements of the ruthenium isotope composition of a nominally single-isotope Ru radioactivity standard, where the complications of environmental mixing are eliminated. The measurements of the Ru standards reveal unusual stable ruthenium isotopic compositions consistent with fissiogenic ruthenium.

Application of muon tomography to fuel cask monitoring.

Long-term monitoring of spent fuel stored in dry cask storage is currently achieved through the use of seals and surveillance. Muon tomography can provide direct imaging that may be useful in cases where what is known as Continuity of Knowledge (CoK) has been lost using the former methods. Over the past several years, a team from Los Alamos National Laboratory has been studying the use of muon scattering and stopping to examine spent fuel in dry cask storage.

Determination of origin and intended use of plutonium metal using nuclear forensic techniques.

Nuclear forensics techniques, including micro-XRF, gamma spectrometry, trace elemental analysis and isotopic/chronometric characterization were used to interrogate two, potentially related plutonium metal foils. These samples were submitted for analysis with only limited production information, and a comprehensive suite of forensic analyses were performed. Resulting analytical data was paired with available reactor model and historical information to provide insight into the materials' properties, origins, and likely intended uses.