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Uranium detection using small scintillators in a maritime environment

  • Application of Nuclear Techniques to National Security and Treaty Monitoring
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Abstract

The performance of several commercially available portable radiation spectrometers containing small NaI(Tl) scintillation detectors has been studied. These devices are used by field inspection personnel to detect and identify illicit radioactive materials. The detection and identification of enriched uranium is an important deterrent to undeclared nuclear proliferation and nuclear terrorism. This study was conducted using a variety of shielded and unshielded uranium sources in a simulated maritime environment. The results indicate adequate identification capability for various uranium enrichments using the manufacturer’s spectral analysis firmware. More sophisticated methods for analyzing the spectra can be applied to these short field measurements to determine the isotopic enrichment.

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Authors and Affiliations

  1. Westinghouse Savannah River Company, Savannah River National Laboratory, Aiken, SC, 29808, USA

    K. J. Hofstetter, D. M. Beals & D. M. Odell

Authors
  1. K. J. Hofstetter
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  2. D. M. Beals
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  3. D. M. Odell
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Correspondence to K. J. Hofstetter.

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Hofstetter, K.J., Beals, D.M. & Odell, D.M. Uranium detection using small scintillators in a maritime environment. J Radioanal Nucl Chem 276, 433–439 (2008). https://doi.org/10.1007/s10967-008-0523-z

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  • DOI: https://doi.org/10.1007/s10967-008-0523-z

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