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Development of nuclear underground engineered test surrogates (NUGETS): preliminary composition study and production method

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Abstract

A method for formulation and production of a new variety of surrogate nuclear explosive melt debris (NEMD), Nuclear UnderGround Engineered Test Surrogates (NUGETS), based on detonation of a notional improvised nuclear device in an underground environment analogous to the Nevada National Security Site is presented. Extensive statistical analyses of precursory geochemical and geophysical characteristics are combined with an augmented surrogate debris cooling technique. Comparison of NUGETS formulation to those of other NEMD surrogates is reported. Application of NUGETS methodology to future studies in urban, underground, post-detonation technical nuclear forensic analysis is suggested.

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Acknowledgements

This work was performed in part under grant number DE-NA0001983 from the Stewardship Science Academic Alliances Program of the U.S. Dept. of Energy (DOE) National Nuclear Security Administration (NNSA). This support is gratefully acknowledged. Additional support for this work was provided by the Nuclear Science and Engineering Research Center (NSERC), a Defense Threat Reduction Agency (DTRA) office located at West Point, NY. The views expressed here are those of the authors and not those of DOD, DTRA, DOE, or NNSA. The content of this document was reviewed by the Los Alamos National Laboratory office of classification and assigned LA-UR-18-21218.

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Authors and Affiliations

  1. Department of Nuclear Engineering, University of Tennessee, 1412 Circle Dr., Knoxville, TN, 37996, USA

    R. Boone Gilbreath

  2. Actinide Analytical Chemistry, Chemistry Division, Los Alamos National Laboratory, Los Alamos, NM, 87545, USA

    R. Boone Gilbreath & John D. Auxier II

  3. Process Modeling and Analysis, Engineering Technology and Design Division, Los Alamos National Laboratory, Los Alamos, NM, 87545, USA

    Jerrad P. Auxier

  4. Department of Physics and Nuclear Engineering, United States Military Academy, West Point, NY, 10996, USA

    Justin M. Alexander

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  1. R. Boone Gilbreath
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  2. John D. Auxier II
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  3. Jerrad P. Auxier
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  4. Justin M. Alexander
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Correspondence to R. Boone Gilbreath.

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Gilbreath, R.B., Auxier, J.D., Auxier, J.P. et al. Development of nuclear underground engineered test surrogates (NUGETS): preliminary composition study and production method. J Radioanal Nucl Chem 327, 1283–1290 (2021). https://doi.org/10.1007/s10967-021-07612-3

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  • DOI: https://doi.org/10.1007/s10967-021-07612-3

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