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A non-destructive internal nuclear forensic investigation at Argonne: discovery of a Pu planchet from 1948

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Abstract

A plutonium alpha standard dating from 1948 was discovered at Argonne National Laboratory and characterized using a number of non-destructive analytical techniques. The principle radioactive isotope was found to be 239Pu and unique ring structures were found across the surface of the deposition area. Due to chronological constraints on possible sources and its high isotopic purity, the plutonium in the sample was likely produced by the Oak Ridge National Lab X-10 Reactor. It is proposed that the rings are resultant through a combination of polishing and electrodeposition, though the hypothesis fails to address a few key features of the ring structures.

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Acknowledgments

Argonne National Laboratory’s work was funded by the U.S. Department of Homeland Security through interagency agreement. The submitted manuscript includes information created by UChicago Argonne, LLC, operator of Argonne National Laboratory (“Argonne”). Argonne, a US Department of Energy Office of Science laboratory, is operated under Contract No. DE-AC02-06CH11357. The US Government retains for itself, and others acting on its behalf, a paid-up nonexclusive, irrevocable worldwide license in said article to reproduce, prepare derivative works, distribute copies to the public, and display publicly, by or on behalf of the Government. Additionally, the authors would like to thank Stephen Lamont for the invaluable conversation on potential electrodeposition effects.

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  1. Michael R. Savina

    Present address: Lawrence Livermore National Laboratory, Livermore, CA, USA

Authors and Affiliations

  1. Nuclear Engineering Division, Argonne National Laboratory, 9700 S. Cass Avenue, Lemont, IL, 60439, USA

    Joseph A. Savina, Jennifer L. Steeb, Carol J. Mertz, Jeffrey A. Fortner, Vivian S. Sullivan, Megan E. Bennett & David B. Chamberlain

  2. Material Science Division, Argonne National Laboratory, 9700 S. Cass Avenue, Lemont, IL, 60439, USA

    Michael R. Savina

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  1. Joseph A. Savina
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  2. Jennifer L. Steeb
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  3. Michael R. Savina
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  4. Carol J. Mertz
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  5. Jeffrey A. Fortner
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  6. Vivian S. Sullivan
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  7. Megan E. Bennett
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  8. David B. Chamberlain
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Correspondence to Jennifer L. Steeb.

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Savina, J.A., Steeb, J.L., Savina, M.R. et al. A non-destructive internal nuclear forensic investigation at Argonne: discovery of a Pu planchet from 1948. J Radioanal Nucl Chem 311, 243–252 (2017). https://doi.org/10.1007/s10967-016-4893-3

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  • DOI: https://doi.org/10.1007/s10967-016-4893-3

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