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A comparison of two micro-beam X-ray emission techniques for actinide elemental distribution in microscopic particles originating from the hydrogen bombs involved in the Palomares (Spain) and Thule (Greenland) accidents

Jimenez-Ramos, M. C. ; Eriksson, M. ; Garcia-Lopez, J. ; Ranebo, Ylva LU ; Garcia-Tenorio, R. ; Betti, M. and Holm, Elis LU (2010) In Spectrochimica Acta, Part B: Atomic Spectroscopy 65(9-10). p.823-829
Abstract
In order to validate and to gain confidence in two micro-beam techniques: particle induced X-ray emission with nuclear microprobe technique (mu-PIXE) and synchrotron radiation induced X-ray fluorescence in a confocal alignment (confocal SR mu-XRF) for characterization of microscopic particles containing actinide elements (mixed plutonium and uranium) a comparative study has been performed. Inter-comparison of the two techniques is essential as the X-ray production cross-sections for U and Pu are different for protons and photons and not well defined in the open literature, especially for Pu. The particles studied consisted of nuclear weapons material, and originate either in the so called Palomares accident in Spain, 1966 or in the Thule... (More)
In order to validate and to gain confidence in two micro-beam techniques: particle induced X-ray emission with nuclear microprobe technique (mu-PIXE) and synchrotron radiation induced X-ray fluorescence in a confocal alignment (confocal SR mu-XRF) for characterization of microscopic particles containing actinide elements (mixed plutonium and uranium) a comparative study has been performed. Inter-comparison of the two techniques is essential as the X-ray production cross-sections for U and Pu are different for protons and photons and not well defined in the open literature, especially for Pu. The particles studied consisted of nuclear weapons material, and originate either in the so called Palomares accident in Spain, 1966 or in the Thule accident in Greenland, 1968. In the determination of the average Pu/U mass ratios (not corrected by self-absorption) in the analysed microscopic particles the results from both techniques show a very good agreement. In addition, the suitability of both techniques for the analysis with good resolution (down to a few mu m) of the Pu/U distribution within the particles has been proved. The set of results obtained through both techniques has allowed gaining important information concerning the characterization of the remaining fissile material in the areas affected by the aircraft accidents. This type of information is essential for long-term impact assessments of contaminated sites. (C) 2010 Elsevier B.V. All rights reserved. (Less)
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author
; ; ; ; ; and
organization
publishing date
type
Contribution to journal
publication status
published
subject
keywords
U/Pu, Hot particle, mu-PIXE, mu-XRF
in
Spectrochimica Acta, Part B: Atomic Spectroscopy
volume
65
issue
9-10
pages
823 - 829
publisher
Elsevier
external identifiers
  • wos:000283334700006
  • scopus:77957107471
ISSN
0584-8547
DOI
10.1016/j.sab.2010.08.001
language
English
LU publication?
yes
id
12924562-0015-404c-96a2-96c60a7210ce (old id 1720581)
date added to LUP
2016-04-01 14:40:44
date last changed
2022-01-28 01:58:03
@article{12924562-0015-404c-96a2-96c60a7210ce,
  abstract     = {{In order to validate and to gain confidence in two micro-beam techniques: particle induced X-ray emission with nuclear microprobe technique (mu-PIXE) and synchrotron radiation induced X-ray fluorescence in a confocal alignment (confocal SR mu-XRF) for characterization of microscopic particles containing actinide elements (mixed plutonium and uranium) a comparative study has been performed. Inter-comparison of the two techniques is essential as the X-ray production cross-sections for U and Pu are different for protons and photons and not well defined in the open literature, especially for Pu. The particles studied consisted of nuclear weapons material, and originate either in the so called Palomares accident in Spain, 1966 or in the Thule accident in Greenland, 1968. In the determination of the average Pu/U mass ratios (not corrected by self-absorption) in the analysed microscopic particles the results from both techniques show a very good agreement. In addition, the suitability of both techniques for the analysis with good resolution (down to a few mu m) of the Pu/U distribution within the particles has been proved. The set of results obtained through both techniques has allowed gaining important information concerning the characterization of the remaining fissile material in the areas affected by the aircraft accidents. This type of information is essential for long-term impact assessments of contaminated sites. (C) 2010 Elsevier B.V. All rights reserved.}},
  author       = {{Jimenez-Ramos, M. C. and Eriksson, M. and Garcia-Lopez, J. and Ranebo, Ylva and Garcia-Tenorio, R. and Betti, M. and Holm, Elis}},
  issn         = {{0584-8547}},
  keywords     = {{U/Pu; Hot particle; mu-PIXE; mu-XRF}},
  language     = {{eng}},
  number       = {{9-10}},
  pages        = {{823--829}},
  publisher    = {{Elsevier}},
  series       = {{Spectrochimica Acta, Part B: Atomic Spectroscopy}},
  title        = {{A comparison of two micro-beam X-ray emission techniques for actinide elemental distribution in microscopic particles originating from the hydrogen bombs involved in the Palomares (Spain) and Thule (Greenland) accidents}},
  url          = {{http://dx.doi.org/10.1016/j.sab.2010.08.001}},
  doi          = {{10.1016/j.sab.2010.08.001}},
  volume       = {{65}},
  year         = {{2010}},
}