Fast neutron activation of ubiquitous materials

Nuclear explosions expose ubiquitous materials to large numbers of neutrons, producing a variety of radioactive isotopes. To simulate such phenomena from both fission and thermonuclear explosions, we irradiated 29 different targets with approximately 3 and 14 MeV neutrons and measured the beta-delayed gamma rays using germanium detectors. For each neutron energy, the expected radioisotopes, half-lives, and gamma ray energies were deduced. From measurements of the ratios of activities of the radionuclides produced by neutron irradiations, we were able to identify several materials that are particularly sensitive to the neutron energy spectra

Distinguishing fissions of 232Th, 237Np and 238U with beta-delayed gamma rays

Measurements of beta-delayed gamma-ray spectra following 14-MeV neutron-induced fissions of Th, U, and Np were conducted at Lawrence Berkeley National Laboratory's 88-Inch Cyclotron. Spectra were collected for times ranging from 1 min to 14 h after irradiation. Intensity ratios of gamma-ray lines were extracted from the data that allow identification of the fissioning isotope.© 2013 Elsevier B.V. All rights reserved. 232 238 23