Neutron activation of NIST surrogate post-detonation urban debris (SPUD) candidate SRMs

• Published in: Journal of radioanalytical and nuclear chemistry Vol. 318; no. 1; pp. 187 - 193
• Main Authors: Biegalski, S., Kane, N., Mann, J., Tipping, T., Dayman, K.
• Format: Journal Article
• Language: English
• Published: Cham Springer International Publishing 01.10.2018; Springer; Springer Nature B.V
• Subjects: Actinides; Activation; Chemistry; Chemistry and Materials Science; Debris; Detonation; Diagnostic Radiology; Fallout; Fission products; Forensic sciences; Gamma rays; Hadrons; Heavy Ions; Inorganic Chemistry; Materials traceability; Nuclear Chemistry; Nuclear Physics; Physical Chemistry; Reference materials; Standard reference materials; Gamma-ray spectroscopy; Surrogate post-detonation urban debris (SPUD); Standard reference material
• ISSN: 0236-5731; 1588-2780
• DOI: 10.1007/s10967-018-6023-x

Despite their importance, there is a dearth of post-detonation nuclear forensics standard reference materials (SRMs) suitable for analysis traceable back to a national standard. Accordingly, the nuclear forensics community has requested SRMs be produced that mimic post-detonation fallout debris that include actinides, urban materials, fission products, and activation products. The National Institute of Standards and Technology (NIST), in partnership with the National Physical Laboratory and with support from the Federal Bureau of Investigation, have developed two surrogate post-detonation urban debris (SPUD) candidate SRMs to mimic the “rubble” of a city after an improvised nuclear device detonation. NIST SPUD samples were irradiated at The University of Texas TRIGA reactor, then analyzed via gamma-ray spectroscopy for short-lived, medium-lived, and long-lived fission and activation products.