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in creator/contributor: "Foster, L.A."

open access

Comparison testing of a mound calorimeter and a Savannah River Site calorimeter

This paper describes the paired comparison testing of a Savannah River Site (SRS) calorimeter and a Mound calorimeter. Prior to this test, no offsite testing had been performed on an SRS calorimeter. The testing was performed at the Plutonium Facility of Los Alamos National Laboratory (LANL). The SRS calorimeter was designed, fabricated and delivered to LANL. The Mound calorimeter chosen for comparison was similar in well dimensions and located in the same room as the SRS calorimeter. There wer… more

Date: November 1, 1995

Creator: ReFalo, L.A. & Foster, L.A.

Item Type: Article

Partner: UNT Libraries Government Documents Department

open access

Evaluation of the MADAM waste measurement system

The Multiple Assay Dual Analysis Measurement (MADAM) system is a combined low-level and transuranic waste assay system. The system integrates commercially available Segmented Gamma Scanner (SGS) capability with a multienergy x-ray and gamma-ray analysis to measure these two waste forms. In addition, the system incorporates a small neutron slab detector to satisfy safeguards concerns and the capability for automated high-resolution gamma-ray analysis for isotope identification. Since delivery of… more

Date: March 1995

Creator: Foster, L. A.; Wachter, J. R. & Hagan, R. C.

Item Type: Article

Partner: UNT Libraries Government Documents Department

open access

Neutron-based measurements for nondestructive assay of minor actinides produced in nuclear power reactors

Because of their impacts on long-term storage of high-level radioactive waste and their value as nuclear fuels, measurement and accounting of the minor actinides produced in nuclear power reactors are becoming significant issues. This paper briefly reviews the commercial nuclear fuel cycle with emphasis on reprocessing plants and key measurement points therein. Neutron signatures and characteristics are compared and contrasted for special nuclear materials (SNMs) and minor actinides (MAs). The … more

Date: October 1, 1996

Creator: Stewart, J. E.; Eccleston, G. W.; Ensslin, N.; Cremers, T. L.; Foster, L. A.; Menlove, H. O. et al.

Item Type: Article

Partner: UNT Libraries Government Documents Department

open access

Calorimetric assay of minor actinides

This paper reviews the principles of calorimetric assay and evaluates its potential application to the minor actinides (U-232-4, Am-241, Am- 243, Cm-245, Np-237). We conclude that calorimetry and high- resolution gamma-ray isotopic analysis can be used for the assay of minor actinides by adapting existing methodologies for Pu/Am-241 mixtures. In some cases, mixtures of special nuclear materials and minor actinides may require the development of new methodologies that involve a combination of de… more

Date: December 31, 1996

Creator: Rudy, C.; Bracken, D.; Cremers, T.; Foster, L.A. & Ensslin, N.

Item Type: Article

Partner: UNT Libraries Government Documents Department

open access

Inventory verification measurements using neutron multiplicity counting

This paper describes a series of neutron multiplicity measurements of large plutonium samples at the Los Alamos Plutonium Facility. The measurements were corrected for bias caused by neutron energy spectrum shifts and nonuniform multiplication, and are compared with calorimetry/isotopics. The results show that multiplicity counting can increase measurement throughput and yield good verification results for some inventory categories. The authors provide recommendations on the future application … more

Date: December 31, 1998

Creator: Ensslin, N.; Foster, L. A.; Harker, W. C.; Krick, M. S. & Langner, D. G.

Item Type: Article

Partner: UNT Libraries Government Documents Department

open access

Detection and measurement of gamma-ray self-attenuation in plutonium residues

A new method to correct for self-attenuation in gamma-ray assays of plutonium is presented. The underlying assumptions of the technique are based on a simple but accurate physical model of plutonium residues, particularly pyrochemical salts, in which it is assumed that the plutonium is divided into two portions, each of which can be treated separately from the standpoint of gamma-ray analysis: a portion that is in the form of plutonium metal shot; and a dilute portion that is mixed with the mat… more

Date: September 1, 1996

Creator: Prettyman, T.H.; Foster, L.A. & Estep, R.J.

Item Type: Article

Partner: UNT Libraries Government Documents Department

open access

Evaluation of the Argonne National Laboratory servo-controlled calorimeter system

The control system of a replacement mode, twin-bridge, water-bath calorimeter originally built by Mound EG&G Applied Technologies was modified by Argonne National Laboratory. The calorimeter was upgraded with a PC-based computer control and data acquisition system. The system was redesigned to operate in a servo-control mode, and a preheater was constructed to allow pre-equilibration of samples. The instrument was sent to the Plutonium Facility at Los Alamos National Laboratory for testing and … more

Date: January 1, 1997

Creator: Foster, L.A.

Item Type: Report

Partner: UNT Libraries Government Documents Department

open access

Non-Destructive Assay of Curium Contaminated Transuranic Waste Drums

At the Plutonium Facility at Los Alamos National Laboratory, a series of non-destructive assays were performed on five transuranic waste (TRU) drums containing non-plutonium scrap metal that was potentially contaminated with weapons grade plutonium and trace quantities of curium. Typically, waste drums containing metal matrices are assayed for plutonium content using passive neutron coincidence counting techniques. The presence of trace quantities of Cm-244 prevents this type of analysis becaus… more

Date: November 1, 1998

Creator: Foster, L.A.

Item Type: Article

Partner: UNT Libraries Government Documents Department

open access

Status of the WAND (Waste Assay for Nonradioactive Disposal) project as of July 1997

The WAND (Waste Assay for Nonradioactive Disposal) system can scan thought-to-be-clean, low-density waste (mostly paper and plastics) to determine whether the levels of any contaminant radioactivity are low enough to justify their disposal in normal public landfills or similar facilities. Such a screening would allow probably at least half of the large volume of low-density waste now buried at high cost in LANL`s Rad Waste Landfill (Area G at Technical Area 54) to be disposed of elsewhere at a … more

Date: March 1998

Creator: Arnone, G. J.; Foster, L. A.; Foxx, C. L.; Hagan, R. C.; Martin, E. R.; Myers, S. C. et al.

Item Type: Report

Partner: UNT Libraries Government Documents Department

open access

Matrix Characterization of Plutonium Residues by Alpha-Particle Self-Interrogation

Legacy plutonium residues often have inadequate item descriptions. Nondestructive characterization can help segregate these items for reprocessing or provide information needed for disposal or storage. Alpha particle-induced gamma-ray spectra contain a wealth of information that can be used for matrix characterization. We demonstrate how this information can be used for item identification. Gamma-ray spectra were recorded at the Los Alamos Plutonium Facility from a variety of legacy, plutonium-… more

Date: July 26, 1998

Creator: Prettyman, T.H.; Foster, L.A. & Staples, P.

Item Type: Article

Partner: UNT Libraries Government Documents Department

open access

TRANSFER OF EXCESS NUCLEAR MATERIAL FROM LOS ALAMOS TO SAVANNAH RIVER SITE FOR LONG-TERM DISPOSITION

Los Alamos National Laboratory is preparing excess nuclear material for shipment to Savannah River Site (SRS) for final disposition. Prior to shipment the nuclear material will be stabilized and packaged to meet strict criteria. The criterion that must be met include: (1) the DOE stabilization, packaging and storage requirements for plutonium bearing materials, DOE-STD-3013, (2) shipping container packaging requirements, (3) SRS packaging and storage criteria, and (4) DOE Material Disposition c… more

Date: June 1, 2001

Creator: Hoth, C. W.; Foster, L. A. & Yarbro, T. F.

Item Type: Article

Partner: UNT Libraries Government Documents Department

open access

A Calibration to Predict Concentrations of Impurities in Plutonium Oxide by Prompt Gamma Analysis

Prompt gamma (PG) analysis has been used to identify the presence of certain impurities in plutonium oxide, which has been stored in 3013 containers. A regression analysis was used to evaluate the trends between the count rates obtained from PG analysis and the concentration of the impurities in plutonium oxide samples measured by analytical chemistry techniques. The results of the analysis were used to obtain calibration curves, which may be used to predict the concentration of Al, Be, Cl, F, … more

Date: December 13, 2005

Creator: Narlesky, J. E.; Kelly, E. J. & Foster, L. A.

Item Type: Report

Partner: UNT Libraries Government Documents Department

open access

NBC operation manual including the multi-position add-a-source function

This manual describes the design modifications and operating characteristics of a 200-l-drum neutron coincidence counter. The counter has six shielded banks of {sup 3}He tubes and JSR-11 shift register coincidence electronics. The modified design has a counting efficiency of 19.3%. The neutron counter measures the spontaneous-fission rate from the plutonium, and when this is combined with the plutonium isotopic ratios, we can determine the plutonium mass. The system includes the new multi-posit… more

Date: March 1, 1994

Creator: Menlove, H. O.; Foster, L. A. & Baca, J.

Item Type: Report

Partner: UNT Libraries Government Documents Department

open access

Evaluation of low-level waste analysis using the MADAM system

Previously, the important hardware features and capabilities for the Multiple Assay Dual Analysis Measurement (MADAM) system were reported. MADAM is a combined low-level and transuranic waste assay system. The system integrated commercially available Segmented Gamma Scanner (SGS) capability together with multienergy X-ray and gamma-ray analysis to measure these two waste forms. In addition, the system incorporated a small neutron slab detector to satisfy safeguards concerns and high resolution … more

Date: August 1, 1994

Creator: Foster, L. A.; Wachter, J. R. & Hagan, R. C.

Item Type: Report

Partner: UNT Libraries Government Documents Department

open access

Installation and calibration of the oversized low-level package counter at Los Alamos National Laboratory

With the importance of safeguards in production facilities, the Los Alamos National Laboratory Plutonium Facility has installed a neutron slab counter to facilitate the measurement of low-level waste packaged in 4 ft {times} 4 ft {times} 8 ft crates. In the past, oversized packages were measured by a gamma technique to assess holdup. The measurement was time-consuming and cumbersome, and the efficiency was questionable. The slab counter has alleviated the time and efficiency problems of the gam… more

Date: August 1, 1994

Creator: Long, S. M.; Langner, D. G.; Foster, L. A. & Malcom, J. E.

Item Type: Article

Partner: UNT Libraries Government Documents Department