TY - JOUR
T1 - Evaluation of prompt fission gamma rays for use in simulating nuclear safeguard measurements
AU - Valentine, Timothy E.
PY - 2001/2
Y1 - 2001/2
N2 - Nondestructive assay methods that rely on measurement of correlated gamma rays from fission have been proposed as a means to determine the mass of fissile materials. Sensitivity studies for such measurements will require knowledge of the multiplicity of prompt gamma rays from fission; however, a very limited number of multiplicity distributions have been measured. A method is proposed to estimate the average number of gamma rays from any fission process by using the correlation of neutron and gamma emission in fission. Using this method, models for the total prompt gamma ray energy from fission adequately reproduce the measured value for thermal neutron induced fission of 233U. Likewise, the average energy of prompt gamma rays from fission has been adequately estimated using a simple linear model. Additionally, a method to estimate the multiplicity distribution of prompt gamma rays from fission is proposed based on a measured distribution for 252Cf. These methods are only approximate at best and should only be used for sensitivity studies. Measurements of the multiplicity distribution of prompt gamma rays from fission should be performed to determine the adequacy of the models proposed in this article.
AB - Nondestructive assay methods that rely on measurement of correlated gamma rays from fission have been proposed as a means to determine the mass of fissile materials. Sensitivity studies for such measurements will require knowledge of the multiplicity of prompt gamma rays from fission; however, a very limited number of multiplicity distributions have been measured. A method is proposed to estimate the average number of gamma rays from any fission process by using the correlation of neutron and gamma emission in fission. Using this method, models for the total prompt gamma ray energy from fission adequately reproduce the measured value for thermal neutron induced fission of 233U. Likewise, the average energy of prompt gamma rays from fission has been adequately estimated using a simple linear model. Additionally, a method to estimate the multiplicity distribution of prompt gamma rays from fission is proposed based on a measured distribution for 252Cf. These methods are only approximate at best and should only be used for sensitivity studies. Measurements of the multiplicity distribution of prompt gamma rays from fission should be performed to determine the adequacy of the models proposed in this article.
UR - http://www.scopus.com/inward/record.url?scp=0035254049&partnerID=8YFLogxK
U2 - 10.1016/S0306-4549(00)00039-6
DO - 10.1016/S0306-4549(00)00039-6
M3 - Article
AN - SCOPUS:0035254049
SN - 0306-4549
VL - 28
SP - 191
EP - 201
JO - Annals of Nuclear Energy
JF - Annals of Nuclear Energy
IS - 3
ER -