Intrinsic dosimetry of glass containers used to transport nuclear materials: Potential implications to the field of nuclear forensics

Thermoluminescence (TL) and Electron Paramagnetic Resonance (EPR) dosimetry were used to measure dose effects in borosilicate glass with time, from 10 minutes to ̃60 days following exposure to a dose of up to 10,000 Rad. TL and EPR results were consistent and performed similarly, with both techniques capable of achieving an estimated limit of detection of between 50-100 Rad. Three peaks were identified in the TL glow curve at roughly 110°C, 205°C, and 225°C. The intensity of the 205°C peak was the dominant peak over the time period of this study. The stability of all of the peaks with time since irradiation increased with their corresponding temperature and little or no variation was observed in the glow curve response to a specified total dose attained at different dose rates. The intensity of the 205°C peak decreased logarithmically with time regardless of total dose. Based upon a conservative limit of detection of 330 Rad, a 10,000 Rad dose would still be detected 2.7E3 years after exposure. This paper introduces the concept of intrinsic dosimetry, the consideration of a measured dose received to container walls in concert with the physical characteristics of the radioactive material contained inside those walls, as a method for gathering rather unique pathway information about the history of that sample. Three hypothetical scenarios are presented to introduce this method and to illustrate how intrinsic dosimetry might benefit the fields of nuclear forensics and waste management.