Nuclear forensics methodology identifies legacy plutonium from the Manhattan Project

Kevin J. Glennon; Evelyn M. Bond; Todd A. Bredeweg; Sunil S. Chirayath; Patrick J. O’Neal; Charles M. Folden

doi:10.1007/s10967-021-07924-4

Nuclear forensics methodology identifies legacy plutonium from the Manhattan Project

Kevin J. Glennon, Evelyn M. Bond, Todd A. Bredeweg, Sunil S. Chirayath, Patrick J. O’Neal, Charles M. Folden

Research output: Contribution to journal › Article › peer-review

4 Scopus citations

Abstract

The X-10 nuclear reactor was built at the Clinton Engineering Works in Oak Ridge, Tennessee, USA, as the world’s first Pu production reactor. Operation commenced in November 1943, producing Pu on the gram-scale for the first time. A 61.1 mg sample of ²³⁹Pu has been identified at Los Alamos National Laboratory containing multiple forensic signatures consistent with production from the X-10 reactor in early 1944, when the first samples of reactor-produced Pu were shipped from X-10 to Los Alamos. Our nuclear forensics investigation included Pu isotopic analysis, chronometry, X-10 reactor physics simulations, and trace metal analyses. This historic sample has been determined to be among the oldest reactor-produced Pu reported in the literature and is among the first 1.4 kg of Pu ever produced.

Original language	English
Pages (from-to)	57-65
Number of pages	9
Journal	Journal of Radioanalytical and Nuclear Chemistry
Volume	330
Issue number	1
DOIs	https://doi.org/10.1007/s10967-021-07924-4
State	Published - Oct 2021
Externally published	Yes

Funding

The authors would like to thank Prof. B. V. Miller of the Texas A&M University Department of Geology and Geophysics for assistance with mass spectrometry operations and consumables. This manuscript was released to the public by Los Alamos National Laboratory under document number LA-UR-20-28280. This work was supported by the Los Alamos National Laboratory Seaborg Institute program and the Department of Energy National Nuclear Security Administration under Award Number DE-NA0003180. This work was prepared as an account of work sponsored by an agency of the United States Government. Neither the United States Government nor any agency thereof, nor any of their employees, makes any warranty, express or implied, or assumes any legal liability or responsibility for the accuracy, completeness, or usefulness of any information, apparatus, product, or process disclosed, or represents that its use would not infringe privately owned rights. Reference herein to any specific commercial product, process, or service by trade name, trademark, manufacturer, or otherwise does not necessarily constitute or imply its endorsement, recommendation, or favoring by the United States Government or any agency thereof. The views and opinions of authors expressed herein do not necessarily state or reflect those of the United States Government or any agency thereof. The authors would like to thank Prof. B. V. Miller of the Texas A&M University Department of Geology and Geophysics for assistance with mass spectrometry operations and consumables. This manuscript was released to the public by Los Alamos National Laboratory under document number LA-UR-20-28280. This work was supported by the Los Alamos National Laboratory Seaborg Institute program and the Department of Energy National Nuclear Security Administration under Award Number DE-NA0003180. This work was prepared as an account of work sponsored by an agency of the United States Government. Neither the United States Government nor any agency thereof, nor any of their employees, makes any warranty, express or implied, or assumes any legal liability or responsibility for the accuracy, completeness, or usefulness of any information, apparatus, product, or process disclosed, or represents that its use would not infringe privately owned rights. Reference herein to any specific commercial product, process, or service by trade name, trademark, manufacturer, or otherwise does not necessarily constitute or imply its endorsement, recommendation, or favoring by the United States Government or any agency thereof. The views and opinions of authors expressed herein do not necessarily state or reflect those of the United States Government or any agency thereof.

Funders	Funder number
Los Alamos National Laboratory Seaborg Institute
United States Government
National Nuclear Security Administration	DE-NA0003180
Texas A and M University
Los Alamos National Laboratory	LA-UR-20-28280

Keywords

Chronometry
Clinton plutonium
Nuclear forensics
Plutonium
Reactor physics
X-10 reactor

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10.1007/s10967-021-07924-4

Cite this

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title = "Nuclear forensics methodology identifies legacy plutonium from the Manhattan Project",

abstract = "The X-10 nuclear reactor was built at the Clinton Engineering Works in Oak Ridge, Tennessee, USA, as the world{\textquoteright}s first Pu production reactor. Operation commenced in November 1943, producing Pu on the gram-scale for the first time. A 61.1 mg sample of 239Pu has been identified at Los Alamos National Laboratory containing multiple forensic signatures consistent with production from the X-10 reactor in early 1944, when the first samples of reactor-produced Pu were shipped from X-10 to Los Alamos. Our nuclear forensics investigation included Pu isotopic analysis, chronometry, X-10 reactor physics simulations, and trace metal analyses. This historic sample has been determined to be among the oldest reactor-produced Pu reported in the literature and is among the first 1.4 kg of Pu ever produced.",

keywords = "Chronometry, Clinton plutonium, Nuclear forensics, Plutonium, Reactor physics, X-10 reactor",

author = "Glennon, {Kevin J.} and Bond, {Evelyn M.} and Bredeweg, {Todd A.} and Chirayath, {Sunil S.} and O{\textquoteright}Neal, {Patrick J.} and Folden, {Charles M.}",

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doi = "10.1007/s10967-021-07924-4",

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AU - Glennon, Kevin J.

AU - Bond, Evelyn M.

AU - Bredeweg, Todd A.

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AU - O’Neal, Patrick J.

AU - Folden, Charles M.

PY - 2021/10

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N2 - The X-10 nuclear reactor was built at the Clinton Engineering Works in Oak Ridge, Tennessee, USA, as the world’s first Pu production reactor. Operation commenced in November 1943, producing Pu on the gram-scale for the first time. A 61.1 mg sample of 239Pu has been identified at Los Alamos National Laboratory containing multiple forensic signatures consistent with production from the X-10 reactor in early 1944, when the first samples of reactor-produced Pu were shipped from X-10 to Los Alamos. Our nuclear forensics investigation included Pu isotopic analysis, chronometry, X-10 reactor physics simulations, and trace metal analyses. This historic sample has been determined to be among the oldest reactor-produced Pu reported in the literature and is among the first 1.4 kg of Pu ever produced.

AB - The X-10 nuclear reactor was built at the Clinton Engineering Works in Oak Ridge, Tennessee, USA, as the world’s first Pu production reactor. Operation commenced in November 1943, producing Pu on the gram-scale for the first time. A 61.1 mg sample of 239Pu has been identified at Los Alamos National Laboratory containing multiple forensic signatures consistent with production from the X-10 reactor in early 1944, when the first samples of reactor-produced Pu were shipped from X-10 to Los Alamos. Our nuclear forensics investigation included Pu isotopic analysis, chronometry, X-10 reactor physics simulations, and trace metal analyses. This historic sample has been determined to be among the oldest reactor-produced Pu reported in the literature and is among the first 1.4 kg of Pu ever produced.

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KW - Nuclear forensics

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KW - Reactor physics

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Nuclear forensics methodology identifies legacy plutonium from the Manhattan Project

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Keywords

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