Skip to main content
SpringerLink
Log in

Characterization of californium sources by gamma spectrometry: relevance for nuclear forensics

  • Published:
Journal of Radioanalytical and Nuclear Chemistry Aims and scope Submit manuscript

Abstract

High-resolution gamma spectrometry was used to study characteristics of californium neutron sources—age, isotopic composition and impurity radionuclides, as well as the effect of the isotopic composition on uncertainties involved in age determination. These characteristics are relevant during criminal investigations related to californium sources found outside of regulatory control. Age determination relies on measuring the activity ratios of long-lived and short-lived fission products of 250Cf and 252Cf. It is based on a known method but also introduces new pairs of isotopes that can be used for this purpose. The isotopic composition was estimated from the direct measurement of the activities of 249Cf and 251Cf isotopes. The methods were tested using 5 californium reference sources at JRC-Karlsruhe. Additional raw data (gamma spectra) were provided by the German Radiation Protection Authority, and by the University of Novi Sad, Serbia. It has been shown that gamma spectrometry can be successfully used to characterize californium sources for nuclear forensic purposes.

This is a preview of subscription content, log in via an institution to check access.

Access this article

Log in via an institution

Price excludes VAT (USA)
Tax calculation will be finalised during checkout.

Instant access to the full article PDF.

Institutional subscriptions

Fig. 1
Fig. 2
Fig. 3
Fig. 4
Fig. 5
Fig. 6
Fig. 7
Fig. 8

Similar content being viewed by others

References

  1. Radev R, McLean T (2014) Neutron sources for standard-based testing. LLNL-TR-664160

  2. Keller OL (1986) Californium-252: properties and production. Nucl Sci Appl 2:263–271

    CAS  Google Scholar 

  3. Melnik MI, Karelin EA, Filimonov VT (2002) Production of extra pure curium und californium preparations. In: 14th radiochemical conference, Czech Republic

  4. Burns JD, Van Cleve SM, Smith EH, Boll RA (2015) Californium purification and electrodeposition. J Radioanal Nucl Chem 305(1):109–116

    Article  CAS  Google Scholar 

  5. Boll RA et al (2015) Californium electrodepositions at Oak Ridge National Laboratory. J Radioanal Nucl Chem 305(3):921–926

    Article  CAS  Google Scholar 

  6. Gehrke RJ, Aryaeinejad R, Hartwell JK, Yoon WY, Reber E, Davidson JR (2004) The γ-ray spectrum of 252Cf and the information contained within it. Nucl Instrum Methods Phys Res B 213:10–21

    Article  CAS  Google Scholar 

  7. Gregor J, Kesten J, Kroeger EA, Baron M, Eisheh J-T (2018) Nuclear forensics information obtained from the γ-ray spectra of 252Cf sources of differing provenance. Nucl Instrum Methods Phys Res B 437:13–19

    Article  CAS  Google Scholar 

  8. Sima O, Arnold D, Dovlete C (2001) GESPECOR: a versatile tool in gamma-ray spectrometry. J Radioanal Nucl Chem 248(2):359–364

    Article  CAS  Google Scholar 

  9. Menlove HO (1991) Neutron coincidence instruments and applications, passive nondestructive assay of nuclear materials. NUREG/CR-5550, LA-UR-90-732 US Nuclear Regulatory Commission, Washington, DC

  10. http://www.nucleide.org/DDEP_WG/DDEPdata.htm. Accessed 5 Nov 2017

  11. Chapman J, Croft S (2017) The use of 252Cf for calibrating safeguards monitors. www.canberra.com/literature/waste_special_systems/tech_papers/Cf-252Cali-paper.pdf. Accessed 2 Nov 2017

  12. Thomas D et al (2017) Recent developments in neutron metrology at the National Physics Laboratory. www.bipm.org/cc/CCRI(III)/Allowed/16/CCRI(III)05-08.pdf. Accessed 2 Nov 2017

  13. Gabeskiria VYa et al (2017) Estimation of the transuranium element yield during irradiation of Pu in the CM-2 reactor central channel (in Russian) (1971). www.iaea.org/inis/collection/NCLCollectionStore/_Public/03/023/3023199.pdf. Accessed 2 Nov 2017

  14. GammaW Software, W. Westmeier, Ebsdorfergrund-Molln (2007) version 18.3

  15. Klochkov EP, Risovany VD (1999) Ulitization of europium-containing control rods by development of gamma europium sources. In: Sarkisov AA, du Clos AT (eds) Analysis of risks associated with nuclear submarine decommissioning, dismantling and disposal. NATO Science Series (Series 1. Disarmament Technologies), vol 24. Springer, Dordrecht

    Google Scholar 

  16. http://www.iaea.org/inis/collection/NCLCollectionStore/_Public/33/026/33026493.pdf. Accessed 19 July 2018

Download references

Acknowledgements

This work represents the end result of research carried out during the IAEA Residential Assignment hosted by JRC Karlsruhe. Andrei Apostol expresses his deep appreciation to these two organizations, and, in particular, to the people involved. Special acknowledgement shall be given to Mr. Timofey Tsvetkov, Mr. David Kenneth Smith, Ms. Maria Rieder and Ms. Nicola Vorhofer of the IAEA. Special thanks to Mr. Michael R. Curry of the US State Department and Mr. Vitaly Fedchenko of SIPRI for their support. The authors would also like to thank the German Bundesamt für Strahlenschutz (BfS) for providing gamma spectra and certificates of their 252Cf neutron sources.

Author information

Authors and Affiliations

  1. Horia Hulubei National Institute for R&D in Physics and Nuclear Engineering (IFIN-HH), Bucharest-Magurele, Romania

    Andrei I. Apostol

  2. European Commission, Joint Research Centre Karlsruhe (JRC-Karlsruhe), Karlsruhe, Germany

    Jozsef Zsigrai, Janos Bagi & Klaus Mayer

  3. Soreq Nuclear Research Center, 81800, Yavne, Israel

    Michal Brandis

  4. Faculty of Science, University of Novi Sad, Novi Sad, Serbia

    Jovana Nikolov

Authors
  1. Andrei I. Apostol
    View author publications

    You can also search for this author in PubMed Google Scholar

  2. Jozsef Zsigrai
    View author publications

    You can also search for this author in PubMed Google Scholar

  3. Janos Bagi
    View author publications

    You can also search for this author in PubMed Google Scholar

  4. Michal Brandis
    View author publications

    You can also search for this author in PubMed Google Scholar

  5. Jovana Nikolov
    View author publications

    You can also search for this author in PubMed Google Scholar

  6. Klaus Mayer
    View author publications

    You can also search for this author in PubMed Google Scholar

Corresponding author

Correspondence to Andrei I. Apostol.

Additional information

Publisher's Note

Springer Nature remains neutral with regard to jurisdictional claims in published maps and institutional affiliations.

Rights and permissions

Reprints and permissions

About this article

Check for updates. Verify currency and authenticity via CrossMark

Cite this article

Apostol, A.I., Zsigrai, J., Bagi, J. et al. Characterization of californium sources by gamma spectrometry: relevance for nuclear forensics. J Radioanal Nucl Chem 321, 405–412 (2019). https://doi.org/10.1007/s10967-019-06628-0

Download citation

  • Received:

  • Published:

  • Issue Date:

  • DOI: https://doi.org/10.1007/s10967-019-06628-0

Keywords

Search

Navigation