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All sourcesNASA NTRSDOE OSTI
NASA NTRS1972

Effect of stratified inequality of blood flow on gas exchange in liquid-filled lungs.

This investigation set out to answer two questions: (1) are the distal alveoli in the terminal lung units less well perfused than the proximal alveoli, i.e., is there stratification of blood flow; and (2) if so, does this enhance gas exchange in the presence of stratified inequality of ventilation. Excised dog lungs were ventilated with saline and perfused with blood. Following single inspirations of xenon 133 in saline and various periods of breath holding, the expired xenon concentration against volume was measured and it confirmed marked stratified inequality of ventilation under these conditions. By measuring the rate of depletion of xenon from alveoli during a period of blood flow, we showed that the alveoli which emptied at the end of expiration had 16% less blood flow than those exhaling earlier. However, by measuring the xenon concentration in pulmonary venous blood, we found that about 10% less tracer was transferred from the alveoli into the blood when the inspired xenon was stratified within the respiratory zone. Thus while stratification of blood flow was confirmed, it was shown to impair rather than enhance the efficiency of gas transfer.

West, J. B.↗
DOE OSTI2017

2016 NIST (133Xe) and Transfer (131mXe, 133mXe, 135Xe) Calibration Report

A significantly improved calibration of the High Purity Germanium detectors used by the Idaho National Laboratory Noble Gas Laboratory was performed during the annual NIST calibration. New sample spacers provide reproducible and secure support of samples at distances of 4, 12, 24, 50 and 100 cm. Bean, 15mL and 50mL Schlenk tube geometries were calibrated. Also included in this year’s calibration was a correlation of detector dead-time with sample activity that can be used to predict the schedule of counting the samples at each distance for each geometry. This schedule prediction will help staff members set calendar reminders so that collection of calibration data at each geometry will not be missed. This report also correlates the counting efficiencies between detectors, so that if the counting efficiency on one detector is not known, it can be estimated from the same geometry on another detector.

46 INSTRUMENTATION RELATED TO NUCLEAR SCIENCE AND ↗
DOE OSTI2015

Testing of the KRI-developed Silicon PIN Radioxenon Detector

Radioxenon detectors are used for the verification of the Comprehensive Nuclear-Test-Ban Treaty (CTBT) in a network of detectors throughout the world called the International Monitoring System (IMS). The Comprehensive Nuclear-Test-Ban Treaty Organization (CTBTO) Provisional Technical Secretariat (PTS) has tasked Pacific Northwest National Laboratory (PNNL) with testing a V.G. Khlopin Radium Institute (KRI) and Lares Ltd-developed Silicon PIN detector for radioxenon detection. PNNL measured radioxenon with the silicon PIN detector and determined its potential compared to current plastic scintillator beta cells. While the PNNL tested Si detector experienced noise issues, a second detector was tested in Russia at Lares Ltd, which did not exhibit the noise issues. Without the noise issues, the Si detector produces much better energy resolution and isomer peak separation than a conventional plastic scintillator cell used in the SAUNA systems in the IMS. Under the assumption of 1 cm 3 of Xe in laboratory-like conditions, 24-hr count time (12-hr count time for the SAUNA), with the respective shielding the minimum detectable concentrations for the Si detector tested by Lares Ltd (and a conventional SAUNA system) were calculated to be: 131m Xe – 0.12 mBq/m 3 (0.12 mBq/m 3 ); 133 Xe – 0.18 mBq/m 3 (0.21 mBq/m 3 ); 133m Xe – 0.07 mBq/m 3 (0.15 mBq/m 3 ); 135 Xe – 0.45 mBq/m 3 (0.67 mBq/m 3 ). Detection limits, which are one of the important factors in choosing the best detection technique for radioxenon in field conditions, are significantly better than for SAUNA-like detection systems for 131m Xe and 133m Xe, but similar for 133 Xe and 135 Xe. Another important factor is the amount of “memory effect” or carry over signal from one radioxenon measurement to the subsequent sample. The memory effect is reduced by a factor of 10 in the Si PIN detector compared to the current plastic scintillator cells. There is potential for further reduction with the removal of plastics within the cell, which will need to be explored in future work. A third important parameter in choosing the best detection technique for radioxenon is the resolution of the electron detection. While the resolution is important in determining the minimum detectable concentration, it plays a larger role in source identification when there is a visible signal. The Silicon PIN diodes generated improved resolution over a similar plastic scintillator cell. With the improved resolution, it becomes easier to distinguish the radioxenon isomers ( 133m Xe and 131m Xe) from the 133 Xe beta continuum background. With the beta background from 133 Xe ever present with the detection of the isomers, the improved resolution proves vital in calculating the ratios of the three isotopes. With an accurate measurement of the isotopic ratios, the anthropogenic sources of radioxenon (medical isotope production and nuclear reactors) can be more accurately distinguished. Based on the results shown within this report, a Si PIN beta cell shows the potential to aid in the operation and discriminating power of the IMS for the CTBTO. However, there are a number of issues that need attention before a detector of this design would be reliable enough for field operations in the IMS. Issues that need develop include, but are not limited to: studying the robustness of the design in field conditions, eliminating or minimizing the noise and variability of individual Si detector elements, understanding the long-term gain stability of the Si detectors, and reducing the non-Si materials within the cell (i.e. the plastic housing).

46 INSTRUMENTATION RELATED TO NUCLEAR SCIENCE AND ↗
DOE OSTI2020

Measurement of Argon-37 Background Concentrations in the Atmosphere

Radioisotopes of noble gases, primarily xenon and argon, are important indicators of underground nuclear explosions. The Comprehensive Nuclear-Test-Ban Treaty (CTBT) includes monitoring capabilities to identify potential nuclear explosions conducted in violation of the CTBT. This monitoring currently focuses on measurement of the xenon isotopes 133 Xe, 135 Xe, 131 mXe and 133 mXe. However, it is predicted that within 100 days of an underground nuclear explosion (UNE) 37 Ar would be released to the atmosphere at higher concentrations than xenon isotopes (Haas et al. 2010). Therefore, inclusion of 37 Ar measurement capabilities at atmospheric International Monitoring System (IMS) stations could improve the capability to detect a nuclear explosion. At an IMS station, it could be difficult to determine what constitutes an elevated concentration as a result of an UNE without first understanding the expected range of background concentrations. This work describes our analysis of atmospheric samples for 37 Ar to evaluate the range of background concentrations. The range of 37 Ar concentrations measured in atmospheric air samples was relatively narrow ranging between less than 1 mBq/m 3 to greater than 2 mBq/m 3 . The average atmospheric concentration of all samples was 0.98 mBq/m 3 , with a standard deviation of 0.5 mBq/m 3 . This is consistent with previous published results. The results presented here demonstrate the capability to detect background concentrations of 37 Ar in atmospheric air.

61 RADIATION PROTECTION AND DOSIMETRY↗
DOE OSTI2012

Radiological Impact Assessment (RIA) following a postulated accident in PHWRS

Radiological Impact Assessment (RIA) following postulated accident i.e Loss of Coolant Accident (LOCA) with failed Emergency Core Cooling System (ECCS), performed as part of the reactor safety analysis of a typical 700 MWe Indian Pressurized Heavy Water Reactor(PHWR). The rationale behind the assessment is that the public needs to be protected in the event that the postulated accident results in radionuclide release outside containment. Radionuclides deliver dose to the human body through various pathways namely, plume submersion, exposure due to ground deposition, inhalation and ingestion. The total exposure dose measured in terms of total effective dose equivalent (TEDE) is the sum of doses to a hypothetical adult human at exclusion zone boundary by all the exposure pathways. The analysis provides the important inputs to decide upon the type of emergency counter measures to be adopted during the postulated accident. The importance of the various pathways in terms of contribution to the total effective dose equivalent(TEDE) is also assessed with respect to time of exposure. Inhalation and plume gamma dose are the major contributors towards TEDE during initial period of accident whereas ingestion and ground shine dose start dominating in TEDE in the extended period of exposure. Moreover, TEDE is initially dominated by I-131, Kr-88, Te-132, I-133 and Sr-89, whereas, as time progresses, Xe-133,I-131 and Te-132 become the main contributors. (authors)

21 SPECIFIC NUCLEAR REACTORS AND ASSOCIATED PLANTS↗
DOE OSTI2017

Criticality detection method based on FP gamma radiation measurement

A method is proposed to evaluate the extent of subcriticality of an accident-damaged nuclear reactor. In this method the radiation ratio of two FP rare gas nuclides, {sup 88}Kr and {sup 133}Xe, is measured. From the measured value, the value in the core is estimated by correcting for the time required by the gases to diffuse from the core to the measuring point. A simple expression for neutron multiplication factor has been derived, which uses the corrected {sup 88}Kr-to-{sup 133}Xe radiation ratio and the {sup 88}Kr-to-{sup 133}Xe fission yield ratios from {sup 244}Cm and {sup 235}U but no information on the amount or distribution of fissile materials, making the proposed method very simple. The method has the advantage that FP rare gases can easily leak from the reactor core through many openings and gaps, reaching germanium counters without reacting with other materials. (authors)

22 GENERAL STUDIES OF NUCLEAR REACTORS↗
DOE OSTI2012

A vented inverted fuel assembly design for an SFR

The inverted geometry (fuel outside coolant tubes) has been previously investigated at MIT for application in gas-cooled fast reactors and pressurized water-cooled thermal reactors. Venting has also been studied for conventional fuel pins and was employed for those in the Dounreay Fast Reactor. In the present work the inverted fuel approach was adopted because it allows high fuel volume fraction, reduction of the coolant void reactivity, neutron leakage and enrichment, as well as lower pressure drop for the same channel length because grids and wire wraps are no longer necessary. Furthermore most results also apply to venting of conventional fuel pins. Physical and chemical behavior of volatile fission products in sodium was investigated to determine the maximum activity inventory which would eventually be released into the primary sodium. Results of this analysis show that the most troublesome radionuclides in terms of propensity to escape from the venting system are noble gases ({sup 85}Kr and {sup 133}Xe), and cesium ({sup 134}Cs and {sup 137}Cs). A final vented inverted fuel assembly design is proposed which meets all the design goals which have been set. Additionally purification systems were devised to reduce radionuclide activity of the coolant and the cover gas to tolerable levels. It is concluded that vented inverted (or vented conventional pin) fuel is a feasible concept and has sufficiently promising advantages - increasing fuel volume fraction to 50% and core outlet temperature by 20 deg. C, hence incrementing plant thermal efficiency by about 1% - to warrant serious consideration for future SFR designs. (authors)

21 SPECIFIC NUCLEAR REACTORS AND ASSOCIATED PLANTS↗
DOE OSTI2024

Comparison of source-location algorithms for atmospheric samplers

Numerous algorithms have been developed to determine the source characteristics for an atmospheric release, e.g., (Bieringer et al., 2017). This study compares three models that have been applied to the data collected by the International Monitoring System operated by the Comprehensive Nuclear-Test-Ban Treaty Preparatory Commission to estimate source event parameters. Each model uses a different approach to estimate the parameters. A deterministic model uses a possible source region (PSR) approach (Ringbom et al., 2014) that is based on the correlation between predicted and measured sample values. An unnamed model developed at Pacific Northwest National Laboratory (herein called BAYEST) uses a Bayesian formulation (Eslinger et al., 2019; Eslinger et al., 2020; Eslinger and Schrom, 2016). The FREAR model uses a different Bayesian formulation (De Meutter and Hoffman, 2020; De Meutter et al., 2021; Pieter De Meutter, 2021). The performance of the three source-location models is evaluated with 100 synthetic release cases for the single xenon isotope, 133 Xe. The release cases resulted in detections in a fictitious network with 120 noble gas samplers. All three source-location models use the same sampling data. The two Bayesian models yield more accurate location estimates than the deterministic PSR model, with FREAR having slightly better location performance than BAYEST. Samplers with collection periods of 3, 6, 8, 12, and 24-h were used. Results from BAYEST show that location accuracy improves with each reduction in sample collection length. The BAYEST model is slightly better for estimating the start time of the release. The PSR model has about the same spread in start times as the FREAR model, but the PSR results have a better average start time. The Bayesian source-location algorithms give more accurate results than the PSR approach, and provide release magnitude estimates, while the base PSR model does not estimate the release magnitude. This investigation demonstrates that a reasonably dense sampling grid will sometimes yield poor location and time estimates regardless of the model. The poor estimates generally coincide with cases where there is a much larger distance between the release point and the first detecting sampler than the average sampler spacing.

98 NUCLEAR DISARMAMENT, SAFEGUARDS, AND PHYSICAL P↗
DOE OSTI2015

A Figure-of-Merit for Beta Cell Detector Characterization

In order to decrease the minimum detectable activities (MDAs) of beta-gamma radioxenon detectors, it is important to increase the ability to resolve the individual isotopes. One proposed method for doing this is to increase the energy resolution of the beta cell through the use of silicon detectors. While silicon detectors can improve the energy resolution, it is accompanied with a decrease in detection efficiency compared to plastic scintillator beta cells. Due to the uncertainty on the impact of the competing variables, we have developed a figure-of-merit (FOM) capable of determining the impact of detector parameters on the MDAs. By utilizing the FOM to analyze different detectors, we are able to directly compare current and future detectors and estimate their impact on the radioxenon MDAs.

46 INSTRUMENTATION RELATED TO NUCLEAR SCIENCE AND ↗
DOE OSTI2016

Evaluation of observed and modelled aerosol lifetimes using radioactive tracers of opportunity and an ensemble of 19 global models

Aerosols have important impacts on air quality and climate, but the processes affecting their removal from the atmosphere are not fully understood and are poorly constrained by observations. This makes modelled aerosol lifetimes uncertain. In this study, we make use of an observational constraint on aerosol lifetimes provided by radionuclide measurements and investigate the causes of differences within a set of global models. During the Fukushima Dai-Ichi nuclear power plant accident of March 2011, the radioactive isotopes cesium-137 ( 137 Cs) and xenon-133 ( 133 Xe) were released in large quantities. Cesium attached to particles in the ambient air, approximately according to their available aerosol surface area. 137 Cs size distribution measurements taken close to the power plant suggested that accumulation-mode (AM) sulfate aerosols were the main carriers of cesium. Hence, 137 Cs can be used as a proxy tracer for the AM sulfate aerosol's fate in the atmosphere. In contrast, the noble gas 133 Xe behaves almost like a passive transport tracer. Global surface measurements of the two radioactive isotopes taken over several months after the release allow the derivation of a lifetime of the carrier aerosol. We compare this to the lifetimes simulated by 19 different atmospheric transport models initialized with identical emissions of 137 Cs that were assigned to an aerosol tracer with each model's default properties of AM sulfate, and 133 Xe emissions that were assigned to a passive tracer. We investigate to what extent the modelled sulfate tracer can reproduce the measurements, especially with respect to the observed loss of aerosol mass with time. Modelled 137 Cs and 133 Xe concentrations sampled at the same location and times as station measurements allow a direct comparison between measured and modelled aerosol lifetime. The e-folding lifetime τ e , calculated from station measurement data taken between 2 and 9 weeks after the start of the emissions, is 14.3 days (95 % confidence interval 13.1–15.7 days). The equivalent modelled τ e lifetimes have a large spread, varying between 4.8 and 26.7 days with a model median of 9.4 ± 2.3 days, indicating too fast a removal in most models. Because sufficient measurement data were only available from about 2 weeks after the release, the estimated lifetimes apply to aerosols that have undergone long-range transport, i.e. not for freshly emitted aerosol. However, modelled instantaneous lifetimes show that the initial removal in the first 2 weeks was quicker (lifetimes between 1 and 5 days) due to the emissions occurring at low altitudes and co-location of the fresh plume with strong precipitation. Deviations between measured and modelled aerosol lifetimes are largest for the northernmost stations and at later time periods, suggesting that models do not transport enough of the aerosol towards the Arctic. The models underestimate passive tracer ( 133 Xe) concentrations in the Arctic as well but to a smaller extent than for the aerosol ( 137 Cs) tracer. As a result, this indicates that in addition to too fast an aerosol removal in the models, errors in simulated atmospheric transport towards the Arctic in most models also contribute to the underestimation of the Arctic aerosol concentrations.

54 ENVIRONMENTAL SCIENCES↗
DOE OSTI2016

Design of a Commercial Scale Accelerator Driven Subcritical Aqueous Assembly

SHINE Medical Technologies is working towards producing a reliable, domestic supply of medical isotopes, including molybdenum-99 (Mo-99), xenon-133, and iodine 131, without using highly enriched uranium. Approximately 88% of Mo-99 decays to technetium-99m, which is the most widely used medical isotope in the world, accounting for approximately 80% of all nuclear medicine procedures. A novel aqueous, subcritical nuclear assembly has been designed by SHINE Medical Technologies. The assembly can produce medical radioisotopes in significant quantities for U.S. and foreign needs. The assembly produces isotopes without using a reactor, instead using a fusion-based neutron source coupled to a fission-based aqueous assembly. The subcritical nature of the aqueous assembly has safety and licensing benefits, including the elimination of the reactor control system and elimination of high level waste. SHINE plans to construct eight subcritical assemblies with a plant capacity of greater than 3000 6-day Curies, which is more than one-quarter of the world's Mo-99 requirements. From a nuclear design standpoint, the aqueous subcritical assembly needs to be able to generate sufficient fission power to meet the production capacity requirements while remaining subcritical at all times with an acceptable margin. To address these conflicting design goals, a simple nuclear design and reactivity control philosophy has been developed that allows for high power operation with a high degree of safety. A fusion-driven subcritical fission assembly has been designed by SHINE Medical Technologies to provide a reliable, domestic supply of medical isotopes. Nuclear models have been created and show that the assembly can be started up, operated, and shutdown in a safe manner without active reactivity control systems. A unique reactivity control strategy allows SHINE to operate the aqueous subcritical assembly at much higher power levels than would otherwise be practical, while still retaining the benefits of subcritical operation and avoiding the need for complex subcritical measurement techniques. Based on the current design, the subcritical target is capable of generating significant fission power (on the order of 100 kW) when being driven by a simple, low-cost deuterium-tritium accelerator, enabling the SHINE facility to supply over one-fourth of the worldwide demand of Mo- 99. SHINE has recently been issued a construction permit by the U.S. Nuclear Regulatory Commission to build the commercial facility in Janesville, WI, with eight subcritical assemblies and the associated production equipment. (authors)

21 SPECIFIC NUCLEAR REACTORS AND ASSOCIATED PLANTS↗
DOE OSTI2022

Carrier gas attenuation in gamma assay of radioactive xenon samples

Gamma attenuation attributable to xenon and carbon dioxide carrier gas in radioactive xenon assay samples has been calculated using Monte Carlo n-Particle (MCNP) transport code for the 0.65 mL flame sealed ampoule (bean), and 15 mL and 50 mL Schlenk tube geometries. The attenuation was correlated as a % loss per standard mL of carrier gas. In this work, high Purity Ge gamma spectroscopy experiments were performed to measure against the MCNP results. The experimental results from the 133 Xe in xenon carrier gas in a bean geometry showed 0.97 ± 0.4% loss per standard mL xenon, which was in agreement with the MCNP predictions.

98 NUCLEAR DISARMAMENT, SAFEGUARDS, AND PHYSICAL P↗
DOE OSTI2011

Interference Terms for Xenon-135

Systems to measure radioxenon concentrations are continually being improved to provide greater sensitivity and precision. As the systems become more capable, additional terms need to be added to the calculations to account for small previously insignificant effects such as minor decay branches. Recently, additional terms present in the {sup 135}Xe decay were added to the calculations to account for the small (5.2%) fraction of decays that produce cesium K-shell x-rays with an average energy of 32 keV and the Compton scatter of the dominant 250-keV gamma ray. These events overlap with the regions of interest of {sup 133}Xe, {sup 131m}Xe, and {sup 133m}Xe. In typical field applications, the amount of expected {sup 135}Xe is low due to the short half-life (9.14 hours) therefore the small fraction that could be mis-categorized as other isotopes is insignificant in most cases. However, for much more active samples, such as those recently measured in calibration and testing samples with high activity, the amount of mis-categorization can be significant. The additions to the calculations use calibration values to estimate the amount of a possible interference of {sup 135}Xe in the other regions of interest, which are then subtracted out. The calibration values, which are ratios of counts in one region of interest to another, are obtained by measuring with single isotope gases during the calibration process.

46 INSTRUMENTATION RELATED TO NUCLEAR SCIENCE AND ↗
DOE OSTI2022

A new algorithm for estimating radioxenon concentrations

A new algorithm (Xcounts) is introduced for estimating the activity concentrations of the xenon isotopes 131m Xe, 133m Xe, 133 Xe, and 135 Xe using beta-gamma coincidence data. The algorithm simultaneously estimates the decay counts associated with the four xenon isotopes, background, and radon in contrast to the net-counts method that uses sequential residual removal to account for background and interreferences. Calibration data for background counts are determined from gas-background measurements and simulation. In Xcounts, the false positive count rates for 131m Xe and 133m Xe are lower than the false positive rates for 133 Xe and 135 Xe. This algorithm appears to reliably detect the metastable isotopes at lower activity levels than the net-counts method and have similar performance for the other isotopes.

46 INSTRUMENTATION RELATED TO NUCLEAR SCIENCE AND ↗
DOE OSTI2019

Evaluation of a semiconductor-based atmospheric radioxenon detection system

A prototype radioxenon detection system for beta–gamma coincidence measurements has been designed using a PIPSBox and a pair of coplanar CdZnTe (CZT) detectors. Coincidence events are identified in real-time using a Field-Programmable Gate Array (FPGA). The measurement of 131m Xe and studies on electron backscatter and memory effect in the PIPSBox have been presented previously; this paper details the measurement of 133/133m Xe, 135 Xe, and background. Here, absolute efficiencies were determined, regions of interest were defined, and Minimum Detectable Concentrations (MDC) for all four radioxenon isotopes were calculated. When neglecting interferences between the radioxenons, the prototype system has an estimated MDC of 0.61 ± 0.15 mBq/m 3 for 133 Xe when using gas processing parameters associated with Xenon International, satisfying the CTBTO requirement for sensitivity of ≤1 mBq/m 3 for 133 Xe. Simulation suggests that by increasing number of CZT detectors used by a factor of 16, the MDCs of the system can be improved by a factor of 2-3. The design shows great promise for future improvement and expansion due to its exceptional energy resolution, high background rejection rate, room temperature operation, minimal memory effect, and simple readout electronics.

46 INSTRUMENTATION RELATED TO NUCLEAR SCIENCE AND ↗
DOE OSTI2015

Radioxenon spiked air

Four of the radioactive xenon isotopes ( 131m Xe, 133m Xe, 133 Xe and 135 Xe) with half-lives ranging from 9 h to 12 days are produced from nuclear fission and can be detected from days to weeks following their production and release. Being inert gases, they are readily transported through the atmosphere. Sources for release of radioactive xenon isotopes include operating nuclear reactors via leaks in fuel rods, medical isotope production facilities, and nuclear weapons' detonations. They are not normally released from fuel reprocessing due to the short half-lives. The Comprehensive Nuclear-Test-Ban Treaty has led to creation of the International Monitoring System. The International Monitoring System, when fully implemented, will consist of one component with 40 stations monitoring radioactive xenon around the globe. Monitoring these radioactive xenon isotopes is important to the Comprehensive Nuclear-Test-Ban Treaty in determining whether a seismically detected event is or is not a nuclear detonation. A variety of radioactive xenon quality control check standards, quantitatively spiked into various gas matrices, could be used to demonstrate that these stations are operating on the same basis in order to bolster defensibility of data across the International Monitoring System. This study focuses on Idaho National Laboratory's capability to produce three of the xenon isotopes in pure form and the use of the four xenon isotopes in various combinations to produce radioactive xenon spiked air samples that could be subsequently distributed to participating facilities.

37 INORGANIC, ORGANIC, PHYSICAL, AND ANALYTICAL CH↗
DOE OSTI2017

135 Xe measurements with a two-element CZT-based radioxenon detector for nuclear explosion monitoring

Measurement of elevated concentrations of xenon radioisotopes ( 131m Xe, 133m Xe, 133 Xe and 135 Xe) in the atmosphere has been shown to be a very powerful method for verifying whether or not a detected explosion is nuclear in nature. These isotopes are among the few with enough mobility and with half-lives long enough to make their detection at long distances realistic. Existing radioxenon detection systems used by the Comprehensive Nuclear-Test-Ban Treaty Organization (CTBTO) suffer from problems such as complexity, need for high maintenance and memory effect. To study the response of CdZnTe (CZT) detectors to xenon radioisotopes and investigate whether it is capable of mitigating the afore-mentioned issues with the current radioxenon detection systems, a prototype detector utilizing two coplanar CZT detectors was built and tested at Oregon State University. The detection system measures xenon radioisotopes through beta-gamma coincidence technique by detecting coincidence events be-tween the two detectors. Here in this paper, we introduce the detector design and report our measurement results with radioactive lab sources and 135 Xe produced in the OSU TRIGA reactor. Minimum Detectable Concentration (MDC) for 135 Xe was calculated to be 1.47 ± 0.05 mBq/m 3 .

46 INSTRUMENTATION RELATED TO NUCLEAR SCIENCE AND ↗
DOE OSTI2022

A stilbene–strontium iodide based radioxenon detection system for monitoring nuclear explosions

Atmospheric measurement of noble gases has been extensively used for monitoring clandestine nuclear weapon explosions for many years. The ratios of four xenon isotopes of interest ( 131 mXe, 133 mXe, 133 Xe, and 135 Xe) help in discriminating regular reactor operations from nuclear tests. A new coincidence-based detection system using stilbene and strontium iodide [SrI 2 (Eu)] for electron and photon detection respectively was developed at Oregon State University to address some of the challenges of the radioxenon systems deployed in the field such as memory effect, and poor energy resolution. Silicon photomultipliers (SiPMs) were used for sensing optical photons from all scintillation media. Real-time coincidence identification was achieved using the eight-channel digital pulse processor. The detection system was evaluated using lab check sources and Oregon State TRIGA reactor irradiated radioxenon samples. A 48-hour background coincidence spectrum was collected yielding a coincidence count rate and background rejection rate of 0.0174 ± 0.0003 counts per second (cps) and 98.9% respectively. The minimum detectable concentration (MDC) of the system was evaluated to be 0.11 ± 0.01, 0.13 ± 0.02, 0.20 ± 0.02, and 0.73 ± 0.08 for 131 mXe, 133 mXe, 133 Xe, and 135 Xe respectively. The memory effect of the detection system was found to be 0.069 ± 0.015%, which is almost a 70-fold reduction compared to traditional plastic scintillators. Here, the detection elements, custom-designed electronics, and the detector response to radioxenon are detailed in this work.

46 INSTRUMENTATION RELATED TO NUCLEAR SCIENCE AND ↗