Science Based Stockpile Stewardship and RIA

Ahle, L E ; Bernstein, L A ; Hausmann, M ; Vieira, D J

Lawrence Livermore National Laboratory

关键词: Charged Particles;    Radiochemistry;    Irradiation;    Half-Life;    Processing;   

DOI  :  10.2172/15004535
RP-ID  :  UCRL-ID-151359
RP-ID  :  W-7405-ENG-48
RP-ID  :  15004535

美国|英语

来源: UNT Digital Library

【 摘 要 】

One aspect of Science Based Stockpile Stewardship (SBSS) is to improve the quality of neutron cross section data for certain isotopes. The isotopes of interest are used to monitor neutron and charged particle fluxes in environments of brief, intense neutron fluxes. The accuracy of flux determination is dependent on the accuracy of cross section data for the stable isotopes loaded into the system and the unstable isotopes produced when the neutrons are incident on the monitor. For isotopes with a half-life greater than one day it is possible, given the production rates of RIA, to make radioactive targets for neutron irradiation. This would require the ability to harvest isotopes at RIA, an onsite radiochemistry facility for processing the harvested material into a target, and an onsite neutron source facility. The radiochemistry facility will need to handle activity levels on the order of 100's of Curie's while the neutron source facility will need to provide high intensity ''monoenergetic'' neutrons from 10's keV to 20 MeV. For isotopes with a half-life much less than one day, only indirect methods can be used to get information on the neutron cross sections because of the lack of a target. Both experimental techniques will be discussed with their impact on the infrastructure at RIA, as well as the general case for the interest of SBSS in RIA.