UNIVERSITY OF BUCHAREST
FACULTY OF PHYSICS

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2024-11-23 17:41
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Conference: Bucharest University Faculty of Physics 2022 Meeting


Section: Nuclear and Elementary Particles Physics


Title:
Applications of non-destructive analysis techniques for characterisation of materials found outside the regulatory control


Authors:
Alexandru-FLorin BEREVOIANU (1,2), Larisa GANEA (1,2), Andrei APOSTOL (2), Doina STANCIU (2)


*
Affiliation:
1) Faculty of Physics, University of Bucharest

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



E-mail
berevoianualexandruflorin@gmail.com


Keywords:
Nuclear Forensics, Gamma Spectrometry, Ion Beam Analysis, Depleted Uranium


Abstract:
When responding to nuclear security events, nuclear foreniscs characterisation of seized evidence represents an important component of the criminal investigation process. The aim of this research is to apply High Resolution Gamma Spectrometry (HRGS), X-Ray Fluorescence (XRF) and Ion Beam Analysis (IBA) to determine the isotopic and elemental composition of radioactive exhibits for nuclear forensics purposes. The results of this work have direct implications for criminal investigations and prosecution as well as state nuclear security. Four types of industrial gamma radiography devices made of depleted uranium were analyzed using a HPGe detector. A computer software PC/FRAM v5.1 was used to estimate the isotopic composition of the uranium bearing materials. Moreover, all the four types of samples were analyzed using a portable XRF device and its analysis software. In order to increase confidence in nuclear forensics findigns, all four samples were also analyzed using Particle Induced X-ray Emission (PIXE) and Particle Induce Gamma-ray Emission (PIGE) methods. The samples of interest were irradiated by 3 MeV protons at the 3 MV Tandetron™ of the Horia Hulubei National Institute for Physics and Nuclear Engineering. All the measurements were done using an external beam set-up, using a HPGe detector for measuring gamma rays and a silicon drift detector (SDD) for measuring characteristic X-rays. The GUPIX software was applied for processing the PIXE spectra.


References:

[1] Andrei I. Apostol, Applications of Gamma Spectrometry and Particle Accelerators in the Field of Nuclear Forensics , 2017 (PhD Thesis)



[2] Apostol, Andrei & Pantelica, Ana & Ortega-Feliu, I. & Marginean, N. & Sima, Octavian & Straticiuc, M. & Jiménez, Carmen & Fugaru, Viorel. (2016). Ion beam analysis of elemental signatures in uranium dioxide samples: importance for nuclear forensics. Journal of Radioanalytical and Nuclear Chemistry. J Radioanal Nucl Chem. 1-8. 10.1007/s10967-016-5136-3.



[3] Burducea, Ion & Ghita, Dan Gabriel & Sava, Tiberiu & Straticiuc, M. (2017). Tandem accelerators in Romania: Multi-tools for science, education and technology. AIP Conference Proceedings. 1852. 060001. 10.1063/1.4984865.