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Gamma-spectrometric methods suitable for the characterization of highly enriched uranium samples encountered in illicit trafficking of nuclear materials are presented. In particular, procedures for determining the 234U, 235U, 238U, 232U and…
The 232U content of various uranium-bearing items was measured using low-background gamma spectrometry. The method is independent of the measurement geometry, sample form and chemical composition. Since 232U is an artificially produced…
An important issue for rare-event-search experiments, such as the search for dark matter or neutrinoless double beta decay, is to reduce radioactivity of the detector materials and the experimental environment. The selection of materials…
We introduce a novel technique, neutron-gamma emission tomography (NGET), for rapid detection, 3D imaging, and characterization of special nuclear materials like weapons grade plutonium and uranium. The technique is adapted from fundamental…
The smuggling of special nuclear materials (SNM) through international borders could enable nuclear terrorism and constitutes a significant threat to global security. This paper presents the experimental demonstration of a novel…
In the framework of rare event searches, the identification of radioactive contaminants in ultra-pure samples is a challenging task, because the signal is often at the same level of the instrumental background. This is a rather common…
Future nuclear arms reduction efforts will require technologies to verify that warheads slated for dismantlement are authentic without revealing any sensitive weapons design information to international inspectors. Despite several decades…
Future arms control treaties may need to reliably verify warheads for dismantlement as part of the treaty verification process without exposing carefully guarded weapons information. Neutron Resonance Transmission Analysis has been proposed…
Neutron Resonance Transmission Analysis (NRTA) was explored as an arms control verification approach to support potential future nuclear weapon limiting treaties. A compact and portable neutron Time of Flight (ToF) system was developed to…
The International Atomic Energy Agency (IAEA) has recently approved passive gamma emission tomography (PGET) as a method for inspecting spent nuclear fuel assemblies (SFAs), an important aspect of international nuclear safeguards which aim…
Nuclear disarmament treaties are not sufficient in and of themselves to neutralize the existential threat of the nuclear weapons. Technologies are necessary for verifying the authenticity of the nuclear warheads undergoing dismantlement…
Smuggling of special nuclear materials (SNM) and nuclear devices through borders and ports of entry constitutes a major risk to global security. Technologies are needed to reliably screen the flow of commerce for the presence of high-$Z$…
Efforts to map atomic-scale chemistry at low doses with minimal noise using electron microscopes are fundamentally limited by inelastic interactions. Here, fused multi-modal electron microscopy offers high signal-to-noise ratio (SNR)…
A non-destructive, gamma-spectrometric method for uranium age-dating is presented which is applicable to material of any physical form and geometrical shape. It relies on measuring the daughter/parent activity ratio 214Bi/234U by…
Four methods for determining the composition of low-level uranium- and thorium-chain surface contamination are presented. One method is the observation of Cherenkov light production in water. In two additional methods a position-sensitive…
The only military application in which depleted-uranium (DU) alloys out-perform present-day tungsten alloys is long-rod penetration into a main battle-tank's armor. However, this advantage is only on the order of 10%, and it disappears when…
We theoretically and numerically investigate metal enhanced fluorescence of plasmonic core-shell nanoparticles doped with rare earth (RE) ions. Particle shape and size are engineered to maximize the average enhancement factor (AEF) of the…
Exposure of highly deuterated materials to a low-energy (nom. 2 MeV) photon beam resulted in nuclear activity of both the parent metals of hafnium and erbium and a witness material (molybdenum) mixed with the reactants. Gamma spectral…
For over 40 years, physicists have considered possible uses for neutrino detectors in nuclear nonproliferation, arms control, and fissile materials security. Neutrinos are an attractive fission signature because they readily pass through…
The alpha-radiometric determination of uranium after its pre-concentration from natural water samples using the cation-exchange resin Chelex-100, its selective extraction by tributylphosphate and electrodeposition on stainless steel discs…