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Full-Text Articles in Physical Sciences and Mathematics
The Retrospective Analysis Of Radionuclides In Banded Coral From The Bikini Atoll, Athena Marie Gallardo
The Retrospective Analysis Of Radionuclides In Banded Coral From The Bikini Atoll, Athena Marie Gallardo
UNLV Theses, Dissertations, Professional Papers, and Capstones
Nuclear weapons testing conducted within the Bikini Atoll in the Marshall Islands resulted in local fallout contamination, including long lived isotopes of plutonium (Pu) and uranium (U), within the surrounding environment. The Bikini lagoon provides a continuous source of Pu (239+240Pu) and U (236U) to the Pacific Basin. The rate at which these isotopes are flushed from the lagoon to the ocean is balanced by inputs from remobilization of lagoon sediments. This research will provide a basis for predicting future change in the solubility and export potential of Pu and U in lagoon sediments. This is important to better understand …
Evaluation Of A Continuous Air Monitoring System On An Unmanned Aerial Vehicle For Measurement Of Airborne Radioactive Material, Adam Pfannenstein
Evaluation Of A Continuous Air Monitoring System On An Unmanned Aerial Vehicle For Measurement Of Airborne Radioactive Material, Adam Pfannenstein
UNLV Theses, Dissertations, Professional Papers, and Capstones
The release of airborne radioactive material presents a health risk hazard to many individuals, emergency responders and public. It is necessary to characterize the unknown radioactive dangers produced in the event of these incidents. Advantages to utilizing unmanned aerial systems in this effort are personnel risk reduction and quick attainment of data points in a plume. By pairing a continuous air monitor and detector with a drone, radioactive material concentration can be quantified, and thus the extent of potential doses can be estimated. A small, low-flow air sampler with a Geiger-Mueller counter was characterized using measurements of sources representing a …
Solvent Extraction And Extraction Chromatography Of Homologs And Pseudohomologs Of Rutherfordium Using Teha And Tehp, Jeffrey Rolfes
Solvent Extraction And Extraction Chromatography Of Homologs And Pseudohomologs Of Rutherfordium Using Teha And Tehp, Jeffrey Rolfes
UNLV Theses, Dissertations, Professional Papers, and Capstones
Studies of the chemical properties of the heaviest elements have always been difficult due to the short half-lives and low cross sections involved. To solve this problem, atom-at-a-time methods are necessary to determine the properties of these short-lived isotopes. Extremely fast kinetics for the chemical reactions studied (on the same order as the nuclide’s half-life) are required, and the system should have the potential for automation. Solvent extraction, with its selectivity and quick kinetics, has historically been used for these investigations into characteristics of super heavy elements. Another technique, extraction chromatography, offers potentially a way of investigating rutherfordium’s properties, without …
Molecular Forensic Science Analysis Of Nuclear Materials, Dallas Reilly
Molecular Forensic Science Analysis Of Nuclear Materials, Dallas Reilly
UNLV Theses, Dissertations, Professional Papers, and Capstones
Concerns over the proliferation and instances of nuclear material in the environment have increased interest in the expansion of nuclear forensics analysis and attribution programs. A new related field, molecular forensic science (MFS) has helped meet this expansion by applying common scientific analyses to nuclear forensics scenarios. In this work, MFS was applied to three scenarios related to nuclear forensics analysis. In the first, uranium dioxide was synthesized and aged at four sets of static environmental conditions and studied for changes in chemical speciation. The second highlighted the importance of bulk versus particle characterizations by analyzing a heterogeneous industrially prepared …
Speciation And Spectroscopy Of The Uranyl And Tetravalent Plutonium Nitrate Systems: Fundamental Studies And Applications To Used Fuel Reprocessing, Nicholas A. Smith
Speciation And Spectroscopy Of The Uranyl And Tetravalent Plutonium Nitrate Systems: Fundamental Studies And Applications To Used Fuel Reprocessing, Nicholas A. Smith
UNLV Theses, Dissertations, Professional Papers, and Capstones
This dissertation explores the use of UV-Visible spectroscopy and Time Resolved Laser Induced Fluorescence spectroscopy as near real time process monitors of uranium and plutonium concentrations in aqueous reprocessing trains. The molar absorptivities and linear ranges of these metals were investigated under total nitrate and acid concentrations similar to those found in current reprocessing systems. Concurrent to this, a new multiple wavelength monitor was derived that is capable of determining the total nitrate concentration spectroscopically. This method uses the uranium absorbance spectrum to calculate the nitrate concentration in solution. When used as part of an Advanced Safeguard suite, this technique …
Characterization Of Plutonium Particles Originating From The Bomarc Accident -1960, Richard Charles Gostic
Characterization Of Plutonium Particles Originating From The Bomarc Accident -1960, Richard Charles Gostic
UNLV Theses, Dissertations, Professional Papers, and Capstones
Within the U.S. arsenal, 32 accidents with nuclear weapons were reported between 1950 and 1980. One of these accidents occurred at McGuire AFB in 1960. A BOMARC missile armed with a nuclear warhead caught on fire and as a result the warhead was destroyed. Sub-millimeter particles consisting of weapons grade plutonium (WGPu) produced by this accident were distributed around the site and remained in the environment for 47 years. Soil cores known to contain WGPu particles produced by this accident were obtained. The particles were localized and removed from the soil with the aid of high resolution computed tomography. The …
Zirconia-Magnesia Inert Matrix Fuel And Waste Form: Synthesis, Characterization And Chemical Performance In An Advanced Fuel Cycle, Kiel Steven Holliday
Zirconia-Magnesia Inert Matrix Fuel And Waste Form: Synthesis, Characterization And Chemical Performance In An Advanced Fuel Cycle, Kiel Steven Holliday
UNLV Theses, Dissertations, Professional Papers, and Capstones
There is a significant buildup in plutonium stockpiles throughout the world, because of spent nuclear fuel and the dismantling of weapons. The radiotoxicity of this material and proliferation risk has led to a desire for destroying excess plutonium. To do this effectively, it must be fissioned in a reactor as part of a uranium free fuel to eliminate the generation of more plutonium. This requires an inert matrix to volumetrically dilute the fissile plutonium. Zirconia-magnesia dual phase ceramic has been demonstrated to be a favorable material for this task. It is neutron transparent, zirconia is chemically robust, magnesia has good …