Xe isotope detection and discrimination using beta spectroscopy with coincident gamma spectroscopy

Reeder, P.L.; Bowyer, Ted W.

doi:10.1016/s0168-9002(98)00212-5

Cited by 29 publications

(3 citation statements)

References 1 publication

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“…Half-Life ( Reeder et al, 2004;Reeder and Bowyer, 1998), and radioxenon background studies (Kalinowski et al, 2010;Saey et al, 2010;Bowyer et al, 1997). On March 12, the Comprehensive Nuclear-Test-Ban Treaty Organization reported (CTBTO, 2011) to the press, that fission products, including 133 Xe, had been detected at an International Monitoring System (IMS) station in Takasaki, Japan.…”

Section: Isotopementioning

confidence: 99%

Elevated radioxenon detected remotely following the Fukushima nuclear accident

Bowyer

Biegalski

Cooper

et al. 2011

Journal of Environmental Radioactivity

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155

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Section: Isotopementioning

confidence: 99%

Elevated radioxenon detected remotely following the Fukushima nuclear accident

Bowyer

Biegalski

Cooper

et al. 2011

Journal of Environmental Radioactivity

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155

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“…Table 1 gives the most important decay modes related to the four relevant radioactive xenon isotopes ( 131m Xe, 133m Xe, 133 Xe and 135 Xe) underlining that X-ray-CE coincidence counting is the most efficient way for measuring the two metastable isotopes, 131m Xe and 133m Xe. However, their conversion electron energies, 129 and 199 keV respectively are too closed to one another to be distinguished (unless spectra are measured over time) with the current IMS β–γ systems that use a plastic scintillation cell for high electron efficiency but exhibit poor energy resolution, close to 30 % at 200 keV [ 24 ]. Moreover, the coincidence between the 81 keV gamma line of 133 Xe and its preceding beta emission on the one hand and the coincidence between the 249 keV gamma line of 135 Xe and its preceding beta emission on the other hand, are likely to lead to strong interferences in the 131m Xe and 133m Xe electron spectra area when gated by the 30 keV X-ray line since the Xe and Cs X-rays cannot be separated with the NaI(Tl) detector.…”

Section: Key Parameters For High Electron Detection Performancesmentioning

confidence: 99%

Innovative concept for a major breakthrough in atmospheric radioactive xenon detection for nuclear explosion monitoring

Petit

Cagniant

Morelle³

et al. 2013

J Radioanal Nucl Chem

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The verification regime of the comprehensive test ban treaty (CTBT) is based on a network of three different waveform technologies together with global monitoring of aerosols and noble gas in order to detect, locate and identify a nuclear weapon explosion down to 1 kt TNT equivalent. In case of a low intensity underground or underwater nuclear explosion, it appears that only radioactive gases, especially the noble gas which are difficult to contain, will allow identification of weak yield nuclear tests. Four radioactive xenon isotopes, 131mXe, 133mXe, 133Xe and 135Xe, are sufficiently produced in fission reactions and exhibit suitable half-lives and radiation emissions to be detected in atmosphere at low level far away from the release site. Four different monitoring CTBT systems, ARIX, ARSA, SAUNA, and SPALAX™ have been developed in order to sample and to measure them with high sensitivity. The latest developed by the French Atomic Energy Commission (CEA) is likely to be drastically improved in detection sensitivity (especially for the metastable isotopes) through a higher sampling rate, when equipped with a new conversion electron (CE)/X-ray coincidence spectrometer. This new spectrometer is based on two combined detectors, both exhibiting very low radioactive background: a well-type NaI(Tl) detector for photon detection surrounding a gas cell equipped with two large passivated implanted planar silicon chips for electron detection. It is characterized by a low electron energy threshold and a much better energy resolution for the CE than those usually measured with the existing CTBT equipments. Furthermore, the compact geometry of the spectrometer provides high efficiency for X-ray and for CE associated to the decay modes of the four relevant radioxenons. The paper focus on the design of this new spectrometer and presents spectroscopic performances of a prototype based on recent results achieved from both radioactive xenon standards and air sample measurements. Major improvements in detection sensitivity have been reached and quantified, especially for metastable radioactive isotopes 131mXe and 133mXe with a gain in minimum detectable activity (about 2 × 10−3 Bq) relative to current CTBT SPALAX™ system (air sampling frequency normalized to 8 h) of about 70 and 30 respectively.

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“…Studies have shown that such isotopic analysis can be greatly enhanced by the use of multiparameter data acquisition that correlates the coincident electron and photon energies [6]. Consequently, a dual parameter system has been developed.…”

Section: Introductionmentioning

confidence: 99%

Improved radioxenon detection techniques for use with fluid-based concentration

Russ¹,

Stuenkel²,

Valentine³

et al.

1999 IEEE Nuclear Science Symposium. Conference Record. 1999 Nuclear Science Symposium and Medical Imaging Conference (Cat. No.

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A portable system that monitors the quantity of radioxenon (131mXe, "3Xe, 133mXe, and 13'Xe) in the atmosphere is being developed. The integrated monitoring system consists of a fluid-based concentration sub-system and a detection subsystem. This study evaluates the performance of different high-efficiency geometries that use NaI(T1) photon detectors along with with either gas proportional, plastic scintillator, or PIPS detectors to distinguish radioxenon signature emissions and discriminate against radon background. In addition, a NaI(TI)/CsI(TI) phoswich detector was investigated as an alternative photon detector. Finally, a dual parameter data acquisition system was demonstrated. Minimum detectable activity (MDA) for a six hour count time was used as the primary measure of performance. The lowest MDAs were 5217 mBq for the gas proportional/NaI(Tl) configuration, 4817 mBq for the plastic scintillator/NaI(Tl) configuration and 73+8 mBq for the PIPS/N$(Tl) configuration. Based on these results, the performance of a proposed final detection system is predicted to result in a MDA of 12.2 mBq without shielding. This detection system performance compares well to existing radioxenon detection systems and indicates the requirements of the concentration system.

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Xe isotope detection and discrimination using beta spectroscopy with coincident gamma spectroscopy

Cited by 29 publications

References 1 publication

Elevated radioxenon detected remotely following the Fukushima nuclear accident

Elevated radioxenon detected remotely following the Fukushima nuclear accident

Innovative concept for a major breakthrough in atmospheric radioactive xenon detection for nuclear explosion monitoring

Improved radioxenon detection techniques for use with fluid-based concentration

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