RADIOCHRONOMETRY OF NUCLEAR MATERIALS

The age of nuclear materials is one of the key parameters when deducing their history. Standard reference materials are needed for radiochronometry work for instrument calibration, use as quality control samples, or constraining uncertainty estimates. Preparations are underway at the New Brunswick Laboratory to produce a series of such reference materials and working standards over the next few years. Base materials of known age have been identified and will be certified. In addition, synthetic standard reference materials will be prepared and certified by admixing varying amounts of the daughter nuclide to the purified parent to produce series of materials with slightly different ages. The first series of materials will be produced for the 234U/230Th parent-daughter pair and discussed in more detail as part of this work.