Analysis of Post-Detonation Synthetic Nuclear Melt Glass

In the wake of any nuclear event, it will be imperative to determine the composition and origin of the device both accurately and expediently. The Radiochemistry Center of Excellence (RCoE) was created at the University of Tennessee, by funding from the National Nuclear Security Administration (NNSA) and tasked with developing these capabilities, while at the same time providing enduring academic opportunities and support for students in the fields of radiochemistry, geochemistry, nuclear physics, nuclear engineering, materials science, and analytical chemistry [1],[2]. A goal of the RCoE is to reduce the time required for accurate post-detonation analysis of nuclear debris through the development of improved radiochemical separation and analysis methods. Because there is no existing nuclear urban melt glass, surrogate melt glass debris has been deemed a necessity for both the development of analytical forensic methods as well as the training of future specialists. The process outlined focuses on the analysis of developed melt-glass surrogates, with the end-goal of providing the nuclear forensics community with a robust method to supply realistic, non-sensitive surrogate materials that simulate a variety of detonation scenarios. Post-detonation analytical techniques, including gamma-ray spectroscopy, scanning electron microscopy, and mass spectrometry, have been performed on these surrogates, and are discussed.