Radionuclide Laboratory Support for the Comprehensive Nuclear-Test-Ban Treaty International Monitoring System
Abstract
The protocol to the Comprehensive Nuclear-Test-Ban Treaty (CTBT) provides for the designation of a number of radionuclide laboratories to support the radionuclide monitoring network of the International Monitoring System (IMS). These laboratories, after being certified and when requested by the Technical Secretariat, are to provide additional analytical services, such as confirmatory gamma-ray spectrometry, quality control and intra laboratory exercises. The Environmental Measurements Laboratory (EML) has been designated as the U. S. CTBT Radionuclide Laboratory. EML is developing a separate secure facility for performing the required CTBT analyses and is currently set up for gamma-ray spectrometry with two, 120%, HPGe detectors. The laboratory will undergo a preliminary certification exercise with the CTBT Technical Secretariat which will included verification of the laboratory's quality assurance plan as well as it's current analytical capability. EML's CTBT laboratory is in the process of expanding its radiochemistry and counting capabilities to include both alpha and beta emitting radionuclides. This paper presents EML's continuing development of a radionuclide laboratory to corroborate the results of the routine analysis of a sample from an IMS radionuclide station, achieve a greater sensitivity for fission product analysis than can be achieved at the radionuclide stations and clarify the presence or otherwise of fission products in the case of a suspect or irregular analytical result from a particular radionuclide station.
Document Details
- Document Type
- Technical Report
- Publication Date
- Sep 01, 2000
- Accession Number
- ADA525447
Entities
People
- Colin G. Sanderson
- Pamela D. Greenlaw
Organizations
- United States Department of Energy