Plutonium accountability measurements by calorimetry and gamma spectrometry: evaluation of measurement uncertainties and method performance |
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Authors: | B Srinivasan K J Mathew U I Narayanan W F Guthrie T E Sampson |
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Institution: | (1) Department of Energy, New Brunswick Laboratory, 9800 South Cass Avenue, Bldg. 350, Argonne, IL 60439, USA;(2) Statistical Engineering Division, National Institute of Standards and Technology, 100 Bureau Drive, Gaithersburg, MD 20899, USA;(3) Sampson Professional Services, LLC, 36602 N. Twilight Tr, PO Box 3633, Carefree, AZ 85377, USA |
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Abstract: | The calorimetry exchange (CALEX) program is administered by New Brunswick Laboratory (NBL). The main objective of the program
is to provide an independent verification of the internal quality control practices in nuclear material safeguards facilities
making plutonium accountability measurements by non-destructive calorimetry/gamma spectrometry techniques. Facilities measure
the calorimetric power, and plutonium and 241Am isotope abundances of CALEX program standards using routine accountability procedures. The measurement results as well
as two other quantities (effective specific power and plutonium mass) calculated from these results are evaluated for accuracy
(or bias) and precision. In this paper, a limited number of measurement results of a CALEX program standard (identified as
Calex I) are evaluated with specific goals to identify a suitable method for uncertainty estimation and to identify the major
contributors to the uncertainties. In order to achieve the goals, the Calex I measurement results were evaluated using two
different methods: the first method confined to uncertainty estimation from random variations of the measurement results alone,
and the second method providing a more comprehensive evaluation of uncertainties from both the measurements and the characterized
values of the measured standard according to the Guide to the Expression of Uncertainty in Measurement (GUM). The results
of this study, and a subsequent study extended to a larger number of results in the CALEX program database, are expected to
provide relevant input for developing the International Target Values for plutonium measurements by the calorimetry/gamma
spectrometry method. |
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