Isotopic Characterization of Radioiodine and Radioxenon in Releases from Underground Nuclear Explosions with Various Degrees of Fractionation

Both radioxenon and radioiodine are possible indicators for a nuclear explosion. Therefore, they will be, together with other relevant radionuclides, globally monitored by the International Monitoring System in order to verify compliance with the Comprehensive Nuclear-Test-Ban Treaty once the treaty...

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Bibliographic Details
Published in:Pure and applied geophysics 2014-03, Vol.171 (3-5), p.677-692
Main Authors: Kalinowski, Martin B., Liao, Yen-Yo
Format: Article
Language:English
Subjects:
Air sampling
Atmospherics
Earth and Environmental Science
Earth Sciences
Explosions
Fractionation
Geophysics/Geodesy
Iodine radioisotopes
Isotopes
Monitoring
Monitoring systems
Noble gases
Nuclear explosions
Nuclear weapons
Precursors
Radioactivity
Underground
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Summary:Both radioxenon and radioiodine are possible indicators for a nuclear explosion. Therefore, they will be, together with other relevant radionuclides, globally monitored by the International Monitoring System in order to verify compliance with the Comprehensive Nuclear-Test-Ban Treaty once the treaty has entered into force. This paper studies the temporal development of radioxenon and radioiodine activities with two different assumptions on fractionation during the release from an underground test. In the first case, only the noble gases are released, in the second case, radioiodine is released as well while the precursors remain underground. For the second case, the simulated curves of activity ratios are compared to prompt and delayed atmospheric radioactivity releases from underground nuclear tests at Nevada as a function of the time of atmospheric air sampling for concentration measurements of 135 I, 133 I and 131 I. In addition, the effect of both fractionation cases on the isotopic activity ratios is shown in the four-isotope-plot (with 135 Xe, 133m Xe, 133 Xe and 131m Xe) that can be utilized for distinguishing nuclear explosion sources from civilian releases.
ISSN:0033-4553
1420-9136
DOI:10.1007/s00024-012-0580-7