Measurement of plutonium and uranium isotopic abundances by gamma-ray spectrometry

The isotopic composition of plutonium and uranium is needed for purposes of sample confirmation, or for interpreting results from calorimeters or neutron-coincidence measurement instruments to determine nuclear material mass. The authors have developed measurement methods and computer codes utilizing high-resolution gamma-ray spectrometry to measure the relative isotopic abundances of plutonium and uranium in various forms nondestructively. The computer codes, known as MGA and MGAU, have unique analysis methodologies that the authors briefly describe in this paper.