Improved plutonium and americium photon branching ratios from microcalorimeter gamma spectroscopy

Plutonium and Americium in the Cephalopod Octopus vulgaris

Radiotracer experiments using the photon-emitters 2 3 7 ~ and 2 4 1 ~ m were performed to examine uptake, tissue distribution and retention of plutonium and americium in the cephalopod Octopus vulgaris Cuvier. A 2 wk exposure in contaminated sea water resulted in twice as much 2 3 7 P ~ being taken up by whole octopus as 2 4 1 ~ m . Immediately following uptake approximately 41 % and 73 % of th...

Transfer of plutonium, americium and curium from fallout into reindeer after the Chernobyl accident

Several reindeer tissue samples were analysed for transuranium elements following the Chernobyl accident in 1986. Pu, Am and Cm were separated using coprecipitation and anion exchange steps, and measured with alpha spectrometry. The activity concentrations of Pu in reindeer liver found in this study (0.0094–0.062 Bq kg d.w. [= dry weight]) are low compared to the concentrations found in the 196...

Insight from correlated fine structure branching ratios

We have studied the v0-dependent predissociation dynamics of the ClO A P3/2 state using velocity-map ion-imaging. Experimental final correlated state branching ratios, i.e. Cl(PJ=3/2,1/2) þ O(PJ=2,1,0) channels, have been measured for v0 = 6–11. We find that the branching ratios are highly variable and depend strongly on v0, providing a window into the v0-dependent predissociation mechanism. A ...

Mathematical Challenges in High - Throughput Microcalorimeter Spectroscopy

Plutonium and americium behaviour in soil-vegetation cover of natural and semi-natural ecosystems

The results of investigations of transuranic elements { H , , M 0 P u and 2 4 'Am) behaviour in the soil-vegetation cover of natural and semi-natural ecosystems in the regions of Belarus contaminated as a result of Chernobyl acci­ dent have been summarised. The parameters of plutonium and americium vertical migration have been estimated for typical soil varieties; the radionuclides accumulation...