Speaker: Thomas Semkow*
New York State Department of Health / State University of New York

Abstract Summary:

We describe radiochemical analysis of samples of Trinitite, glassy material originated from the first nuclear explosion test conducted at the Trinity Site, New Mexico, in 1945. The analysis techniques involved α spectrometry, g-ray spectrometry, and β counting, following the radiochemistry for selected radionuclides. Many of the Canberra’s detectors were critical in this work and included Ge, Ge-well, Si, and gas proportional, the details of which are presented. Specific activities were determined for fission products (90Sr, 137Cs), activation products (60Co, 133Ba, 152Eu, 154Eu, 238Pu, 241Pu), and the remnants of the nuclear fuel (239Pu, 240Pu). Additionally, specific activities of three natural radionuclides (40K, 232Th, 238U) and their progeny were measured. The determined specific activities of the radionuclides and their relationships are interpreted in the context of the fission process, chemical behavior of the elements, as well as the nuclear-explosion phenomenology.