Radioactive Tinite? -Reply

[FRAMEP@ORAU.GOV]

Chuck:

To know what the Trinitite was like 10 years after the blast, you
might get some info from an oldtimer like Ron Kathren :-) who
probably analyzed some at that time.

Keeping in mind that not all trinitite is exactly the same, and that
some so-called trinitite probably didn't come from the Trinity Test
site, I can describe a 100g sample we have.

Its about 5uR/hr above background on contact as measured with a uR
meter (small potatoes/potatos). A pancake Gm gives about 1000 cpm on
contact. I'd prefer not trying to convert that to dpm. The gamma
emitting nuclides include Cs-137 (by far the biggest single player)
Ba-133, Am-241, Eu-152 and, incredibly considering their half life,
some traces of Eu-154, Eu-155 and Co-60. Of course the usual
naturally occuring suspects are also there. The non-gamma emitters
can be guessed at: a few plutonium nuclides, Sr-90 etc. I've never
bothered to do something quantitative unfortunately.

That's at least a partial answer to your question. BTW, if you want
to unload the stuff, there will be plenty of takers.

Paul Frame
Oak Ridge Institute for Science and Education
Professional Training Programs
framep@orau.gov