Re: Radioactive Tinite? -Reply

[Craig_Nusenow@EHS.ucsd.edu]

     I can't resist spinning this thread a little further.  I obtained 
     some samples of Trinitite from a vendor of minerals & meteorites 
     here in California.  They gave me a "questionable" certificate of 
     authenticity which also assured that the sample was no longer 
     radioactive (!).  This made me chuckle.  However, I am getting 
     similar responses with our instrumentation as those Paul Frame 
     mentioned with his 100g sample.  Needless to say, I have gotten 
     great results in training with these little samples and will 
     share the vendor info for those interested.  Additionally, I am 
     intested in any references with quantitative information on the 
     trinite composition.  
     
     Craig Nusenow
     Radiation Safety Division
     University of California, San Diego
     Craig_Nusenow@ehs.ucsd.edu
     

     
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
     
     
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