Revamping of a Graduate Radiochemistry Course for Nuclear Forensics Applications

Laboratories in traditional radiochemistry courses typically involve basic and fundamental understanding in solvent extraction, ion exchange, precipitation, etc. procedures. With the increased focus on nuclear forensics in pre- and post-detonation scenarios different skill sets are now required for the student to learn. At the University of Texas we have developed two independent graduate courses in gamma-ray spectrometry and radiochemistry. Currently, we have amalgamated these two courses to 1. better serve our nuclear engineering graduate students, many of which are involved in nuclear forensics and 2. to attract both undergraduate and graduate students from the Chemistry Department. We incorporated gamma-ray spectrometry laboratories with several others which are nuclear forensics related. The seven laboratory sessions include half-life measurement of 137mBa (the daughter produce of 137Cs) and secular equilibrium, basic gamma and beta shielding, and gamma-ray spectrometry calibration, resolution and uncertainty in statistics. These labs have been augmented with four others including uranium fission product identification, 137Cs soil profile with Compton suppression, tritium analysis in water with a liquid scintillation counter and double replacement reaction.