Rostock 2019 – scientific programme

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MS: Fachverband Massenspektrometrie

MS 4: Accelerator Mass Spectrometry and Applications

MS 4.3: Talk

Wednesday, March 13, 2019, 11:00–11:15, U A-Esch 2

Accelerator mass spectrometry of ⁹³Zr at the Australian National University — •Stefan Pavetich¹, L.Keith Fifield¹, Michaela B.Froehlich¹, Shlomi Halfon², Yanan Huang¹, Dominik Koll¹, Martin Martschini³, Michael Paul⁴, Asher Shor², Johannes H.Sterba⁵, Moshe Tessler⁴, Stephen G.Tims¹, Leonid Weissman², and Anton Wallner¹ — ¹Australian National University, Australia — ²Soreq Nuclear Research Center, Israel — ³University of Vienna, Austria — ⁴Hebrew University, Israel — ⁵Technische Universität Wien, Austria

Neutron capture cross sections at keV energies in the Zr mass region are important for nuclear astrophysics as this is the matching point for two components of the slow neutron capture process. Zirconium is used in cladding of nuclear fuel rods and is a high yield fission product, hence production rates of ⁹³Zr (t_1/2∼1.6 Ma), are important for nuclear technology and waste management. Despite their significance, neutron capture cross sections for production of ⁹³Zr are poorly known. The long half-life and decay characteristics, make decay counting of ⁹³Zr difficult. We have used accelerator mass spectrometry to measure ⁹³Zr produced by neutron activation of ⁹²Zr with thermal and keV neutrons, yielding independent values for the respective cross section. The main challenge here is the separation of ⁹³Zr from its stable isobar ⁹³Nb. The high particle energies available with the 14UD accelerator at ANU, combined with an 8-anode ionization chamber are ideal to tackle this challenge. The achieved detection limits of ⁹³Zr/Zr∼10⁻¹² could lead to new applications of ⁹³Zr as environmental tracer.