A Prediction of Accelerator-Produced Activation Products

Abstract

The operational radiation protection issues associated with the Z-Machine accelerator located at Sandia National Laboratories are large: a variety of materials can be placed into the machine; these materials can be subjected to a variety of nuclear reactions, producing a variety of activation products. Without full understanding of the most likely contaminants, a realistic identification of the radiological hazards and appropriate controls is not possible. This paper presents a process developed to provide a realistic prediction of the accelerator-produced radionuclides of interest.