CTBT: Science and Technology Conference 2025 - SnT2025

Engineering and operation of release systems for radioxenon field transport experiments

P2.3-293

Not scheduled

1h

Zeremoniensaal

E-poster T2.3 Atmospheric and Subsurface Radionuclide Background and Dispersion P2.3 Atmospheric and Subsurface Radionuclide Background and Dispersion

Speaker

Mr Johnathan Slack (Pacific Northwest National Laboratory (PNNL))

Description

Recent large scale field experiments carried out at the Nevada National Security Site in the United States have investigated the transport of tracers in both surface releases and subsurface releases to simulate expected signals from a nuclear explosion. Radiotracers were deployed to collect data for verification and validation of transport models relevant to atmospheric transport modeling critical to Preparatory Commission for the Comprehensive Test Ban Treaty Organization (CTBTO PrepCom) objectives. Two independent systems were designed, built, and deployed to manage the handling and release of Xe-127 for these efforts. The surface release system was composed of multiple subsystems for xenon gas release, a corresponding smoke candle release, and the communication and control of the system. The subsurface release system was composed of subsystems for xenon gas injection, communication and control, and a tracer collection stack.