Actinide Accelerator Mass Spectrometry Development for Environmental Sampling and Neutron Capture Cross Section Measurements

The detection of anthropogenic actinide isotopes in the environment has served a critical role in the field of Nuclear Forensics. For particularly small samples, Accelerator Mass Spectrometry (AMS) provides the sensitivity required for the detection of long-lived minor actinides. Specifically, natural ore samples with concentrations of ²³⁶U/²³⁸U on the order of 10^-11 have been measured in some facilities. Progress on the implementation of a detection system capable of high-sensitivity actinide measurements has been made at the Nuclear Science Laboratory at the University of Notre Dame. Details highlighting the key developments towards a reliable measurement technique, as well as the projected detector system limitations, will be presented.