Development of neutron resonance densitometry at the GELINA TOF facility

Schillebeeckx, P.*; Abousahl, S.*; Becker, B.*; Borella, A.*; Emiliani, F.*; Harada, Hideo   ; Kauwenberghs, K.*; Kitatani, Fumito  ; Koizumi, Mitsuo ; Kopecky, S.*; Moens, A.*; Moxon, M.*; Sibbens, G.*; Tsuchiya, Harufumi 

Neutron Resonance Capture Analysis (NRCA) and Neutron Resonance Transmission Analysis (NRTA) have been applied to determine the elemental composition of archaeological objects and to characterize nuclear reference materials. A combination of NRTA and NRCA, referred to as Neutron Resonance Densitometry (NRD), is being studied as a non-destructive method to characterize particle-like debris of melted fuel that is formed in severe nuclear accidents such as the one which occurred at the Fukushima Daiichi Nuclear Power Plants. This study is part of a collaboration between JAEA and EC-JRC-IRMM. In this contribution the basic principles of NRTA and NRCA are explained based on the experience in the use of these methods at the time-of-flight facility GELINA of the EC-JRC-IRMM. Specific problems related to the analysis of samples resulting from melted fuel are discussed. The programme to study and solve these problems is described and results of a first measurement campaign at GELINA are given.