Forensic analyses of suspect illicit nuclear material
Grant, PM
Deputy director, radiochemist, materials scientist, materials scientist, chemist, chemist, mallurgist, chemist, radiochemist, chemist, chemist, laser specialist, chemist, director, and nuclear engineer, respectively, Forensic Science Center, L-178, Lawren

Moody, KJ
Deputy director, radiochemist, materials scientist, materials scientist, chemist, chemist, mallurgist, chemist, radiochemist, chemist, chemist, laser specialist, chemist, director, and nuclear engineer, respectively, Forensic Science Center, L-178, Lawren

Hutcheon, ID
Deputy director, radiochemist, materials scientist, materials scientist, chemist, chemist, mallurgist, chemist, radiochemist, chemist, chemist, laser specialist, chemist, director, and nuclear engineer, respectively, Forensic Science Center, L-178, Lawren

Phinney, DL
Deputy director, radiochemist, materials scientist, materials scientist, chemist, chemist, mallurgist, chemist, radiochemist, chemist, chemist, laser specialist, chemist, director, and nuclear engineer, respectively, Forensic Science Center, L-178, Lawren

Haas, JS
Deputy director, radiochemist, materials scientist, materials scientist, chemist, chemist, mallurgist, chemist, radiochemist, chemist, chemist, laser specialist, chemist, director, and nuclear engineer, respectively, Forensic Science Center, L-178, Lawren

Volpe, AM
Deputy director, radiochemist, materials scientist, materials scientist, chemist, chemist, mallurgist, chemist, radiochemist, chemist, chemist, laser specialist, chemist, director, and nuclear engineer, respectively, Forensic Science Center, L-178, Lawren

Oldani, JJ
Deputy director, radiochemist, materials scientist, materials scientist, chemist, chemist, mallurgist, chemist, radiochemist, chemist, chemist, laser specialist, chemist, director, and nuclear engineer, respectively, Forensic Science Center, L-178, Lawren

Whipple, RE
Deputy director, radiochemist, materials scientist, materials scientist, chemist, chemist, mallurgist, chemist, radiochemist, chemist, chemist, laser specialist, chemist, director, and nuclear engineer, respectively, Forensic Science Center, L-178, Lawren

Stoyer, N
Deputy director, radiochemist, materials scientist, materials scientist, chemist, chemist, mallurgist, chemist, radiochemist, chemist, chemist, laser specialist, chemist, director, and nuclear engineer, respectively, Forensic Science Center, L-178, Lawren

Alcaraz, A
Deputy director, radiochemist, materials scientist, materials scientist, chemist, chemist, mallurgist, chemist, radiochemist, chemist, chemist, laser specialist, chemist, director, and nuclear engineer, respectively, Forensic Science Center, L-178, Lawren

Andrews, JE
Deputy director, radiochemist, materials scientist, materials scientist, chemist, chemist, mallurgist, chemist, radiochemist, chemist, chemist, laser specialist, chemist, director, and nuclear engineer, respectively, Forensic Science Center, L-178, Lawren

Russo, RE
Deputy director, radiochemist, materials scientist, materials scientist, chemist, chemist, mallurgist, chemist, radiochemist, chemist, chemist, laser specialist, chemist, director, and nuclear engineer, respectively, Forensic Science Center, L-178, Lawren

Klunder, GL
Deputy director, radiochemist, materials scientist, materials scientist, chemist, chemist, mallurgist, chemist, radiochemist, chemist, chemist, laser specialist, chemist, director, and nuclear engineer, respectively, Forensic Science Center, L-178, Lawren

Andresen, BD
Deputy director, radiochemist, materials scientist, materials scientist, chemist, chemist, mallurgist, chemist, radiochemist, chemist, chemist, laser specialist, chemist, director, and nuclear engineer, respectively, Forensic Science Center, L-178, Lawren

Cantlin, S
Deputy director, radiochemist, materials scientist, materials scientist, chemist, chemist, mallurgist, chemist, radiochemist, chemist, chemist, laser specialist, chemist, director, and nuclear engineer, respectively, Forensic Science Center, L-178, Lawren


Abstract
A small metal sample, alleged to be a substance that could substitute for highly enriched uranium in a nuclear weapon, was subjected to qualitative and quantitative forensic analyses using methods of materials science, radioisotopic chemistry, inorganic chemistry, and organic chemistry. The specimen was determined to be moderately pure Sc, likely derived from a uranium refining operation. Although no fissionable species or weaponization signatures were detected, the sample did exhibit some unusual properties. These anomalies included lanthanide fractionation, with concentrations of Dy, Ho, and Er elevated by factors greater than 100 over normal levels, and the presence of long, odd-chain fatty acids.

Keywords:
forensic science, illicit nuclear materials, nuclear forensic analyses & characterization, nuclear forensic analyses and characterization, nuclear smuggling

Paper ID: CH33680X

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Author Grant PM, Moody KJ, Hutcheon ID, Phinney DL, Haas JS, Volpe AM, Oldani JJ, Whipple RE, Stoyer N, Alcaraz A, Andrews JE, Russo RE, Klunder GL, Andresen BD, Cantlin S Title Forensic analyses of suspect illicit nuclear material Symposium , Committee on