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Updated: Jan 28, 2026
09:18
Laser-heating and Radiance Spectrometry for the Study of Nuclear Materials in Conditions Simulating a Nuclear Power Plant Accident
Published on: December 14, 2017
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Plutonium signatures in refractory fallout support a Chernobyl nuclear jet hypothesis
Malcolm J Joyce1, Colin Boxall1, Marcus Christl2
1School of Engineering, Lancaster University, Lancaster, LA1 4YW UK.
Journal of Radioanalytical and Nuclear Chemistry
|January 26, 2026
Summary
Plutonium-239 (Pu-239) isotope ratios in Northern England soils suggest high-temperature formation from nuclear explosions. Lower-temperature chemical explosions explain other plutonium isotopes, supporting a dual-event hypothesis for fallout.
Area of Science:
- Environmental Science
- Nuclear Chemistry
- Radiochemistry
Background:
- Plutonium isotope ratios (Pu-240/Pu-239) in environmental samples provide insights into the origin and conditions of radionuclide release.
- Understanding plutonium speciation (refractory vs. volatile) can differentiate between various types of nuclear events.
Purpose of the Study:
- To analyze plutonium isotope ratios in soils from Northern England.
- To differentiate between nuclear explosion and chemical explosion origins of plutonium fallout.
- To investigate the formation temperatures of plutonium components.
Main Methods:
- Measurement of refractory and volatile plutonium components in soil samples.
- Isotopic analysis of plutonium using mass spectrometry.
- Comparison of measured Pu-240/Pu-239 ratios with global averages and Chernobyl fallout data.
Main Results:
- Refractory Pu-240/Pu-239 ratios (0.390 ± 0.006) are higher than the global average, consistent with Chernobyl fallout and formation temperatures >3000°C, indicative of nuclear-driven explosions.
- Volatile Pu-240/Pu-239 ratios (0.181 ± 0.002) align with the global average, suggesting lower-temperature formation from chemical explosions and fire.
- Observed Pu-239 fission and capture cross-section enhancement supports the S-wave resonance hypothesis.
Conclusions:
- The study supports a hypothesis of dual-event plutonium release: high-temperature nuclear explosions and subsequent lower-temperature chemical explosions.
- Refractory plutonium components indicate atmospheric injection from nuclear-driven explosions.
- Volatile plutonium components suggest formation during chemical explosions and fire, potentially linked to the Chernobyl event.
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