A novel chronometry technique for dating irradiated uranium fuels using Cm isotopic ratios

A novel chronometry method is developed to date irradiated nuclear fuels. It is based on the measurement of two Cm isotopic ratios (²⁴⁴Cm/²⁴⁶Cm and ²⁴⁵Cm/²⁴⁶Cm) and does not require the addition of a yield tracer. The method relies on the decay of ²⁴⁴Cm while the ²⁴⁵Cm/²⁴⁶Cm ratio is considered constant after irradiation. Feasibility is demonstrated using different types of irradiated fuels with known irradiation history. A precision of 5 year is reached so far but clear potential for improvement has been identified. The novel chronometry method represents a promising alternative to existing dating techniques for nuclear materials.