Analysis of americium-beryllium neutron source composition using the FRAM code

The FRAM code was originally developed to analyze high-resolution gamma spectra from plutonium items. Its capabilities have since been expanded to include analysis of uranium spectra. The flexibility of the software also enables a capable spectroscopist to use FRAM to analyze spectra in which neither plutonium nor uranium is present in significant amounts. This paper documents the use of FRAM to determine the {sup 239}Pu/{sup 241}Am, {sup 243}Am/{sup 241}Am, {sup 237}Np/{sup 241}Am, and {sup 239}Np/{sup 241}Am ratios in americium-beryllium neutron sources. The effective specific power of each neutron source was calculated from the ratios determined by FRAM in order to determine the americium mass of each of these neutron sources using calorimetric assay. We will also discuss the use of FRAM for the general case of isotopic analysis of nonplutonium, nonuranium items.