Dating the age of a nuclear event by gamma spectrometry

The age of a nuclear event can be determined by measuring the activity of two fission products. The event studied was a short irradiation, of a small sample of uranium, in a nuclear reactor. Two types of a clock were investigated: non-isobaric and isobaric parent–daughter fission products. Measurements of the source by gamma spectrometry yielded very good agreement between true and measured ages. The accuracy of each clock and the upper and lower age limits of applicability were studied.