The preparation of non-radioactive glassy surrogate nuclear explosion debris (SNED) loaded with isotopically altered Xe

The measurement of Kr and Xe isotope ratios in nuclear explosion debris can be performed requiring little sample preparation. Fragments of debris are simply crushed or heated to release trapped gases Kr and Xe arising from fission product decay. As a suitable test material for this measurement, we have been investigating a method to incorporate isotopically enriched Xe-129 in glassy materials that mimic nuclear explosion debris. The approach used to prepare these materials will be described along with some of the example results obtained.