REAL-TIME IN-SITU MEASUREMENT OF MATERIAL ELASTIC PROPERTIES IN A HIGH GAMMA IRRADIATION ENVIRONMENT

The first measurements of elastic vibrations of an object in-situ to a high gamma irradiation field using a laser coupled resonant ultrasound method are described. A vibration mode of an Inconel hollow capped cylinder was measured throughout a period of 170 hours as the gamma radiation field was increased to 104 Gray/hour. The vibration mode frequency was observed to change in a manner consistent with the temperature dependence of the elastic stiffness coefficients of the material. These results illustrate the efficacy of the laser approach for real-time resonant ultrasound measurements in this severely hostile nuclear environment