Measurement instrumentation for inspecting excess plutonium with classified characteristics

Conference · Mon Jul 19 04:00:00 EDT 1999

OSTI ID:13931

Archer, D E ^[1]; Gosnell, T; Langner, D G; Luke, S J; Mauger, J G; Nicholas, N J; White, G K

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1. LLNL

Two complementary candidate measurement technologies were recently used to demonstrate how excess plutonium with classified characteristics could be inspected for inclusion in a monitoring regime without revealing classified information. Two sensitive attributes, the ratio of {sup 240}Pu to {sup 239}Pu and the plutonium mass, were measured behind a prototype ''information barrier'' that prevented their disclosure. A comparison was made behind the information barrier of the values of these sensitive attributes with unclassified thresholds. This comparison yielded unclassified pass/fail indications for the attributes that were displayed outside the information barrier. In this paper, we discuss special considerations associated with radiation measurements of classified items and specifics of the measurement technologies used in the recent demonstration-high-resolution gamma-ray spectrometry and neutron multiplicity counting. Detailed considerations of information barriers and the information barrier demonstration are being addressed in other papers.

• Research Organization: Lawrence Livermore National Lab., CA (US)
• Sponsoring Organization: USDOE Office of Defense Programs (DP) (US)
• DOE Contract Number: W-7405-ENG-48
• OSTI ID: 13931
• Report Number(s): UCRL-JC-135037; GC0401000; GC0401000
• Country of Publication: United States
• Language: English

Related Subjects

11 NUCLEAR FUEL CYCLE AND FUEL MATERIALS
98 NUCLEAR DISARMAMENT, SAFEGUARDS, AND PHYSICAL PROTECTION
CLASSIFIED INFORMATION
COUNTING TECHNIQUES
GAMMA SPECTROSCOPY
ISOTOPE RATIO
NUCLEAR MATERIALS MANAGEMENT
PLUTONIUM
RADIATION MONITORING
RADIATIONS