Active Time-Domain Reflectometry for Unattended Safeguards Systems: FY16 Report
- Pacific Northwest National Lab. (PNNL), Richland, WA (United States)
The International Atomic Energy Agency (IAEA) continues to expand its use of unattended measurement systems. An increasing number of systems and an expanding family of instruments create challenges in terms of deployment efficiency and the implementation of data authentication measures. Traditional data security measures, for example tamper-indicating (TI) conduit, are impractical for the long separation distances (often 100 meters or more) between unattended monitoring system (UMS) components. Pacific Northwest National Laboratory (PNNL) is studying the viability of active time-domain reflectometry (TDR) for the detection of cable tampering in unattended radiation detection systems. The instrument concept under investigation would allow for unmanned cable integrity measurements, remote surveillance reporting and locating of cable faults and/or tampers. This report describes PNNL’s FY16 progress and includes: an overview of the TDR methods under investigation; description of the TDR evaluation testbed developed by PNNL; development and testing of advanced signal processing algorithms to extract weak signals from relatively high noise levels; and initial testing of a laboratory prototype intended for IAEA UMS applications and based on a commercially available TDR module. Preliminary viability findings and recommendations for the next stage of development and testing are provided.
- Research Organization:
- Pacific Northwest National Lab. (PNNL), Richland, WA (United States)
- Sponsoring Organization:
- USDOE National Nuclear Security Administration (NNSA), Office of Defense Nuclear Nonproliferation (NA-20)
- DOE Contract Number:
- AC05-76RL01830
- OSTI ID:
- 1411941
- Report Number(s):
- PNNL--25981; DN4001030
- Country of Publication:
- United States
- Language:
- English
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