Applications of acoustic reasonance spectroscopy as a safeguards-and-security technology in plutonium management
- Los Alamos National Lab., NM (United States)
Recent negotiations between the United States and the former Soviet Union have resulted in agreements to aggressively reduce our respective nuclear weapon stockpiles. This is a very long-term activity that involves dismantlement, interim storage, and processing of a variety of components and materials. In addition, the end of the Cold War followed by the abrupt shutdown of a significant portion of the weapons complex in the United States has left tons of excess plutonium in various forms in storage for extended periods of time with resulting serious safety concerns. While long-term storage of plutonium in any form requires monitoring to mitigate safety, security, and nonproliferation concerns, the weapon dismantlement phase also requires monitoring for identification and verification without revealing design information. Clearly, the need for sensitive, noninvasive, and rapid monitoring techniques is highly desirable. Acoustic resonance spectroscopy (ARS) may emerge as one such technique; indeed, ARS has already been proven in a number of applications to date including Chemical Weapons Treaty verification and determination of waste drum pressurization and it is being investigated as a method to detect changes in sealed weapon component containers.
- OSTI ID:
- 186286
- Report Number(s):
- CONF-950601--
- Journal Information:
- Transactions of the American Nuclear Society, Journal Name: Transactions of the American Nuclear Society Vol. 72; ISSN 0003-018X; ISSN TANSAO
- Country of Publication:
- United States
- Language:
- English
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