Active neutron interrogation for verification of storage of weapons components at the Oak Ridge Y-12 Plant

Conference · Mon Oct 05 00:00:00 EDT 1998

OSTI ID:290902

Mihalczo, J. T. ^[1]; Valentine, T. E. ^[1]; Mattingly, J. K. ^[1]; Mullens, J. A. ^[1]; Hughes, S. S. ^[1]

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1. Oak Ridge Y-12 Plant (Y-12), Oak Ridge, TN (United States)

A nuclear weapons identification system (NWIS), under development since 1984 at the Oak Ridge Y-12 Plant and presently in use there, uses active neutron interrogation with low-intensity ²⁵²Cf sources in ionization chambers to provide a timed source of fission neutrons from the spontaneous fission of ²⁵²Cf. To date, measurements have been performed on ≈ 15 different weapons systems in a variety of configurations both in and out of containers. Those systems included pits and fully assembled systems ready for deployment at the Pantex Plant in Amarillo, Texas, and weapons components at the Oak Ridge Y-12 Plant. These measurements have shown that NWIS can identify nuclear weapons and/or components; nuclear weapons/components can be distinguished from mockups where fissile material has been replaced by nonfissile material; omissions of small amounts (4%) of fissile material can be detected; changes in internal configurations can be determined; trainer parts can be identified as was demonstrated by verification of 512 containers with B33 components at the Y-12 Plant (as many as 32 in one 8-hour shift); and nonfissile components can be identified. The current NWIS activities at the Oak Ridge Y-12 Plant include: (1) further development of the system for more portability and lower power consumption, (2) collection of reference signatures for all weapons components in containers, and (3) confirmation of a particular weapons component in storage and confirmation of receipts. This paper describes the recent measurements with NWIS for a particular weapons component in storage that have resolved an Inspector General (IG`s) audit finding with regard to performance of confirmation of inventory.

• Research Organization: Oak Ridge Y-12 Plant (Y-12), Oak Ridge, TN (United States)
• Sponsoring Organization: USDOE National Nuclear Security Administration (NNSA), Nuclear Criticality Safety Program (NCSP)
• DOE Contract Number: AC05-84OR21400
• OSTI ID: 290902
• Report Number(s): Y/LB--15,964; CONF-981003; ON: DE98057567
• Country of Publication: United States
• Language: English

Related Subjects

11 NUCLEAR FUEL CYCLE AND FUEL MATERIALS
46 INSTRUMENTATION RELATED TO NUCLEAR SCIENCE AND TECHNOLOGY
IDENTIFICATION SYSTEMS
NEUTRON ACTIVATION ANALYZERS
NUCLEAR MATERIALS MANAGEMENT
NUCLEAR WEAPONS
Nonfissile Material
Nuclear Criticality Safety Program (NCSP)
Nuclear Weapons Identification System (NWIS)
PATTERN RECOGNITION
Y-12 PLANT