Adapting Nuclear Forensics from Light Water to Molten Salt Reactors: A Survey of Emerging Needs

Schiferl, Megan; McLachlan, Jeffrey; Peterson, Appie; Marks, Naomi; Abergel, Rebecca

doi:10.1080/00295450.2025.2550803

Adapting Nuclear Forensics from Light Water to Molten Salt Reactors: A Survey of Emerging Needs

Journal Article · Wed Feb 04 00:00:00 EST 2026 · Nuclear Technology

DOI:https://doi.org/10.1080/00295450.2025.2550803· OSTI ID:3020873

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University of California, Berkeley, CA (United States); Lawrence Berkeley National Laboratory (LBNL), Berkeley, CA (United States); Lawrence Livermore National Laboratory (LLNL), Livermore, CA (United States)
University of California, Berkeley, CA (United States); Lawrence Berkeley National Laboratory (LBNL), Berkeley, CA (United States)
Lawrence Berkeley National Laboratory (LBNL), Berkeley, CA (United States)
Lawrence Livermore National Laboratory (LLNL), Livermore, CA (United States)

Rising interest in molten salt reactors for commercial power production presents an opportunity to evaluate the techniques used to characterize materials of nuclear forensic interest. Since extensive research has been performed to identify and develop signatures of light water reactor (LWR) materials (e.g. uranium ore concentrates and uranium dioxide fuel pellets), we use this as a basis to explore possibilities for molten salt signature development. Through this comparative method, nuclear forensic signatures used today to identify the provenance of nuclear materials found out of regulatory control are adapted to molten salt reactor (MSR) fuel cycle materials. Radiological, elemental composition, isotopic composition, and model age signatures will likely not need large adaptations before being applied to MSR materials but may need to expand to be applicable to both thorium- and uranium-fueled systems. The liquid nature of molten salt fuel may erase signatures related to production and irradiation history that are informative for typical LWR materials. However, it may also lead to opportunities for new signatures, such as cooling rate–controlled morphology. Targets identified for further research include radiological attributes of fuel salts; elemental, chemical, and isotopic analysis of salts with differing production routes; morphological effects of various thermodynamic environments; and relevant fuel cycle radiochronometers. Additionally, the comparative nature of the proposed signatures implies a need for MSR-relevant databases and the production of salt standard reference materials.

View Accepted Manuscript (DOE)

Research Organization:: Lawrence Livermore National Laboratory (LLNL), Livermore, CA (United States)

Sponsoring Organization:: USDOE National Nuclear Security Administration (NNSA), Office of Defense Nuclear Nonproliferation

Grant/Contract Number:: AC02-05CH11231; AC52-07NA27344; NA0003996

OSTI ID:: 3020873

Report Number(s):: LLNL--JRNL-2001582

Journal Information:: Nuclear Technology, Journal Name: Nuclear Technology; ISSN 0029-5450; ISSN 1943-7471

Publisher:: Taylor & FrancisCopyright Statement

Country of Publication:: United States

Language:: English

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