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Is flow verification necessary

Conference · · Nucl. Mater. Manage. Annu. Meet. Proc.; (United States)
OSTI ID:5093926

Safeguards test statistics are used in an attempt to detect diversion of special nuclear material. Under assumptions concerning possible manipulation (falsification) of safeguards accounting data, the effects on the statistics due to diversion and data manipulation are described algebraically. A comprehensive set of statistics that is capable of detecting any diversion of material is defined in terms of the algebraic properties of the effects. When the assumptions exclude collusion between persons in two material balance areas, then three sets of accounting statistics are shown to be comprehensive. Two of the sets contain widely known accountancy statistics. One of them does not require physical flow verification - comparisons of operator and inspector data for receipts and shipments. The third set contains a single statistic which does not require physical flow verification. In addition to not requiring technically difficult and expensive flow verification, this single statistic has several advantages over other comprehensive sets of statistics. This algebraic approach as an alternative to flow verification for safeguards accountancy is discussed in this paper.

Research Organization:
International Atomic Energy Agency, Vienna
OSTI ID:
5093926
Report Number(s):
CONF-860654-
Journal Information:
Nucl. Mater. Manage. Annu. Meet. Proc.; (United States), Journal Name: Nucl. Mater. Manage. Annu. Meet. Proc.; (United States) Vol. 15; ISSN NUMMB
Country of Publication:
United States
Language:
English