Cosmic Ray Muon Imaging of Spent Nuclear Fuel in Dry Storage Casks

Durham, J. Matthew; Guardincerri, Elena; Morris, Christopher L.; Poulson, Daniel; Bacon, Jeffrey Darnell; Chichester, David; Fabritius, Joseph; Fellows, Shelby; Plaud-Ramos, Kenie Omar; Morley, Deborah Jean; Winston, Philip

Title: Cosmic Ray Muon Imaging of Spent Nuclear Fuel in Dry Storage Casks

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Abstract

In this paper, cosmic ray muon radiography has been used to identify the absence of spent nuclear fuel bundles inside a sealed dry storage cask. The large amounts of shielding that dry storage casks use to contain radiation from the highly radioactive contents impedes typical imaging methods, but the penetrating nature of cosmic ray muons allows them to be used as an effective radiographic probe. This technique was able to successfully identify missing fuel bundles inside a sealed Westinghouse MC-10 cask. This method of fuel cask verification may prove useful for international nuclear safeguards inspectors. Finally, muon radiography may find other safety and security or safeguards applications, such as arms control verification.

Authors:

Durham, J. Matthew ^[1]; Guardincerri, Elena ^[1]; Morris, Christopher L. ^[1]; Poulson, Daniel ^[1]; Bacon, Jeffrey Darnell ^[1]; Chichester, David ^[2]; Fabritius, Joseph ^[1]; Fellows, Shelby ^[1]; Plaud-Ramos, Kenie Omar ^[1]; Morley, Deborah Jean ^[1]; Winston, Philip ^[2]

Los Alamos National Lab. (LANL), Los Alamos, NM (United States)
Idaho National Lab. (INL), Idaho Falls, ID (United States)

Publication Date:: Fri Apr 29 00:00:00 EDT 2016

Research Org.:: Los Alamos National Lab. (LANL), Los Alamos, NM (United States)

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

OSTI Identifier:: 1325638

Report Number(s):: LA-UR-15-26861
Journal ID: ISSN 0893-6188

Grant/Contract Number:: AC52-06NA25396

Resource Type:: Accepted Manuscript

Journal Name:: Journal of Nuclear Materials Management

Additional Journal Information:: Journal Volume: 44; Journal Issue: 3; Journal ID: ISSN 0893-6188

Publisher:: Institute of Nuclear Materials Management

Country of Publication:: United States

Language:: English

Subject:: 98 NUCLEAR DISARMAMENT, SAFEGUARDS, AND PHYSICAL PROTECTION

Citation Formats


                    Durham, J. Matthew, Guardincerri, Elena, Morris, Christopher L., Poulson, Daniel, Bacon, Jeffrey Darnell, Chichester, David, Fabritius, Joseph, Fellows, Shelby, Plaud-Ramos, Kenie Omar, Morley, Deborah Jean, and Winston, Philip. Cosmic Ray Muon Imaging of Spent Nuclear Fuel in Dry Storage Casks.  United States: N. p., 2016. 
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                    Durham, J. Matthew, Guardincerri, Elena, Morris, Christopher L., Poulson, Daniel, Bacon, Jeffrey Darnell, Chichester, David, Fabritius, Joseph, Fellows, Shelby, Plaud-Ramos, Kenie Omar, Morley, Deborah Jean, & Winston, Philip. Cosmic Ray Muon Imaging of Spent Nuclear Fuel in Dry Storage Casks.  United States.

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                    Durham, J. Matthew, Guardincerri, Elena, Morris, Christopher L., Poulson, Daniel, Bacon, Jeffrey Darnell, Chichester, David, Fabritius, Joseph, Fellows, Shelby, Plaud-Ramos, Kenie Omar, Morley, Deborah Jean, and Winston, Philip. Fri .  
"Cosmic Ray Muon Imaging of Spent Nuclear Fuel in Dry Storage Casks".  United States.  https://www.osti.gov/servlets/purl/1325638.

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@article{osti_1325638,

  title        = {Cosmic Ray Muon Imaging of Spent Nuclear Fuel in Dry Storage Casks},

  author       = {Durham, J. Matthew and Guardincerri, Elena and Morris, Christopher L. and Poulson, Daniel and Bacon, Jeffrey Darnell and Chichester, David and Fabritius, Joseph and Fellows, Shelby and Plaud-Ramos, Kenie Omar and Morley, Deborah Jean and Winston, Philip},

  abstractNote = {In this paper, cosmic ray muon radiography has been used to identify the absence of spent nuclear fuel bundles inside a sealed dry storage cask. The large amounts of shielding that dry storage casks use to contain radiation from the highly radioactive contents impedes typical imaging methods, but the penetrating nature of cosmic ray muons allows them to be used as an effective radiographic probe. This technique was able to successfully identify missing fuel bundles inside a sealed Westinghouse MC-10 cask. This method of fuel cask verification may prove useful for international nuclear safeguards inspectors. Finally, muon radiography may find other safety and security or safeguards applications, such as arms control verification.},

  doi          = {},

  journal      = {Journal of Nuclear Materials Management},

  number       = 3,

  volume       = 44,

  place        = {United States},

  year         = {Fri Apr 29 00:00:00 EDT 2016},

  month        = {Fri Apr 29 00:00:00 EDT 2016}

}

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