Information barrier experimental: Toward a trusted and open-source computing platform for nuclear warhead verification

Journal Article · Wed Sep 13 00:00:00 EDT 2017 · Measurement

DOI:https://doi.org/10.1016/j.measurement.2017.09.014· OSTI ID:1454800

Kutt, Moritz ^[1]; Gottsche, Malte ^[1]; Glaser, Alexander ^[1]

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1. Princeton Univ., NJ (United States). Program on Science and Global Security

Trusted measurement systems are critical for the verification of future arms-control treaties that involve confirming the authenticity of nuclear warheads on the basis of their radiation signatures. Several research efforts have produced prototype systems, but their designs are typically not published in detail, making it difficult to enable trust in these devices. The Information Barrier Experimental (IBX) is a new prototype built around the Red Pitaya computing platform using passive gamma spectroscopy. It is the first such platform designed to help a broad research community study vulnerabilities and define the required specifications for a common, trusted inspection system. It is low-cost, simple to assemble, and enables comprehensive hardware and software authentication studies. The device follows a digital data acquisition approach, which significantly reduces the number of components between scintillator and spectrum output. Finally, measurements demonstrate that this approach is technically feasible and produces excellent measurement results.

• Research Organization: Univ. of Michigan, Ann Arbor, MI (United States)
• Sponsoring Organization: USDOE NA Office of Nonproliferation and Verification Research and Development (NA-22); USDOE National Nuclear Security Administration (NNSA)
• Grant/Contract Number: NA0002534; NA 0002534
• OSTI ID: 1454800
• Alternate ID(s): OSTI ID: 1550006
• Journal Information: Measurement, Vol. 114, Issue C; ISSN 0263-2241
• Publisher: Elsevier
• Country of Publication: United States
• Language: English

Related Subjects

97 MATHEMATICS AND COMPUTING