A confirmatory measurement technique for highly enriched uranium
This report describes a confirmatory measurement technique for measuring uranium items in their shipping containers. The measurement consists of a weight verification and the detection of three gamma rays. The weight can be determined very precisely, thus it severely constrains the options of the diverter who might want to imitate the gamma signal with a bogus item. The 185.7-keV gamma ray originates from /sup 235/U, the 1001 keV originates from a daughter of /sup 238/U, and the 2614 keV originates from a daughter of /sup 232/U. These three gamma rays exhibit widely different attenuation properties, they correlate with enrichment and total uranium mass, and they rigorously discriminate against a likely diversion scenario (low-enriched uranium substitution). These four measured quantities, when combined, provide a signature that is very difficult to counterfeit.
- Research Organization:
- Los Alamos National Lab. (LANL), Los Alamos, NM (United States)
- DOE Contract Number:
- W-7405-ENG-36
- OSTI ID:
- 6250467
- Report Number(s):
- LA-11021-MS; ON: DE87014705; TRN: 87-033287
- Resource Relation:
- Other Information: Portions of this document are illegible in microfiche products. Original copy available until stock is exhausted
- Country of Publication:
- United States
- Language:
- English
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Related Subjects
ENRICHED URANIUM
MEASURING METHODS
GAMMA DETECTION
GAMMA SPECTRA
VERIFICATION
WEIGHT
ACTINIDES
DETECTION
ELEMENTS
ISOTOPE ENRICHED MATERIALS
MATERIALS
METALS
RADIATION DETECTION
SPECTRA
URANIUM
055001* - Nuclear Fuels- Safeguards
Inspection
& Accountability- Technical Aspects
350300 - Arms Control- Verification- (1987-)