Monitoring and detection of plutonium movement in storage vaults

We investigated a method for monitoring a typical large storage vault for unauthorized removal of plutonium. The method is based on the assumption that the neutron field in a vault produced by a particular geometric configuration of bulk plutonium remains constant in time and space as long as the co...

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Bibliographic Details
Main Authors: Kuckertz, T H, Bieri, J M, Caldwell, J T, France, S W, Hastings, R D, Pratt, J C, Shunk, E R, Goin, R W
Format: Conference Proceeding
Language:English
Subjects:
055001 - Nuclear Fuels- Safeguards, Inspection, & Accountability- Technical Aspects
ACTINIDE ISOTOPES
ACTINIDE NUCLEI
ALPHA DECAY RADIOISOTOPES
CHEMICAL ANALYSIS
DETECTION
EVEN-EVEN NUCLEI
HE-3 COUNTERS
HEAVY NUCLEI
ISOTOPES
MANAGEMENT
MEASURING INSTRUMENTS
MONITORING
NEUTRON DETECTION
NEUTRON DETECTORS
NUCLEAR DISARMAMENT, SAFEGUARDS, AND PHYSICAL PROTECTION
NUCLEAR MATERIALS MANAGEMENT
NUCLEI
PLUTONIUM 240
PLUTONIUM ISOTOPES
PROPORTIONAL COUNTERS
QUANTITATIVE CHEMICAL ANALYSIS
RADIATION DETECTION
RADIATION DETECTORS
RADIATION MONITORING
RADIOISOTOPES
RADIOMETRIC ANALYSIS
SAFEGUARDS
STORAGE FACILITIES
YEARS LIVING RADIOISOTOPES
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Summary:We investigated a method for monitoring a typical large storage vault for unauthorized removal of plutonium. The method is based on the assumption that the neutron field in a vault produced by a particular geometric configuration of bulk plutonium remains constant in time and space as long as the configuration is undisturbed. To observe such a neutron field, we installed an array of 25 /sup 3/He proportional counters in the ceiling of a plutonium storage vault at Argonne National Laboratory West. Data collected by each counter were processed to determine whether statistically significant changes had occurred in the neutron field. Continuous observation experiments measured the long-term stability of the system. Removal experiments were performed in which known quantities of plutonium were removed from the vault. Both types of experiments demonstrated that the neutron monitoring system can detect removal or addition of bulk plutonium (11% /sup 240/Pu) whose mass is as small as 0.04% of the total inventory.
ISSN:0018-9499
1558-1578