Potential SG equipment infrastructure for the Geological Repository in Finland

Responding to the need for establishing an effective safeguards approach for the future Geological Repository (GR) in Finland, and implementing its measures and techniques identified in line with safeguards-by-design concept, the European Commission (EC), the International Atomic Energy Agency (IAEA) and Finnish Radiation and Nuclear Safety Authority (STUK) are jointly working on the Equipment Infrastructure Requirements Specification for the GR. The identification of possible safeguards measures is carried out in such a way as to allow each of the international safeguards inspectorates (EC and IAEA), as well as the national authority (STUK) to effectively fulfil its mandate and to draw independent conclusions, while at the same time having the least possible impact on the spent nuclear fuel geological disposal process. The infrastructure requirements for a GR are derived from a need that all nuclear material transported into and out of the GR must be accounted for and characterized; and the opportunities for monitoring of nuclear material movements later below the surface will be limited. The safeguards approach shall provide for future reverification of nuclear material in the event of its retrieval from the GR, while the control and maintenance of the safeguard equipment installed on the GR boundary should be simple and economical in view of the long period of the GR operation (planned for at least 100 years). Consideration is being given to containment and surveillance measures complemented by radiation monitoring applied to all penetrations leading to and out of the GR disposal area. In addition, a system for continuous monitoring of potential undeclared spent fuel reprocessing and other activities is under consideration. Kr-85 monitoring on the GR ventilation system (located in the Ventilation Building), and seismic array data analysis are proposed as possible components of such system

Mobile 3D Laser Scanning for Nuclear Safeguards

3D laser scanning is an established verification technology in nuclear safeguards, applied inter alia for Design Information/Basic Technical Characteristics Verification (DIV/BTC) and change monitoring in nuclear facilities. Current systems are based on high-accuracy, high-resolution 3D laser scanners which require one minute or more to acquire a single scan. Therefore, the scanners need to be immobile during data acquisition. In order to cover the complete scene, several scans are acquired in a so-called ‘stop-and-go’ mode, which are then registered into a single coordinate frame in an offline post-processing phase. Recently, new 3D laser scanners with a significantly increased acquisition speed have emerged. They acquire 3D scans at a frame rate of 10Hz and more - at the cost of reduced accuracy and resolution – and thus enable the scanner to be mobile during acquisition, i.e. the data can be acquired while walking or driving. Mobile laser scanning can significantly increase the efficiency of existing safeguards applications for 3D laser scanning, i.e. DIV/BTC and change monitoring. Furthermore, by registering each scan with a reference model (which can either be generated a priori or while scanning), it is possible to compute the current position and track the movement of the scanner. Hence, mobile laser scanning with real-time data processing provides indoor positioning capability to nuclear inspectors during their field work. It enables to connect all observations and measurements to be connected with their respective location and time stamps and to retrieve location-based information as required. The paper presents the Mobile Laser Scanning platform developed at the JRC, which consists of a commercial mobile scanner, the processing unit and the proprietary software for real-time processing and visualization. The system will be illustrated using two test cases: a DIV/BTC scenario for the Finnish underground repository (ONKALO) and an application for indoor localization.JRC.E.8-Nuclear securit

Euratom Safeguards: Improving Safeguards by Cooperation in R&D and Implementation

Euratom Safeguards, implemented on the basis of the EURATOM Treaty by the European Commission’s Directorate Nuclear Safeguards within the Directorate General for Energy, is the largest Regional Safeguards System and involved in many R&D activities of its own, often in close cooperation with external partners. Most of the results of these activities are shared with or offered to the IAEA. This paper describes work complementary to the projects run by the European Commission Cooperative Support Programme (ECSP) to the IAEA, described elsewhere at this conference. We attempt to provide an overview on some of the R&D activities run in addition to the ECSP, and will link them to the capabilities discussed by the IAEA as part of the Long Term R&D Plan 2012. Our range of topics will include work on unattended data acquisition systems (hard- and software), advanced data analysis tools, news from seals related technology, containment and design verification applications of 3D lasers, etc. Work done with the IAEA in preparation of new facilities and facility types will be discussed briefly. The paper will also highlight some current challenges and make suggestions how to address them.JRC.E.8-Nuclear securit

ESARDA Bulletin No. 53

ESARDA is an association initially formed to advance and harmonize research and development for nuclear safeguards whose scope has in recent year expanded as the number and type of its working groups’ activities below indicates. Esarda is currently composed of about 30 laboratories, private and governmental institutions worldwide. Within Esarda (http://esarda.jrc.ec.europa.eu/), a number working groups have been over the years established and active namely: Techniques and Standards for Destructive Analysis, Techniques and Standards for Non-Destructive Analysis, Containment and Surveillance, Novel Approaches / Novel Technologies, Implementation of Safeguards, Verification Technologies and Methodologies, Training and Knowledge Management, Editorial Committee. ESARDA publishes a Bulletin containing scientific and technical articles related to safeguards and verification (and beyond) as well as news and reports related to the ESARDA activities. This publication appears generally twice a year. In addition, thematic special issues are published as proposed by the ESARDA community. The Bulletin Editorial Board is composed of about 10 experts in the various technical and scientific fields related to safeguards. They are all actively engaged in safeguards R&D or in safeguards implementation and other fields. The Editorial Board decides the contents of the Bulletin, selects the papers to be published and reviews them before publication. All ESARDA editorial activities are carried out at JRC in Ispra. Scientific and technical papers submitted for publication in the peer reviewed section are reviewed by independent authors and by members of the Editorial Committee. The bulletin is currently submitted to Thomson Reuters for evaluation in view of citation. ESARDA Bulletin is published jointly by ESARDA and the Joint Research Centre of the European Commission and distributed free of charge to over 1100 registered members, libraries and institutions worldwide. The bulletin will predominantly contain peer review papers which have been either directly submitted to the journal by the scientific community or selected by the editorial committee and chair sessions of Esarda symposia and or Workshops. The bulletin may also contain reports on the activities of various Esarda working groups, tribune, news etc. where appropriate.JRC.G.II.7-Nuclear securit