Use of a CAEN digitiser for nuclear safeguards and security applications with a scintillator detector

The performance of a CAEN DT5751 digitiser for nuclear safeguards and security applications is discussed. The pulse shape processing firmware embedded in the digitiser was tested with a EJ-309 liquid scintillator, exposed to gamma and neutron radiation from radioactive sources and from a Van de Graaff and cyclotron-based accelerator. Software modules were developed for data acquisition and online analysis, and for more advanced off-line processing of data acquired in list mode. The potential use of a scintillator coupled to the digitiser for the detection of both gamma-rays and neutrons has been demonstrated.JRC.D.4-Standards for Nuclear Safety, Security and Safeguard

A KD-trees based method for fast radiation source representation for virtual reality dosimetry applications in nuclear safeguards and security

[EN] With the aim of demonstrating the concrete advantages that novel technologies such as Virtual (VR) can provide to the nuclear industry, the authors of this paper have been working on the development of a VR based simulator of a gamma dose rate detector for training purposes, to be applied in the field of nuclear security and safety. Historically in nuclear science, simulating gamma dose rate transport has had a series of requirements, most importantly the accuracy of the computation. When embedding this dose rate computation in the environment of a VR based application, a second and opposing key requirement appears: real time performance. Meeting this requirement is only possible if a fast method to compute gamma radiation is used. In order to achieve this target the authors have been working in ways of improving the efficiency of the Point-Kernel method by reducing its computational effort. This paper presents the latest step in this pursuit of efficiency; a novel method based on a non-regular kernel approach, combined with a KD-tree based volume division method. Devised to reduce as much as possible the number of points that represent the volume of the source while aiming at retaining sufficient dose computation accuracy. (C) 2016 Elsevier Ltd. All rights reserved.This project is fully funded by the Institute of Transuranium Elements of the European Commission's Joint Research Centre, Ispra site, Italy.Moltó-Caracena, T.; Vendrell Vidal, E.; Goncalves, JG.; Peerani, P. (2017). A KD-trees based method for fast radiation source representation for virtual reality dosimetry applications in nuclear safeguards and security. Progress in Nuclear Energy. 95:78-83. https://doi.org/10.1016/j.pnucene.2016.12.001S78839

A variable point kernel dosimetry method for virtual reality simulation applications in nuclear safeguards and security

© 2013 IEEE. Personal use of this material is permitted. Permission from IEEE must be obtained for all other uses, in any current or future media, including reprinting/republishing this material for advertising or promotional purposes, creating new collective works, for resale or redistribution to servers or lists, or reuse of any copyrighted component of this work in other works.This paper presents an algorithm to calculate gamma dose rates intended for virtual reality (VR) applications. It dynamically adapts the method to cope with both accuracy and time requirements. Given the real-time constraints imposed by VR applications, more accurate, but computationally intensive stochastic algorithms (e.g., Monte Carlo) are not suited to this task. On the opposite end, a Point Kernel (PK) method can be effective in some cases with as little as one point (mono PK) to define a source, in contrast with the millions of points that Monte Carlo computes. Simple mono PK codes may lack the desired accuracy in some circumstances, requiring a more detailed source representation. In this work, a novel method is presented which automatically estimates the appropriate level of detail for a source's volumetric representation, then generates a non-regular mesh model and subsequently computes the dose rate via a PK method, performing this three-step process in real time.This work was supported by the European Commission's Joint Research Centre Ph.D. grant program.Moltó Caracena, T.; Gonçalves, JGM.; Peerani, P.; Vendrell Vidal, E. (2013). A variable point kernel dosimetry method for virtual reality simulation applications in nuclear safeguards and security. IEEE Transactions on Nuclear Science. 60(5):3862-3871. doi:10.1109/TNS.2013.2279411S3862387160

Development of IAEA High Level Guidelines for Designers and Operators - Safeguards-By-Design

At the end of 2008, the IAEA launched a new task on ¿Guidance for Designers and Operators and Measures to facilitate the implementation of Safeguards at Future Nuclear Cycle Facilities¿, contributed by EURATOM and other MS Support Programmes, whose goal is to formulate ¿safeguards by design¿, or SBD, Guidelines to designers and operators. SBD is a process that facilitates the implementation of international safeguards by taking into account requirements and guidelines very early in the design phase. To this scope, the legal framework and the interaction among the stake-holders need to be improved. The overall process can thus be made more effective and efficient without costly back-fitting and iterations. In this context, at the end of 2008, the IAEA launched a new task on ¿Guidance for Designers and Operators and Measures to facilitate the implementation of Safeguards at Future Nuclear Cycle Facilities¿, with contributions by EURATOM and other Member State Support Programmes (MSSP). A first set of high level guidelines of the IAEA Safeguards by Design series was drafted by EURATOM experts, and will be the basis for further improvements. This paper will develop on the contents of the document, as well as on methodological developments. Facility specific guidelines will have to be prepared to serve as reference for the design of new evolutionary and innovative facilities. All this will be achieved within useful deadlines with the contributions of other support programmes.JRC.DG.E.9-Nuclear security (Ispra

Illicit Trafficking Radiation Assessment Program (ITRAP+10) Test campaign summary report

The Illicit Trafficking Radiation Assessment Program (ITRAP+10) is a program initiated by the European Union and the United States to evaluate the performance of available commercial radiation detection equipment against consensus standards. Through ITRAP+10, the international partners worked to ensure that testing standards are clearly defined, comprehensive and realistic in order to provide decision makers and private sector stakeholders with reliable detection system performance information as well as possible methods to enhance equipment performance. To ensure the review of commercial equipment would be relevant to the global commons, the European Commission Directorate General for Home Affairs (EC-HOME), the Joint Research Centre (EC-JRC), the U.S. Department of Homeland Security Domestic Nuclear Detection Office (US-DHS DNDO), the U.S. Department of Energy (US-DOE), and the International Atomic Energy Agency (IAEA) agreed to collaborate on the conduct of the ITRAP+10 test campaign and share in the design of the tests, their execution, and the analysis of the data. This summary report aims at making the results of the ITRAP+10 test campaign available to the international community. It includes an overview of the ITRAP+10 test program, a summary of test results across the nine classes of instruments (tested by US-DHS DNDO and by EC-JRC) with scientific and technical data, and information about the manufacturers of the instruments tested. Moreover, it also takes into account the discussion of the standards used for testing and the feedback provided to the standards community to help with the standards' revisions.JRC.A.7-Euratom Coordinatio

Nuclear Safeguards R&D and Innovation at the JRC

Nuclear safeguards are from the very origin of the Joint Research Centre (JRC), and as enshrined in the EURATOM Treaty, a key duty of the European Commission and a field in which JRC has a fully unique position in Europe. In this area JRC is an un-replaceable R&D partner of Euratom safeguards authority and IAEA through its very extensive support programme. The JRC R&D safeguards programme aims in one hand at maintaining traditional safeguards at level so that deterrence to diversion from civil cycle remains high, taking into account that more installations will need to be safeguarded by EU and international authorities. This relies on development of advanced NDA, DA and CS techniques, full remote and unattended (authenticated) technology and stringent quality systems in measurements and results delivery. In another hand the RD programme put more focus on material flows in sensitive uranium and spent fuel handling facilities and use of fingerprinting techniques to cover diversion scenarios and more performing and accurate environmental sampling techniques and traces analysis. Open-source analysis and development of new tools and methodologies for the control of Import/export are areas where the effort is also increased. In the JRC R&D programme a special attention is also given to the development of accountancy and safeguards concepts for advanced fuel cycles (GenIV) as well as proliferation resistance methodology. This scientific/technical work is encompassed by appropriate training activities. This paper is about some of the new R&D and innovation activities of the JRC as part of the EU contribution to the implementation of effective nuclear safeguards inside and outside the EU.JRC.E.9-Nuclear security (Ispra

Integration of Nuclear Safeguards and Security at the JRC

At political level, security and safeguards remain in separate hands. Safeguards are implemented by international and national authorities through an international treaty, while security is an important national responsibility. At a technical level the synergies between safeguards and security lead to their integration allowing better optimization of the resources and important benefit from exchange of experience and expertise between the two systems. In this paper, we will illustrate this integration process between nuclear security and safeguards. Many examples will be presented such as: non destructive assay (NDA) in nuclear safeguard /detection and identification of illicit nuclear and radioactive materials, destructive analysis (DA) and environmental sampling in nuclear safeguards/ nuclear forensic, use of seals in nuclear security for containers, combined camera and gamma/neutron source for source localisation in luggage, Open source information, export controls are also areas were the integration is possible.JRC.E.9-Nuclear security (Ispra

A Compact PC Cluster for Monte Carlo Simulations at JRC-Ispra

At the JRC Ispra, Monte Carlo simulation programs like MCNP and MCNP-PTA are becoming more and more a fundamental tool in the design of new neutron coincidence counters and neutron multiplicity counters. These programs also provide an alternative way for the calibration of these neutron counters for the assay of new sample materials, without the need of new nuclear reference materials. A new PC Cluster has been built to satisfy the increasing demand of computing power, which had the following design requirements: high speed processors, large memory size per node, compact dimensions, high reliability, easy to use, and provide ways for future expansions/upgrades. This paper reports on the design, realisation and performances of the new cluster. Also discussed are the choice of the Operating System (Linux) and various aspects of the software required for running MCNP and MCNP-PTA in parallel with Parallel Virtual Machine (PVM).JRC.G.8-Nuclear safeguard

Performance of an Active Well Coincidence Counter for HEU samples

Neutron coincidence counting is the reference NDA technique used in nuclear safeguards to measure the mass of nuclear material in samples. For high-enriched uranium (HEU) samples active neutron interrogation is generally performed and the most common device used by nuclear inspectors is the Active Well Coincidence Counter (AWCC). Within her master thesis at the Polytechnic of Milan, the first author performed an intensive study on the characteristics and performances of the AWCC in order to assess the 235U mass in HEU oxide samples at the PERLA laboratory of JRC. The work has been summarised in this paper that starts with the optimisation of the use of AWCC for nuclear safeguards, describing the calibration procedure, reporting results of a series of verification measurements, summarising the performances that can be obtained with this instruments during inspections at fuel production plants and concluding with the discussion of uncertainties related to these measurements.JRC.DG.G.8-Nuclear securit