Active Thermal Standoff Inspection for Physical Authentication

Arms control and nuclear safeguards inspection regimes require rapid and confident determinations that associated equipment and facilities are authentic and free from tampering. Each party must be able to detect counterfeit items or facility alterations that might enable treaty subversion. We report on an initial investigation of an active standoff thermal inspection technology, flash thermography, to support arms control and safeguards inspection regimes. We wish to use this approach to help establish the physical integrity of equipment and structures associated with disarmament operations. Periodic inspections must assure the integrity of large structures such as room pipe and duct networks, process containers, and process gloveboxes, since undetected alterations (wall penetrations or hidden ports) may allow material diversion. Inspection to detect tampering or alteration of smaller monitoring equipment such as cabinets, housings, and communications conduit is necessary to support confidence the authenticity of their data and deter material interception. Dismantlement gloveboxes, structural elements, and equipment enclosures must be subject to thorough inspection for subtle alterations to assure confidence in nuclear dismantlement operations. At present, technology for rapid sensing of physical tampering is not available; a broadly applicable standoff method is challenging, since the materials and surfaces in question vary considerably in complexity, composition, and size.