Cosmic Ray Muon Radiography Applications in Safeguards and Arms Control

Muons are the most penetrating radiographic probe that exists today. These elementary particles possess a unique combination of physical properties that allows them to pass through dense, heavily shielded objects that are opaque to typical photon/neutron probes, and emerge with useful radiographic information on the object’s internal substructure. Interactions of cosmic rays in the Earth’s upper atmosphere provide a constant, natural source of muons that can be used for passive interrogation, eliminating the need for artificial sources of radiation. In this talk, we will discuss muon radiography techniques in general, and focus on specific applications in nuclear safeguards (including recent measurements on spent fuel in a dry storage cask) and arms control treaty verification.