Year
2016
Abstract
Sandia National Laboratories (SNL) has a long history of contributions to international nuclear safeguards. From the beginning of the U.S. support program to the International Atomic Energy Agency (IAEA) in the late 1970’s, Sandia has used its advanced systems engineering capabilities to provide subject matter expertise and develop technology to strengthen the safeguards regime. In this paper, we discuss the capabilities and technologies Sandia has developed over the last four decades to contribute to the field of international nuclear safeguards. In our view, safeguards is fundamentally an information system, potentially at risk of being deceived if a State were to attempt to divert material or hide clandestine activity. It is the critical need for dependable and secure information that is the unifying theme for Sandia’s contributions to international safeguards. Sandia’s strengths include information management, equipment security, containment and surveillance (C/S) measures, unattended and remote monitoring, and safeguards for geological repositories. As one of the largest multi-program laboratories in the U.S., Sandia draws upon substantial core research and development capabilities across a wide range of fundamental science and engineering disciplines. Sandia’s safeguards work is supported principally by the National Nuclear Security Administration’s (NNSA) Next Generation Safeguards Initiative (NGSI). Sandia often collaborates with other U.S. national laboratories in developing safeguards solutions. International partners include Argentina, Brazil, Japan, South Korea, France, Germany, the United Arab Emirates, and the European Atomic Energy Community (Euratom). Sandia also supports the safeguards mission of the International Atomic Energy Agency (IAEA) through the U.S. Program of Technical Assistance to IAEA Safeguards (POTAS). This work advances state- of-the art safeguards technology and helps ensure the cradle-to-grave surety of safeguards information.