The Next R&D Topics in Safeguards - Research in Support of Nuclear Material Accountancy

The Offices of Defense Nuclear Nonproliferation Research and Development (DNN R&D) and Nonproliferation and Arms Control (DNN NPAC) support and test advanced technologies to address needs in international safeguards. The uses of these technologies are envisioned to be the detection and characterization of special nuclear materials in support of ongoing nuclear materials accounting (NMA) protocols. These goals align with a technology goal of the International Atomic Energy’s Long Term Strategy for 2012-2023 “to improve the Department’s technical capabilities by making use of scientific and technological innovation, and to enhance its readiness to safeguard new nuclear technology and support new verification missions.” Toward that end, DNN R&D and NPAC work closely to enable development and testing of new and advanced technologies in realistic and relevant environments. The focus of this paper is the role and long term impact of several new and upcoming technologies on the practice and effectiveness of international safeguards. The emphasis will not be on specific instruments or measurements, but on more general approaches and issues. The discussion is intended to focus on the “next big things” rather than current problems. The context of this discussion is improvements in future safeguards practice as well as NMA protocols. Issues discussed will include unattended monitoring, in particular remote process monitoring. Field analysis of processes, nuclear materials and environmental samples will also be covered. Both of these approaches will require gathering and interpreting large datasets. Successful development, testing and deployment of these approaches could improve the effectiveness and efficiency of inspections and inspector effort.