Radiation Based Integrated Unattended Monitoring Systems

The International Atomic Energy Agency (IAEA) Department of Safeguards uses integrated unattended monitoring systems to collect safeguards data from facilities around the world in the absence of an inspector. Radiation detectors and cameras take data from the facility, and the instruments allow for the reliable storage and communication of secure, authenticated data. These integrated systems have a collect computer that collects and stores data from the instruments. All data can then be reviewed to verify the facility’s compliance with international safeguards agreements. An integrated unattended monitoring system used for testing at portal 4 of the Vienna International Center is used as an example. This system is used to illustrate one possible architecture of an integrated unattended monitoring system and to discuss the introduction of gamma spectroscopy into IAEA integrated unattended monitoring systems.