Source Term Analysis in Support of Safeguards Approaches for Uranium Conversion Facilities

Advanced safeguards approaches require an analysis of activities that may be undertaken looking at the nuclear fuel cycle in its entirety. One example is uranium conversion facilities that are necessary to condition nuclear materials for feed to enrichment processes or for use in reactors. Estimates of nuclear source terms (neutron and gamma-ray) have been performed in support of defining new measurement approaches to support enhanced and integrated safeguards. Source terms were analyzed for nuclear materials in feed and process streams as well as final products. The capability for enhanced safeguards based on neutron and gamma-ray nondestructive assay monitoring from locations throughout the process was evaluated.