JAEA Development Programs of Advanced Technologies of Measurement and Detection of Nuclear Material for Safeguards and Security

The Integrated Support Center for Nuclear Nonproliferation and Nuclear Security (“ISCN”, hereafter) of Japan Atomic Energy Agency (JAEA) was established in December, 2010 under the sponsorship of Japanese government (MEXT:Ministry of Education, Culture, Sports, Science and Technology). ISCN has development programs of advanced technologies for measurement and detection of nuclear materials for nuclear safeguards and security, in addition to its functions of “assistance for human resources development and capacity buildings”, “institutional infrastructure development and technical support” and “international cooperation and collaboration”. ISCN started development programs of the following advanced technologies from its beginning. (1) NRF (Nuclear Resonance Fluorescence) NDA technology using laser Compton scattering (LCS) gamma-rays (2) Alternative to 3He neutron detection technology using inorganic solid scintillator. Program (1) is for development of a NRF NDA system for precise quantitative measurement of 239Pu (and any actinide isotopes in spent fuel and vitrified waste etc.) with a LCS gamma-ray (mono-energetic gamma-ray) source based on a superconducting energy recovery linac (ERL). Program (2) is for development of alternative to 3He neutron detectors using solid scintillation material. ISCN is also going to conduct a demonstration test of a spent fuel Pu-NDA system that is to be developed by LANL (Los Alamos National Laboratory) using very sophisticated neutron measurement technologies. This demonstration will use Fugen spent fuel assemblies after conclusion of a JAEA/USDOE cooperation agreement relating the demonstration test. This paper presents the development programs of ISCN.