Augmenting Proliferation Resistance Assessment through Adversary Pathway Analysis

A method for enhancing attribute analysis-based methods for proliferation resistance (PR) evaluation is proposed in this paper. This method, hereafter referred to as “Adversary Pathway Analysis” (APA), is based upon an evaluation of both a characterization of the resources available to a potential malefactor and their intended target material in a nuclear energy system. The effect of adversary type and target pathway is evaluated with respect to the intrinsic PR of a variety of nuclear fuel cycle configurations, to both evaluate the impact of adversary type and target, as well as the sensitivity of PR to cycle operational parameters contingent upon the chosen adversary pathway.