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Prospects for the introduction of wide area monitoring using environmental sampling for proliferation detection

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Abstract

The International Atomic Energy Agency (IAEA) is committed to strengthening and streamlining the overall effectiveness of the IAEA safeguards system within the context of the Non-Proliferation Treaty (NPT). The IAEA has investigated the use of environmental monitoring techniques and a variety of techniques were studied as part of extensive field trials. The efficacy of long-range monitoring depends on the availability of mobile signature isotopes or compounds and on the ability to distinguish the nuclear signatures from background signals and attribute them to a source. The Comprehensive Nuclear Test Ban Treaty (CTBT) also requires a variety of environmental sampling and analysis techniques. This paper serves as a scientific basis to start discussions of environmental sampling techniques that could be considered for wide-area monitoring for the detection of undeclared nuclear activities within the NPT or for the possible future use within the CTBT.

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  1. Pacific Northwest National Laboratory, P.O. Box 999, Richland, WA, 99352, USA

    Ned A. Wogman

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  1. Ned A. Wogman
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Correspondence to Ned A. Wogman.

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Wogman, N.A. Prospects for the introduction of wide area monitoring using environmental sampling for proliferation detection. J Radioanal Nucl Chem 296, 1071–1077 (2013). https://doi.org/10.1007/s10967-012-2076-4

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  • DOI: https://doi.org/10.1007/s10967-012-2076-4

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