TAMU Nuclear Nonproliferation Research Claudio Gariazzo Nuclear - - PowerPoint PPT Presentation

TAMU Nuclear Nonproliferation Research

Claudio Gariazzo Nuclear Security Science & Policy Institute Texas A&M University College Station, TX 77843‐3133

NSSPI Mission

• We employ science, engineering, and policy expertise to:

– Conduct research & development to help detect, prevent, and reverse nuclear and radiological proliferation and guard against nuclear terrorism – Educate the next generation of nuclear security leaders – Analyze the relationship between policy and technology in the field of nuclear security – Serve as a public resource for knowledge and skills to reduce nuclear threats

• NSSPI seeks multi‐disciplinary technological solutions to

problems associated with the malevolent use of nuclear and radiological materials and integrating these technologies within a policy framework

NSSPI Campus and Customer Engagement

• NSSPI engages with colleges and departments across TAMU

– Engineering, Science, Geosciences, Liberal Arts, Bush School, Agriculture and Life Sciences

• NSSPI customers include

– DoD/DTRA, DHS/DNDO, DOE/NNSA, State Department, NRC – IAEA, CEIP – ZelTech, AREVA, SAIC, Luminant

NSSPI Array of Activities

Students

• Graduate and UG courses in

safeguards, security, and safety

• Program emphasizes both science

and policy concerns

• Founded first INMM student chapter

Hands‐on Safeguards Education

• Short courses at National

Laboratories

• Direct, practical experience with

safeguards technology

Workshops

• Domestic and international
• Global nuclear security topics

Research

• Innovative research on all aspects of

safeguards, security, and nonproliferation

Faculty / Scientist Exchange

• NSSPI faculty travel to the National

Labs to teach courses

• National Lab researchers maintain

joint faculty appointments

International Collaborations

• International programs and

education support

• INMM and ESARDA conferences and

workshops

Informing the Public

• Paulo’s Corner daily news digest‐

news and research on global nuclear issues

• Searchable database of articles on

NSSPI website

Distance Education

• Lectures given to international

students through video conferencing

• Nuclear Safeguards Education Portal

(NSEP)

Nonproliferation Education

• TAMU has one of the most robust technical

nonproliferation education programs in the world

• Program includes:

– graduate and undergraduate courses – Accredited MS degree in Nuclear Engineering with a specialization in Nuclear Nonproliferation – Interdisciplinary nuclear forensics certificate – Tabletop exercises involving political and technical aspects of global nuclear security

• Other facts:

– Approximately 35 students in the program – Over 50 M.S. and 14 Ph.D. degrees awarded since the inception of NSSPI

Selected Courses

• NUEN 605 – Radiation Detection and

Nuclear Materials Measurement

• NUEN 650 – Nuclear

Nonproliferation and Arms Control

• NUEN 651 – Nuclear Fuel Cycles and

Nuclear Material Safeguards

• NUEN 656 – Critical Analysis of

Nuclear Security Data

• NUEN 489 – Nuclear Security System

Design

• CHEM 689 – Radiochemistry and

Nuclear Forensics

• MATH 644 – Inverse Problems in

Nuclear Forensics

Selected Courses

• NUEN 605 – Radiation Detection and

Nuclear Materials Measurement

• NUEN 650 – Nuclear

Nonproliferation and Arms Control

• NUEN 651 – Nuclear Fuel Cycles and

Nuclear Material Safeguards

• NUEN 656 – Critical Analysis of

Nuclear Security Data

• NUEN 489 – Nuclear Security System

Design

• CHEM 689 – Radiochemistry and

Nuclear Forensics

• MATH 644 – Inverse Problems in

Nuclear Forensics

International Engagement

• NSSPI is heavily involved in

international activities

– Observer status at the IAEA General Conference – Research collaborations with Russia, France, India, and Japan – Educational collaborations in UAE, Russia, India, UK, Japan, Malaysia, Indonesia, Jordan – Nuclear Facilities Experience for students in Japan, UK, France

Research

Combating Nuclear Terrorism

A framework for detecting smuggled HEU, etc.

Nuclear Forensics and Attribution

Rapid attribution with XRF, spent fuel forensics, etc.

Safeguards Systems & Instrument Development

Pu measurement in spent fuel, IAEA instruments, etc.

Proliferation Risk Analysis

Proliferation pathways analysis tools, nuclear latency, etc.

Ensuring the Peaceful Use of Nuclear Energy

Development of high density LEU fuels, proliferation resistance methodologies, etc.

Arms Control

Analysis of the U.S.‐India Nuclear Cooperation Agreement, etc.

NSSPI Research Program Areas

 Projects focus on small

teams with multiple disciplines in each team, typically with at least one policy expert per team:

• Engineering (nuclear,

mechanical, electrical, chemical, industrial, and computer science)

• Mathematics and Statistics
• Physics
• Chemistry
• Political & Social Science
• International Affairs
• Agricultural and Life Sciences

Safeguards Instrumentation Development

• PWR dry cask storage remote

monitoring system

• CANDU dry cask re‐verification
• TMFD for inline Pu measurements

at aqueous reprocessing plants

• SINRD for pyroprocessing materials
• Active interrogation DDA and

neutron coincidence counting

• Epithermal neutron multiplicity

counter for MOX materials

• Spent fuel safeguards

– NRF, XRF, PG – SINRD, PNAR, CIPN

Spent Fuel Safeguards

• Combined SINRD‐PNAR

instrument developed with LANL

– Designed by LANL and TAMU – Built by LANL – Measured spent fuel in Japan in June 2013 with JAEA

Forensics

• Pre‐detonation

– Signature development for low‐ burnup CANDU and LMFBR Pu – Analytical inverse models for research reactor and commercial power reactor spent fuel samples – Analysis of trace U isotopes in

• re samples
• Post‐detonation

– Preprocessor for rapid analysis of HEU and Pu IND’s – Field sampling unit for in‐field alpha‐spec measurements – Integration of prompt diagnostic with radiochemical flowsheet – Estimate the deterrence value of forensics and attribution

Reactor Analysis

• Simulate actinide and fission product inventories (with

systematic and random error component estimates) of irradiated fuels for various reactor systems using linked MCNP/ORIGEN

– LWR, CANDU, LMFBR, NRX, PBMR, and SMR

Combatting Nuclear Smuggling

• Strategic analysis of smugglers
• Analysis of environmental effects
• Analysis of background signatures
• Detector systems development

Consequence Management

• The resources and equipment

required to evaluate and mitigate radioactive contamination over a large area

– This includes land areas, people and agriculture

• Research

– Developing of portals and techniques to detect radiation on livestock – Evaluation of radionuclide deposition resulting from Fukushima – Evaluating potential doses received to search and rescue dogs while working in contaminated areas

Novel Detection Systems

• Research areas

– Developing a new type of field multichannel analyzer

• Use 3 orders of magnitude less

power

• Improved computer control

– Integrated Circuit detectors

• Charged particles
• Neutrons
• Gammas

– Flat Crystal spectrometers for XRF

• Use crystals to isolate energies
• Improved signal‐to‐noise ratio of

direct XRF measurements

Robotics and Radiation Detection

• All Hazard robots may not be

best for high radiation environments

• Developing specialized robots

to:

– Take and transmit spectra from extreme radiation environments – Ability to take and analyze samples on board remote vehicle

Nonproliferation Assessments

• Proliferation risk analysis with

MAUA

• Proliferator game analysis using

agent‐based modeling

• Terrorism risk analysis using

pathways models for State level nuclear security risks

• Latency assessments using Petri

Net simulations

• Bayesian analysis for assessment
• f nuclear trade and blackmarket

impacts

Selected Recent Theses and Dissertations

• B. Goddard, “Quantitative NDA Measurements of

Advanced Reprocessing Product Materials Containing U, Np, Pu, and Am” (2013)

• M. Grypp, “An Analysis of a Spreader Bar Crane

Mounted Gamma‐Ray Radiation Detect...” (2013)

• Matt Sternat, “Development of Technical Nuclear

Forensics for Spent Research Reactor Fuel” (2012)

• Chris Myers, “Quantitative Methodology for

Assessing State Level Nuclear Security…” (2012)

• N. Chandregowda, “Assessment of … Verification of

Spent Fuel in MACSTOR KN‐400 CANDU..” (2012)

• C. Conchewski, “Physical Security System Sensitivity

to DBT Perturbations” (2012)

• A. Goodsell, “Flat Quartz‐Crystal X‐Ray Spectrometer

for Nuclear Forensics…” (2012)

• A. LaFleur, “Development of SINRD to Measure … in

Nuclear Fuel” (2011)

• E.T. Gitau, “Safeguards Approach for Pebble Bed

Reactors” (2011)

• M. Mella, “Proliferation Pathways Analysis for State‐

Level Proliferation” (2011)

• C. Ryan, “Determining the Impact of Concrete … for

Radiation Portal Monitoring Systems” (2011)

• G. Hundley, “Nuclear Terrorism Pathways Analysis”

(2010)

• A. Stafford, “SNF Self‐Induced XRF To Predict Pu To U

Content” (2010)

• K. Miller, “An Inverse Source … for Radiation Portal

Monitor Applications” (2010)

• J. Feener, “Safeguards For Uranium Extraction

(UREX) +1A Process” (2010)

• R. Metcalf, “New Tool for Proliferation Resistance

Evaluation …” (2009)

• C. Freeman, “Bayesian Network Analysis of Nuclear

Acquisitions” (2008)

• A. Thornton, “Development of a Portable Neutron

Coincidence Counter for Field Measurements …” (2008)

• D.G. Ford, “Assessment Tool for Nuclear Weapon

Acquisition Pathways” (2008)

• …

Conclusions

• NSSPI is an incredibly capable and productive group working

in a vibrant and growing area of research and education

• Our greatest strength is our ability to connect across the

TAMU campus but with a strong focus on nuclear engineering and the operational policy aspects

Questions?