Use of data from environmental sampling for IAEA safeguards. Case study: Uranium with near-natural ~(235)U abundance

摘要

Environmental sampling (ES) is one of the measures applied in international nuclear safeguards. The detection capability of safeguards ES relies on a combination of highly sensitive analytical techniques and resourceful data evaluation. The evaluation process is dynamic, employing a variety of tools, information and analytical results. While the presence of uranium or plutonium may be a significant finding in itself, high quality isotopic measurements are essential to associate the material with a specific nuclear activity. This is illustrated in cases where the uranium detected appears to be "natural" or "near-natural", but in fact can be identified with various nuclear processes.