Technical and International Considerations for Nuclear Forensics

Technical and International Considerations for Nuclear Forensics Brett Isselhardt University of California, Berkeley Lawrence Livermore National Laboratory

Project on Nuclear Issues Capstone Conference December 2, 2008 Department of Nuclear Engineering, University of California, Berkeley

Nuclear Forensics Characterizing unknown nuclear material with the expectation of revealing its source, history, or route for use in attributing responsibility. Three stages of technical forensic process: 1. Characterize material  Generates data (numbers with uncertainties) 2. Comparison to databases  Categorization 3. Combination of classes Reduce possible endpoints

Characterization

Comparison to database

Combination of information

Department of Nuclear Engineering, University of California, Berkeley

Nuclear Attribution Interdiction/ Detonation

• Characterization • Forensics – “Known” signatures • Characteristics that distinguish one material from another. • Comparative samples • Predictive models – Source, Processes, and Route – Intelligence – Nuclear Forensics – Traditional Forensics

Medium High

Material

– Scientific methods (experiments) – Physical, chemical, and isotopic.

• Attribution

Degree of Sensitivity Low

Characterization Methods

Scientific Data

Signatures

Forensics Methods

Intelligence

Forensics Data

Attribution Department of Nuclear Engineering, University of California, Berkeley

Characterization Experimental measurements produce numbers with uncertainties: Major Elemental Composition

Minor Elements

Stable Isotopes

Structure

Isotope Abundances

Trace Elements (