Facility Measurements

Abstract

Measurements are the basis of accounting for inventories and transfers and provide assurance that no nuclear material is missing. They provide information on quantities, isotopic composition and weight percent determination of nuclear material in given locations which is essential to determining category levels and protection requirements. Los Alamos National Laboratory (LANL) uses confirmatory and verification measurements to meet DOE requirements when moving or processing material on External Receipts, External Shipments, Internal Transfers, Processing, and Physical Inventories. This presentation provides details on what type of measurement is required based on several factors. These factors include but are not limited to Category of the Material, application of Tamper Indicating Devices (TID), application of the measurement, and graded safeguards. These elements are part of the overall MC&A program required to effectively control and account for nuclear materials. LANL depends on multiple organizations to take the measurements and monitor the controls of instruments required to have an effective program. The MC&A group does oversight and control of all standards and instruments. The NDA group manages the day-to-day measurement control activities and does NDA measurements while the operations people use balances in their day-to-day processing. Confirmatory and Verification measurements are used throughout the nuclear material life cycle to verify inventories and detect theft or diversion of nuclear materials.