Off-Site Monitoring of Nuclear Fuel Reprocessing Plants for Nuclear Weapons Proliferation
Abstract
Techniques for off-site monitoring of foreign nuclear fuel reprocessing plants for indications of nuclear weapons proliferation are examined. Air sampling of the reprocessing plant exhaust plume and remote sensing of the stack exhaust by infrared absorption spectrometry and differential absorption LIDAR are considered. The fission product ratios: xenon/ krypton, xenon/Kr-85, Xe-136/Kr-85, and I-129/I-127 are shown to be positive indicators of nuclear weapons proliferation. Off-site monitoring by air sampling alone cannot establish the fission product ratios with sufficient accuracy or certainty to detect Pu-239 isolation or U-233 production. Detection of highly burned-up LWR fuel by air sampling appears possible under favorable plant discharge and meteorological conditions. Remote sensing of the stack discharge by infrared absorption spectrometry for HI129 and HI127 appears feasible at a distance of 1 kilometer. Measurement of xenon and krypton concentrations at stack discharge using either infrared absorption spectrometry or differential absorption LIDAR is not feasible. (Author)
Document Details
- Document Type
- Technical Report
- Publication Date
- Jan 01, 1980
- Accession Number
- ADA083518
Entities
People
- Lawrence G. Karch
Organizations
- Air Force Institute of Technology