Analytical Methods in Nuclear Forensics

Wider adoption of nuclear energy as a clean energy source to meet the energy security and climate strategy goals of several countries brings additional proliferation concerns regarding special nuclear materials. Under the leadership of the International Atomic Energy Agency (IAEA), the nuclear safeguards community has developed analytical tools to provide credible assurance that nuclear materials under regulatory control are not diverted from their declared peaceful uses and that obligations under international safeguard agreements are being met. The primary aims of nuclear forensic investigations is to determine the history and origin of the nuclear material found to be out of regulatory control, to identify the process within the nuclear fuel cycle from which the material originated, and to identify the parties involved, with the ultimate goal of figuring out the intended use of the material in question.

A large variety of analytical methods have been developed to interrogate nuclear materials found to be out of regulatory control. These include both destructive and non-destructive assay techniques to determine the major element content and isotopic composition, minor isotope composition, trace element content, and elemental and isotopic composition of multiple parent/daughter isotopic systems to decipher the radio-chronometric ages of the materials. Concordance/discordance of these radio-chronometric ages can provide insightful information on the history of the material.

This Research Topic is focused on highlighting analytical techniques used in nuclear forensics. Contributions centered on recent developments in analytical methodologies used in nuclear forensic investigations with an aim to elucidate the history of the material that was found to be out of regulatory control are especially welcomed.

Contributions in the following areas are within the scope of this Research Topic:
• analytical tools that are deterministic in establishing provenance of special nuclear materials, including uranium and plutonium materials
• high fidelity mass spectrometric measurements of the isotopic abundances of major matrix and of the minor elements produced by decay
• trace element contents of the nuclear material providing diagnostic clues to the origin and processing history of the material

Keywords: nuclear reactors, nuclear forensics, nuclear fuel cycle, chronometric ages, uranium, plutonium, mixed oxides, uranium ore concentrate, reactor processes, actinide elements, nuclear safeguards

Important Note: All contributions to this Research Topic must be within the scope of the section and journal to which they are submitted, as defined in their mission statements. Frontiers reserves the right to guide an out-of-scope manuscript to a more suitable section or journal at any stage of peer review.