NMIS plus gamma spectroscopy for attributes of HEU, PU and HE detection

Abstract A combined nuclear materials identification system–gamma ray spectrometry system can be used passively to obtain the following attributes of Pu: presence, fissile mass, 240/239 ratio and metal versus oxide. This system can also be used with a small, portable, DT neutron generator to measure the attributes of highly enriched uranium (HEU): presence, fissile mass, enrichment, metal versus oxide; and detect the presence of high explosives (HE). For the passive system, time-dependent coincidence distributions can be used for the presence, fissile mass, metal versus oxide for Pu, 240/239 ratio, and gamma ray spectrometry can also be used for 240/239 ratio and presence, allowing presence and 240/239 ratio to be confirmed by two methods. For the active system with a DT neutron generator, all relevant attributes for both Pu and HEU can be determined from various features of the time-dependent coincidence distribution measurements. Active gamma ray spectrometry would determine the presence of HE. The various features of time-dependent coincidence distributions and gamma ray spectrometry that determine these attributes are discussed with some examples from previous determinations.