Developing an Analytical Plan –

Reveal

November 2015| Daejeon, Republic of Korea

Fictional materials overview

Sample number Form Interdiction location

ES-2 Powder Airport, Texas

ES-1 Fuel pellet Residence Texas

ES-3 Fuel pellet Frankfurt, Germany

 Materials origin

Consisted of two separate batches of high-fired, low enriched uranium oxide (LEU UO2)
pellets:
— One Batch (A) was enriched 12 February 2002 (2.2% 235U).
— Another Batch (B) was enriched to 2.9% 235U - produced sometime between 2002
and 2007.

Pellets were originally produced as targets in the production of medical radioisotopes.

ES2 (powder) came from Batch B - crushed and partially oxidized in a tube furnace.
ES1 (pellet) came from Batch B.
ES3 (pellet) came from Batch A.
Materials preparation: powder sample (ES2)

Enrichment: 2.9%

Mass: ~ 2.4g

Pellet was first ground in a

bench top mill, then
Powder preparation, continued…

heated in a tube furnace to oxidize.

Authorities request your laboratory to use technical
nuclear forensics to determine:

1. Do the seized materials contain uranium?

ANALYTICAL PLAN
DEVELOPMENT

Yes No

Outside scope
of exercise
3.
2. What is the
Similarities/differences
enrichment level?
between samples?

Yes

4. Do they originate from the same

facility/process/batch?
 Exercise questions

1. Do the seized materials contain uranium?

 Exercise questions

1. Do the seized materials contain uranium?

 Exercise questions

1. Do the seized materials contain uranium? Yes

2. If yes, what is the enrichment level?
 Exercise questions

1. Do the seized materials contain uranium? Yes

2. If yes, what is the enrichment level?
 Exercise questions

1. Do the seized materials contain uranium? Yes

2. If yes, what is the enrichment level? 2.2 and 2.9 at.% U235
3. What are the similarities and differences between the
samples?
 Exercise questions

1. Do the seized materials contain uranium? Yes

2. If yes, what is the enrichment level? 2.2 and 2.9 at.% U235
3. What are the similarities and differences between the
samples?
4. Do they originate from the same facility/process/batch?
 Exercise questions

1. Do the seized materials contain uranium? Yes

2. If yes, what is the enrichment level? 2.2 and 2.9 at.% U235
3. What are the similarities and differences between the
samples?
4. Do they originate from the same facility/process/batch?

ES1 and ES2 originate from the same facility,

process and batch.
ES3 originates from the same facility, but not
the same process or batch.
In summary

Samples from Batch B

(2.9% U235)
ES1
Sample from Batch A
(2.2% U235)
Similar process as Batch
B

ES2
ES3
Questions?