Verification of spent nuclear fuel in sealed dry storage casks via measurements of cosmic ray muon scattering

TL;DR

This paper demonstrates that cosmic ray muon scattering measurements can non-invasively verify the presence of spent nuclear fuel in sealed storage casks, addressing a key challenge in nuclear safeguards.

Contribution

It introduces a novel application of muon scattering techniques from particle physics to verify sealed nuclear fuel casks without opening them.

Findings

Muon scattering angles indicate missing fuel assemblies.

Experimental validation shows potential for safeguard applications.

Method can distinguish between full and empty casks.

Abstract

Most of the plutonium in the world resides inside spent nuclear reactor fuel rods. This high-level radioactive waste is commonly held in long-term storage within large, heavily shielded casks. Currently, international nuclear safeguards inspectors have no stand-alone method of verifying the amount of reactor fuel stored within a sealed cask. Here we demonstrate experimentally that measurements of the scattering angles of cosmic ray muons which pass through a storage cask can be used to determine if spent fuel assemblies are missing without opening the cask. This application of technology and methods commonly used in high-energy particle physics provides a potential solution to this long-standing problem in international nuclear safeguards.