Cosmic Ray Muon Radiography Applications in Safeguards and Arms Control

TL;DR

This paper discusses how cosmic ray muon radiography, a passive technique using naturally occurring particles, can be applied to verify nuclear safeguards and arms control by imaging dense, shielded objects.

Contribution

It introduces the application of muon radiography to safeguards and arms control, highlighting its advantages over traditional radiographic methods.

Findings

Muons can penetrate dense, shielded objects for internal imaging.

Muon radiography offers a passive, non-invasive inspection method.

Applications include verification of nuclear and arms control treaties.

Abstract

Muons are the most penetrating radiographic probe that exists today. These elementary particles possess a unique combination of physical properties that allows them to pass through dense, heavily shielded objects that are opaque to typical photon/neutron probes, and emerge with useful radiographic information on the object'sinternal substructure. Interactions of cosmic rays in the Earth's upper atmosphere provide a constant, natural source of muons that can be used for passive interrogation, eliminating the need for artificial sources of radiation. These proceedings discuss specific applications of muon radiography in nuclear safeguards and arms control treaty verification.