Материал: Крючков Фундаменталс оф Нуцлеар Материалс Пхысицал Протецтион 2011

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FOREWORD

This book provides systematic explanation of the principles of Accounting, Control and Physical Protection of Nuclear Materials (NM AC&PP) and may serve as a teaching aid and a methodological guide to support instruction in discipline 140309 “Security and Non-Proliferation of Nuclear Materials”. The book consists of three part s. Part 1 deals with the objectives and conditions of developing NM AC&PP systems in the context of non-proliferation. Analysis of the main processes, of nuclear material forms and flows in a nuclear fuel cycle, is basic to studying the possible methods and procedures of NM AC&PP. Part 1 will also give an overview of the associated legal framework and key regulatory documents. It addresses the international safeguards and their interfaces with national non-proliferation programs. Basic knowledge is provided concerning the program for developing the national non-proliferation safeguards system in Russia and its foundation, to wit – accounting, con trol and physical protection of nuclear materials. Special consideration is given to the approach of safeguards categorization and to the concept of NM protection in depth. The objectives and forms of integrated accounting, control and physical protection are discussed.

Part 2 of this teaching aid deals with the principles designed into modern systems of NP accounting and control (A&CS). It addresses two levels of this system: federal and operational. This book highlights the notions basic to the modern material balance measurement system and identifies the A&CS components at the facility level. The statistical nature of nuclear material data is demonstrated. As the discussion proceeds, the key terms are introduced, defined and explained using examples for illustration, and the A&CS components are described. Considerable attention is given to the issues related to automation of accounting and control operations.

Part 3 gives a brief account of physical protection as applied to nuclear materials and installations.

This teaching aid will be helpful not only to those who are studying the subjects of security and non-proliferation of nuclear materials, but also to all higher school students receiving instruction in disciplines related to nuclear engineering, as well as to all those who seek basic knowledge of safe management of nuclear materials.

The authors extend their sincere gratitude to A.N. Rumyantsev, V.M. Shmelyov, V.A. Apse, A.N. Shmelyov, and E.V. Petrova for their help,

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valuable suggestions and profound comments. The authors are also appreciative of the help given by G.A. Bobrova and G.G. Kulikov in preparing the typescript of this book for publication.

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CHAPTER 1

THE PROBLEM OF NON-PROLIFERATION

1.1. Non-proliferation concept. International non-proliferation regime

The idea of safe nuclear material management underlies all nuclear energy uses, including nuclear power. This idea is basic to international agreements and national laws, such as the Law on the Use of Atomic Energy adopted in our country in 1995. In the eyes of the general public, nuclear materials are safe if they are used under control and exclusively for peaceful purposes.

It is essential to have the term ‘nuclear materials’ clearly defined for subsequent applications. To this end, we shall rely on the terminology found in the nuclear energy law, where three main types of materials are identified:

∙nuclear material (NM), which contains fissionable material or is capable of breeding it (e.g., uranium–238);

∙radioactive material (RM), which emits ionizing radiation (excepting NM);

∙radioactive waste (RW), i.e. NM + RM, which is not intended for subsequent use (e.g., material resulting from reprocessing of irradiated fuel).

It is the first type of materials that is of interest for the purpose of this book. Russia has a clear-cut list of nuclear materials, which will be addressed at length in chapters to follow.

There is a certain contradiction associated with nuclear materials: on the one hand, nuclear power is gaining ground worldwide and, on the other hand, spread of nuclear materials has to be kept under control considering the potential hazard of their use for production of nuclear weapons (NW). This contradictory feature of NM lies at the root of the so-called nonproliferation problem [1–3]. The threat of NW proli feration is countered by international and national safeguards and export control systems.

The USA and the USSR were the first countries to develop their nuclear potential first for military purposes and then for energy generation. The ranks of the nuclear-weapons states have been expanding since the early 1960s. In 1960, France carried out its first test, followed by China in 1964. Some industrial countries made progress with development of nuclear technologies to an extent where they could produce nuclear weapons. Construction of nuclear power facilities was in full swing.

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