Standoff enrichment analysis of UF6 cylinders

We investigate a new safeguards approach for verification of uranium processing operations via standoff measurement of UF6 cylinder transports entering and leaving a facility. Current safeguards verification at facilities with UF6 cylinders includes attended enrichment measurements of several randomly-selected cylinders using handheld instruments with inspection of all the cylinders typically only once a year. This approach requires significant inspector effort and can only be performed intermittently. Here we explore an unattended, multi-sensor enrichment measurement system that can operate continuously on cylinders in motion. Such an approach could be used to enhance continuity of knowledge by verifying that all shipments entering and leaving a facility are consistent with declared operations.