An Overview of Nuclear Forensics: Scope and Applications in Nuclear Security

Abstract

AN OVERVIEW OF NUCLEAR FORENSICS: SCOPE AND APPLICATIONS IN NUCLEAR SECURITY The objective of this seminar is to give a general overview of Nuclear Forensic scope and applications. It also describe the roles of nuclear forensics in support of investigation of a nuclear security event thereby providing information on any nuclear and radioactive materials. Forensic Science is the examination of physical, biological, behavioural and documentary evidence in the context of international or national law. The goal of forensics is to discover linkages among people, places, things and events. Nuclear forensics is essentially the extraction of useful information from any nuclear or radioactive materials for the purposes of national or international security. The analysis of nuclear or other radioactive materials seeks to identify what the materials are, how, when, and where the materials were made and what were their intended uses. The seminar also talks about the role of Nuclear forensics in Nuclear security system which supports the prevention of and response to a nuclear security event, it can also identify deficiencies in nuclear security systems that can then be improved, aiding in the prevention of future nuclear security events , it enhances the response to a nuclear security event and may also be combined with tradition forensics to support criminal investigation. Meanwhile nuclear forensics can be used in combating illicit trafficking of nuclear material, in the area of nuclear safeguards, it provides evidence that may support a criminal prosecution and can be used for strengthening nuclear security systems and methods. Nuclear Forensic Advanced Capabilities aims to provide information on the production history (e.g. place, date, etc) of nuclear or other radioactive material. Nuclear forensics process includes collection, analysis and evaluation. The seminar concludes that the subject of Nuclear Forensics is very important in national and international security, as it helps to identify the origin and history of nuclear and other radioactive materials out of regulatory control, A nuclear forensics library is one way for States to make credible statements that their own holdings of nuclear and other radioactive material used, produced and stored in the State are maintained under regulatory control. It also recommends that the authority may wish to encourage and train Officers in the area of nuclear forensics and other specialized areas and liaise with some nuclear forensics Institutes such as the Los Alamos laboratory USA and the Netherlands forensics Institute to develop a National Nuclear forensics library. Seminar presented by SEGNA LAUNINI BELLO