Year
1996
Abstract
With an aim to increase safe~ards efkctiveness and reduce costs, the International Atomic Energy Agency is investigating the use of containmentkmmillance,ND& item identification, and other measures where safeguards data are remotely monitored at IAEA offices. In addition, the remote monitoring of other safleguards-related data (e.g., equipment state-of-health and environmental samples) is being studied. Field trials are being conductedin several countries to test the remote monitoring method, compare it with currentsafeguardspractices, and determine to what degree the current practices should be reduced or modified to take credit fbr the implementation of remotemonitoring. Some of the field trials involve the transmission of data by satellite, which will be comparedto the use of telephone lines for reliability and cost. This paper describes the technical arrangements for remote monitoring, types of equipment being tested, potential impact of remote monitoringon the s&guards approach for a generic storagefacility, and the status of field trials to date.