Accurate remote localization and tracking of nuclear material containers is of significant importance tovarious safeguards applications. The ability to localize individual containers, remotely and accurately, notonly allows timely detection of unauthorized movements, but also allows reporting on any diversion activityassociated with immobilization scenarios in which any container movement is not allowed. In anotherclosely related application specific to dry cask storage containers, accurate radio frequency (RF)localization addresses the challenge of timely detection of container lid movement as a tamper indicationcapability.To date, radiofrequency identification (RFID) tags have been proposed and considered for remotemonitoring of safeguards containers. However, accurate localization using passive (battery-free) RF tagshad not yet been possible. This is due to technical challenges that are introduced by the heavy metallicenvironment of containers, causing fading and interference of the backscattered RF signals between thepassive tags and their reader. Reliable location-sensitive detection of passive (battery-free) tags in thepresence of RF reflective or absorbent obstacles presents significant challenges.Based on the recent successful development of passive localization capability by Dirac Solutions Inc. (DSI),in a collaborative effort with a technical team from Lawrence Livermore National Laboratory (LLNL), andindependent evaluators from the Naval Postgraduate School (NPS) and the International Atomic EnergyAgency (IAEA), we have conducted systematic field experiments representing a limited set of safeguards-relevant scenarios. In this paper, we first discuss the concept of passive tag localization and tracking -technical challenges addressed by DSI. Then we report on the early results based on the initial fieldexperiments conducted, data captured, and lessons learned. We discuss observations of container localization and container movement tracking, and associated critical factors identified in course of theexperiments. We conclude this paper with the path forward on more advanced development of thelocalization capability well as various scenarios that can advance safeguards capabilities usingmaintenance-free passive RFID localization.<i>This</i><i> </i><i>work was</i><i> </i><i>supported</i><i> </i><i>by</i><i> </i><i>the</i><i> </i><i>U.S.</i><i> </i><i>Department</i><i> </i><i>of</i><i> </i><i>Energy, National</i><i> </i><i>Nuclear</i><i> </i><i>Security Administration,</i><i>Office</i><i> </i><i>of</i><i> </i><i>Nonproliferation</i><i> </i><i>and</i><i> </i><i>Arms</i><i> </i><i>Control,</i><i> </i><i>International Nuclear</i><i> </i><i>Safeguards</i><i> </i><i>Technology</i><i> </i><i>Development</i><i>Program. Prepared by LLNL under Contract DE-AC52-07NA27344. LLNL-CONF-804860.</i>
Year
2020
Abstract