ANOMOLY RESOLUTION COMPUTER SOFTWARE'

When special nuclear material (SNM) inventory differences or other safeguards anomalies occur, nuclear materials managers are responsible for resolving them and identifying the mostly likely cause in a timely fashion. However, determining these likely causes is often complex, time-consuming, and costly. We have developed a structured approach for assisting nuclear material managers in resolving these anomalies. The approach has been demonstrated for both missing item and bulk inventory difference alarms. The approach, based on decision analytic and Bayesian probability updating techniques, helps structure an investigation and interpret the available evidence. The approach is also designed to suggest the most effective sequence of steps for the investigation and to evaluate the benefits of seeking additional pieces of evidence. To support an investigation using this approach, we've developed a simple, straightforward computer software program. The software utilizes a commercially available spreadsheet program and runs in both the IBM PC and Macintosh environments. The utility of the software has been demonstrated by the DOE Inventory Difference/Anomaly Resolution Team (IDART). In this paper, we'll demonstrate the software and describe its use in support of the anomaly resolution process.