Assessing Tracking Systems for High-risk Radiological Sources

The European Commission has entrusted the IRSN with a study to identify and analyse organisational and technological solutions for the tracking of high-activity sealed radioactive sources in order to improve their security aspects against malevolent acts. This study concerns the security of radioactive sources in a facility or during transportation activities. In order to define and assess a tracking solution, the functional requirements that must be met by a tracking system have been defined. These are defined on the basis of the general security functions (detection, response) but also on the potential radiological consequences in case of a malevolent act. These last ones are mainly characterized by the activity and the accessibility of the source. The paper will address how technical and organizational measures can be set depending on the activity and the accessibility of the radioactive source during transport. A list of data on commercial off-the-shelf (COTS) technologies has been established as well as practices implemented by few operators. The functional requirements relating to these various practices or technologies are analysed, along with details of their advantages and disadvantages. Finally, guidance on further actions on the security of high-activity sealed radioactive sources with tracking systems is proposed