Nuclear Treaty Monitoring Radionuclide Collection and Analysis by the US Atomic Energy Detection System,

This talk will provide an overview of radionuclide collection and analysis as a tool for monitoring nuclear weapons testing. Specifically, it will provide a description of the techniques used currently in AFTACs nuclear treaty monitoring program as part of the United States Atomic Energy Detection System. A description of the particulate and gaseous sample collection equipment used on the ground and in aircraft, as well as the associated laboratory equipment used in the analysis, will be presented. A review of collection and analysis requirements for the Comprehensive Test Ban Treaty CTBT from the USAEDS perspective, and implications of CTB implementation on modes of operation will be addressed. Additionally, the talk will review the current status of on-going field tests of the next generation, automated, ground-based particulate sampleranalyzer, as well as the concepts and status of research and development efforts for the automated, ground-based radioxenon sampleranalyzer. Finally, the talk will cover some of the technical and engineering challenges that still need to be addressed.