Canadian Perspectives on Nuclear Forensics

Sonia Johnson

Radiation Protection Bureau

Health CanadaFebruary 8, 2010

Outline

• Overview of Canadian Departments involved in NF

• Overview of Funding Body for NF projects

• Past projects in NF

• Current projects in NF

• Future plans/outlook

Canadian Departments involved in NF

• There is no one Canadian Federal Department with a mandate for Nuclear Forensics research or analysis

• A number of federal scientists have participated in externally-funded projects in Nuclear Forensics:• Defence Research and Development Canada (DRDC)• Health Canada (HC)• Royal Military College (RMC)• Canadian Nuclear Safety Commission (CNSC)• Royal Canadian Mounted Police (RCMP)• Universities

Centre for Security Science (CSS)

• CSS is one of nine centres of Defence Research and Development Canada (DRDC)

• One of CSS's programs is the CBRNE Research and Technology Initiative (CRTI)

• Established in 2002 to strengthen Canada's prevention, preparedness and response to CBRNE terrorist attack through science and technology

6 CRTI Clusters

• Chemistry Cluster• Biology Cluster• Radiological/Nuclear Cluster

• Lead: Dr. Cornett, Director of Radiation Protection Bureau

• Explosives Cluster• Forensics Cluster

• Lead: Denis Nelson, Royal Canadian Mounted Police

• Psychosocial Cluster

Past Projects in NF

1) International Technical Working Group – 2004

• 9 Canadian labs/organizations participated in the analysis of HEU

• Canadian results were good; first involvement in such an exercise

• Participate annually at ITWG meetings (C.Larsson from DRDC)

Past Projects in NF

2) Development and Delivery of Training Exercises

• Partners: CNSC, DRDC, RCMP

• Targeted to forensic investigators responsible for the collection of Nuclear Forensics evidence

• Combination of classroom-based and practical exercises

• Included procedures for packaging and transport of RN materials to the labs.

Current NF Projects/Initiatives

Radiochronometer Reference Materials

• Canadian Partners: HC, RMC, NRC, ULaval, RCMP

• US Partners: NBL, ANL, FBI

• Development of Co/Ni radiochronometer and a Sr/Zr radiochronometer

ITWG (International Technical Working Group)

• Analysis of HEU pellets

• Samples expected to be received in February/March 2010

• Analysis to be done by RMC, HC and DRDC

Current NF Projects/Initiatives

Current NF Projects/Initiatives

Reference Material Development

• Lead by US NIST

• First inter-agencyworkshop held in August 2009 (HC and DRDC attendance)

• Purpose: to identify the requirement for new certified reference materials for:

– Nuclear safeguards

– Forensics

– Consequence Management

• Next meeting: February 2010

Direct Alpha Analysis of Forensic Samples

• Partners: HC, STUK, AWE

• Development of sampling techniques and software to deconvolute bad alpha spectra

Current NF Projects/Initiatives

• RCMP involvement with FBI and scientists in the US in the Scientific Working Group CBRN– Work on documents and procedures that can be

adopted by laboratories and meet the needs of the courts

• May develop a Canadian equivalent of the SWGCBRN; first planning meeting to be held in March 2010.

Future Plans for NF in Canada

• Continue to apply for external funding (CRTI) for new and innovative R&D projects in NF

• Seek out international collaborations for partnering on key areas related to NF

• Project proposals need to meet the listed priorities for the CRTI call