Isotopic composition determination codes: current state-of-the-art, recent developments and future challenges
Abstract
Determination of actinide isotopic composition is one of the most important tasks accomplished under IAEA safeguards treaties for verification and inspection activities. Spectrometers based on HPGe detectors have traditionally been the detectors of choice for such systems with a large array of various data analysis codes developed specifically to suit the performance of these detectors. Over the past decade in this domain there has been interest in using medium resolution room temperature detectors based on CdZnTe and LaBr$_3$(Ce) crystals. Moreover, progress in analytical tools that could be applied to analyze worsened statistical quality spectral data has opened a wide range of possible applications where such compact detectors and absence of cryogenics are advantageous. In this paper we aim to provide a review on the recent advances in the domain of isotopic composition determination systems used as with traditional HPGe detectors as well as with medium resolution ones. We limit ourselves to the achievements in the European Union and divide our review in three parts. First, we provide an update on the current status of the French code IGA aimed at applications with traditional HPGe systems. Second, we present the recent results in the domain of isotopic composition determination codes development for medium resolution detectors, namely the codes MCSIGMA and CAMILA developed in the framework of a PhD project in Belgium. Third, we give an outlook on the current research activities conducted at CEA List Saclay in the domain of isotopic composition determination algorithms applied to medium resolution detectors.