Nuclear Security : Expert Reports
The division produces 60-70 reports per year. These reports are unique, authoritative expert evaluations. Each report is produced by a committee of experts selected by the Academy to address a particular statement of task and is subject to a rigorous, independent peer review. The experts who volunteer their time participating on study committees are vetted to make sure that the committee has the range of expertise needed to address the task, that they have a balance of perspectives, and to identify and eliminate members with conflicts of interest. All reports undergo a rigorous, independent peer review to assure that the statement of task has been addressed, that conclusions are adequately supported, and that all important issues raised by the reviewers are addressed. Thus, while the reports represent views of the committee, they also are endorsed by the Academy.
Understanding and Managing Risk Security Systems for the DOE Nuclear Weapons Complex (2011)
In the U.S. Department of Energy, the National Nuclear Security Administration -- a semi-autonomous agency -- is responsible for securing fully and partially assembled nuclear weapons and significant quantities of special nuclear material at facilities around the country. The U.S. Congress directed the Administration to ask the National Research Council for advice on augmenting its security approach, particularly on the applicability o... More >>
Evaluating Testing, Costs, and Benefits of Advanced Spectroscopic Portals (2011)
The Department of Homeland Security is assessing a new radiation screening system to improve detection of nuclear or radiological material in cargo containers entering the United States. Shortcomings in the design and evaluation of tests conducted in 2008 reduce the Department's ability to compare the performance of the proposed system -- advanced spectroscopic portals -- to the handheld devices and portal monitors currently in use, according t... More >>
Nuclear Forensics: A Capability at Risk (2010)
Nuclear forensics is the examination and evaluation of discovered or seized nuclear materials and devices or, in cases of nuclear explosions or radiological dispersals, of detonation signals and post-detonation debris. Nuclear forensic evidence helps law enforcement and intelligence agencies work toward preventing, mitigating, and attributing a nuclear or radiological incident. This report, requested by the Department of Homeland Security, th... More >>
Internationalization of the Nuclear Fuel Cycle: Goals, Strategies, and Challenges (2009)
Driven by growing energy demands, high prices for fossil fuels, and concern about climate change, more than two dozen nations, including Egypt, Vietnam, Belarus, the Gulf States, and Turkey, among others, have announced that they are considering or planning their first nuclear power plants. The fuel for these plants is fabricated from enriched uranium, which can be purchased from outside suppliers -- currently, two international consortia... More >>
Evaluating Testing, Costs, and Benefits of Advanced Spectroscopic Portals for Screening Cargo at Ports of Entry: Interim Report (2009)
The Department of Homeland Security (DHS) wants to deploy new radiation detectors to improve screening of containerized cargo for nuclear and radiological material at U.S. ports and border crossings. Congress directed the department to ask the National Research Council to advise DHS on testing, analysis, costs, and benefits of the new detector systems, called advanced spectroscopic portals. This interim report assesses past testing and advise... More >>