The JRC explains: nuclear forensics

The role of “atomic detectives” in guaranteeing nuclear security in the EU.

Nuclear forensics is a branch of forensic science that investigates the origin and history of nuclear materials out of regulatory control. Scientists try to trace back the production process and time, as well as the intended uses of such materials to find out where they come from.?

The urgency of such investigations stems from the dual risks associated with nuclear material: its radiological hazards and its fissile nature, which raises proliferation concerns. This dual threat makes the careful study of such materials a matter of global security.?

Scientists at the European Commission’s Joint Research Centre (JRC), known as "atomic detectives”, work on enhancing nuclear security and preventing terrorism. In their role to support EU Member States, they combine expertise in nuclear materials and analytical techniques to reveal critical information on these materials found outside regulatory control.?

How can we track down the origin of a nuclear material?

While most countries are equipped to manage radioactive waste from medical or industrial applications, investigating nuclear material out of regulatory control often requires advanced expertise and technology that the JRC provides. Over the past three decades, JRC scientists have conducted more than 60 nuclear investigations at the request of Member State authorities. ?

The process begins with a request from a member state authority, followed by meticulous analysis in specialised laboratories. Using sophisticated equipment, scientists measure chemical and physical properties to trace back the material's origin. In the best-case scenario, this allows them to identify its production site or even estimate precisely the time it was produced. ?

These kinds of findings can then be used to make evidence-based decisions in investigations involving nuclear materials and play a vital role in preventing further criminal use, ensuring that science stays at the forefront of the EU’s nuclear security.?

Small samples, big revelations

A recent case at the Port of Rotterdam can help understand just how much the detectives can learn from a small sample of nuclear material. A scrap metal shipment flagged by the port’s operator was confirmed by the Dutch authorities to contain uranium.?

Once the JRC's atomic detectives were consulted, they required only a tiny sample of the material to perform their analysis.?

Scientists were able to identify a mix of uranium enrichments within the sample: natural uranium, low-enriched uranium, and even highly enriched uranium. By analysing the radioactive decay of the material, which acts as a built-in chronometer, they were also able to determine it had been produced in the early 1960s.?

Further investigation revealed that only two facilities in Russia which were operational during that period would have been capable of processing such a range of uranium enrichments. The narrowed-down findings were reported to the requesting member state, which then informed the International Atomic Energy Agency (IAEA) for appropriate follow-up.??

Why does knowing the origin of nuclear material matter?

Tracing the origin of nuclear material out of regulatory control serves multiple critical purposes. On one hand, it helps pinpoint the source, whether a country or facility, allowing authorities to address potential security lapses and tighten safeguards. This is vital for closing gaps in physical protection that might allow materials to "leak" from secure environments.?

Equally important is preventing nuclear material from falling into the wrong hands. “Vagabonding” nuclear material represents a serious proliferation risk, enabling nuclear criminal activities. The JRC plays a key role in mitigating these threats and, over the past 30 years, has analysed more samples of illicit nuclear material than any other laboratory worldwide. ?

The advanced capabilities in nuclear forensics and the expertise that come with this level of experience make the work of the EU’s atomic detectives particularly significant. Without them, many Member States would be left to navigate these challenges alone, forcing the EU to rely on external powers. ?

What are the challenges?

Despite the continuous advances in the field of nuclear forensics, “atomic detectives” still face challenges in their work. Among them, there is the search for new nuclear forensic signatures — distinctive characteristics that reveal a material's origin or processing history.?

These signatures can range from morphological features visible under a microscope to isotopic compositions or trace impurities and can help build a clearer picture of nuclear materials found outside of regulatory control.?

Detectives strive to refine or develop analytical methods that deliver results with lower uncertainty and to reduce ambiguity in their interpretations. It’s about gathering more and better data, but also about interpreting that data correctly. A big challenge that scientists are hoping to tackle with tools like artificial intelligence.?

What is next for the atomic detectives?

The JRC is, and will remain, a leader in this field. Using the latest technologies, instruments, and AI capabilities, the scientists at the JRC’s Karlsruhe site continue to measure these “vagabonds” with increased sensitivity and precision, looking into signatures and parameters that were not measurable a couple years ago.???

And while it’s hard to tell if this kind of nuclear trafficking will become more or less common in the near future, the work of the JRC’s atomic detectives helps protect Europe and keep people safe from unauthorised use of nuclear material. ?

Take a tour of our Nuclear Safeguards and Forensics Laboratory!