Nuclear Forensic Analysis

Course guarantor:

Ján Kozempel

Lecturer:

Ján Kozempel, Mojmír Němec, Martin Vlk

Tutor:

Supervisor:

Department of Nuclear Chemistry

Synopsis:

The course summarizes and defines the origin, focus and areas of interest of forensic sciences. The main aim of this talk is to acquaint the audience with the philosophy and methodology of the forensic procedures and to give an overview of the use of these methods in the analysis, tracking and surveillance on nuclear and dual-use materials together with national and international legislation frame. The aim of the course is to give the students a comprehensive view on forensic sciences and to show the connection between the materials of the whole nuclear fuel cycle on the individual item level. Students should also gain the knowledge about the origin, mis-/use and protection against the abuse of tracked materials.

Requirements:

Syllabus of lectures:

1. History and origin of forensic sciences, areas of interest of forensic research

2. Crime scene reconnaissance, latent traces, trace evidences

3. Biological evidences, forensic analyses of DNA, trafficking of narcotics and psychotropic substances, forensic toxicology

4. Weapons and their signatures, documentation, fire, explosion investigation and explosives analysis

5. From forensic science to nuclear forensic analysis, nuclear forensic science, nuclear forensic research areas of interest

6. Nuclear fuel cycle, uranium prospecting, mining, nuclear fuel manufacture, nuclear fission, nuclear materials and nuclear weapons, radioactive waste

7. Dual use materials, databases of tracked substances and their mixtures

8. National and international legislation related to nuclear issues, IAEA, EURATOM

9. Nuclear forensic methods, the issues of securing and interpreting the evidences, national and international legislation

10. Nuclear and other mass destruction weapons, chemical warfare agents, dirty bombs

Syllabus of tutorials:

Study Objective:

Study materials:

Key references:

[1] E. Katz et al.: Forensic Science. A multidisciplinary Approach. Wiley 2016

[2] K. J. Moody et al.: Nuclear Forensic Analysis. CRC Press 2014

Recommended references:

[1] Advances in nuclear forensics: countering the evolving threat of nuclear and other radioactive material out of regulatory control: Summary of an international conference, Vienna, Austria, 7-10 July 2014. Vienna: International Atomic Energy Agency, 2015. ISBN: 978-92-0-104815-8

[2] Identification of High Confidence Nuclear Forensics Signatures. IAEA-TECDOC-1820, 2017. ISBN 978-92-0-105617-7

Note:

Time-table for winter semester 2024/2025:

Time-table is not available yet

Time-table for summer semester 2024/2025:

Time-table is not available yet

The course is a part of the following study plans: