ANTINEUTRINOS FOR REACTOR SAFEGUARDS: EFFECT OF FUEL LOADING AND BURNUP ON THE SIGNAL

Various types of nuclear reactor related information, including relative power level and fuel evolution parameters, can be inferred remotely using antineutrino detectors. We show that it is possible to verify assembly-level burnup using information derived from an antineutrino detector if the nominal reactor fuel loading is known. Alternatively, if the core power is measured using an independent method, for example, a thermal hydraulic element, and the nominal core behavior is known, the antineutrino detector has a capability to determine previously unknown MOX loading in the core.