The Lawrence Livermore National Laboratory develops sophisticated gamma-ray analysis codes for isotopic determinations of nuclear materials based on the principles of the MultiGroup Analysis (MGA). MGA methodology has been upgraded and expanded and is now comprised of a suite of codes known as MGA++. A graphical user interface has also been developed for viewing the data and the fitting procedure. The code suite provides plutonium and uranium isotopic analysis for data collected with high-purity germanium planar and/or coaxial detector systems. The most recent addition to the MGA++ code suite, MGAHI, analyzes Pu data using higher-energy gamma rays (200 keV and higher) and is particularly useful for Pu samples that are enclosed in thick-walled containers. Additionally, the code suite can perform isotopic analysis of uranium spectra collected with cadmium-zinc-telluride (CZT) detectors. We are currently developing new codes with will integrate into the MGA++ suite. These will include Pu isotopic analysis capabilities for data collected with CZT detectors, and U isotopic analysis with high-purity germanium detectors, which utilizes only higher energy gamma rays. Future development of MGA++ will include a capability for isotopic analyses on mixtures of Pu and U.

The Lawrence Livermore National Laboratory develops sophisticated gamma-ray analysis codes for the isotopic analysis of nuclear materials based on the principles used in the original MultiGroup Analysis (MGA) code. Over the years, the MGA methodology has been upgraded and expanded far beyond its original capabilities and is now comprised of a suite of codes known as MGA++. The early MGA code analyzed Pu gamma-ray data collected with high-purity germanium (HPGe) detectors to yield Pu isotopic ratios. While the original MGA code relied solely on the lower-energy gamma rays (around 100 keV), the most recent addition to the MGA++ code suite, MGAHI, analyzes Pu data using higher-energy gamma rays (200 keV and higher) and is particulatly useful for Pu samples - that are enclosed in thick-walled containers. The MGA++ suite also includes capabilities to perform U isotopic analysis on data collected with either HPGe or cadmium-zinc-tellutide (CZT) detectors. These codes are commercially available and are known as U235 and CZTU, respectively. A graphical user interface has also been developed for viewing the data and the fitting procedure. In addition, we are developing new codes that will integrate into the MGA++ suite. These will include Pu isotopic analysis capabilities for data collected with CZT detectors, U isotopic analysis with HPGe detectors which utilizes only higher energy gamma rays, and isotopic analyses on mixtures of Pu and U.

FRAM is the acronym for Fixed-energy Response-function Analysis with Multiple efficiency. This software was developed at Los Alamos National Laboratory originally for plutonium isotopic analysis. Later, it was adapted for uranium isotopic analysis in addition to plutonium. It is a code based on a self-calibration using several gamma-ray peaks for determining the isotopic ratios. The versatile-parameter database structure governs all facets of the data analysis. User editing of the parameter sets allows great flexibility in handling data with different isotopic distributions, interfering isotopes, and different acquisition parameters such as energy calibration and detector type.

Measurement of various U and Pu samples by gamma-ray spectrometry were performed at the Institute of Physics and Power Engineering to support physical-inventory-taking activities under the Joint US-Russian MPC and A Program. The resulting data was analyzed by several different methods which included Canberra's MGA9.63 (Pu and MOX analysis) and MGAU (U analysis), EG and G Ortec's MGA++ (Pu and MOX analysis) and U235 (U analysis), and FRAM v2.2 (U and Pu analysis) provided by Los Alamos. The results indicate that all of these codes are capable of performing the isotopic analysis adequately. However, some additional modifications may be required to permit better measurement of some of the more unusual components in the Institute of Physics and Power Engineering (IPPE) inventory to meet the demands of inventory-taking activities.