The LMN laboratory is responsible for all activities involving non-destructive nuclear measurements, such as the non-destructive testing and characterisation of objects, both radioactive and non-radioactive. The laboratory develops, qualifies and validates methods to meet measurement requirements in the fields of radiological, elementary and physical characterisation of objects, components and facilities.
Its highly skilled engineers and technicians are tasked with designing, building (or overseeing this activity), calibrating and commissioning prototypical and/or industrial systems for non-destructive nuclear measurements, by combining methods and devices developed by the laboratory or elsewhere. The LMN provides assessment, consultation, support, characterisation and inspection services to operators and the industry, either at the client’s premises or in the LMN facilities.
The laboratory benefits from some very high-level scientific and technical skills. Its R&D activities in modelling and/or experiments cover the following technical fields: gamma spectrometry, passive and active neutron measurements, neutron activation, radiography, and X-ray tomography. Measurement uncertainties are reduced by coupling these methods in order to cross-check several sources of information.
The nuclear measurements platform benefits from all of these experimental and software means. The LMN develops its activities in process control, physical characterisation through imaging, elementary characterisation for civil and environmental safety, reactors, fuels, clean-up & dismantling, and chemical, biological, radiological, nuclear and explosive (CBRNE) threat environments. The LMN also develops methods for characterising radioactive materials and waste, and for detecting hazardous materials in transport containers.
Its skills are renowned in numerous fields: nuclear physics; radiation-matter interactions; nuclear instrumentation; physical and nuclear measurements regarding the laboratory's irradiators and devices; nuclear measurements for clean-up, dismantling and radioactive waste management operations. The LMN is also specialised in project management in its fields of expertise.