No abstract available

[en] A worldwide radionuclide network of 80 stations, 40 of which with noble-gas-detection capability, and part of the International Monitoring System (IMS) has been designed to monitor compliance to the Comprehensive Nuclear-Test-Ban Treaty (CTBT). Pending entry into force of the Treaty, the certified stations are provisionally operated. With about 70% of the network operational global coverage has been reached and an overall operating experience of more than 250 station year for the particulate network has been accumulated. To ensure minimum down time any operational problems are addressed within the organizations' Operations and Maintenance Support System. Within this support system the operational performance is continuously assessed as well as particular problems identified. To address these problems, equipment failures, operational procedures, maintenance and sparing plans, and equipment obsolescence are continuously reviewed and improved. The current operational status of the network as well as the support strategy is presented. (author)

[en] Article XIV of the CTBT deals with the treaty's entry into force. The article foresees a mechanism of regular conferences to promote the treaty's entry into force, if this has not taken place three years after its opening for signature. The first such Conference took place in Vienna in 1999. Subsequent Conferences were held in new y ork in 2001 and in 2005, and in Vienna in 2003 and in 2007. The Secretary-general of the United nations convenes the conference at the request of States that have ratified the treaty. Representatives of ratifying States are invited to participate in the deliberations. Signatory States, non-signatory States, international organizations and non-governmental organizations are invited to attend as observers.

No abstract available

[en] It introduces the process that CTBT Beijing radionuclide laboratory participated in IMS labs xenon exercise 2008. The sample analysis principles and methods are described in detail. The reason of the difference between laboratory results and the station results is explained. In the end, the method of improving noble gas xenon sample measuring accuracy is discussed. (authors)

[en] A U.S./Russian Federation Joint Tabletop Exercise took place in Snezhinsk, Russia, from 19 to 24 October 1998, whose objectives were the following: (1) To simulate the actions of the Inspection Team (IT), including interactions with the inspected State Party (ISP), in order to examine different ways the United States and Russian Federation (RF) approach inspections and develop appropriate recommendations for the international community. (2) To identify ambiguities and contradictions in the interpretation of Treaty and Protocol provisions that might become apparent in the course of an inspection and that need clarification in connection with the development of Operational Manuals and on-site inspection (OSI) infrastructure. (3) To confirm the efficacy of using bilateral tabletop exercises to assist in developing an effective Comprehensive Test Ban Treaty (CTBT) verification regime. (4) To identify strong and weak points in the preparation and implementation methods of such exercises for the purpose of further improving possible future exercises

[en] The Preparatory Commission of Comprehensive Nuclear Test-Ban-Treaty Organization is setting up a global network capable to monitor treaty compliance. Specific monitoring systems and methodologies that match the needs of the International Monitoring System (IMS), namely to clarify the nuclear character of suspect explosions, had to be developed for monitoring purposes during the last decade. Four xenon isotopes, namely ¹³³Xe, ¹³⁵Xe, ^133mXe and ¹³¹mXe play a key role here. A complex background from medical isotope production facilities and nuclear power plants, varying over four orders of magnitude, challenges the system's capability to distinguish these from treaty-relevant events. Available measurement data are compared with model calculations. The importance of atmospheric transport modelling is demonstrated both for completely understanding the civilian background and for explaining peak concentrations and abnormal events. New methodologies for backtracking nuclide detections improved the capability to locate sources and corroborate the role of radioxenon monitoring. (author)

[en] The results of the scientific studies carried out will be presented at the International Scientific Studies Conference - the ISS09 Conference - in Vienna, Austria. The Conference will focus on issues related to the capability and readiness of the CTBT's verification regime to detect nuclear explosions worldwide. It will also address how the verification regime has benefited from scientific and technical developments since the Treaty opened for signature in 1996.

[en] This paper reviews political, legal, and technical aspects of Kazakhstan activity under the Treaty. The paper characterizes national technical programs concerning Treaty verification and the civil application of verification techniques. (author)

[en] Highlights: • Development of the procedures conducting the Proficiency Test Exercises (PTEs) for CTBTO laboratories. • The evaluation of results, grading scheme and corrective actions contribute to continuous improvement of analytical quality of the laboratories. • The corrective actions are checked in subsequent PTEs or during surveillance assessment. - Abstract: The Provisional Technical Secretariat (PTS) of the Comprehensive Nuclear-Test-Ban Treaty (CTBT) Organization organizes Proficiency Test Exercises (PTE) annually for the 16 radionuclide laboratories supporting its network of radionuclide air monitoring stations since 2000. These laboratories re-analyze samples from radionuclide stations for quality control. The PTEs, in turn, are a means of checking the quality of analytical results provided by laboratories. Laboratories implement corrective actions for PTE discrepant results. These actions are checked in subsequent PTEs or during surveillance assessment.