Identification of nuclear weapons

Patent · Fri Apr 10 00:00:00 EDT 1987

OSTI ID:7042090

Mihalczo, J T; King, W T

A method and apparatus for non-invasively indentifying different types of nuclear weapons is disclosed. A neutron generator is placed against the weapon to generate a stream of neutrons causing fissioning within the weapon. A first detects the generation of the neutrons and produces a signal indicative thereof. A second particle detector located on the opposite side of the weapon detects the fission particles and produces signals indicative thereof. The signals are converted into a detected pattern and a computer compares the detected pattern with known patterns of weapons and indicates which known weapon has a substantially similar pattern. Either a time distribution pattern or noise analysis pattern, or both, is used. Gamma-neutron discrimination and a third particle detector for fission particles adjacent the second particle detector are preferably used. The neutrons are generated by either a decay neutron source or a pulled neutron particle accelerator.

• Research Organization: Oak Ridge National Laboratory (ORNL), Oak Ridge, TN (United States)
• DOE Contract Number: AC05-84OR21400
• Assignee: TIC; EDB-88-179338
• Patent Number(s): PATENTS-US-A6036744
• OSTI ID: 7042090
• Resource Relation: Other Information: Portions of this document are illegible in microfiche products
• Country of Publication: United States
• Language: English

Related Subjects

45 MILITARY TECHNOLOGY, WEAPONRY, AND NATIONAL DEFENSE
99 GENERAL AND MISCELLANEOUS//MATHEMATICS, COMPUTING, AND INFORMATION SCIENCE
42 ENGINEERING
IDENTIFICATION SYSTEMS
DESIGN
COMPUTERS
FISSION PRODUCTS
FLOWSHEETS
INVENTIONS
NEUTRON SOURCES
NUCLEAR WEAPONS
DIAGRAMS
ISOTOPES
MATERIALS
PARTICLE SOURCES
RADIATION SOURCES
RADIOACTIVE MATERIALS
WEAPONS
450202* - Explosions & Explosives- Nuclear- Weaponry- (-1989)
990230 - Mathematics & Mathematical Models- (1987-1989)
420800 - Engineering- Electronic Circuits & Devices- (-1989)