MCNP Simulation of Discrete Gamma-ray Spectra for PGNAA Applications
Prompt Gamma Neutron Activation (PGNAA) systems use the neutron-induced gamma-ray spectra from test objects in order to identify their compositions. The U.S. Army in particular uses these systems to identify the contents of field-recovered munitions in order to determine the presence of chemical warfare materiel (CWM) or explosives. These field-recovered munitions can have a variety of different fills, including experimental fills, have a large range of sizes, and be assessed in different field conditions. All these variations can have a significant effect on the neutron-induced gamma-ray spectrum and therefore a large impact on automatic fill identification algorithms. In order to develop robust identification algorithms, parametric studies of the effects of munition size, fill composition, and assessment conditions are very useful but time-consuming and expensive in the laboratory. Monte Carlo modeling of the system response to these variations is a very attractive alternative, provided the modeling accurately reflects real gamma spectra and can be performed quickly and inexpensively when compared to experiment. At Idaho National Laboratory we have used the Monte Carlo N-Particle (MCNP6) code [2] to calculate the response of the Portable Isotopic Neutron Spectroscopy (PINS) system to a number of simulated chemical warfare munitions as well as performed laboratory measurements with the system. Two versions of PINS system were used; one excited the test object with neutrons from a 252C f source and one with neutrons from a portable deuterium-deuterium (DD) neutron generator. The sets of measurements and simulations with the two different neutron sources provided experimental data for development of automatic fill identification algorithms as well as providing a good test of the agreement between the MCNP calculations and experiment.
- Research Organization:
- Idaho National Lab. (INL), Idaho Falls, ID (United States)
- Sponsoring Organization:
- USDOE Office of Nuclear Energy (NE)
- DOE Contract Number:
- AC07-05ID14517
- OSTI ID:
- 1481890
- Report Number(s):
- INL/CON-15-35049-Rev000
- Resource Relation:
- Conference: 2015 IEEE Nuclear Science Symposium and Medical Imaging Conference, San Diego, CA, 10/31/2015 - 11/07/2015
- Country of Publication:
- United States
- Language:
- English
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