A dual neutron/gamma source for the Fissmat Inspection for Nuclear Detection (FIND) system.

Technical Report · Mon Dec 01 00:00:00 EST 2008

DOI:https://doi.org/10.2172/946576· OSTI ID:946576

Doyle, Barney Lee ^[1]; King, Michael; Rossi, Paolo ^[1]; McDaniel, Floyd Del ^[1]; Morse, Daniel Henry; Antolak, Arlyn J; Provencio, Paula Polyak ^[1]; Raber, Thomas N

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1. Sandia National Laboratories, Albuquerque, NM

Shielded special nuclear material (SNM) is very difficult to detect and new technologies are needed to clear alarms and verify the presence of SNM. High-energy photons and neutrons can be used to actively interrogate for heavily shielded SNM, such as highly enriched uranium (HEU), since neutrons can penetrate gamma-ray shielding and gamma-rays can penetrate neutron shielding. Both source particles then induce unique detectable signals from fission. In this LDRD, we explored a new type of interrogation source that uses low-energy proton- or deuteron-induced nuclear reactions to generate high fluxes of mono-energetic gammas or neutrons. Accelerator-based experiments, computational studies, and prototype source tests were performed to obtain a better understanding of (1) the flux requirements, (2) fission-induced signals, background, and interferences, and (3) operational performance of the source. The results of this research led to the development and testing of an axial-type gamma tube source and the design/construction of a high power coaxial-type gamma generator based on the {sup 11}B(p,{gamma}){sup 12}C nuclear reaction.

• Research Organization: Sandia National Laboratories (SNL), Albuquerque, NM, and Livermore, CA (United States)
• Sponsoring Organization: USDOE
• DOE Contract Number: AC04-94AL85000
• OSTI ID: 946576
• Report Number(s): SAND2008-7934; TRN: US0901160
• Country of Publication: United States
• Language: English

Related Subjects

72 PHYSICS OF ELEMENTARY PARTICLES AND FIELDS
73 NUCLEAR PHYSICS AND RADIATION PHYSICS
DETECTION
FISSION
HIGHLY ENRICHED URANIUM
NEUTRONS
NUCLEAR REACTIONS
PERFORMANCE
PHOTONS
SHIELDING
TESTING
Nuclear materials-Analysis.
Nuclear materials-Security measures.
Nuclear materials-Identification.
Special Nuclear materials (SNM)