Statistical properties of an algorithm used for illicit substance detection by fast-neutron transmission

Conference · Wed Jun 01 04:00:00 EDT 1994

OSTI ID:10160872

Smith, D L; Sagalovsky, L; Micklich, B J; Harper, M K; Novick, A H

A least-squares algorithm developed for analysis of fast-neutron transmission data resulting from non-destructive interrogation of sealed luggage and containers is subjected to a probabilistic interpretation. The approach is to convert knowledge of uncertainties in the derived areal elemental densities, as provided by this algorithm, into probability information that can be used to judge whether an interrogated object is either benign or potentially contains an illicit substance that should be investigated further. Two approaches are considered in this paper. One involves integration of a normalized probability density function associated with the least-squares solution. The other tests this solution against a hypothesis that the interrogated object indeed contains illicit material. This is accomplished by an application of the F-distribution from statistics. These two methods of data interpretation are applied to specific sets of neutron transmission results produced by Monte Carlo simulation.

• Research Organization: Argonne National Lab., IL (United States)
• Sponsoring Organization: Federal Aviation Administration, Washington, DC (United States)
• DOE Contract Number: W-31109-ENG-38
• OSTI ID: 10160872
• Report Number(s): ANL/TD/CP--83205; CONF-9406176--2; ON: DE94013868; CNN: Contract DTFA03-03-X-00021 Contract 6-CO-160-00-195
• Country of Publication: United States
• Language: English

Related Subjects

440101
45 MILITARY TECHNOLOGY, WEAPONRY, AND NATIONAL DEFENSE
450100
46 INSTRUMENTATION RELATED TO NUCLEAR SCIENCE AND TECHNOLOGY
99 GENERAL AND MISCELLANEOUS
990200
ALGORITHMS
CHEMICAL EXPLOSIONS AND EXPLOSIVES
CHEMICAL EXPLOSIVES
CROSS SECTIONS
DRUGS
GENERAL DETECTORS OR MONITORS AND RADIOMETRIC INSTRUMENTS
LEAST SQUARE FIT
MATHEMATICS AND COMPUTERS
MONTE CARLO METHOD
NEUTRON DETECTION
NEUTRON SPECTROSCOPY
NEUTRON TRANSPORT
REGRESSION ANALYSIS
STATISTICS