Experimental evaluation of the extended Dytlewski-style dead time correction formalism for neutron multiplicity counting

Journal Article · Wed Sep 20 00:00:00 EDT 2017 · Nuclear Instruments and Methods in Physics Research. Section A, Accelerators, Spectrometers, Detectors and Associated Equipment

DOI:https://doi.org/10.1016/j.nima.2017.09.025· OSTI ID:1394992

Lockhart, M. ^[1]; Henzlova, D.  ^[1]; Croft, S. ^[2]; Cutler, T. ^[1]; Favalli, A.  ^[1]; McGahee, Ch. ^[1]; Parker, R. ^[1]

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1. Los Alamos National Lab. (LANL), Los Alamos, NM (United States). Nuclear Engineering and Nonproliferation Division
2. Global Nuclear Security Technology Division, Oak Ridge, TN (United States)

Over the past few decades, neutron multiplicity counting has played an integral role in Special Nuclear Material (SNM) characterization pertaining to nuclear safeguards. Current neutron multiplicity analysis techniques use singles, doubles, and triples count rates because a methodology to extract and dead time correct higher order count rates (i.e. quads and pents) was not fully developed. This limitation is overcome by the recent extension of a popular dead time correction method developed by Dytlewski. This extended dead time correction algorithm, named Dytlewski-Croft-Favalli (DCF), is detailed in reference Croft and Favalli (2017), which gives an extensive explanation of the theory and implications of this new development. Dead time corrected results can then be used to assay SNM by inverting a set of extended point model equations which as well have only recently been formulated. Here, we discuss and present the experimental evaluation of practical feasibility of the DCF dead time correction algorithm to demonstrate its performance and applicability in nuclear safeguards applications. In order to test the validity and effectiveness of the dead time correction for quads and pents, ²⁵²Cf and SNM sources were measured in high efficiency neutron multiplicity counters at the Los Alamos National Laboratory (LANL) and the count rates were extracted up to the fifth order and corrected for dead time. To assess the DCF dead time correction, the corrected data is compared to traditional dead time correction treatment within INCC. In conclusion, the DCF dead time correction is found to provide adequate dead time treatment for broad range of count rates available in practical applications.

• Research Organization: Los Alamos National Laboratory (LANL), Los Alamos, NM (United States)
• Sponsoring Organization: USDOE National Nuclear Security Administration (NNSA), Office of Defense Nuclear Nonproliferation
• Grant/Contract Number: AC52-06NA25396
• OSTI ID: 1394992
• Alternate ID(s): OSTI ID: 1661716
• Report Number(s): LA-UR-17-27526
• Journal Information: Nuclear Instruments and Methods in Physics Research. Section A, Accelerators, Spectrometers, Detectors and Associated Equipment, Vol. 879; ISSN 0168-9002
• Publisher: Elsevier
• Country of Publication: United States
• Language: English

Related Subjects

73 NUCLEAR PHYSICS AND RADIATION PHYSICS
46 INSTRUMENTATION RELATED TO NUCLEAR SCIENCE AND TECHNOLOGY
Neutron multiplicity counting
Dead time correction
QuadsPents