Fission meter and neutron detection using poisson distribution comparison

Patent · 19 June 2018

OSTI ID:1459003

Rowland, Mark S.; Snyderman, Neal J.

A neutron detector system and method for discriminating fissile material from non-fissile material wherein a digital data acquisition unit collects data at high rate, and in real-time processes large volumes of data directly into information that a first responder can use to discriminate materials. The system comprises counting neutrons from the unknown source and detecting excess grouped neutrons to identify fission in the unknown source. Comparison of the observed neutron count distribution with a Poisson distribution is performed to distinguish fissile material from non-fissile material.

• Research Organization: Lawrence Livermore National Laboratory (LLNL), Livermore, CA (United States)
• Sponsoring Organization: USDOE
• DOE Contract Number: W-7405-ENG-48
• Assignee: Lawrence Livermore National Security, LLC (Livermore, CA)
• Patent Number(s): 10,001,571
• Application Number: 14/515,321
• OSTI ID: 1459003
• Country of Publication: United States
• Language: English