SONTRAC--A low background, large area solar neutron spectrometer

Journal Article · Sun Nov 08 23:00:00 EST 1998 · AIP Conference Proceedings

DOI:https://doi.org/10.1063/1.56963· OSTI ID:21199335

Ryan, J M; Macri, J R; McConnell, M L; Wunderer, C B ^[1]; Holslin, D ^[2]

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1. Space Science Center, University of New Hampshire, Durham, New Hampshire 03824 (United States)
2. Science Applications International Corporation, San Diego, California 92121 (United States)

SONTRAC is a scintillating fiber neutron detector designed to measure solar flare neutrons from a balloon or spacecraft platform. The instrument is comprised of alternating orthogonal planes of scintillator fibers viewed by photomultiplier tubes and image intensifier/CCD camera optics. It operates by tracking the paths of recoil protons from the double scatter of 20 to 200 MeV neutrons off hydrogen in the plastic scintillator, thereby providing the necessary information to determine the incident neutron direction and energy. SONTRAC is also capable of detecting and measuring high-energy gamma rays >20 MeV as a 'solid-state spark chamber'. The self-triggering and track imaging features of a prototype for tracking in two dimensions have been demonstrated in calibrations with cosmic-ray muons, 14 to {approx}65 MeV neutrons and {approx}20 MeV protons.

• OSTI ID: 21199335
• Journal Information: AIP Conference Proceedings, Journal Name: AIP Conference Proceedings Journal Issue: 1 Vol. 450; ISSN APCPCS; ISSN 0094-243X
• Country of Publication: United States
• Language: English

Related Subjects

46 INSTRUMENTATION RELATED TO NUCLEAR SCIENCE AND TECHNOLOGY
CALIBRATION
CAMERAS
CHARGE-COUPLED DEVICES
COSMIC MUONS
IMAGE INTENSIFIERS
MEV RANGE
NEUTRON DETECTION
NEUTRON DETECTORS
NEUTRON SPECTROMETERS
OPTICAL FIBERS
PARTICLE TRACKS
PERFORMANCE
PHOTOMULTIPLIERS
PLASTIC SCINTILLATORS
PROTONS
SOLAR FLARES
SOLAR NEUTRONS
SOLID SCINTILLATION DETECTORS
SPARK CHAMBERS