Detection of Landmines by Neutron Backscattering: Effects of Soil Moisture on the Detection System

Journal Article · Thu Jan 21 00:00:00 EST 2010 · AIP Conference Proceedings

DOI:https://doi.org/10.1063/1.3322558· OSTI ID:21371490

Baysoy, D Y; Subasi, M ^[1]

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1. Yildiz Technical University, Department of Physics, Davutpasa, 34220, Istanbul (Turkey)

Detection of buried land mines by using neutron backscattering technique (NBS) is a well established method. It depends on detecting a hydrogen anomaly in dry soil. Since a landmine and its plastic casing contain much more hydrogen atoms than the dry soil, this anomaly can be detected by observing a rise in the number of neutrons moderated to thermal or epithermal energy. But, the presence of moisture in the soil limits the effectiveness of the measurements. In this work, a landmine detection system using the NBS technique was designed. A series of Monte Carlo calculations was carried out to determine the limits of the system due to the moisture content of the soil. In the simulations, an isotropic fast neutron source ({sup 252}Cf, 100 mug) and a neutron detection system which consists of five {sup 3}He detectors were used in a practicable geometry. In order to see the effects of soil moisture on the efficiency of the detection system, soils with different water contents were tested.

• OSTI ID: 21371490
• Journal Information: AIP Conference Proceedings, Vol. 1203, Issue 1; Conference: 7. international conference of the Balkan Physical Union, Alexandroupolis (Greece), 9-13 Sep 2009; Other Information: DOI: 10.1063/1.3322558; (c) 2010 American Institute of Physics; ISSN 0094-243X
• Country of Publication: United States
• Language: English

Related Subjects

37 INORGANIC
ORGANIC
PHYSICAL AND ANALYTICAL CHEMISTRY
73 NUCLEAR PHYSICS AND RADIATION PHYSICS
BACKSCATTERING
CALIFORNIUM 252
CHEMICAL EXPLOSIVES
COMPUTERIZED SIMULATION
EFFICIENCY
FAST NEUTRONS
HELIUM 3
HYDROGEN
MOISTURE
MONTE CARLO METHOD
NEUTRON DETECTION
NEUTRON REACTIONS
QUANTITATIVE CHEMICAL ANALYSIS
SENSITIVITY
SOILS
ACTINIDE NUCLEI
ALPHA DECAY RADIOISOTOPES
BARYON REACTIONS
BARYONS
CALCULATION METHODS
CALIFORNIUM ISOTOPES
CHEMICAL ANALYSIS
DETECTION
ELEMENTARY PARTICLES
ELEMENTS
EVEN-EVEN NUCLEI
EVEN-ODD NUCLEI
EXPLOSIVES
FERMIONS
HADRON REACTIONS
HADRONS
HEAVY NUCLEI
HELIUM ISOTOPES
ISOTOPES
LIGHT NUCLEI
NEUTRONS
NONMETALS
NUCLEAR REACTIONS
NUCLEI
NUCLEON REACTIONS
NUCLEONS
RADIATION DETECTION
RADIOISOTOPES
SCATTERING
SIMULATION
SPONTANEOUS FISSION RADIOISOTOPES
STABLE ISOTOPES
YEARS LIVING RADIOISOTOPES