Simulation Of A Photofission-Based Cargo Interrogation System

Journal Article · Wed Jun 01 04:00:00 EDT 2011 · AIP Conference Proceedings

DOI:https://doi.org/10.1063/1.3586193· OSTI ID:21513450

King, Michael; Gozani, Tsahi; Stevenson, John; Shaw, Timothy ^[1]

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1. Rapiscan Laboratories, Inc., 520 Almanor Avenue, Sunnyvale, CA 94085 (United States)

A comprehensive model has been developed to characterize and optimize the detection of Bremsstrahlung x-ray induced fission signatures from nuclear materials hidden in cargo containers. An effective active interrogation system should not only induce a large number of fission events but also efficiently detect their signatures. The proposed scanning system utilizes a 9-MV commercially available linear accelerator and the detection of strong fission signals i.e. delayed gamma rays and prompt neutrons. Because the scanning system is complex and the cargo containers are large and often highly attenuating, the simulation method segments the model into several physical steps, representing each change of radiation particle. Each approximation is carried-out separately, resulting in a major reduction in computational time and a significant improvement in tally statistics. The model investigates the effect on the fission rate and detection rate by various cargo types, densities and distributions. Hydrogenous and metallic cargos, homogeneous and heterogeneous, as well as various locations of the nuclear material inside the cargo container were studied. We will show that for the photofission-based interrogation system simulation, the final results are not only in good agreement with a full, single-step simulation but also with experimental results, further validating the full-system simulation.

• OSTI ID: 21513450
• Journal Information: AIP Conference Proceedings, Journal Name: AIP Conference Proceedings Journal Issue: 1 Vol. 1336; ISSN APCPCS; ISSN 0094-243X
• Country of Publication: United States
• Language: English

Related Subjects

07 ISOTOPE AND RADIATION SOURCES
43 PARTICLE ACCELERATORS
ACCELERATORS
APPROXIMATIONS
BARYONS
BREMSSTRAHLUNG
CALCULATION METHODS
CARGO
CONTAINERS
DENSITY
DETECTION
DISTRIBUTION
ELECTROMAGNETIC RADIATION
ELEMENTARY PARTICLES
FERMIONS
FISSION
FISSION NEUTRONS
GAMMA RADIATION
HADRONS
IONIZING RADIATIONS
LINEAR ACCELERATORS
MONTE CARLO METHOD
NEUTRON SOURCES
NEUTRONS
NUCLEAR REACTIONS
NUCLEONS
PARTICLE SOURCES
PARTICLES
PHOTOFISSION
PHOTONUCLEAR REACTIONS
PHYSICAL PROPERTIES
PROMPT NEUTRONS
RADIATION SOURCES
RADIATIONS
SIMULATION
X RADIATION