Chemical warfare agent and high explosive identification by spectroscopy of neutron-induced gamma rays
- Idaho National Engineering Lab., Idaho Falls, ID (United States)
This paper reports on a non-destructive assay method to identify chemical warfare (CW) agents and high explosive (HE) munitions which was tested with actual chemical agents and explosives at the Tooele Army Depot, Tooele, Utah, from 22 April 1991 through 3 May 1991. The assay method exploits the gamma radiation produced by neutron interactions inside a container or munition to identify the elemental composition of its contents. The characteristic gamma-ray signatures of the chemical elements chlorine, phosphorus, and sulfur were observed form the CW agent containers and munitions, in sufficient detail to enable us to reliably discern agents GB (sarin), HD (mustard gas), and VX from one another, and from HE-filled munitions. By detecting of the presence of nitrogen, the key indictor of explosive compounds, and the absence of elements Cl, P, and S, HE shells were also clearly identified.
- OSTI ID:
- 6946877
- Report Number(s):
- CONF-911106-; CODEN: IETNAE
- Journal Information:
- IEEE Transactions on Nuclear Science (Institute of Electrical and Electronics Engineers); (United States), Vol. 39:5; Conference: 1991 Institute of Electrical and Electronic Engineers (IEEE) nuclear science symposium and medical imaging conference, Santa Fe, NM (United States), 2-9 Nov 1991; ISSN 0018-9499
- Country of Publication:
- United States
- Language:
- English
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Related Subjects
37 INORGANIC
ORGANIC
PHYSICAL AND ANALYTICAL CHEMISTRY
CHEMICAL WARFARE AGENTS
GAMMA SPECTROSCOPY
EXPLOSIVES
CHLORINE
GAMMA RADIATION
INTERACTIONS
NEUTRON SOURCES
NITROGEN
NONDESTRUCTIVE ANALYSIS
PHOSPHORUS
SULFUR
CHEMICAL ANALYSIS
ELECTROMAGNETIC RADIATION
ELEMENTS
HALOGENS
IONIZING RADIATIONS
NONMETALS
PARTICLE SOURCES
RADIATION SOURCES
RADIATIONS
SPECTROSCOPY
WEAPONS
450100* - Military Technology
Weaponry
& National Defense- Chemical Explosions & Explosives
400101 - Activation
Nuclear Reaction
Radiometric & Radiochemical Procedures