Nuclear Resonance Fluorescence Measurements of High Explosives
Pacific Northwest National Laboratory and Passport Systems have collaborated to perform Nuclear Resonance Fluorescence experiments using several high quality high-explosive simulant samples. These measurements were conducted to determine the feasibility of finding and characterizing high explosive material by NRF interrogation. Electron beams of 5.1, 5.3, 8, and 10 MeV were used to produce bremsstrahlung photon beams, which irradiated the samples. The gamma-ray spectra were collected using high-purity germanium detectors. Nitrogen-to-carbon ratios of the high-explosive simulants were extracted from the 5.1 and 5.3 MeV data and compare favorably with accepted values. Analysis of the 8 and 10 MeV data is in progress; preliminary isotopic comparisons within the samples are consistent with the expected results.
- Research Organization:
- Pacific Northwest National Lab. (PNNL), Richland, WA (United States)
- Sponsoring Organization:
- USDOE
- DOE Contract Number:
- AC05-76RL01830
- OSTI ID:
- 947055
- Report Number(s):
- PNNL-SA-58009; 400904120; TRN: US0901281
- Resource Relation:
- Conference: 2007 IEEE Nuclear Science Symposium Conference Record, 3:2045-2046
- Country of Publication:
- United States
- Language:
- English
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