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Bremstrahlung versus Monoenergetic Photons for Photonuclear Inspection Applications

Conference ·
OSTI ID:950053
Bremsstrahlung sources have been utilized for various non-intrusive inspection or interrogation applications for over 100 years - with the primary focus being radiographic imaging. In the last several decades, it has become evident that photons of energy greater than 6 MeV can also provide useful photonuclear information that can extend the capabilities and information available from active inspections. These energetic inspection photons can be produced as a continuum of energies (i.e., bremsstrahlung distribution) or as a set of one or more discrete photon energies (i.e., monoenergetic distribution). This paper will discuss the photonuclear process and its energetic photon energy dependence, will discuss the photonuclear role in nuclear material detection, will present applicable photon sources along with their field deployment status, and highlight some advantages and disadvantages of bremsstrahlung and monoenergetic photons sources.
Research Organization:
Idaho National Laboratory (INL)
Sponsoring Organization:
OTHER
DOE Contract Number:
AC07-99ID13727;
OSTI ID:
950053
Report Number(s):
INL/CON-08-13875
Conference Information:
9th International Conerence on Applications of Nuclear Techniques,Crete Greece,06/08/2008,06/14/2008
Country of Publication:
United States
Language:
English