Prompt Photofission Neutron Detection in Depleted Uranium

Jinia, A. J.; Maurer, T. E.; Meert, C. A.; Pakari, O. V.; Clarke, S. D.; Kim, H. S.; Wentzloff, D. D.; Pozzi, S. A.

doi:10.1103/physrevapplied.19.054073

Title: Prompt Photofission Neutron Detection in Depleted Uranium

Journal Article · 23 May 2023 · Physical Review Applied

DOI: https://doi.org/10.1103/physrevapplied.19.054073 · OSTI ID:1991487

^[1]; Maurer, T. E. ^[1]; Meert, C. A. ^[1]; Pakari, O. V. ^[1]; Clarke, S. D. ^[1]; Kim, H. S. ^[1]; Wentzloff, D. D. ^[1]; Pozzi, S. A. ^[1]

University of Michigan, Ann Arbor, MI (United States)

The detection of prompt photofission neutrons during active interrogation is a strong indication of the presence of special nuclear materials. However, the high-energy photons used for interrogation create a very challenging radiation environment for the detection of prompt fission signatures. These challenges include detector saturation and pulse pile-up. Additionally, there is an elevated neutron background that further challenges the detection of prompt fission neutrons. This background is produced because of (γ, Xn) photonuclear reactions in the surrounding high-Z materials. Here, we demonstrate the detection of prompt photofission neutrons in these challenging environments. Depleted uranium (DU) and lead targets are interrogated with bremsstrahlung photons produced by a 9-MV electron linear accelerator. Fast neutrons are detected with trans-stilbene organic detectors, and scintillation pulses are analyzed using a previously developed and demonstrated artificial neural network system. We observe a 5 times higher photoneutron count rate when the lead target is replaced with the DU target. Additionally, we observe a difference in the photoneutron light-output distributions of lead and DU. Here, this difference in the measured distributions is due to the difference in the photoneutron-energy spectra; DU photoneutrons are emitted with (γ, n) and watt-energy spectra, whereas lead photoneutrons are emitted with only the (γ, n) spectrum.

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Research Organization:: Univ. of Michigan, Ann Arbor, MI (United States)

Sponsoring Organization:: USDOE National Nuclear Security Administration (NNSA); U.S. Department of Homeland Security, Countering Weapons of Mass Destruction Office

Grant/Contract Number:: NA0003920; 2016-DN-077-ARI106

OSTI ID:: 1991487

Journal Information:: Physical Review Applied, Vol. 19, Issue 5; ISSN 2331-7019

Publisher:: American Physical Society (APS)Copyright Statement

Country of Publication:: United States

Language:: English

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