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Title: High-energy Laser-accelerated Electron Beams for Long-range Interrogation

Abstract

We are studying the use of 0.1-1.0 GeV laser-accelerated electron beams as active interrogation probes for long-standoff radiography or nuclear activation of concealed special nuclear material. Use of beams in this energy range is largely unexplored, but such beams could provide notable advantages over lower-energy beams and x-rays. High-energy laser-accelerated electrons exhibit large penetration range through air and solids, and low beam divergence for both direct beams and secondary Bremsstrahlung x-rays. We present laboratory measurements of radiography and activation, using the high-power Diodes laser system at the University of Nebraska, as well as MCNP and GEANT Monte Carlo simulation results used to aid experiment design and interpretation.

Authors:
; ; ; ; ;  [1]; ; ;  [2]; ;  [3]
  1. Department of Physics and Astronomy, University of Nebraska, Lincoln, NE 68588-0111 (United States)
  2. Physics Division, Oak Ridge National Laboratory, Oak Ridge, TN 37831-6372 (United States)
  3. Department of Nuclear Engineering and Radiological Sciences, University of Michigan, Ann Arbor, MI 48109-2104 (United States)
Publication Date:
OSTI Identifier:
21289612
Resource Type:
Journal Article
Journal Name:
AIP Conference Proceedings
Additional Journal Information:
Journal Volume: 1099; Journal Issue: 1; Conference: CAARI 2008: 12. international conference on application of accelerators in research and industry, Fort Worth, TX (United States), 10-15 Aug 2008; Other Information: DOI: 10.1063/1.3120117; (c) 2009 American Institute of Physics; Country of input: International Atomic Energy Agency (IAEA); Journal ID: ISSN 0094-243X
Country of Publication:
United States
Language:
English
Subject:
98 NUCLEAR DISARMAMENT, SAFEGUARDS, AND PHYSICAL PROTECTION; BETA RADIOGRAPHY; BREMSSTRAHLUNG; COMPUTERIZED SIMULATION; DESIGN; DETECTION; ELECTRON BEAMS; ELECTRON REACTIONS; FISSILE MATERIALS; G CODES; GEV RANGE; LASER RADIATION; LASERS; LINEAR ACCELERATORS; M CODES; MONTE CARLO METHOD; X RADIATION

Citation Formats

Cunningham, Nathaniel J, Banerjee, Sudeep, Ramanathan, Vidya, Powers, Nathan, Chandler-Smith, Nate, Umstadter, Donald, Vane, Randy, Schultz, David, Beene, James, Pozzi, Sara, and Clarke, Shaun. High-energy Laser-accelerated Electron Beams for Long-range Interrogation. United States: N. p., 2009. Web. doi:10.1063/1.3120117.
Cunningham, Nathaniel J, Banerjee, Sudeep, Ramanathan, Vidya, Powers, Nathan, Chandler-Smith, Nate, Umstadter, Donald, Vane, Randy, Schultz, David, Beene, James, Pozzi, Sara, & Clarke, Shaun. High-energy Laser-accelerated Electron Beams for Long-range Interrogation. United States. https://doi.org/10.1063/1.3120117
Cunningham, Nathaniel J, Banerjee, Sudeep, Ramanathan, Vidya, Powers, Nathan, Chandler-Smith, Nate, Umstadter, Donald, Vane, Randy, Schultz, David, Beene, James, Pozzi, Sara, and Clarke, Shaun. 2009. "High-energy Laser-accelerated Electron Beams for Long-range Interrogation". United States. https://doi.org/10.1063/1.3120117.
@article{osti_21289612,
title = {High-energy Laser-accelerated Electron Beams for Long-range Interrogation},
author = {Cunningham, Nathaniel J and Banerjee, Sudeep and Ramanathan, Vidya and Powers, Nathan and Chandler-Smith, Nate and Umstadter, Donald and Vane, Randy and Schultz, David and Beene, James and Pozzi, Sara and Clarke, Shaun},
abstractNote = {We are studying the use of 0.1-1.0 GeV laser-accelerated electron beams as active interrogation probes for long-standoff radiography or nuclear activation of concealed special nuclear material. Use of beams in this energy range is largely unexplored, but such beams could provide notable advantages over lower-energy beams and x-rays. High-energy laser-accelerated electrons exhibit large penetration range through air and solids, and low beam divergence for both direct beams and secondary Bremsstrahlung x-rays. We present laboratory measurements of radiography and activation, using the high-power Diodes laser system at the University of Nebraska, as well as MCNP and GEANT Monte Carlo simulation results used to aid experiment design and interpretation.},
doi = {10.1063/1.3120117},
url = {https://www.osti.gov/biblio/21289612}, journal = {AIP Conference Proceedings},
issn = {0094-243X},
number = 1,
volume = 1099,
place = {United States},
year = {Tue Mar 10 00:00:00 EDT 2009},
month = {Tue Mar 10 00:00:00 EDT 2009}
}