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Title: Applications of the associated-particle neutron-time-of-flight interrogation technique - From sheep to unexploded ordnance

Abstract

The associated-particle technique (APT) will be presented for some diverse applications that include on the one hand, analyzing the body composition of live sheep and on the other, identifying the fillers of unexploded ordnance (UXO). What began with proof-of-concept studies using a large laboratory based 14 MeV neutron generator of the 'associated-particle' type, soon became possible for the first time to measure total body protein, fat and water simultaneously in live sheep using a compact field deployable associated-particle sealed-tube neutron generator (APSTNG). This non-invasive technique offered the animal physiologist a tool to monitor the growth of an animal in response to new genetic, nutritional and pharmacologic methods for livestock improvement. While measurement of carbon (C), nitrogen (N) and oxygen (O) determined protein, fat and water because of the fixed stoichiometric proportions of these elements in these body components, the unique C/N and C/O ratios of high explosives revealed their identity in UXO. The algorithm that was developed and implemented to extract C, N and O counts from an APT generated gamma-ray spectrum will be presented together with the UXO investigations that involved preliminary proofof-concept studies and modeling with Monte Carlo produced synthetic spectra of 57-155 mm projectiles.

Authors:
 [1]
  1. Environmental Sciences Department, Brookhaven National Laboratory, Upton, NY 11973 and Nuclear Forensics R and D, Sandia National Laboratories, Albuquerque, NM 87185-0968 (United States)
Publication Date:
OSTI Identifier:
22116988
Resource Type:
Journal Article
Journal Name:
AIP Conference Proceedings
Additional Journal Information:
Journal Volume: 1525; Journal Issue: 1; Conference: 22. international conference on application of accelerators in research and industry, Ft. Worth, TX (United States), 5-10 Aug 2012; Other Information: (c) 2013 AIP Publishing LLC; Country of input: International Atomic Energy Agency (IAEA); Journal ID: ISSN 0094-243X
Country of Publication:
United States
Language:
English
Subject:
37 INORGANIC, ORGANIC, PHYSICAL AND ANALYTICAL CHEMISTRY; 46 INSTRUMENTATION RELATED TO NUCLEAR SCIENCE AND TECHNOLOGY; ALGORITHMS; ANIMAL GROWTH; BODY COMPOSITION; CARBON; EXPLOSIVES; FATS; GAMMA SPECTRA; GAMMA SPECTROSCOPY; MEV RANGE; MONTE CARLO METHOD; MULTI-ELEMENT ANALYSIS; NEUTRON ACTIVATION ANALYSIS; NEUTRON GENERATORS; NITROGEN; OXYGEN; PROTEINS; QUANTITATIVE CHEMICAL ANALYSIS; SHEEP; TIME-OF-FLIGHT METHOD

Citation Formats

Mitra, S. Applications of the associated-particle neutron-time-of-flight interrogation technique - From sheep to unexploded ordnance. United States: N. p., 2013. Web. doi:10.1063/1.4802362.
Mitra, S. Applications of the associated-particle neutron-time-of-flight interrogation technique - From sheep to unexploded ordnance. United States. https://doi.org/10.1063/1.4802362
Mitra, S. 2013. "Applications of the associated-particle neutron-time-of-flight interrogation technique - From sheep to unexploded ordnance". United States. https://doi.org/10.1063/1.4802362.
@article{osti_22116988,
title = {Applications of the associated-particle neutron-time-of-flight interrogation technique - From sheep to unexploded ordnance},
author = {Mitra, S.},
abstractNote = {The associated-particle technique (APT) will be presented for some diverse applications that include on the one hand, analyzing the body composition of live sheep and on the other, identifying the fillers of unexploded ordnance (UXO). What began with proof-of-concept studies using a large laboratory based 14 MeV neutron generator of the 'associated-particle' type, soon became possible for the first time to measure total body protein, fat and water simultaneously in live sheep using a compact field deployable associated-particle sealed-tube neutron generator (APSTNG). This non-invasive technique offered the animal physiologist a tool to monitor the growth of an animal in response to new genetic, nutritional and pharmacologic methods for livestock improvement. While measurement of carbon (C), nitrogen (N) and oxygen (O) determined protein, fat and water because of the fixed stoichiometric proportions of these elements in these body components, the unique C/N and C/O ratios of high explosives revealed their identity in UXO. The algorithm that was developed and implemented to extract C, N and O counts from an APT generated gamma-ray spectrum will be presented together with the UXO investigations that involved preliminary proofof-concept studies and modeling with Monte Carlo produced synthetic spectra of 57-155 mm projectiles.},
doi = {10.1063/1.4802362},
url = {https://www.osti.gov/biblio/22116988}, journal = {AIP Conference Proceedings},
issn = {0094-243X},
number = 1,
volume = 1525,
place = {United States},
year = {Fri Apr 19 00:00:00 EDT 2013},
month = {Fri Apr 19 00:00:00 EDT 2013}
}