Prototype Neutron Energy Spectrometer
Abstract
The project goals are: (1) Use three to five pressurized helium tubes with varying polyethylene moderators to build a neutron energy spectrometer that is most sensitive to the incident neutron energy of interest. Neutron energies that are of particular interest are those from the fission neutrons (typically around 1-2 MeV); (2) Neutron Source Identification - Use the neutron energy 'selectivity' property as a tool to discriminate against other competing processes by which neutrons are generated (viz. Cosmic ray induced neutron production [ship effect], [a, n] reactions); (3) Determine the efficiency as a function of neutron energy (response function) of each of the detectors, and thereby obtain the composite neutron energy spectrum from the detector count rates; and (4) Far-field data characterization and effectively discerning shielded fission source. Summary of the presentation is: (1) A light weight simple form factor compact neutron energy spectrometer ready to be used in maritime missions has been built; (2) Under laboratory conditions, individual Single Neutron Source Identification is possible within 30 minutes. (3) Sources belonging to the same type of origin viz., (a, n), fission, cosmic cluster in the same place in the 2-D plot shown; and (4) Isotopes belonging to the same source originmore »
- Authors:
- Publication Date:
- Research Org.:
- National Security Technologies, LLC (United States)
- Sponsoring Org.:
- USDOE; USDOE National Nuclear Security Administration (NA)
- OSTI Identifier:
- 992583
- Report Number(s):
- DOE/NV/25946-971
TRN: US1100396
- DOE Contract Number:
- DE-AC52-06NA25946
- Resource Type:
- Conference
- Resource Relation:
- Conference: American Nuclear Society Annual Meeting; June 16, 2010
- Country of Publication:
- United States
- Language:
- English
- Subject:
- 46 INSTRUMENTATION RELATED TO NUCLEAR SCIENCE AND TECHNOLOGY; EFFICIENCY; FISSION; FISSION NEUTRONS; FORM FACTORS; HELIUM; MODERATORS; NEUTRON SOURCES; NEUTRONS; ORIGIN; POLYETHYLENES; PRODUCTION; SPECTROMETERS; neutron energy spectrometer, neutron source identification
Citation Formats
Stephen Mitchell, Sanjoy Mukhopadhyay, Richard Maurer, Ronald Wolff. Prototype Neutron Energy Spectrometer. United States: N. p., 2010.
Web.
Stephen Mitchell, Sanjoy Mukhopadhyay, Richard Maurer, Ronald Wolff. Prototype Neutron Energy Spectrometer. United States.
Stephen Mitchell, Sanjoy Mukhopadhyay, Richard Maurer, Ronald Wolff. 2010.
"Prototype Neutron Energy Spectrometer". United States. https://www.osti.gov/servlets/purl/992583.
@article{osti_992583,
title = {Prototype Neutron Energy Spectrometer},
author = {Stephen Mitchell, Sanjoy Mukhopadhyay, Richard Maurer, Ronald Wolff},
abstractNote = {The project goals are: (1) Use three to five pressurized helium tubes with varying polyethylene moderators to build a neutron energy spectrometer that is most sensitive to the incident neutron energy of interest. Neutron energies that are of particular interest are those from the fission neutrons (typically around 1-2 MeV); (2) Neutron Source Identification - Use the neutron energy 'selectivity' property as a tool to discriminate against other competing processes by which neutrons are generated (viz. Cosmic ray induced neutron production [ship effect], [a, n] reactions); (3) Determine the efficiency as a function of neutron energy (response function) of each of the detectors, and thereby obtain the composite neutron energy spectrum from the detector count rates; and (4) Far-field data characterization and effectively discerning shielded fission source. Summary of the presentation is: (1) A light weight simple form factor compact neutron energy spectrometer ready to be used in maritime missions has been built; (2) Under laboratory conditions, individual Single Neutron Source Identification is possible within 30 minutes. (3) Sources belonging to the same type of origin viz., (a, n), fission, cosmic cluster in the same place in the 2-D plot shown; and (4) Isotopes belonging to the same source origin like Cm-Be, Am-Be (a, n) or Pu-239, U-235 (fission) do have some overlap in the 2-D plot.},
doi = {},
url = {https://www.osti.gov/biblio/992583},
journal = {},
number = ,
volume = ,
place = {United States},
year = {Wed Jun 16 00:00:00 EDT 2010},
month = {Wed Jun 16 00:00:00 EDT 2010}
}