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Title: Multiple-Coincidence Active Neutron Interrogation of Fissionable Materials

Abstract

In an extension of the Associated Particle Imaging technique that is used for the detection and imaging of hidden explosives, the present measurements use a beam of tagged 14.1 MeV neutrons in coincidence with two or more gammas to probe for the presence of fissionable materials. We have measured neutron-gamma-gamma coincidences with targets of depleted uranium, tungsten, lead, iron, and carbon and will present results that show the multiple-coincidence counting rate for the depleted uranium is substantially higher than any of the non-fissionable materials. In addition, the presence of coincidences involving delayed particle spectra provides a signature for fissionable materials that is distinct from that for non-fissionable ones. Information from the tagged neutron involved in the coincidence event is used to compute the position of the fissionable material in all three dimensions. The result is an imaging probe for fissionable materials that is compact and portable, and produces relatively low levels of background radiation. Simultaneous measurements on packages of interest for both explosives and fissionable materials are now feasible.

Authors:
Publication Date:
Research Org.:
National Security Technologies, LLC (United States)
Sponsoring Org.:
USDOE; USDOE National Nuclear Security Administration (NA)
OSTI Identifier:
992605
Report Number(s):
DOE/NV/25946-580
TRN: US1100405
DOE Contract Number:  
DE-AC52-06NA25946
Resource Type:
Conference
Resource Relation:
Conference: Health Physics Society, January 31 - February 3, 2009, San Antonio, Texas
Country of Publication:
United States
Language:
English
Subject:
46 INSTRUMENTATION RELATED TO NUCLEAR SCIENCE AND TECHNOLOGY; BACKGROUND RADIATION; CARBON; COUNTING RATES; DEPLETED URANIUM; DETECTION; DIMENSIONS; EXPLOSIVES; FISSIONABLE MATERIALS; IRON; NEUTRONS; PROBES; RADIATION PROTECTION; SPECTRA; TARGETS; TUNGSTEN; Active interrogation, fissile materials, neutrons

Citation Formats

Tinsley, J.R., Hurley, J.P., Trainham, R., Keegan, R.P. Multiple-Coincidence Active Neutron Interrogation of Fissionable Materials. United States: N. p., 2008. Web.
Tinsley, J.R., Hurley, J.P., Trainham, R., Keegan, R.P. Multiple-Coincidence Active Neutron Interrogation of Fissionable Materials. United States.
Tinsley, J.R., Hurley, J.P., Trainham, R., Keegan, R.P. 2008. "Multiple-Coincidence Active Neutron Interrogation of Fissionable Materials". United States. https://www.osti.gov/servlets/purl/992605.
@article{osti_992605,
title = {Multiple-Coincidence Active Neutron Interrogation of Fissionable Materials},
author = {Tinsley, J.R., Hurley, J.P., Trainham, R., Keegan, R.P.},
abstractNote = {In an extension of the Associated Particle Imaging technique that is used for the detection and imaging of hidden explosives, the present measurements use a beam of tagged 14.1 MeV neutrons in coincidence with two or more gammas to probe for the presence of fissionable materials. We have measured neutron-gamma-gamma coincidences with targets of depleted uranium, tungsten, lead, iron, and carbon and will present results that show the multiple-coincidence counting rate for the depleted uranium is substantially higher than any of the non-fissionable materials. In addition, the presence of coincidences involving delayed particle spectra provides a signature for fissionable materials that is distinct from that for non-fissionable ones. Information from the tagged neutron involved in the coincidence event is used to compute the position of the fissionable material in all three dimensions. The result is an imaging probe for fissionable materials that is compact and portable, and produces relatively low levels of background radiation. Simultaneous measurements on packages of interest for both explosives and fissionable materials are now feasible.},
doi = {},
url = {https://www.osti.gov/biblio/992605}, journal = {},
number = ,
volume = ,
place = {United States},
year = {Fri Nov 14 00:00:00 EST 2008},
month = {Fri Nov 14 00:00:00 EST 2008}
}

Conference:
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