Neutron Resonance Radiography for Explosives Detection: Technical Challenges Metadata

Title

• Main Title Neutron Resonance Radiography for Explosives Detection: Technical Challenges

Creator

• Author: Raas, W L
  Creator Type: Personal
• Author: Blackburn, B
  Creator Type: Personal
• Author: Boyd, E
  Creator Type: Personal
• Author: Hall, J M
  Creator Type: Personal
• Author: Kohse, G
  Creator Type: Personal
• Author: Lanza, R
  Creator Type: Personal
• Author: Rusnak, B
  Creator Type: Personal
• Author: Watterson, J W
  Creator Type: Personal

Contributor

• Sponsor: United States. Department of Energy.
  Contributor Type: Organization

Publisher

• Name: Lawrence Livermore National Laboratory
  Place of Publication: Livermore, California
  Additional Info: Lawrence Livermore National Laboratory (LLNL), Livermore, CA

Date

• Creation: 2005-11-09

Language

• English

Description

• Content Description: Fast Neutron Resonance Radiography (NRR) has recently become a focus of investigation as a supplement to conventional x-ray systems as a non-invasive, non-destructive means of detecting explosive material concealed in checked luggage or cargo containers at airports. Using fast (1-6 MeV) neutrons produced by the D(d,n){sup 3}He reaction, NRR provides both an imaging capability and the ability to determine the chemical composition of materials in baggage or cargo. Elemental discrimination is achieved by exploiting the resonance features of the neutron cross-section for oxygen, nitrogen, carbon, and hydrogen. Simulations have shown the effectiveness of multiple-element NRR through Monte Carlo transport methods; this work is focused on the development of a prototype system that will incorporate an accelerator-based neutron source and a neutron detection and imaging system to demonstrate the realistic capabilities of NRR in distinguishing the elemental components of concealed objects. Preliminary experiments have exposed significant technical difficulties unapparent in simulations, including the presence of image contamination from gamma ray production, the detection of low-fluence fast neutrons in a gamma field, and the mechanical difficulties inherent in the use of thin foil windows for gas cell confinement. To mitigate these concerns, a new gas target has been developed to simultaneously reduce gamma ray production and increase structural integrity in high flux gas targets. Development of a neutron imaging system and neutron counting based on characteristic neutron pulse shapes have been investigated as a means of improving signal to noise ratios, reducing irradiation times, and increasing the accuracy of elemental determination.
• Physical Description: PDF-file: 7 pages; size: 0.9 Mbytes

Subject

• Keyword: Confinement
• Keyword: Carbon
• STI Subject Categories: 73 Nuclear Physics And Radiation Physics
• Keyword: Explosives
• Keyword: Airports
• Keyword: Oxygen
• Keyword: Chemical Composition
• Keyword: Fast Neutrons
• STI Subject Categories: 22 General Studies Of Nuclear Reactors
• Keyword: Resonance
• Keyword: Irradiation
• STI Subject Categories: 08 Hydrogen
• STI Subject Categories: 43 Particle Accelerators
• Keyword: Neutrons
• Keyword: Detection
• Keyword: Nitrogen
• Keyword: Hydrogen
• Keyword: Cargo
• Keyword: Contamination
• Keyword: Neutron Detection
• Keyword: Containers
• Keyword: Neutron Sources

Source

• Conference: Presented at: IEEE Nuclear Science Symposium and Medical Imaging Conference, Fajardo, PR, United States, Oct 23 - Oct 29, 2005

Collection

• Name: Office of Scientific & Technical Information Technical Reports
  Code: OSTI

Institution

• Name: UNT Libraries Government Documents Department
  Code: UNTGD

Resource Type

• Article

Format

• Text

Identifier

• Report No.: UCRL-CONF-217017
• Grant Number: W-7405-ENG-48
• Office of Scientific & Technical Information Report Number: 877866
• Archival Resource Key: ark:/67531/metadc874712