Abstract
Prompt gamma-ray neutron activation analysis (PGNAA) has an inherently low signal-to-noise (S/N) ratio primarily because of the large background (noise) associated with it. Most elements emit a significant fraction of their prompt gamma rays in coincidence with one or more other prompt gamma rays. This paper reports on initial efforts to use coincidence counting in PGNAA to significantly reduce the several sources of background and thereby increase the S/N ratio. An added benefit is the elimination of the often dominant hydrogen prompt gamma-ray spectrum which emits only a single prompt gamma ray with an energy of 2.223 MeV. Preliminary results are given for both in situ bulk analysis applications with a 252Cf neutron source and for nuclear reactor thermal neutron beam applications for small laboratory samples.
| Original language | English |
|---|---|
| Pages (from-to) | 515-526 |
| Number of pages | 12 |
| Journal | Applied Radiation and Isotopes |
| Volume | 53 |
| Issue number | 4-5 |
| DOIs | |
| State | Published - Nov 15 2000 |
| Externally published | Yes |
Funding
The authors gratefully acknowledge the support of NEER Grant ID13775 “Coincidence Prompt Gamma-Ray Neutron Activation Analysis” from the U.S. Department of Energy. The authors also acknowledge the partial financial support of the Associates Program for Nuclear Oil Well Logging that supports our Center for Engineering Applications of Radioisotopes (CEAR) that consisted of ARCO, Amoco, Baker Atlas, and Halliburton Energy Services, Inc. at the time of these studies. The partial financial support of a CRADA entitled “Computer Simulation in Support of Nuclear Well Logging” with Los Alamos National Laboratory and industrial partners Baker Atlas, Chevron, Computalog, and Halliburton Energy Services, Inc. is gratefully acknowledged as is support from Energy Technologies, Inc. and the Idaho National Engineering and Environmental Laboratory.
Keywords
- PGNAA coincidence