TY - GEN
T1 - Actively-induced, prompt radiation utilization in nonproliferation applications
AU - Blackburn, Brandon W.
AU - Jones, James L.
AU - Moss, Calvin E.
AU - Mihalczo, John T.
AU - Hunt, Alan W.
AU - Hausladen, Paul
AU - Pozzi, Sara A.
AU - Harmon, Frank J.
AU - Waters, Laurie
AU - Inakiev, Kiril
AU - McCluskey, Craig
AU - Fiaska, Mams
AU - Watson, Scott M.
AU - Johnson, James T.
PY - 2006
Y1 - 2006
N2 - ThePulsed Photonuclear Assessment (PPA) technique, which has demonstrated the ability to detect shielded nuclear material, is currently based on utilizing delayed neutrons and photons between accelerator pulses. While most active interrogation systems have focused on delayed neutron and gamma-ray signatures, the current requirements of various Homeland Security issues necessitate bringing faster detection and acquisition capabilities to field inspection applications. This push for decreased interrogation times, increased sensitivity and mitigation of false positives requires that detection systems take advantage of all available information. Collaborative research between Idaho National Lab (INL), Idaho State University's Idaho Accelerator Center (IAC), Los Alamos National Laboratory (LANL), and Oak Ridge National Laboratory (ORNL), has focused on exploiting actively-induced, prompt radiation signatures from nuclear material within a pulsed photonuclear environment. To date, these prompt emissions have not been effectively exploited due to difficulties in detection and signal processing inherent in the prompt regime as well as an overall poor understanding of the magnitude and yields of these emissions. Exploitation of prompt radiation (defined as during an accelerator pulse/(photo)fission event and/or immediately after (< 1 μs)) has the potential to dramatically reduce interrogation times since the prompt neutron yields are more than two orders of magnitude greater than delayed emissions. Successful exploitation of prompt emissions is critical for the development of an improved robust, high-throughput, low target dose inspection system for detection of shielded nuclear materials.
AB - ThePulsed Photonuclear Assessment (PPA) technique, which has demonstrated the ability to detect shielded nuclear material, is currently based on utilizing delayed neutrons and photons between accelerator pulses. While most active interrogation systems have focused on delayed neutron and gamma-ray signatures, the current requirements of various Homeland Security issues necessitate bringing faster detection and acquisition capabilities to field inspection applications. This push for decreased interrogation times, increased sensitivity and mitigation of false positives requires that detection systems take advantage of all available information. Collaborative research between Idaho National Lab (INL), Idaho State University's Idaho Accelerator Center (IAC), Los Alamos National Laboratory (LANL), and Oak Ridge National Laboratory (ORNL), has focused on exploiting actively-induced, prompt radiation signatures from nuclear material within a pulsed photonuclear environment. To date, these prompt emissions have not been effectively exploited due to difficulties in detection and signal processing inherent in the prompt regime as well as an overall poor understanding of the magnitude and yields of these emissions. Exploitation of prompt radiation (defined as during an accelerator pulse/(photo)fission event and/or immediately after (< 1 μs)) has the potential to dramatically reduce interrogation times since the prompt neutron yields are more than two orders of magnitude greater than delayed emissions. Successful exploitation of prompt emissions is critical for the development of an improved robust, high-throughput, low target dose inspection system for detection of shielded nuclear materials.
UR - http://www.scopus.com/inward/record.url?scp=38649102219&partnerID=8YFLogxK
U2 - 10.1109/NSSMIC.2006.356164
DO - 10.1109/NSSMIC.2006.356164
M3 - Conference contribution
AN - SCOPUS:38649102219
SN - 1424405610
SN - 9781424405619
T3 - IEEE Nuclear Science Symposium Conference Record
SP - 314
EP - 315
BT - 2006 IEEE Nuclear Science Symposium - Conference Record
PB - Institute of Electrical and Electronics Engineers Inc.
T2 - 2006 IEEE Nuclear Science Symposium, Medical Imaging Conference and 15th International Workshop on Room-Temperature Semiconductor X- and Gamma-Ray Detectors, Special Focus Workshops, NSS/MIC/RTSD
Y2 - 29 October 2006 through 4 November 2006
ER -