Image reconstruction algorithm for momentum dependent muon scattering tomography

Jung Hyun Bae, Rose Montgomery, Stylianos Chatzidakis

Research output: Contribution to journalArticlepeer-review

1 Scopus citations

Abstract

Nondestructive radiography using cosmic ray muons has been used for decades to monitor nuclear reactor and spent nuclear fuel storage. Because nuclear fuel assemblies are highly dense and large, typical radiation probes such as x-rays cannot penetrate these target imaging objects. Although cosmic ray muons are highly penetrative for nuclear fuels as a result of their relatively high energy, the wide application of muon tomography is limited because of naturally low cosmic ray muon flux. This work presents a new image reconstruction algorithm to maximize the utility of cosmic ray muon in tomography applications. Muon momentum information is used to improve imaging resolution, as well as muon scattering angle. In this work, a new convolution was introduced known as M-value, which is a mathematical integration of two measured quantities: scattering angle and momentum. It captures the objects’ quantity and density in a way that is easy to use with image reconstruction algorithms. The results demonstrate how to reconstruct images when muon momentum measurements are included in a typical muon scattering tomography algorithm. Using M-value improves muon tomography image resolution by replacing the scattering angle value without increasing computation costs. This new algorithm is projected to be a standard nondestructive radiography technique for spent nuclear fuel and nuclear material management.

Original languageEnglish
Pages (from-to)1553-1561
Number of pages9
JournalNuclear Engineering and Technology
Volume56
Issue number5
DOIs
StatePublished - May 2024

Funding

The authors declare the following financial interests/personal relationships which may be considered as potential competing interests: JungHyun Bae reports financial support was provided by US Department of Energy.This research was sponsored by the Laboratory Directed Research and Development Program of Oak Ridge National Laboratory, managed by UT-Battelle, LLC, for the US Department of Energy. This research was sponsored by the Laboratory Directed Research and Development Program of Oak Ridge National Laboratory , managed by UT-Battelle, LLC, for the US Department of Energy .

Keywords

  • Cosmic ray muon
  • Imaging algorithm
  • Muon spectrometer
  • Muon tomography
  • Spent nuclear fuel

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