Time encoded radiation imaging
| DWPI Title: System for detecting nuclear material at large stand-off distance, has locator component for determining first count rate of radiation incident upon first detector when located in first position |
| Abstract: The various technologies presented herein relate to detecting nuclear material at a large stand-off distance. An imaging system is presented which can detect nuclear material by utilizing time encoded imaging relating to maximum and minimum radiation particle counts rates. The imaging system is integrated with a data acquisition system that can utilize variations in photon pulse shape to discriminate between neutron and gamma-ray interactions. Modulation in the detected neutron count rates as a function of the angular orientation of the detector due to attenuation of neighboring detectors is utilized to reconstruct the neutron source distribution over 360 degrees around the imaging system. Neutrons (e.g., fast neutrons) and/or gamma-rays are incident upon scintillation material in the imager, the photons generated by the scintillation material are converted to electrical energy from which the respective neutrons/gamma rays can be determined and, accordingly, a direction to, and the location of, a radiation source identified. |
| Use: System for detecting nuclear material at large stand-off distance. |
| Advantage: The locator component determines the first count rate of radiation incident upon the first detector when located in the first position and determines the second count rate of radiation incident upon the first detector when located in the second position, where the first count rate of radiation exceeds the second count rate of radiation, thus detecting the nuclear material at the large stand-off distance in an effective manner. |
| Novelty: The system has a first detector (A) located proximate to a radiation source, and a second detector located between a position of the first detector and the radiation source. A locator component (196) determines a first count rate of radiation incident upon the first detector when located in the first position and determines a second count rate of radiation incident upon the first detector when located in the second position, where the first count rate of radiation exceeds the second count rate of radiation. |
| Filed: 8/26/2013 |
| Application Number: US14010352A |
| Tech ID: SD 12142.1 |
| This invention was made with Government support under Contract No. DE-NA0003525 awarded by the United States Department of Energy/National Nuclear Security Administration. The Government has certain rights in the invention. |
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