Nuclear‐Reaction‐Based Radiation Source For Explosives‐And SNM‐Detection In Massive Cargo

An automatic, nuclear‐reaction‐based, few‐view transmission radiography method and system concept is presented, that will simultaneously detect small, operationally‐relevant quantities of chemical explosives and special nuclear materials (SNM) in objects up to the size of LD‐3 aviation containers. Detection of all threat materials is performed via the 11B(d,n+γ) reaction on thick, isotopically‐enriched targets; SNM are primarily detected via Dual Discrete‐Energy Radiography (DDER), using 15.11 MeV and 4.43 MeV 12C γ‐rays, whereas explosives are primarily detected via Fast Neutron Resonance Radiography (FNRR), employing the broad‐energy neutron spectra produced in a thick 11B‐target. To achieve a reasonable throughput of ∼20 containers per hour, ns‐pulsed deuteron beam of the order of 0.5 mA intensity at energies of 5–7 MeV is required. As a first step towards optimizing parameters and sensitivities of an operational system, the 0° spectra and yields of both γ‐rays and neutrons in this reaction have been m...