Simulation of explosive detection based on APT-TOF for verifying nuclear warhead dismantlement.

Abstract

Authentication of the explosives in nuclear warheads is a key point for the global nuclear disarmament. In this paper, a detection method of the explosives in nuclear warheads based on API-TOF (associated α particle imaging - time of flight) is proposed. First, the basic principles and current research situation of API-TOF are introduced. Second, a numerical simulation platform of the detection method of the explosives in nuclear warheads based on API-TOF was established, and a numerical simulation study of the feasibility of this method was carried out. The research results show that, this method can detect the nuclides of 12C, 14N and 16O of the explosive in the nuclear warhead in 15\xa0min, and reconstruct the carbon-oxygen number ratio and nitrogen-oxygen number ratio of the explosive accurately, and reconstruct the spatial distribution of the explosive nuclei with the explosive profile clearly discriminated in the reconstruction image. From the simulation results, the detection method of the explosive in the nuclear warhead based on API-TOF is confirmed.