Randy Spaulding

Passive imaging of SNM with cosmic-ray generated neutrons and gamma-rays

We present a novel concept of the SNM imaging system based on cosmic-ray muon tracking in coincidence with neutron/gamma detection. The cosmic-ray flux at sea level is about 1 muon/sq. cm/minute. It is composed of nearly equal numbers of μ+ and μ-. In previous work, we have demonstrated that these muons can be used to image nuclear threats in relatively short times by measuring their multiple scattering through objects. Here we propose to image nuclear objects by combining tracking of the muons into a scene with measurements of the secondary particles produced when the muons stop in dense potentially fissile materials. We use multiple drift tube planes to trace incoming cosmic rays. Plastic scintillator serves as a detector of outgoing neutrons and gamma-rays. Additionally, the same plastic scintillator is used to estimate the energy of incoming cosmic-rays. We use a coincidence of n/gamma detection with the initial cosmic-ray trigger to suppress the background. The fissions produced by the stopped μ-generate fission chains that die away after several (∼5) fissions. Each fission produces ∼10 energetic gamma rays and ∼2.5 neutrons. Although a self-shielding needs to be considered, it is likely that tens of neutrons and gamma rays will escape from the object of typical configuration. The efficiency of detecting at least one of the products within ∼100 ns could be close to 100% for a detector of reasonably large solid angle (∼2 ster). Ten minutes of data should produce 50 trajectories from μ-stopped in 20 kg of U. These numbers can be scaled for other size objects. Our approach has no active source, and therefore it is safe for humans and has no effect on the object under inspection. The detectors are scalable and portable. The drift tubes of the detectors are sealed and do not need the gas replenishment. Detection and localization of SNM is achieved with automatic reconstruction algorithm, which can be run at a standard computer.