Multisource Direction Identification Using a Rotating Scatter Mask

Abstract

The objective of this thesis was to develop the methodology and prove that the rotating scatter mask (RSM) can identify the direction of multiple gamma radiation sources. There exist various systems for the purpose of source imaging, but all are hindered by either a high cost, a large size, a narrow field of view, or a low geometric efficiency. The RSM mitigates those issues and provides an efficient means of determining the direction of a radioactive source. The RSM consists of a 3"x3" NaI(Tl) scintillating detector encompassed by a polymethacrylate scattering mask designed to predictably attenuate gamma rays traveling through it to the detector. Previous experimental and simulations proved the viability of using the variation of full energy counts as a function of the rotation angle of the mask to provide a detector response curve (DRC). Each position relative to the RSM assembly results in a unique DRC that can be used to identify the direction of a radioactive source. The results of this thesis proved that the RSM can also be used to simultaneously identify the direction of multiple gamma ray sources with distinguishable full energy peaks and with indistinguishable full energy peaks by using a deconvolution algorithm.

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Document Details

Document Type
Technical Report
Publication Date
Mar 22, 2018
Accession Number
AD1056236

Entities

People

  • Zachary T. Condon

Organizations

  • Air Force Institute of Technology

Tags

Communities of Interest

  • Biomedical
  • Energy and Power Technologies

DTIC Thesaurus Topics

  • Air Force
  • Algorithms
  • Background Noise
  • Beta Particles
  • Compton Scattering
  • Data Processing
  • Department Of Homeland Security
  • Detection
  • Detectors
  • Electromagnetic Radiation
  • Electrons
  • Engineering
  • Gamma Decay
  • Gamma Rays
  • Materials
  • Nuclear Physics
  • Pair Production
  • Particle Physics
  • Positrons
  • Production
  • Radiation
  • Scattering
  • Simulations
  • United States

Fields of Study

  • Physics

Readers

  • Computational Modeling and Simulation
  • Nanofabrication and Microfabrication.
  • Solar Physics