Development of a Mixed-Radiation Directional Rotating Scatter Mask Detection System

Abstract

Previous work demonstrated gamma-ray directional detection through the integration of a radiation detection system and an additively manufactured rotating scatter mask (RSM). This work advances the RSM directional detection system through improvements in the system's design, validation of a new scatter mask, and the novel ability to directionally detect both neutrons and gamma rays. The mixed-radiation RSM system developed for this research utilized the Spartan I mask design coupled with a 1" EJ-309 liquid scintillator. A GEometry ANd Tracking (Geant4) model is developed and quantitatively compared to experimental measurements for both pulse-height energy spectra and detector response curves, validating the system's directional detection capabilities. Two sets of directional measurements are performed with an americium-beryllium source, varying the source's distance and direction for each set. The RSM correctly identified the direction of the source within 5 in both the azimuthal and polar directions for neutron induced events and within 10 for gamma rays. The results demonstrated the RSM is a compact, lightweight, and modular directional detection system useful for safeguard and counterproliferation missions.

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Document Details

Document Type
Technical Report
Publication Date
Mar 21, 2019
Accession Number
AD1078181

Entities

People

  • Bryan V. Egner

Organizations

  • Air Force Institute of Technology

Tags

Communities of Interest

  • Energy and Power Technologies

DTIC Thesaurus Topics

  • Air Force
  • Backscattering
  • Charged Particles
  • Detectors
  • Electrons
  • Energy Transfer
  • Geometry
  • Inelastic Scattering
  • Measurement
  • Neutron Detectors
  • Nuclear Cross Sections
  • Nuclear Properties
  • Nuclear Reactions
  • Scattering
  • Thermal Neutrons
  • Three Dimensional
  • Two Dimensional

Fields of Study

  • Physics

Readers

  • Computational Modeling and Simulation
  • Inertial Navigation Systems.
  • Solar Physics