Detection of nuclear threats in large cargo containers

Gosnell, T B

Lawrence Livermore National Laboratory

关键词: 46 Instrumentation Related To Nuclear Science And Technology;    Neutrons;    Implementation;    Trade;    Cargo;   

DOI  :  10.2172/15009832
RP-ID  :  UCRL-TR-203678
RP-ID  :  W-7405-ENG-48
RP-ID  :  15009832

美国|英语

来源: UNT Digital Library

【 摘 要 】

In 2003 scientists at the Lawrence Livermore National Laboratory, the Lawrence Berkeley National Laboratory, and the University of California at Berkeley undertook a collaborative effort. The goal of this collaboration is to develop a concept for an active neutron interrogation system that can detect small masses of contraband fissile material in intermodal cargo containers--roughly five kg of highly-enriched-uranium or one kg of plutonium--even when well shielded by thick cargo. It is essential that implementation of the concept be reliable and has low false-positive and false-negative error rates. Interrogation must also be rapid to avoid interruption of commerce; analysis must be completed in minutes. This document summarizes that effort to date and was drawn, with the exception of minor editing, from the summary in Ref. 1.