The EURopean Illicit TRAfficing Countermeasures Kit project is part of the 6th European Union Framework Program, and aims at developing a neutron inspection system for detecting threat materials (explosives, drugs, etc.) in cargo containers. Neutron interaction in the container produces specific gamma-rays used to determine the chemical composition of the inspected material. An associated particle sealed tube neutron generator is developed to allow precise location of the interaction point by direction and time-of-flight measurements of the neutrons tagged by alpha-particles. The EURITRACK project consists in developing: a transportable deuterium-tritium neutron generator including a position sensitive alpha detector (8×8 matrix of YAP:Ce crystals coupled to a multi-anode photomultiplier), fast neutron and gamma-ray detectors, front-end electronics to perform coincidence and spectroscopic measurements, and an integrated software which manages neutron generator and detectors positioning, data acquisition and analysis. Hardware components have been developed and tested by the consortium partners. Current status of this work and provisional performances of the system assessed by Monte Carlo calculations are presented.
Once the presence of the anomaly on the bottom of the shallow coastal sea water is confirmed it is necessary to establish if it contains explosive charge. This could be performed by using neutron sensor installed within an underwater vessel -"surveyor". When positioned above the object, or to its side, the system inspects the object for the presence of the explosive by using neutrons from the sealed tube d+t neutron generator.In order to evaluate various components and geometries a test basin containing sea water and sand was constructed. Components of the neutron sensor were placed inside a waterproof stainless steel box which could be moved up and down inside the basin. Measurements were performed by neutron generators with and without detection of associated alpha particles. Low energy resolution gamma detectors (BGO and NaI) were used.The sensor using neutron generator with detection of associated alpha particles was found to have a superior performance since the detection of alpha particles defines the neutron beam which helps the reduction of the background. The most common military explosives are characterized by H, C, N, O concentration values. Whole spectrum signature could be used for the identification of the materials investigated.
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