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Neutron-Stimulated Gamma Ray Analysis of Soil

“…State-of-the-art nuclear physics methodologies and instrumentation, combined with commercial availability of portable pulse neutron generators, high-efficiency gamma detectors, reliable electronics, and measurement and data processing software, have currently made the application of neutron-gamma analysis possible for routine measurements in various fields of study. For these reasons, material analysis using characteristic gamma rays induced by neutrons is more wide-spread today; e.g., threat material detection (explosives, drugs, and dangerous chemicals [1]), diamond detection [2], planetary science applications for obtaining bulk elemental composition information, soil elemental (isotopic) content and density distribution [3], archaeological site surveying and provenance studies [4,5], elemental composition of human [6,7] and animal [8,9] bodies, real-time elemental analysis of bulk coal on conveyor belts [10,11], chloride content of reinforced concrete [12,13], and in oil well logging [14].…”

“…The cross sections of INS process for 14-MeV neutron interactions with nuclei are demonstrated in Table 1. For instance, the value of the 12 C cross section at neutron energy of 14.1 MeV is~0.42 barn. The inelastic scattering of fast neutrons on 12 C nuclei elevates them to the 4.44-MeV exited energy state [22].…”

“…For instance, the value of the 12 C cross section at neutron energy of 14.1 MeV is~0.42 barn. The inelastic scattering of fast neutrons on 12 C nuclei elevates them to the 4.44-MeV exited energy state [22]. Exited state 12 …”

“…The inelastic scattering of fast neutrons on 12 C nuclei elevates them to the 4.44-MeV exited energy state [22]. Exited state 12 …”

“…The interaction cross section depends on energy. The dependence of the INS process cross section with energy for 12 C is demonstrated in Figure 2. The intensity or peak area of this gamma line in the spectrum can be associated with the amount of carbon in a given soil volume.…”