Adaptable radiation monitoring system and method

• US 20050023477A1
• Filed: 06/21/2004
• Published: 02/03/2005
• Est. Priority Date: 06/20/2003
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Lawrence Livermore National Security LLC (Government of the United States of America)
• Original Assignee: Regents of the University of California (University of California)
• Inventors: Nelson, Karl E., Riot, Vincent J., Beauchamp, Brock R., Archer, Daniel E., Knapp, David A., Mercer, Michael B., Mauger, G. Joseph, Pletcher, David C., Schek, James L.
• Granted Patent: US 7,064,336 B2
• Time in Patent Office: Days
• US Class Current: 250/370.110
• CPC Class Codes: G01T 7/00 Details of radiation-measuring instruments
• CPC Class Codes: G01V 5/26 Passive interrogation, i.e. by measuring radiation emitted by objects or goods
• CPC Class Codes: G01V 5/271 using a network, e.g. a remote expert, accessing remote data or the like

Abstract

A portable radioactive-material detection system capable of detecting radioactive sources moving at high speeds. The system has at least one radiation detector capable of detecting gamma-radiation and coupled to an MCA capable of collecting spectral data in very small time bins of less than about 150 msec. A computer processor is connected to the MCA for determining from the spectral data if a triggering event has occurred. Spectral data is stored on a data storage device, and a power source supplies power to the detection system. Various configurations of the detection system may be adaptably arranged for various radiation detection scenarios. In a preferred embodiment, the computer processor operates as a server which receives spectral data from other networked detection systems, and communicates the collected data to a central data reporting system.

Claims

1. A portable radioactive-material detection system comprising:

at least one non-HPGe radiation detector capable of detecting gamma-radiation and coupled to a multi-channel analyzer capable of collecting spectral data in small time bins of less than about 150 msec, whereby radioactive sources moving at high speeds may be detected;

a computer processor operably connected to the multi-channel analyzer and having a first processing module for determining triggering events from the spectral data;

data storage means operably connected to the computer processor for storing said spectral data; and

a power source supplying power to the detection system.

2. The portable radioactive-material detection system of claim 1,

wherein the multi-channel analyzer is a list-mode multi-channel analyzer.

3. The portable radioactive-material detection system of claim 1,

wherein the multi-channel analyzer is capable of collecting greater than about 10 channels of spectral data in small time bins of less than about 150 msec.

4. The portable radioactive-material detection system of claim 1,

wherein the computer processor has a second processing module for performing radioactive source identification from the spectral data associated with a triggering event.

5. The portable radioactive-material detection system of claim 1,

wherein the computer processor has a third processing module for communicating spectral data and triggering events to a remote data reporting system.

6. The portable radioactive-material detection system of claim 1,

further comprising a unit housing in which said radiation detector(s), computer processor, data storage means, and power source are mounted.

7. The portable radioactive-material detection system of claim 1,

wherein said radiation detector(s), computer processor, and power source are independent modular components.

8. The portable radioactive-material detection system of claim 1,

wherein the radiation detector(s) is chosen from the group consisting of a NaI, He-3, and scintillator detectors.

9. The portable radioactive-material detection system of claim 1,

further comprising configurable means for radiation shielding the radiation detector on zero to four sides for background suppression and directional sensing of a monitored area.

10. The portable radioactive-material detection system of claim 9,

wherein the means for radiation shielding is a tungsten shield.

11. The portable radioactive-material detection system of claim 1,

further comprising at least one onboard camera operably connected to the computer processor wherein the computer processor controls the camera(s) to shutter upon determination of a triggering event.

12. The portable radioactive-material detection system of claim 1,

wherein the computer processor includes means for interfacing with at least one more radiation-material detection system in a networked system.

13. The portable radioactive-material detection system of claim 12,

wherein the means for interfacing is adapted to translate data received from the other interfaced detection system(s).

14. The portable radioactive-material detection system of claim 1,

wherein the computer processor includes means for interfacing with an auxiliary device.

15. The portable radioactive-material detection system of claim 14,

wherein the auxiliary device is a second computer providing a user interface for an operator to view the spectral data.

16. The portable radioactive-material detection system of claim 15,

wherein the computer processor is adapted to transmit a notification signal to the second computer upon a triggering event.

17. The portable radioactive-material detection system of claim 14,

wherein the auxiliary device is a camera and the computer processor is adapted to shutter the camera upon a triggering event.

18. A method of monitoring an area for radioactive materials comprising the steps of:

using a portable radiation detector coupled to a multi-channel analyzer to collect spectral data in very small time bins of less than about 150 msec to enable detection of radioactive sources moving at high speeds;

analyzing the spectral data to determine triggering events from the spectral data; and

upon a determination of a triggering event, transmitting the spectral data associated with the triggering event to a central data reporting system.

19. A method in a computer system for monitoring an area for radioactive sources, said method comprising the computer-implemented steps of:

controlling a multi-channel analyzer coupled to a radiation detector to collect spectral data in very small time bins of less than about 150 msec. for detecting radioactive sources moving at high speeds with detection windows of less than about 1 second;

controlling a first computer processor module to determine the occurrence of triggering events from the spectral data;

controlling a data storage device operably connected to the first computer processor to store the spectral data and any triggering events for post-collection analysis.

20. The computer-implemented method of claim 19,

further comprising controlling a multimedia device to record the triggering event.

21. The computer-implemented method of claim 20,

wherein the multimedia device is a camera.

22. The computer-implemented method of claim 19,

further comprising controlling a second computer processor module to determine the source identification from spectral data associated with a triggering event.

23. The computer-implemented method of claim 19,

further comprising controlling a third computer processor module to determine from the spectral data and the directional placement of a radiation shielding which direction the radioactive source was moving.

24. The computer-implemented method of claim 19,

further comprising remote controlling the method steps from a remote network location.

25. The computer-implemented method of claim 19,

wherein the multi-channel analyzer is capable of collecting greater than about 10 channels of spectral data in small time bins of less than about 150 msec.

26. The computer-implemented method of claim 19,

further comprising receiving detection data from at least one other radiation-material detection system interfaced to the computer system.

27. The computer-implemented method of claim 19,

further comprising translating the detection data received from the other interfaced detection system(s).

28. An article of manufacture comprising:

a computer usable medium having computer-readable program code means embodied therein for causing a gamma-radiation detection system to monitor for gamma-radiation sources moving at high speeds, the computer-readable program code means in said article of manufacture comprising;

computer-readable program code means for causing the control of a multi-channel analyzer coupled to a radiation detector to collect spectral data in very small time bins of less than about 150 msec. for detecting radioactive sources moving at high speeds;

computer-readable program code means for causing the control of a first computer processor module to determine the occurrence of triggering events from the spectral data; and

computer-readable program code means for causing the control of a data storage device operably connected to the first computer processor to store the spectral data and triggering events for post-collection analysis.

29. The article of manufacture of claim 28,

further comprising computer-readable program code means for causing the control of a multimedia device to record the triggering event.

30. The article of manufacture of claim 29,

wherein the multimedia device is a camera.

31. The article of manufacture of claim 28,

further comprising computer-readable program code means for causing the control of a second computer processor module to determine the source identification of spectral data associated with a triggering event.

32. The article of manufacture of claim 28,

further comprising computer-readable program code means for causing the control of a third computer processor module to determine from the spectral data and the directional placement of a radiation shielding which direction the radioactive source was moving.