Detection of buried nitrogen rich materials
First Claim
Patent Images
1. In a method of sensing nitrogen-rich explosives within an embedding medium by capture therein of neutrons emitted from a continuously moving source in spaced relation to said explosive, causing emission therefrom of-gamma rays, the steps of:
- thermalizing said emitted neutrons prior to reaching the nitrogen-rich explosives by penetration of said embedding medium;
detecting said gamma rays in spaced adjacency to the continuously moving source; and
tracking the nitrogen-rich explosives in response to measurement of the detected gamma rays above a predetermined signature energy level corresponding to said explosives.
1 Assignment
0 Petitions
Accused Products
Abstract
Fast neutrons from a moving source are thermalized by travel through water to a soil embedded body of nitrogen-rich material causing emission of gamma rays therefrom. Emitted gamma rays are detected at a location adjacent the neutron source for measurement of radiation energy from which location of nitrogen-rich materials in the soil is mapped, based on a predetermined signature energy level of the measured radiation.
-
Citations
11 Claims
-
1. In a method of sensing nitrogen-rich explosives within an embedding medium by capture therein of neutrons emitted from a continuously moving source in spaced relation to said explosive, causing emission therefrom of-gamma rays, the steps of:
- thermalizing said emitted neutrons prior to reaching the nitrogen-rich explosives by penetration of said embedding medium;
detecting said gamma rays in spaced adjacency to the continuously moving source; and
tracking the nitrogen-rich explosives in response to measurement of the detected gamma rays above a predetermined signature energy level corresponding to said explosives. - View Dependent Claims (2, 3, 4, 5, 6)
- thermalizing said emitted neutrons prior to reaching the nitrogen-rich explosives by penetration of said embedding medium;
-
7. In a method of sensing nitrogen-rich materials buried in soil and water by capture of neutrons causing emission of gamma rays therefrom, the steps of:
- emitting said neutrons from a source during movement within the water in spaced relation to the soil and at a predetermined energy level enabling sequential penetration of the soil and the nitrogen-rich materials after thermalization by the water;
detecting said gamma rays in spaced adjacency to said source; and
measuring energy level of the detected gamma rays above a predetermined energy signature to map location of the nitrogen-rich materials during said movement of the source. - View Dependent Claims (8, 9, 10, 11)
- emitting said neutrons from a source during movement within the water in spaced relation to the soil and at a predetermined energy level enabling sequential penetration of the soil and the nitrogen-rich materials after thermalization by the water;
Specification