Detection of nuclear materials
First Claim
Patent Images
1. A method for detecting Special Nuclear Materials (SNM) or Radiological dispersion Devices (RDD), comprising:
- moving a vehicle, shipping container or trailer along a predetermined path;
recording a two or three dimensional spatial distribution of radioactive sources that spontaneously emit gamma radiation associated with the vehicle, shipping container or trailer, as the vehicle, shipping container or trailer passes along said path; and
determining the presence and location of one or both of an RDD or SNM within the vehicle, shipping container or trailer from said distribution,wherein recording comprises utilizing an imaging detector or detectors having an energy resolution FWHM of <
28% for Cs137 without relative vertical movement thereof to image said radiation sources over the vehicle, shipping container or trailer.
0 Assignments
0 Petitions
Accused Products
Abstract
A method for detecting Special Nuclear Materials (SNM) or Radiological dispersion Devices (RDD), comprising: conveying an object along a predetermined path; imaging a distribution of radioactive sources associated with the object as it passes along said path; determining the presence and location of one or both of an RDD or SNM radioactive source within the object.
259 Citations
51 Claims
-
1. A method for detecting Special Nuclear Materials (SNM) or Radiological dispersion Devices (RDD), comprising:
-
moving a vehicle, shipping container or trailer along a predetermined path; recording a two or three dimensional spatial distribution of radioactive sources that spontaneously emit gamma radiation associated with the vehicle, shipping container or trailer, as the vehicle, shipping container or trailer passes along said path; and determining the presence and location of one or both of an RDD or SNM within the vehicle, shipping container or trailer from said distribution, wherein recording comprises utilizing an imaging detector or detectors having an energy resolution FWHM of <
28% for Cs137 without relative vertical movement thereof to image said radiation sources over the vehicle, shipping container or trailer. - View Dependent Claims (2, 3, 4, 5, 6, 7, 8, 9, 10, 11, 12, 13, 14, 15, 16, 17, 18, 19, 20, 21, 22, 23, 24, 25, 26)
-
-
27. Apparatus for detecting Special Nuclear Materials (SNM) or Radiological dispersion Devices (RDD) from an object comprising:
-
at least one detector having an energy resolution FWHM of <
28% for Cs137, operative and configured to detect spontaneous radiation emanating from at least RDD and SNM associated with an object passing along a predetermined path and to form a two or greater dimensional image output based on the detected spontaneous radiation; anda controller configured to receive the image output and to determine the presence and location of a radioactive source or sources within the object from the detected spontaneous nuclear radiation, wherein the at least one detector is stationary and is large enough to image the entire height of a vehicle shipping container or trailer. - View Dependent Claims (28, 29, 30, 31, 32, 33, 34, 35, 36, 37, 38, 39, 40, 41, 42, 43, 44)
-
-
45. Apparatus for radioactive emission tomographic imaging of a moving item to be screened, comprising:
-
a plurality of nuclear imaging detectors having an energy resolution FWHM of <
28% for Cs137, placed around the axis of a path suitable for passage of a moving item, the detectors being operative to detect and image gamma radiation spontaneously emitted from at least some RDD and SNM sources; anda controller that receives signals from the nuclear imaging detectors and forms a tomographic image of sources of spontaneously emitted radiation associated with the screened item. - View Dependent Claims (46, 47, 48, 49, 50, 51)
-
Specification