Mathematical Analysis for Identifying Neutron Shielding in Neutron Multiplicity Counting

Year
2017
Author(s)
C. Dubi - Physics Dep. Nuclear Research Center of the Negev
A. Ocherashvili - Nuclear Research Center of the Negev
B. Pedersen - Nuclear Security Unit, Institute for Transuranium Elements
G. Heger - Ben Gurion University of the Negev
Abstract
Passive neutron interrogation and neutron multiplicity counting is becoming a stan- dard procedure in material control and accountability, due to the relative transparency of structure materials to neutron flux, making it very effective in measuring non pure, poorly characterized samples. In the present study we develop, through both theory and implementation, new method for detecting a concealment of neutron counts (for instance, due to the presence of an absorbing matrix elements, such as Cd or B in the sample), manifested through a reduced effective detection efficiency. One of the attributes that make the proposed method appealing, is that it does not require any additional operators and may be easily applied to any standard NMC counter.