Year
2001
Abstract
The recent development and early trials of a robotically deployed, gamma-ray imaging device is described. Through a DOE Small Business Innovative Research (SBIR) grant, a compact, lightweight, radiation imager has undergone Phase I development for future use in decontamination and decommissioning (D&D) activities. The imager is capable of imaging gamma-ray distributions covering an energy range from 30 keV to 1500 keV. The device has detection sensitivity of nearfree- release criteria activity to tens of Curies primarily through the use of sophisticated, interchangeable, apertures. The radiation detector in the device is a position-sensitive photomultiplier tube (PSPMT) coupled to a cesium-iodide scintillator. This design allows the measurement of both radiation location and energy through the proper processing of the PSPMT signals. A sophisticated software program, IMAGE 2000, controls data acquisition and image formation. In real time, IMAGE 2000 overlays the radiation image from the detector on a video image captured by a charge-coupled device for the same field of view. This process produces a detailed map of gamma-ray sources that can be used for radiation tracking, cleanup, and monitoring. Advanced research has focused on making the imaging device light enough for wireless robotic deployment, using a Pioneer 2-AT robot, while retaining the system’s high performance. Early trials have been conducted and the results are presented. Also provided is an evaluation of the system performance.