Abstract
An approach is demonstrated, through simulations using MCNP, to characterise buried radioactive sources, in terms of their depth, radioactivity and location of their edges in the case of a volumetric one. The approach involves scanning of the sources with a collimated HPGe detector, positioned vertically and at an angle. The sought parameters to characterise the sources considered, were accurately reproduced. The approach was verified experimentally for 137Cs cuboid and point buried sources. The parameters of interest were determined to within 22 % of the actual values.
Similar content being viewed by others
References
International Atomic Energy Agency (2015). Proceedings ‘International Conference on the Safety and Security of Radioactive Sources: Maintaining Continuous Global Control of Sources throughout their Life Cycle’, Abu Dhabi, United Arab Emirates, 27–31 October 2013
International Atomic Energy Agency (2012). Security of radioactive sources, IAEA Nuclear Security Series 11
Murray A, Popp A, Bus J (2013) Training and Development for the Security of Radioactive Sources -Promoting Effectiveness and Sustainability. In: Proceedings international conference on nuclear security: enhancing global efforts, IAEA, Vienna
Kristo MJ, Tumey SJ (2013) The state of nuclear forensics. Nucl Instr Meth Phys Res A 294:656–661
Fedchenko V (2014) The role of nuclear forensics in nuclear security. Strateg Anal 38:230–247
Watanabe S, Takahashi T, Nakazawa K, Kobayashi Y, Kuroda Y, Genba K, Onishi M, Otake K (2003) Stacked CdTe gamma-ray detector and its application to a range finder. Nucl Instr Meth Phys Res A 505:118–121
Rawool-Sullivan MW, Sullivan JP, Tornga SR, Brumby SP (2008) A simple algorithm for estimation of source-to-detector distance in Compton imaging. Appl Radiat Isot 66:1986–1991
Dubinski S, Presler O, Alfassi ZB (2007) An iterative method for the localization of a neutron source in a large box (container). Nucl Instr Meth Phys Res A 583:439–446
Presler O, German U, Alfassi ZB (2005) Radioactive point source localization in a bulky volume. Nucl Instr Meth Phys Res A 547:628–637
Gamage KAA, Joyce MJ, Taylor GC (2013) Investigation of three-dimensional localisation of radioactive sources using a fast organic liquid scintillator detector. Nucl Instr Meth Phys Res A 547:123–126
Cattle BA, FellermanAS West RW (2004) On the detection of solid deposits using gamma ray emission tomography with limited data. Meas Sci Technol 15:1429–1438
X-5 Monte Carlo Team (2003) MCNP-A General Monte Carlo N-Particle Transport Code (version 5), LA-UR-03-1987, Los-Alamos, USA
Nicolaou G (2014) In-situ gamma-ray spectrometry in the case of a non-flat ground surface. J Radioanal Nucl Chem 301:97–101
Moens L, De Donder J, Lin Xi-lei, De Corte F, De Wispelaere A, Simonits A, Hoste J (1981) Calculation of the absolute peak efficiency of gamma-ray detectors for different counting geometries. Nucl Instr Meth Phys Res A 187:451–472
Alamin MB, Spyrou NM (1997) Semi-empirical determination of detector absolute efficiency in INAA of voluminous samples. J Radioanal Nucl Chem 215:205–209
MATLAB 6.1 (2000) The MathWorks Inc., Natick, MA, USA
Author information
Authors and Affiliations
Corresponding author
Rights and permissions
About this article
Cite this article
Antoniou, T., Nicolaou, G. In-situ characterisation of a buried 137Cs source in the frame of nuclear forensics. J Radioanal Nucl Chem 308, 617–621 (2016). https://doi.org/10.1007/s10967-015-4431-8
Received:
Published:
Issue Date:
DOI: https://doi.org/10.1007/s10967-015-4431-8