An apparatus and method are described which enable real time measurements to measure the margin to criticality in a process for manufacturing fissile materials. An exemplary apparatus includes a neutron source capable of being modulated, an optional moderator to reduce the thermal energy of neutrons from the neutron source, a collimator for controlling the direction of any neutrons emanating in use from the target, a plurality of detector arrays positioned in predetermined locations relative to a process vessel for detecting process variables and for sending signals representative of the process variables in real time to a processor for receiving the signals and converting the detected process variables into margin to criticality measurements.

A method for performing inspection of a manufactured article. The method comprises acquiring a sequence of radiographic images of the article; determining a position of the article for each one of the acquired radiographic images; and performing a three-dimensional model correction loop which comprises, iteratively: generating a simulated radiographic image for each determined position of the article; and comparing the simulated radiographic images and the acquired radiographic images and generating a match result. If the match result is indicative of a mismatch, the method includes identifying and characterizing differences between the simulated radiographic images and the acquired radiographic images; correcting one of a geometry and a material density of a region of interest of the detailed three-dimensional model of the article based on each one of the identified and characterized differences; and performing a new iteration. A system for performing inspection is also provided.

Provided is a fine structure determination method capable of easily determining tilt angles of columnar scattering bodies that are long in a thickness direction, and provided are an analysis apparatus and an analysis program thereof. There is provided an analysis method for a fine structure of a plate-shaped sample formed to have columnar scattering bodies that are long in a thickness direction and periodically arranged, comprising the steps of preparing scattering intensity data from the plate-shaped sample, that is generated via transmission of X-rays; and determining tilt angles of the scattering bodies in the plate-shaped sample with respect to a reference rotation position at which a surface of the plate-shaped sample is perpendicular to an incident direction of the X-rays, based on the prepared scattering intensity data.

A method for assigning attributes to an unknown object includes the steps of scanning the unknown object at least partially overlapping with a background object within an x-ray scanning device to provide dual-energy attenuation images having dual-energy attenuation information representing an overlap region wherein the background object and the unknown object overlap, decomposing the attenuation images into reference material equivalent path length images, removing the background object to provide reference material equivalent path lengths representing the unknown object, converting the reference material equivalent path lengths representing the unknown object into unknown object path lengths multiplied by a predetermined scaling factor, reducing the scaling factor to provide a contour of the unknown object and unknown object path lengths, and, determining a density and effective atomic number of the unknown object.

There is provided a method for assigning an attribute to an unknown object overlapping with a predetermined background object. The unknown object is scanned overlapping with the background object within an x-ray scanning device to obtain a plurality of dual-energy attenuation images having attenuation information representing the background object and an overlap region wherein the background object and the unknown object overlap. The dual-energy attenuation images are decomposed into reference material equivalent path length images. The reference material equivalent path lengths representing the background object in the overlap region are determined and eliminated from the overlap region to provide reference material equivalent path length images having first and second reference material equivalent path lengths through only the unknown object.

There is provided a method for assigning an attribute to x-ray attenuation including the steps of acquiring first and second reference material equivalent path length information associated with a first range of dual-energy x-ray attenuation information, acquiring second and third reference material equivalent path length information associated with a second range of dual-energy x-ray attenuation information, and, joining the first the first dual-energy x-ray attenuation information range with the second dual-energy x-ray attenuation information range using coefficients representing dual-energy x-ray attenuation information of the second reference material to define a third dual-energy x-ray attenuation information range upon which may be imposed dual-energy x-ray attenuation values within the third dual-energy x-ray attenuation information range to determine corresponding first reference material equivalent path lengths and third reference material equivalent path lengths.

A method for assigning one of a safe and threat condition to an object includes determining density and effective atomic number values for a plurality of predetermined safe and threat objects, plotting the values in a probability map to correlate corresponding density and effective atomic number values with each of the safe and threat objects, scanning an object to provide dual-energy attenuation images representing the object, decomposing the attenuation images into dual-reference material equivalent path length images to provide reference material equivalent path lengths representing the object, converting the reference path lengths into object path lengths, determining the effective atomic number for each pixel representing the object, and, imposing the effective atomic number and the mass density of the unknown object onto the probability map to determine a probability that the object is correlated with one of the predetermined safe and threat objects.

A magnetoscop inspection system includes a magnetoscop, a computed tomography unit, and a corrosion model unit. The magnetoscop measures a permeability at a plurality of inspection points of a turbine component. The computed tomography unit generates a measured profile of a hollowed portion of the turbine component based at least in part on the permeability at the measured inspection points. The corrosion model unit stores in memory at least one reference computed tomography profile of a known turbine component. The magnetoscop inspection system determines a structural integrity of the turbine component based on a comparison between the measured profile and the reference profile corresponding to the turbine component currently under inspection.

A method of detecting an anomaly in a crystallographic structure, the method comprising: illuminating the structure with x-ray radiation in a known direction relative to the crystallographic orientation; positioning the structure such that its crystallographic orientation is known; detecting a pattern of the diffracted x-ray radiation transmitted through the structure; generating the simulated pattern based on the known direction relative to the crystallographic orientation; comparing the detected pattern to a simulated pattern for x-ray radiation illuminating in the known direction; and, detecting the anomaly in the crystallographic structure based on the comparison.

An apparatus and method are described which enable real time measurements to measure the margin to criticality in a process for manufacturing fissile materials. An exemplary apparatus includes a neutron source capable of being modulated, an optional moderator to reduce the thermal energy of neutrons from the neutron source, a collimator for controlling the direction of any neutrons emanating in use from the target, a plurality of detector arrays positioned in predetermined locations relative to a process vessel for detecting process variables and for sending signals representative of the process variables in real time to a processor for receiving the signals and converting the detected process variables into margin to criticality measurements.