The present disclosure relates to a method, a device and a system for inspecting a moving object based on cosmic rays, pertaining to the field of radiation imaging and safety inspection techniques. The method includes: detecting whether a speed of the inspected moving object is within a preset range; recording a motion trajectory of the moving object with a monitoring device; acquiring information about charged particles in the cosmic rays with a position sensitive detector, the information about charged particles including track information of the charged particles; determining the moving object by matching positions of the motion trajectory and the track information; reconstructing the track of the charged particles according to the information about the charged particles; and recognizing the material inside the moving object based on the track reconstruction.

The present application relates to a method, apparatus and system for inspecting an object based on a cosmic ray, pertaining to the technical field of radiometric imaging and safety inspection. The method includes: recording a movement trajectory of an inspected object by using a monitoring device; acquiring information of charged particles in the cosmic ray by using a position-sensitive detector, the information of charged particles comprising trajectory information of the charged particles; performing position coincidence for the movement trajectory and the trajectory information to determine the object; performing trajectory remodeling for the charged particles according to the information of charged particles; and identifying a material inside the moving object according to the trajectory remodeling. According to the present disclosure, pedestrians who are walking and moving are inspected by using the cosmic ray, and nuclear materials, drugs and explosive materials and the like carried by human bodies may be detected.

A system for detecting gamma radiation by neutron activation of a material includes a switchable radiation source and at least a first detector. The switchable radiation source includes a primary source assembly having an alpha particle emitter, and a target assembly in which, upon irradiation of the target assembly by alpha particles from the primary source assembly, secondary radiation comprising neutrons is produced. An alignment, proximity or exposure of the primary source assembly relative to the target assembly is adjustable to control irradiation of the target assembly by the primary source assembly and thereby selectively irradiate a material under interrogation with the secondary radiation. The first detector is configured to detect gamma radiation prompted by neutron activation of the material under interrogation.

Disclosed is a directional gamma ray or neutron detector system that locates a radioactive source both horizontally and vertically. In some embodiments, the system comprises four side detectors arrayed around a detector axis, and an orthogonal front detector mounted frontward of the side detectors. Embodiments can calculate the azimuthal angle of the source based on the detection rates of the side detectors, while the polar angle of the source may be calculated from the front detector rate using a predetermined angular correlation function, thereby localizing the source from a single data set without iterative rotations. In applications such as hand-held survey meters, walk-through portals, vehicle cargo inspection stations, and mobile area scanners, embodiments enable rapid detection and precise localization of clandestine nuclear and radiological weapons.

A method of measurement of both gamma radiation and neutrons with energies above 500 keV is provided utilizing a scintillation crystal. The method includes allowing gamma quanta and neutrons to interact with the scintillation crystal, collecting light emitted by the scintillation crystal and letting that light interact with a photo detector, and amplifying the signal output. The method then digitizes the amplifier output signal, determines a charge collection time for each interaction measured, determining light decay times, separating signals with distinct decay times, determining a total charge collected from signals with the distinct decay times, and sorting charge signals in a spectrum. The method then counts signals with a second decay time and determines a count rate.

A device for determining the location of a source of radiation, based on data acquired at a single orientation of the device without iteration or rotations. Embodiments may comprise two side detector panels flanking a shield layer, plus a front detector positioned orthogonally in front of the side detectors. The various detectors thereby have contrasting angular sensitivities, so that a predetermined angular correlation function can determine the sign and magnitude of the source angle according to the detection rates. Rapid detection and localization of nuclear and radiological weapon materials enables greatly improved inspection of cargo containers and personnel. Advanced detectors such as those disclosed herein will be needed in the coming decades to protect against clandestine weapon transport.

A system discriminating fissile material from nonfissile material wherein a digital data acquisition unit collects data at high rate, and processes large volumes of data directly to count neutrons from the unknown source and detect excess grouped neutrons to identify fission. The system includes a Poisson neutron generator for in-beam interrogation of a possible fissile neutron source and inducing neutron emission therefrom, and a DC power supply that exhibits electrical ripple of less than one part per million. A neutron count histogram and Poisson count distribution are overlaid to provide a visual indication of the difference in correlation of natural and induced emitted neutrons from the radiation source to characterize the neutron source as fissile material or non-fissile material.

A method of discriminating fissile material from non-fissile material with a digital data acquisition system that collects data at high rate, and processes large volumes of data directly to count neutrons from the unknown source and detect excess grouped neutrons to identify fission. The system includes a Poisson neutron generator for in-beam interrogation of a possible fissile neutron source and inducing neutron emission therefrom, and a DC power supply that exhibits electrical ripple of less than one part per million. A neutron count histogram and Poisson count distribution are overlaid to provide a visual indication of the difference in correlation of natural and induced emitted neutrons from the radiation source to characterize the neutron source as fissile material or non-fissile material.

A method and system for directional radiation detection. Two or more radiation detectors are attached to a user's body and the body acts to attenuate radiation passing through the body, such that radiation striking a detector without first passing through the body has a greater intensity than radiation striking a detector after passing through the user. Intensity differences between radiation received at different detectors is thereby used to determine a direction from the user to the radiation source.

A system and method is disclosed for detecting fissionable materials. In one embodiment the system may incorporate a neutron pulse generator configured to generate multiple short pulses of neutrons, or a single pulse of sufficient intensity, in a vicinity of an object of interest. The source pulse of neutrons includes neutrons which each have a full width half maximum time duration of less than about 100 ns and a peak energy level no greater than about 20 MeV. A fast response detector is used which is able to detect single neutron events indicative of fission neutrons having been produced by the source pulse of neutrons interacting with fissionable material associated with the object of interest, and which arrive at the fast response detector within a predetermined time window immediately before arrival of the source neutron pulses.