Methods and systems are described for using pulsed neutron ?-ray spectroscopy to measure formation water salinity from within a borehole. Through generating a cross-plot of database values of ratios of spectroscopically determined yields of hydrogen (H) and chlorine (Cl) from two detectors, deriving apparent salinities therefrom, formation and borehole water salinities can be determined.

Material analysis device (100) comprising a neutron generator (10) for emitting neutrons towards a material to be analysed in pulsed mode; an alpha particle detector (13) for locating the neutrons emitted in a given solid angle by detecting alpha particles associated with these neutrons; at least one gamma ray detector (14) for measuring energy of gamma photons generated by interaction of the neutrons emitted in the given solid angle with the material to be analysed; at least two Compton cameras (15), each for measuring energy of the gamma photons generated by interaction of the neutrons with the material to be analysed and for calculating an incidence cone of these gamma photos; and an electronic circuit adapted for three-dimensionally mapping the presence of at least one chemical element of interest in the material to be analysed based on data provided by the alpha particle detector (13), the gamma ray detector (14) and the Compton cameras (15).

A system for analyzing soil content of a field includes a data acquisition unit configured to detect gamma spectra of each of a plurality of soil samples, wherein a surface area of the field is divided into a plurality of portions and the plurality of soil samples comprises at least one soil sample from each of the plurality of portions, a navigation unit configured to detect geographic coordinates of each of the plurality of soil samples, a data analysis unit configured to associate the detected gamma spectra of each of the plurality of soil samples with the geographic coordinates of the soil sample and determine a weight percent of at least one element within each of the soil samples based on the detected gamma spectra, and an element content map unit configured to generate a map indicating concentration of the at least one element within the soil of the field.

A neutron capture therapy system includes a neutron beam irradiation unit that applies neutron beams, a treatment table on which an irradiation object irradiated with the neutron beams is mounted, a storage unit that stores distribution data indicating a distribution of hydrogen atoms or nitrogen atoms of a part to be irradiated of the irradiation object, a gamma ray detection unit that detects gamma rays generated from the irradiation object due to irradiation with the neutron beams, and a neutron flux distribution calculation unit that calculates a distribution of neutron flux in the irradiation object on the basis of the distribution data stored in the storage unit and gamma ray distribution data detected by the gamma ray detection unit.

A system for detecting clandestine materials employs a lightweight neutron-source that can be mounted to a remotely controlled mobile platform for flexible and high standoff scanning of possibly explosive materials. In one embodiment, aerial drones hold the neutron-source and detectors for highly flexible remote scanning.

A neutron capture therapy system includes a neutron beam irradiation unit that applies neutron beams, a treatment table on which an irradiation object irradiated with the neutron beams is mounted, a storage unit that stores distribution data indicating a distribution of hydrogen atoms or nitrogen atoms of a part to be irradiated of the irradiation object, a gamma ray detection unit that detects gamma rays generated from the irradiation object due to irradiation with the neutron beams, and a neutron flux distribution calculation unit that calculates a distribution of neutron flux in the irradiation object on the basis of the distribution data stored in the storage unit and gamma ray distribution data detected by the gamma ray detection unit.

Methods and systems for non-intrusively detecting the existence of fissile materials in a container via the measurement of energetic prompt neutrons are disclosed. The methods and systems use the unique nature of the prompt neutron energy spectrum from photo-fission arising from the emission of neutrons from almost fully accelerated fragments to unambiguously identify fissile material. The angular distribution of the prompt neutrons from photo-fission and the energy distribution correlated to neutron angle relative to the photon beam are used to distinguish odd-even from even-even nuclei undergoing photo-fission. The independence of the neutron yield curve (yield as a function of electron beam energy or photon energy) on neutron energy also is also used to distinguish photo-fission from other processes such as (, n). Different beam geometries are used to detect localized samples of fissile material and also fissile materials dispersed as small fragments or thin sheets over broad regions. These signals from photo-fission are unique and allow the detection of any material in the actinide region of the nuclear periodic table.

Disclosed is a nanosecond neutron analysis and associated particle imaging system (NNA/API) and gamma ray detector arrangement (arrangement) that uses associative element detection of titanium, iron and oxygen to determine concentrations of ilmenite or other minerals in extra-terrestrial bodies associated with He-3. The arrangement is used with a mobile carrier for mapping out concentrations of likely He-3 regions on the extra-terrestrial body.

A system may include one or more downhole tools, where a first downhole tool includes a pulsed neutron generator to emit neutrons into a borehole of a geological formation and one or more gamma-ray detectors to obtain a measurement of gamma-ray emissions, of a borehole environment, induced by the emitted neutrons. The system may also include data processing circuitry to determine a Sigma value associated with the borehole environment based on the measurement and determine elemental concentrations, excluding lithium, based on one or more gamma-ray energy spectra obtained via the one or more downhole tools. The data processing circuitry may also determine an elemental Sigma contribution of the elements other than lithium based on the elemental concentrations, determine a lithium Sigma contribution based on a difference between the Sigma value and the elemental Sigma contribution, and determine a lithium concentration within the borehole environment based on the lithium Sigma contribution.

A system may include one or more downhole tools, where a first downhole tool includes a pulsed neutron generator to emit neutrons into a borehole of a geological formation and one or more gamma-ray detectors to obtain a measurement of gamma-ray emissions, of a borehole environment, induced by the emitted neutrons. The system may also include data processing circuitry to determine a Sigma value associated with the borehole environment based on the measurement and determine elemental concentrations, excluding lithium, based on one or more gamma-ray energy spectra obtained via the one or more downhole tools. The data processing circuitry may also determine an elemental Sigma contribution of the elements other than lithium based on the elemental concentrations, determine a lithium Sigma contribution based on a difference between the Sigma value and the elemental Sigma contribution, and determine a lithium concentration within the borehole environment based on the lithium Sigma contribution.