An apparatus for analyzing a core sample obtained from a subterranean formation includes a neutron generator, a plurality of detectors, a computed tomography scanner, an information processing device, and a transport system. The neutron generator can operate in a pulsed mode and emit neutrons into the core sample.

The invention relates to a detection arrangement, a detection system comprising said arrangement, and a method of processing data from said arrangement. The detector arrangement disclosed comprises at least one array of detectors, wherein the detectors are configured to detect photons emitted from an object as a result of positron annihilation due to irradiation of the object with photons of a predetermined energy. Each detector in the array is linked to or associated with one or more other detector in the array to define a region of interest (RoI). The detector arrangement comprises or is communicatively coupled to a coincidence trigger unit which is configured to register or determine a coincidence in response to receiving detection signals from two different detectors forming part of the same RoI and indicating detection of substantially back-to-back co-linear and co-incident photons in the RoI.

The invention relates to a detection arrangement, a detection system comprising said arrangement, and a method of processing data from said arrangement. The detector arrangement disclosed comprises at least one array of detectors, wherein the detectors are configured to detect photons emitted from an object as a result of positron annihilation due to irradiation of the object with photons of a predetermined energy. Each detector in the array is linked to or associated with one or more other detector in the array to define a region of interest (RoI). The detector arrangement comprises or is communicatively coupled to a coincidence trigger unit which is configured to register or determine a coincidence in response to receiving detection signals from two different detectors forming part of the same RoI and indicating detection of substantially back-to-back co-linear and co-incident photons in the RoI.

A system and method for monitoring one or more radioactive nuclides present in a stack flow consist of a first detector having a predetermined first sensitivity to gamma radiation and a second detector having a predetermined second sensitivity to gamma radiation and also a predetermined sensitivity to beta radiation. An enclosure proximal to the second detector defines a detection volume and enables the use of calibration factors which are independent of the geometry and material composition of a stack duct. A signal processor with energy window discrimination analyzes the signals from the two detectors. The use of two or more energy windows enables the identification of the nuclide species present in the stack flow and an accurate background-corrected measurement of the released radiation activity concentration for each of the identified nuclide species.

A system and method for monitoring one or more radioactive nuclides present in a stack flow consist of a first detector having a predetermined first sensitivity to gamma radiation and a second detector having a predetermined second sensitivity to gamma radiation and also a predetermined sensitivity to beta radiation. An enclosure proximal to the second detector defines a detection volume and enables the use of calibration factors which are independent of the geometry and material composition of a stack duct. A signal processor with energy window discrimination analyzes the signals from the two detectors. The use of two or more energy windows enables the identification of the nuclide species present in the stack flow and an accurate background-corrected measurement of the released radiation activity concentration for each of the identified nuclide species.

A shielded X-ray radiation apparatus is provided comprising an X-ray source, an X-ray attenuation shield including an elongate cavity to house the X-ray source and incorporating a region to accommodate a sample, a neutron attenuation shield, and a gamma attenuation shield. The neutron attenuation shield is situated adjacent to and substantially surrounds the X-ray attenuation shield and the gamma attenuation shield is adjacent to and substantially surrounds the neutron attenuation shield. In some embodiments a removable sample insertion means is provided to insert samples into the elongate cavity and which is composed of adjacent blocks of material, each respective block having a thickness and a composition which substantially matches the thickness and a composition of one of the X-ray attenuation, neutron attenuation and gamma-ray attenuation shields.

A shielded X-ray radiation apparatus is provided comprising an X-ray source, an X-ray attenuation shield including an elongate cavity to house the X-ray source and incorporating a region to accommodate a sample, a neutron attenuation shield, and a gamma attenuation shield. The neutron attenuation shield is situated adjacent to and substantially surrounds the X-ray attenuation shield and the gamma attenuation shield is adjacent to and substantially surrounds the neutron attenuation shield. In some embodiments a removable sample insertion means is provided to insert samples into the elongate cavity and which is composed of adjacent blocks of material, each respective block having a thickness and a composition which substantially matches the thickness and a composition of one of the X-ray attenuation, neutron attenuation and gamma-ray attenuation shields.

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 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 method and system are disclosed to determine a concentration of one or more target elements in a sample, using gamma activation analysis comprising: simultaneously irradiating the sample and a reference material containing at least two reference elements X-rays, detecting deactivation gamma-rays from the irradiated sample and the irradiated reference material; determining the concentration of the or each target element in the sample by correcting the number of detected deactivation gamma-rays from any of the or each target element present in the irradiated sample based on the number of detected deactivation gamma-rays from the at least two reference elements, wherein the at least two reference elements have a variation in activation rate over a pre-defined X-ray end-point energy range which differs from one another.