A flexible digital radiographic detector assembly includes a flexible sleeve enclosing a photosensor array supported by a flexible substrate. Integrated circuit readout electronics are coupled to the photosensor array and to a circuit board having conductive contacts. The contacts engage a hand carried read out electronics box to initiate a read out of image data captured in the photosensor array and to display the image data on a screen in the read out electronics box.

A wide area cosmogenic neutron sensor is used for detecting moisture within a measurement surface. A neutron detector is positioned on a stand structure holding the detector above a measurement surface. A moderator material and neutron shield are positioned around at least a portion of the neutron detector. The neutron shield substantially covers an entirety of a bottom of the neutron detector and is not positioned on a top side of the neutron detector. Wide area cosmogenic neutrons propagating from the measurement surface travel through an air space before arriving at the moderated neutron detector.

A system includes a plurality of magnetometers that are each configured to generate a vector measurement of a magnetic field. The system also includes a central processing unit that is communicatively coupled to each of the magnetometers. The central processing unit is configured to receive from each of the plurality of magnetometers the respective vector measurement of the magnetic field. The central processing unit is further configured to compare each of the vector measurements to determine differences in the vector measurements and to determine, based on the differences in the vector measurements, that a magnetic object is near the plurality of magnetometers.

Radiation source localization systems and related techniques are provided to improve the operation of handheld or unmanned mobile sensor or survey platforms. A radiation source localization system includes a logic device configured to communicate with a communications module and a directional radiation detector, where the communications module is configured to establish a wireless communication link with a base station associated with the directional radiation detector and/or a mobile sensor platform, and the directional radiation detector includes a sensor assembly configured to provide directional radiation sensor data as the directional radiation detector is maneuvered within a survey area.

An apparatus and method are provided for detecting indeterminate objects of interest contained within an encompassing medium using radiation event counts. Statistical analysis of measured events, such as local gamma radiation counts, is used to determine the probability of an object's presence in a field area. Event-detecting nodes are used to establish the baseline event activity such as background radiation (including environmental factors) in the field area, at a location determined unlikely to contain objects of interest due to geologic context or previous digging. Each node then independently detects and quantifies event activity, in an area to be evaluated, to derive evidence of the probability that an object of interest is within the medium. The calculated probabilities are then used to guide exploratory digging by indicating the likely direction and depth of an object of interest relative to the apparatus.

An apparatus and method are provided for detecting indeterminate objects of interest contained within an encompassing medium using radiation event counts. Statistical analysis of measured events, such as local gamma radiation counts, is used to determine the probability of an object's presence in a field area. Event-detecting nodes are used to establish the baseline event activity such as background radiation (including environmental factors) in the field area, at a location determined unlikely to contain objects of interest due to geologic context or previous digging. Each node then independently detects and quantifies event activity, in an area to be evaluated, to derive evidence of the probability that an object of interest is within the medium. The calculated probabilities are then used to guide exploratory digging by indicating the likely direction and depth of an object of interest relative to the apparatus.

A system and method of identifying potential areas for mineral extraction is disclosed. The proposed systems and methods describe an autonomous mineral discovery platform that leverages robotics, X-Ray Florescence (XRF) technology, image analytics, smart devices, and IoT enabled devices to perform comprehensive field surveying and exploratory sampling. For example, by implementation of remote navigation and control, as well as field data capture and real-time data transmission capabilities, this platform can be configured to automatically identify rock types and their surface features and perform elemental composition analysis of surface while on-site and remote from the operator site.

An apparatus for inspection of a target asset comprises a drone including a body, one or more propellers coupled to the body that enable the drone to fly, and an electronic control unit coupled to or positioned within the body of the drone and coupled to the one or more propellers. The apparatus also comprises a neutron emission source and a neutron detector that are both coupled to the body of the drone and also communicatively coupled to the electronic control unit. The electronic control unit is configured to control navigation of the drone to reach the target asset, to activate the neutron emission source to radiate neutrons onto the asset and to gather data from the neutron detector which detects neutrons backscattered from the asset, indicative of a state of the asset and materials contained within the asset.

A system and method of identifying potential areas for mineral extraction is disclosed. The proposed systems and methods describe an autonomous mineral discovery platform that leverages robotics, X-Ray Florescence (XRF) technology, image analytics, smart devices, and IoT enabled devices to perform comprehensive field surveying and exploratory sampling. For example, by implementation of remote navigation and control, as well as field data capture and real-time data transmission capabilities, this platform can be configured to automatically identify rock types and their surface features and perform elemental composition analysis of surface while on-site and remote from the operator site.

Multiple tagged neutrons are emitted from an associated particle imaging neutron generator. The tagged neutrons penetrate a target material and interact with the target material nucleus—which emits nucleus-specific gamma rays. A gamma ray detector detects all gamma rays—including the nucleus-specific gamma rays. An alpha-gamma timing spectrum is constructed for all detected gamma rays. For a specific energy level (MeV) corresponding with the target material nucleus, a peak in the alpha gamma timing spectrum indicates the presence of the target material. Based on the peaking time of the gamma rays (due to tagged neutrons interaction with the target material nucleus) in the alpha-gamma timing spectrum for the specific energy level, the distance from the neutron generator to the target material can be calculated. The nucleus-specific gamma ray spectrum data can be effectively collimated by programming the system to detect the gamma rays in a time window corresponding to the peaking time.