Analysis of Radiation Methods for Explosive Materials Detection
DOI:
https://doi.org/10.26565/2312-4334-2025-4-74Keywords:
Neutron backscattering, Landmine detection, Neutron detector, Detection efficiencyAbstract
The paper examines the physical aspects of some landmine detection methods based on fast neutron backscattering. An analysis of the reaction products of the interaction of fast, slow, and thermal neutrons with H, C, N, O nuclei, which are part of explosive substances, was carried out. Mainly, to make it clear how to use secondary instantaneous and delayed gamma quanta emitted by the nuclei of explosive substances to achieve an increased detection efficiency. Discussed the physical features of some well-known methods of detecting explosive materials, exploiting elastic and inelastic scattering of fast neutrons. The reaction products of the interaction of fast, slow, and thermal neutrons with H, C, N, O nuclei included in explosives were analyzed. The goal was to simultaneously use both scattered fast and intermediate-energy neutrons emitted by the nuclei of explosives from elastic and inelastic scattering reactions (backscattering), as well as secondary instantaneous and delayed gamma quanta. The most suitable candidate for this role may be gamma-neutron detectors based on oxide scintillators of the ZWO type, which are simultaneously sensitive to both fast, slowed, and resonant neutrons, as well as to gamma quanta in a wide range of energies from tens of MeV to hundreds of eV. The using of a low-threshold single-photoelectron mode of photon registration makes it possible to significantly increases the sensitivity of the detection systems.
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