Imaging of buried antipersonnel landmines by direction-sensitive scintillation detectors for neutron activated prompt gamma-rays

This work aims at investigating the improvement of performances that can be obtained by using a transportable large-area landmine-imaging device. It is made of modular detecting systems, which operation is based on radioisotopic neutron source(s), appropriate moderating and shielding structure(s) and a set of collimator-less direction sensitive scintillation detectors. These localize the prevailing directions of the prompt gammas that have energy values falling within selected windows. The key element of such a device is the ability to produce an image of the examined field of view in which the areas, respect to the surrounding soil, that produce energy patterns compatible with the components of the explosive substance are highlighted. Starting from the experience made with a small-scale 3D detector an extensive modeling activity has been started for designing a real-scale prototype module to be submitted to field tests.