Employment of the pulsed ion accelerator as a high-power intermediate energy neutron generator for remote detection of nuclear explosives

Summary form only given, as follows. This paper offers a possibility of remote detection of nuclides of U-235 and Pu-239 using a technique of pulsed illuminating of the target area with sub-MeV-range neutrons. The proposed technique is based on induced emission recordings, combining a high-power pulsed neutron source and a detector for characteristic emission recording. Sensitivity of the technique (detection distance) is determined by the illumination source power, its efficiency and discrimination capability of the induced emission detectors. The focus of attention in the present report is given to the problem of creation of the pulsed neutron generator, producing neutrons in the energy range of 100 to 300 keV. To produce neutrons in the said energy range the following reactions are applicable /sup 7/Li(p,n)/sup 7/Be, T(p,n)/sup 3/He, /sup 12/C(d,n)/sup 13/N with the energies of incident protons and deuterons being slightly above the reaction threshold. The reaction on lithium is the most suitable for solving the above problem, employing a high-power nanosecond proton accelerator with a magnetically insulated diode. The report will present results of the modeling experiments on fissile material detection, using neutron yield from the reactions T(p,n)/sup 3/He and /sup 12/C(d,n)/sup 13/N.