Identification of Neutron Sources by Spectral Analysis of Pulse Height Distributions

• Published in: IEEE transactions on nuclear science Vol. 56; no. 5; pp. 2796 - 2801
• Main Authors: Avdic, S., Marinkovic, P., Pozzi, S.A., Flaska, M., Protopopescu, V.
• Format: Journal Article
• Language: English
• Published: New York IEEE 01.10.2009; The Institute of Electrical and Electronics Engineers, Inc. (IEEE)
• Subjects: Detectors; Energy spectra; Gamma rays; Hydrogen; Identification methods; Laboratories; Light scattering; Liquids; Neutron source identification; Neutron sources; Neutrons; Pulse height; pulse height distribution; Pulse measurements; Pulse shaping methods; Scintillation counters; scintillation detector; Shape; Simulation; Spectra; Spectral analysis
• ISSN: 0018-9499; 1558-1578
• DOI: 10.1109/TNS.2009.2022367

This paper proposes a neutron source identification method based on the spectral analysis of neutron pulse height distributions obtained with liquid scintillation detectors. The fact that shielded and unshielded neutron sources have clearly defined spectral components with specific locations and intensities offers the possibility of identifying the sources based on spectral features alone, without having to unfold the energy spectra. Analysis of simulated and experimental data confirms that this new identification method is promising, and that good resolution power can be achieved.