Gamma-KEV: Imaging the invisible

Gamma-KEV：对不可见物体进行成像

• 批准号: ST/G001170/1
• 负责人: Andrew Boston
• 金额: $ 38.2万
• 依托单位: University of Liverpool
• 依托单位国家: 英国
• 项目类别: Research Grant
• 财政年份: 2008
• 资助国家: 英国
• 起止时间: 2008 至 无数据
• 项目状态: 已结题
• 来源: https://gtr.ukri.org/projects?ref=ST%2FG001170%2F1
• 关键词: Gamma; KEV; Imaging; invisible

A robust sensor capable of precisely identifying the energy of, and imaging the gamma radiation field associated with radioactive material, is needed that will operate in hostile working environments. The proposed project will bring together three partners, the University of Liverpool, BAe Systems Submarine Solutions and John Caunt Scientific (JCS). The partners bring expertise in gamma-ray detector systems, packaging for robust hostile environments and marketing, respectively. This knowledge exchange project will provide BAe systems with access to the wealth of experience in high resolution gamma-ray systems available at the University of Liverpool, while allowing Liverpool to become familiar with robust packaging and testing procedures allowing them to exploit academically developed instrumentation in a 'realistic working environment'. JCS bring key marketing experience to the project, allowing the technologies to be developed to suit future customer needs based on the outcomes of this project. The aim is that the system will be a modular solution for radiation detection that can be used in a wide variety of applications (for example nuclear assay for site clearance as well as the work to be carried out here). The requirement here is for the detection and imaging of gamma radiation that may arise on a nuclear submarine. This includes both gamma radiation from the reactor derived from fission products and actinides and gammas arising from neutron scattering and activation. The requirement is to cover the 60 keV to 10 MeV gamma-ray energy range and to have an imaging capability to identify the source of the radiation in the complex submarine environment. This is likely to require an image resolution in the 5 to 10 mm range. The instrument will able to identify specific radioactive isotopes making it possible to collect useful plant state information in real-time. Measurements will be made at several locations around the boat during HMS Astute's initial criticality. The proposed instrument will provide real data on the boat to allow BAe to develop a family of Resilient Gamma Spectrometers/Imagers that could be used for further trials on UK/US submarines and can be commercially exploited by John Caunt Scientific. The instrument will be designed for optimum efficiency to image gamma-ray emissions which are of interest in a submarine environment (60 keV / 10 MeV), but in principle the instrument could be used in other applications, in particular gamma-ray detection in crime and security situations following neutron interrogation. The nuclear physics group at the University of Liverpool has an outstanding record for experimental research into the structure of nuclei. This work is underpinned by the development of state-of-the-art instrumentation which supports this physics programme. The group are world leaders in the use of Germanium semiconductor sensors with digital readout systems. The Liverpool group is leading the characterisation of highly segmented germanium detector crystals for the Advanced Gamma-ray Tracking Project (AGATA). AGATA is a large European collaboration which aims to build the ultimate gamma-ray spectrometer for nuclear structure physics applications. Gamma-ray spectrometers that can exactly identify the isotope emitting the radiation have until recently used germanium as an active sensor.

需要一种能够精确识别与放射性材料相关的伽马辐射场的能量并对其进行成像的强大传感器，该传感器将在恶劣的工作环境中运行。拟议中的项目将汇集三个合作伙伴，利物浦大学，英国宇航系统公司潜艇解决方案和约翰考特科学（JCS）。合作伙伴分别带来了伽马射线探测器系统、用于强大恶劣环境的包装和营销方面的专业知识。这一知识交流项目将为英国宇航系统公司提供利物浦大学高分辨率伽马射线系统方面的丰富经验，同时使利物浦熟悉可靠的包装和测试程序，使他们能够在“现实的工作环境”中利用学术上开发的仪器。JCS为该项目带来了关键的营销经验，允许根据该项目的成果开发技术以满足未来客户的需求。该系统将成为辐射探测的模块化解决方案，可用于各种各样的应用（例如，用于场地清理的核分析以及在此进行的工作）。这里的要求是对核潜艇上可能产生的伽马辐射进行探测和成像。这包括来自反应堆的裂变产物和锕系元素的伽马辐射以及中子散射和活化产生的伽马辐射。所需的是涵盖60千电子伏至10兆电子伏的伽马射线能量范围，并具有成像能力，以确定复杂的潜艇环境中的辐射源。这可能需要5至10 mm范围内的图像分辨率。该仪器将能够识别特定的放射性同位素，从而能够实时收集有用的工厂状态信息。在HMS Astute的初始临界状态期间，将在船周围的几个位置进行测量。拟议的仪器将提供船上的真实的数据，使BAe能够开发一系列弹性伽马光谱仪/成像仪，可用于英国/美国潜艇上的进一步试验，并可由John Caunt Scientific进行商业开发。该仪器将被设计为最佳效率，以成像伽马射线发射，这是在潜艇环境中的利益（60千电子伏/ 10兆电子伏），但原则上该仪器可用于其他应用，特别是在犯罪和安全情况下的伽马射线探测中子询问。利物浦大学的核物理小组在原子核结构的实验研究方面有着杰出的记录。这项工作的基础是支持这一物理方案的最先进的仪器的发展。该集团在使用锗半导体传感器和数字读出系统方面处于世界领先地位。利物浦研究小组正在为高级伽马射线跟踪项目（AGATA）领导高度分段锗探测器晶体的表征。AGATA是一个大型的欧洲合作项目，旨在为核结构物理应用建立最终的伽马射线光谱仪。直到最近，伽马射线光谱仪才使用锗作为有源传感器，可以准确识别放射出辐射的同位素。