Photofission for active SNM detection I: Intense pulsed 8MeV bremsstrahlung source

Abstract

An ongoing programme investigating the active detection of special nuclear material (SNM) is being undertaken by the Atomic Weapons Establishment (A WE) in collaboration with the Naval Research Laboratory (NRL). As part of this programme, the NRL Mercury IVA was operated in negative polarity mode to produce an 8MeV endpoint bremsstrahlung spectrum, which in turn was used to induce photofission in a depleted uranium (DU) sample. Twenty-six experiments were fielded in March 2011 in which twenty-seven detectors were fielded, including 3He tubes, NaI detectors, liquid scintillators and high purity germanium detectors, capable of detecting both gamma radiation and neutrons. The results from a selection of those detectors are discussed here. A variety of high-Z (lead) and hydrogenous (borated polyethylene) shielding configurations was employed and positive detection was made up to the maximum shielding tested, 75g/cm2. A detailed source has been modelled using MCNPX and MCNP6 to predict the number of (n,p) detector events within four of the 3He tubes fielded. The modelling is consistent with the experiment to within a factor of two, when integrating between 0.1 and 20s.