Plutonium detection with a new fission neutron survey meter

Abstract

The search for illicit trafficking or hidden plutonium sources has, especially since the breakdown of the former Soviet Union, really become an issue. Plutonium is extremely dangerous and hard to detect over larger distances. The /spl alpha/-particles and X-rays which are emitted by plutonium isotopes could easily be shielded by the material itself or by surroundings. Besides a few /spl gamma/'s the only penetrating radiation emitted by plutonium samples are neutrons from spontaneous fission. Therefore the special neutron survey meter LB6414 with unrivalled sensitivity for fission neutrons has been newly designed.