Background Estimates for the MIDEP (Mine Detection with Energetic Photons) Concept.

摘要

A new technique has been proposed recently for detecting buried, non-metallic mines in the tactical battlefield. The basic feasibility of this nuclear detection technique, named MIDEP, has been previously demonstrated in a small-scale, proof-of-principle experiment conducted at Lawrence Livermore National Laboratory. Nonetheless, because of the importance of obtaining a good S/N ratio with a minimum energy expenditure, it was essential to develop better background source estimates. In this document we report the results of numerical simulations and analyses of the anticipated background sources, and compare them with estimates of the signal strength from the mine itself. Specifically, we have used Monte Carlo techniques to simulate bremsstrahlung generation as a function of electron energy. Monte Carlo techniques were also used to analyze the penetration of the bremsstrahlung into the ground, in order to develop estimates of the source strengths of both the mine and the background. Analytical techniques were then used to estimate the resulting photon decay count rates as measured by a representative detector geometry. 7 refs., 29 figs. (ERA citation 13:057436)