Radiation portal monitor system and method

US7633062B2 · kind B2 · utility

Assignee

• LOS ALAMOS NATIONAL SECURITY, LLC · US

Inventors

• Christopher L. Morris · New Garden Township, US
• Konstantin N. Borozdin · Los Alamos, US
• J. Andrew Green · Los Alamos, US
• Gary E. Hogan · Los Alamos, US
• Mark F. Makela · Los Alamos, US
• William C. Priedhorsky · Los Alamos, US
• Alexander Saunders · Redwood City, US
• Larry Joe Schultz · Los Alamos, US
• Michael James Sossong · Ramona, US

Key dates

• Filing date: Jun 29, 2007
• Grant date: Dec 15, 2009
• Expiry date: Jun 26, 2028

Classification

• Technology area (CPC G): Physics
• CPC primary: G06F17/18
• WIPO field: Measurement
• WIPO sector: Instruments

Abstract

A portal monitoring system has a cosmic ray charged particle tracker with a plurality of drift cells. The drift cells, which can be for example aluminum drift tubes, can be arranged at least above and below a volume to be scanned to thereby track incoming and outgoing charged particles, such as cosmic ray muons, whilst also detecting gamma rays. The system can selectively detect devices or materials, such as iron, lead, gold and/or tungsten, occupying the volume from multiple scattering of the charged particles passing through the volume and can also detect any radioactive sources occupying the volume from gamma rays emitted therefrom. If necessary, the drift tubes can be sealed to eliminate the need for a gas handling system. The system can be employed to inspect occupied vehicles at border crossings for nuclear threat objects.