Nuclear fiber sensor remote detection system

USH801H · kind H · statutory invention registration

Inventors

• Walter Koechner · Great Falls, US
• Deborah R. Van Wyck · Lake Ridge, US
• Gary P. Stevenson · Sterling, US
• William K. Krug · Rockville, US
• Tom McCollum · Berkeley, US
• Garry B. Spector · Fairfax, US

Key dates

• Grant date: Jul 3, 1990

Classification

• Technology area (CPC —): General

Abstract

A nuclear radiation detection system for remote monitoring of movement of nuclear material over a road or highway. Nuclear fiber sensors, which may be several meters long, are covertly positioned in at least two monitoring points, such as buried shallowly under the roadway or hung from a tunnel wall, along the path which a nuclear source may be clandestinely moved. These fiber sensors are individually connected, by an epoxy glue, to individual transmitting optical fibers. Movement of a nuclear radiation source in close proximity to the fiber sensors at the two or more monitoring points produces an optical signal which exceeds a preestablished threshold. These optical signals travel through the transmitting optical fibers, which may be about 1 kilometers long, to a electronic system comprised of a microprocessor controlled signal detecting, signal processing and even data storage means. The optical fibers and electronic system are also selectively hidden from view for security reasons. Any movement of a nuclear source is detected by strength and duration radiation signal data which is stored in the microprocessor memory. This data may be removed from the processor and read out by a …