PFNA EXPLOSIVES DETECTIO NWITH A COMPACT D-T NEUTRON GENERATOR

NEW FAA REQUIREMENTS FOR THE DETECTION OF EXPLOSIVES CHALLENGE ALL THE EXPLOSIVE DETECTION SYSTEMS CURRENTLY AVAILABLE. IT HAS BEEN RECOGINZED THAT THE IDENTIFICATION OF THE ELEMENTAL CONSTITUENTS OF EXPLOSIVES IS THE KEY TO THEIR DETECTION AT THE DESIRABLE FALSE ALARM RATE. PULSED FAST NETURON ANALYSIS (PFNA) IS THE ONLY TECHNOLOGY THAT HAS DEMONSTRATED ITS EFFICACY IN THE DETECTION OF EXPLOSIVES AND NARCOTICS CONCEALED IN SUITCASES AND IN LARGE CARGO CONTAINERS BY THE DETERMINATION OF THE LEMENTAL CONSTITUENTS OF THE OBJECTS BEING INSPECTED. HOWEVER, THIS TECHNOLOGY REQUIRES THE DEPLOYMENT OF A RATHER LARGE AND EXPENSIVE SYSTEM THAT MAY NOT BE SUITABLE FOR AIRPORT ENVIRONMENTS. IN PHASE I WE WILL STUDY THE FEASIBILITY OF USING 14 MEV NEUTRONS FOR RELIABLE AND COST-EFFECTIVE DETECTION OF CONCEALED EXPLOSIVES, AND DESIGN A HIGH YIELD, HIGH RELIABILITY TRITIATED TARGET TO BE TESTED IN PHASE II.