Photons can be used to detect small amounts of nuclear material inside massive nuclear waste storage barrels or large cargo containers. The method consists of the irradiation of the waste barrels by photons in order to create photofission reactions on actinides. By detecting the decay gammas associated with fission, it is possible to determine the presence of the actinides and their mass contained in the waste barrel.
The experimental data on delayed gamma emission following photofission is very scarce and insufficient for the above purposes. Therefore, within the INPHO project (Interrogation by Photons) the measurements of delayed gamma spectra have been performed at CEA. The gamma detection device was composed of the BGO detector. 238U and 232Th targets were irradiated separately to determine fundamental parameters (decay gamma energy and time spectra). Preliminary data analysis of this experiment will be presented, including model calculations based on systematic from neutron induced fission.
|
