US Government As Represented by the Secretary of the Army

Other

Stanley Kronenberg

George J Brucker

William L McLaughlin

Carl R Siebentritt

Robert A Lux

Arnold Bard

Harry Levine

Steven A Horne

Carl R Seibentritt, Jr

Harry Van Gorden

A neutron spectrometer is provided by a series of substrates covered by a solid-state detector stacked on an absorbing layer. As many as 12 substrates that convert neutrons to protons are covered by a layer of absorbing material, acting as a proton absorber, with the detector placed within the layer to count protons passing through the absorbing layer. By using 12 detectors the range of neutron energies are covered. The flat embodiment of the neutron spectrometer is a chamber, a group of detectors each having an absorber layer, with each detector separated by gaps and arranged in an egg-crate-like structure within the chamber. Each absorber layer is constructed with a different thickness according to the minimum and maximum energies of neutrons in the spectrum. In this arrangement, each of the 12 surface facets provides a polyethylene substrate to convert neutrons to protons, covered by a layer of absorbing material, acting as a proton absorber, with the detector stacked on the absorbing layer to count protons passing through the absorbing layer.

Neutron spectrometer with aluminum proton absorber

A neutron spectrometer for aircraft is provided by a series of substrates covered by a solid-state detector stacked on an absorbing layer. As many as 12 substrates that convert neutrons to protons are covered by a layer of absorbing material, acting as a proton absorber, with the detector placed within the layer to count protons passing through the absorbing layer. By using 12 detectors the range of neutron energies are covered. The preferred dodecahedron embodiment of the neutron spectrometer is a solid, polyethylene dodecahedron assembly with 12 surface facets covered by a solid-state detector stacked on an absorbing layer composed of tantalum. Each absorbing layer is constructed with a different thickness according to the minimum and maximum energies of neutrons in the spectrum. In this arrangement, each of the 12 surface pentagon-shaped facets provides a polyethylene substrate to convert neutrons to protons, covered by a layer of absorbing material, acting as a proton absorber, with the detector stacked on the absorbing layer to count protons passing through the absorbing layer. The dodecahedron assembly is housed concentrically within a titanium spherical shell that serves as an outer shield. The dodecahedron embodiment is sufficiently lightweight to be suitable for airborne and satellite applications.

Dodecahedron neutron spectrometer with tantalum proton absorber for aircraft

Neutron spectrometer with titanium proton absorber

A neutron spectrometer is provided by a series of substrates covered by a solid-state detector stacked on an absorbing layer. As many as 12 substrates that convert neutrons to protons are covered by a layer of absorbing material, acting as a proton absorber, with the detector placed within the layer to count protons passing through the absorbing layer. By using 12 detectors the range of neutron energies are covered. The preferred dodecahedron embodiment of the neutron spectrometer is a solid, polyethylene dodecahedron assembly with 12 surface facets covered by a solid-state detector stacked on an absorbing layer composed of titanium. Each absorbing layer is constructed with a different thickness according to the minimum and maximum energies of neutrons in the spectrum. In this arrangement, each of the 12 surface pentagon-shaped facets provides a polyethylene substrate to convert neutrons to protons, covered by a layer of absorbing material, acting as a proton absorber, with the detector stacked on the absorbing layer to count protons passing through the absorbing layer. The dodecahedron assembly is housed concentrically within a titanium spherical shell that serves as an outer shield. The dodecahedron embodiment is sufficiently lightweight to be suitable for airborne and satellite applications.

Dodecahedron neutron spectrometer with titanium proton absorber for aircraft

Neutron spectrometer

Neutron spectrometer with aluminum proton absorber and titanium neutron detector chamber

Neutron spectrometer with tantalum proton absorber

A neutron spectrometer for aircraft is provided by a series of substrates covered by a solid-state detector stacked on an absorbing layer. As many as 12 substrates that convert neutrons to protons are covered by a layer of absorbing material, acting as a proton absorber, with the detector placed within the layer to count protons passing through the absorbing layer. By using 12 detectors the range of neutron energies are covered. The preferred dodecahedron embodiment of the neutron spectrometer is a solid, polyethylene dodecahedron assembly with 12 surface facets covered by a solid-state detector stacked on an absorbing layer composed of aluminum. Each absorbing layer is constructed with a different thickness according to the minimum and maximum energies of neutrons in the spectrum. In this arrangement, each of the 12 surface pentagon-shaped facets provides a polyethylene substrate to convert neutrons to protons, covered by a layer of absorbing material, acting as a proton absorber, with the detector stacked on the absorbing layer to count protons passing through the absorbing layer. The dodecahedron assembly is housed concentrically within a titanium spherical shell that serves as an outer shield. The dodecahedron embodiment is sufficiently lightweight to be suitable for

Dodecahedron neutron spectrometer with aluminum proton absorber for aircraft

Dodecahedron neutron spectrometer with titanium proton absorber for spacecraft

A neutron spectrometer for spacecraft is provided by a series of substrates covered by a solid-state detector stacked on an absorbing layer. As many as 12 substrates that convert neutrons to protons are covered by a layer of absorbing material, acting as a proton absorber, with the detector placed within the layer to count protons passing through the absorbing layer. By using 12 detectors the range of neutron energies are covered. The preferred dodecahedron embodiment of the neutron spectrometer is a solid, polyethylene dodecahedron assembly with 12 surface facets covered by a solid-state detector stacked on an absorbing layer composed of aluminum. Each absorbing layer is constructed with a different thickness according to the minimum and maximum energies of neutrons in the spectrum. In this arrangement, each of the 12 surface pentagon-shaped facets provides a polyethylene substrate to convert neutrons to protons, covered by a layer of absorbing material, acting as a proton absorber, with the detector stacked on the absorbing layer to count protons passing through the absorbing layer. The dodecahedron assembly is housed concentrically within a titanium spherical shell that serves as an outer shield. The dodecahedron embodiment is sufficiently lightweight to be suitable for airborne and satellite applications.

Dodecahedron neutron spectrometer with aluminum proton absorber for spacecraft

A Geiger-Mueller triode directional sensor is provided to detect the direction of incident ionizing gamma radiation, comprising a housing divided into two subchambers, or GM counters, separated by a partition composed of a high Z layer of tungsten, the tungsten partition having an aperture for gas to freely communicate between the subchambers and maintain an identical gas mixture in both subchambers, radiation windows, external layers of a second material in the sidewall and a sensor. Incident gamma rays generate electrons within the tungsten partition, housing and the sidewall based on the photoelectric, Compton and pair effects. The electrons penetrate the radiation windows and are accelerated by an applied electric field in the housing, causing the electrons to ionize the gas within the housing and produce electrical discharges. A rotating sensor and signal detecting means receives the electrical charges and the electronic signals are counted to determine angle of rotation and locate the unknown sources of gamma radiation. Another embodiment of the present invention provides a method for sensing the direction of ionizing gamma radiation.

Geiger-Mueller triode for sensing the direction of incident ionizing gamma radiation

A neutron spectrometer is provided by a series of substrates covered by a solid-state detector stacked on an absorbing layer. As many as substrates that convert neutrons to protons are covered by a layer of absorbing material, acting as a proton absorber, with the detector placed within the layer to count protons passing through the absorbing layer. By using detectors the range of neutron energies are covered. The preferred dodecahedron embodiment of the neutron spectrometer comprises a solid, polyethylene dodecahedron assembly with surface facets covered by a solid-state detector stacked on an absorbing layer. In this arrangement, each of surface pentagon-shaped facets provides a polyethylene substrate to convert neutrons to protons, covered by a layer of absorbing material, acting as a proton absorber, with the detector stacked on the absorbing layer to count protons passing through the absorbing layer. The dodecahedron assembly is housed concentrically within a titanium spherical shell that serves as an outer shield. The dodecahedron embodiment is sufficiently lightweight to be suitable for airborne and satellite applications.

Dodecahedron neutron spectrometer

A low cost and simple technique for measurement of radioactive contaminants in the air, soil, or in buildings is provided. The alpha, beta gamma radiation monitor comprises a thin window and two more removable radiation windows on top of a pancake-shaped conductive plastic chamber, with a microscope and a carbon fiber electrometer within the chamber protruding through the chamber's side wall, and the microscope and electrometer opposing each other. Within the chamber the microscope is optically focused on the electrometer fiber. Three radiation windows are provided: one admits alpha particles, beta particles and gamma radiation to the chamber, another admits beta particles and gamma radiation, and a third one admits only gamma radiation. Thus one can measure or observe alpha, beta, and gamma radiation, beta and gamma radiation, or only gamma radiation. The present invention's configuration allows the concentration of each type of radiation to be independently determined. The radiation that penetrates one of the radiation windows generates an ionization charge within the chamber that causes a carbon fiber image to move along a scale within the microscope as a function of time to produce the desired reading. In the case of airborne alpha emitting contaminants either the concentration of alpha particles or the total alpha energy of the emission can be measured.

Alpha, beta, and gamma monitor for measuring concentrations of ionizing radiation emitters in ambient air or other media

An angular time-synchronized directional radiation sensor is provided to indicate the direction, or distribution of directions, of incident gamma radiation, and consequently, to locate sources of radioactivity emitting these photons. The angular time-synchronized directional radiation sensor comprises a rotating radiation sensing means, interacting with the incident radiation to produce light flashes, together with a stationary photomultiplier tube that converts the light flashes to electrical pulses that are counted by a data collection means. A synchronous motor enables the radiation sensing means to complete a 360.degree. scan within 1 second to reduce the time needed for measuring from hours to only a few minutes. The data collection means calculates an angle of rotation at a corresponding fraction of the 360.degree. scan to rapidly indicate the direction of a radiation source. In one embodiment, the data collection means is a computer. The radiation sensing means can be a scintillator assembly.

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Skillman, NJ, United States of America

Stanley Kronenberg