METHOD FOR SEPARATION OF SIGNALS OF FAST NEUTRONS AND GAMMA PHOTONS Russian patent published in 2009 - IPC G01T3/06 

FIELD: physics, nuclear engineering.

SUBSTANCE: invention is related to the field of radioactive materials and sources detection with the help of radiation detectors with plastic scintillator. In method of separation of signals of fast neutrons and gamma photons, rods of hodoscope unit are made as single-type, transverse dimensions of rods are selected based on probability of repeated dispersion of fast neutron in one and the same rod, scintillating signals are fixed, which have been caused by recoil protons that occurred in the first two - three collisions with hydrogen nuclei, rod is registered, from which the signal arrived, as well as time of signal arrival and its amplitude, by which signals are separated from fast neutrons and gamma photons, and position of maximum of neutron signals spatial distribution relative to the centre of assembly is used to identify source of fast neutrons, and direction to it is defined, and direction to the source is identified by direction of fastest growth of fast neutron signal, as vector between centre of hodoscope and centre of gravity of three-dimensional spatial distribution of scintillating signals.

EFFECT: separate registration of fast neutrons and gamma photons, improved sensitivity of fast neutrons source detection due to accounting of natural gamma background contribution, identification of fast neutrons source in presence of gamma radiation, detection of fissile materials and items made of it camouflaged in moderating mediums, determination of direction at source.

4 dwg, 2 tbl