Explosives Detection by Neutron Resonance Radiography

Researchers at the Massachusetts Institute of Technology (MIT) successfully demonstrated the imaging of concealed explosives using neutron resonance radiography. The technique has good spatial resolution, can be used to image through heavy objects, and is especially useful in identifying materials containing low-atomic number elements. MIT also designed a deuterium target source for use with an existing accelerator and integrated these systems with a scintillator detector and a charge-coupled device camera. This equipment successfully demonstrated elemental identification in laboratory experiments. Work at MIT on neutron resonance radiography is continuing under a Department of Homeland Security sponsored project with L-3 Communications to develop explosives detection systems for air cargo. Requests for additional information should be sent to edsubgroup@tswg.gov.