SUBJECT: M.S. Thesis Presentation
   
BY: Matthew Molinar
   
TIME: Wednesday, May 15, 2013, 2:00 p.m.
   
PLACE: Boggs, 3-47
   
TITLE: SNM Neutron Detection Using a Time-Gated Synthetic Aperture Hybrid Approach
   
COMMITTEE: Dr. Glenn Sjoden, Chair (NRE)
Dr, Ce Yi (NRE)
Dr. C.-K. Chris Wang (NRE)
Dr. Chaitanya Deo (NRE)
 

SUMMARY

This work focuses on using forward and adjoint transport in a hybrid application of 3-D deterministic (PENTRAN) and Monte Carlo (MCNP5) codes to model a series of neutron detector blocks. These blocks, or “channels,” contain a unique set of moderators with 4 atm He-3 detectors tuned to detect and profile a gross energy spectrum of a passing neutron (SNM) source. Ganging the units together as a large area system enables one to apply time gating the source-detector response to maximize signal to noise responses from a passing source with minimal background; multiple units may be positioned as a collective synthetic aperture detector array to be used as a way of performing real time neutron spectroscopy for detecting special nuclear materials in moving vehicles.