Portable isotopic neutron spectroscopy

Large burial sites Pueblo, Colo. Tooele/Deseret Chemical Depot, Utah Suspected to contain buried M70 bombs in burn/burial pits Approx. 25 pits where CWM bombs and 4.2-in. mortars were burned and buried Site will be closed under Base Realignment and Closure Many CWM munitions at this site are expected to be empty due to burn/burial process 1. Excavate pits (using appropriate methods, either manual or robotic) 2. Identify potential CWM as it is uncovered 3. Assess potential CWM using x-ray and portable isotopic neutron spectroscopy 4. Dispose of CWM in appropriate system(s) staged at the site... 

Before any of the munitions are delivered to the facility, they will have been previously assessed by the portable isotopic neutron spectroscopy (PINS) technique, x-rayed where appropriate, and the results reviewed by the Munitions Assessment and Review Board (MARB) to properly identify the contents. Data indicating the presence or absence of explosive and fuze components and the type of chemicals will be provided to the PBNSF operator for each item. The munitions will arrive at the facility overpacked individually in airtight containers. The following briefly describes the typical process flow for the categories of RCWM to be processed. 

A portable isotopic neutron spectroscopy (PINS) detector can be used to help eliminate an anomaly or munitions as being dangerous. The PINS detector is only effective for six inches, thus the object does not have to be completely excavated. A larger truck-mounted version called pulsed fast neutron analysis (PFNA) can penetrate to five feet, but it is extremely dangerous to drive a heavy vehicle over a munitions site. Still larger permanently mounted versions are available for customs work, which can look through an 8-ft wide steel shipping container or semitrailer. 

EBW exploding bridge-wire PINS portable isotopic neutron spectroscopy... 

Current Status of Munitions Assessment and Processing System (MAPS), Portable Isotopic Neutron Spectroscopy (PINS), Secondary Ion Mass Spectrometry (SIMS), and Raman Spectroscopy Ed Doyle and Bill Brankowitz PMNSCM... 

PINS Portable Isotopic Neutron Spectroscopy (detector)... 

The principal application of the actinide elements is in the production of nuclear energy. Although this is by far the most important use for any of the actinide elements, a surprising number of other uses have been found. These include the use of short-lived actinide isotopes as portable power supplies for satellites in ionization smoke detectors in the therapy of cancer in neutron radiography in mineral prospecting and oil-well logging as neutron sources in nuclear reactor start-up and as neutron sources in a variety of analytical procedures, the most important of which are neutron activation analysis and heavy-ion desorption mass spectroscopy. 

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