Abstract
Effect of neutron source-moderator geometry has been studied on the performance of a thermal neutron capture-based prompt gamma neutron activation analysis (PGNAA) setup. In the study prompt gamma-ray and thermal neutron yield was calculated for various positions of the neutron source inside 3-10 cm long high density polyethylene moderators. The study has been carried out for a Portland cement sample using Monte Carlo calculations. The maximum yields of the thermal neutrons and prompt gamma-rays have been observed for a neutron source at a distance of 1 cm from the sample. The maximum yield of the 1.94 and 6.42 MeV prompt gamma-ray from a Portland cement sample has been observed for moderators having length equal to or greater than 7 cm. The yield of both gamma rays is 2.57 times higher than the previously reported value for a PGNAA setup with the source placed outside a 5 cm thick moderator. The higher yield of gamma rays will result in higher sensitivity of the PGNAA setup.
| Original language | English |
|---|---|
| Pages (from-to) | 685-690 |
| Number of pages | 6 |
| Journal | Journal of Radioanalytical and Nuclear Chemistry |
| Volume | 271 |
| Issue number | 3 |
| DOIs | |
| State | Published - Mar 2007 |
ASJC Scopus subject areas
- Analytical Chemistry
- Nuclear Energy and Engineering
- Radiology Nuclear Medicine and imaging
- Pollution
- Spectroscopy
- Public Health, Environmental and Occupational Health
- Health, Toxicology and Mutagenesis