Prompt gamma neutron activation analysis system

摘要

A system for determining depth profiles of concentrations of hazardous elements in soils comprises a neutron source (22) for generating neutrons of a first energy level and irradiating a volume of soil with the neutrons, where nuclear reactions are effected within the soil and gamma radiation is emitted from the soil to an array of gamma detectors (24) for detecting gamma radiation emitted from the soil; source electronics (10) for controlling the width of regularly repeated pulses of neutrons generated by the neutron source; detector electronics (12) associated with the gamma detectors (24) for amplifying and digitalizing signals generated by the gamma detectors and storing data representing the digitalized signals; spectral analysis software for analyzing the data and determining the concentrations of selected target elements in the soil; and acquisition interface electronics (14).