Neutron Imaging at LANSCE—From Cold to Ultrafast

Ronald O. Nelson; Sven C. Vogel; James F. Hunter; Erik B. Watkins; Adrian S. Losko; Anton S. Tremsin; Nicholas P. Borges; Theresa E. Cutler; Lee T. Dickman; Michelle A. Espy; Donald Cort Gautier; Amanda C. Madden; Jaroslaw Majewski; Michael W. Malone; Douglas R. Mayo; Kenneth J. McClellan; David S. Montgomery; Shea M. Mosby; Andrew T. Nelson; Kyle J. Ramos; Richard C. Schirato; Katlin Schroeder; Sanna A. Sevanto; Alicia L. Swift; Long K. Vo; Thomas E. Williamson; Nicola M. Winch

doi:10.3390/jimaging4020045

Journal of Imaging (Feb 2018)

Neutron Imaging at LANSCE—From Cold to Ultrafast

Ronald O. Nelson,
Sven C. Vogel,
James F. Hunter,
Erik B. Watkins,
Adrian S. Losko,
Anton S. Tremsin,
Nicholas P. Borges,
Theresa E. Cutler,
Lee T. Dickman,
Michelle A. Espy,
Donald Cort Gautier,
Amanda C. Madden,
Jaroslaw Majewski,
Michael W. Malone,
Douglas R. Mayo,
Kenneth J. McClellan,
David S. Montgomery,
Shea M. Mosby,
Andrew T. Nelson,
Kyle J. Ramos,
Richard C. Schirato,
Katlin Schroeder,
Sanna A. Sevanto,
Alicia L. Swift,
Long K. Vo,
Thomas E. Williamson,
Nicola M. Winch

Affiliations

Ronald O. Nelson: LANSCEWeapons Physics (P-27), Los Alamos National Laboratory, Los Alamos, NM 87545, USA
Sven C. Vogel: Materials Science in Radiation Extremes (MST-8), Los Alamos National Laboratory, Los Alamos, NM 87545, USA
James F. Hunter: Applied Engineering Technology (AET-6), Los Alamos National Laboratory, Los Alamos, NM 87545, USA
Erik B. Watkins: Materials Synthesis and Integrated Devices (MPA-11), Los Alamos National Laboratory, Los Alamos, NM 87545, USA
Adrian S. Losko: Materials Science in Radiation Extremes (MST-8), Los Alamos National Laboratory, Los Alamos, NM 87545, USA
Anton S. Tremsin: Space Sciences Laboratory, University of California, Berkeley, Berkeley, CA 94720, USA
Nicholas P. Borges: Materials Science in Radiation Extremes (MST-8), Los Alamos National Laboratory, Los Alamos, NM 87545, USA
Theresa E. Cutler: Advanced Nuclear Technology (NEN-2), Los Alamos National Laboratory, Los Alamos, NM 87545, USA
Lee T. Dickman: Earth System Observations (EES-14), Los Alamos National Laboratory, Los Alamos, NM 87545, USA
Michelle A. Espy: Applied Engineering Technology (AET-6), Los Alamos National Laboratory, Los Alamos, NM 87545, USA
Donald Cort Gautier: Applied Engineering Technology (AET-6), Los Alamos National Laboratory, Los Alamos, NM 87545, USA
Amanda C. Madden: Space Science and Applications (ISR-1), Los Alamos National Laboratory, Los Alamos, NM 87545, USA
Jaroslaw Majewski: Center for Integrated Nanotechnologies (MPA-CINT), Los Alamos National Laboratory, Los Alamos, NM 87545, USA
Michael W. Malone: Applied Modern Physics (P-21), Los Alamos National Laboratory, Los Alamos, NM 87545, USA
Douglas R. Mayo: Monte Carlo Codes (XCP-3), Los Alamos National Laboratory, Los Alamos, NM 87545, USA
Kenneth J. McClellan: Materials Science in Radiation Extremes (MST-8), Los Alamos National Laboratory, Los Alamos, NM 87545, USA
David S. Montgomery: Plasma Physics (P-24), Los Alamos National Laboratory, Los Alamos, NM 87545, USA
Shea M. Mosby: LANSCEWeapons Physics (P-27), Los Alamos National Laboratory, Los Alamos, NM 87545, USA
Andrew T. Nelson: Engineered Materials (MST-7), Los Alamos National Laboratory, Los Alamos, NM 87545, USA
Kyle J. Ramos: HE Science and Technology (M-7), Los Alamos National Laboratory, Los Alamos, NM 87545, USA
Richard C. Schirato: Space Science and Applications (ISR-1), Los Alamos National Laboratory, Los Alamos, NM 87545, USA
Katlin Schroeder: Department of Biology, University of New Mexico, Albuquerque, NM 87131, USA
Sanna A. Sevanto: Earth System Observations (EES-14), Los Alamos National Laboratory, Los Alamos, NM 87545, USA
Alicia L. Swift: Y-12 National Security Complex, P.O. Box 2009, Oak Ridge, TN 37831-8245, USA
Long K. Vo: Materials Science in Radiation Extremes (MST-8), Los Alamos National Laboratory, Los Alamos, NM 87545, USA
Thomas E. Williamson: Paleontology, New Mexico Museum of Natural History and Science, Albuquerque, NM 87131, USA
Nicola M. Winch: Advanced Nuclear Technology (NEN-2), Los Alamos National Laboratory, Los Alamos, NM 87545, USA

DOI: https://doi.org/10.3390/jimaging4020045
Journal volume & issue: Vol. 4, no. 2
p. 45

Abstract

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In recent years, neutron radiography and tomography have been applied at different beam lines at Los Alamos Neutron Science Center (LANSCE), covering a very wide neutron energy range. The field of energy-resolved neutron imaging with epi-thermal neutrons, utilizing neutron absorption resonances for contrast as well as quantitative density measurements, was pioneered at the Target 1 (Lujan center), Flight Path 5 beam line and continues to be refined. Applications include: imaging of metallic and ceramic nuclear fuels, fission gas measurements, tomography of fossils and studies of dopants in scintillators. The technique provides the ability to characterize materials opaque to thermal neutrons and to utilize neutron resonance analysis codes to quantify isotopes to within 0.1 atom %. The latter also allows measuring fuel enrichment levels or the pressure of fission gas remotely. More recently, the cold neutron spectrum at the ASTERIX beam line, also located at Target 1, was used to demonstrate phase contrast imaging with pulsed neutrons. This extends the capabilities for imaging of thin and transparent materials at LANSCE. In contrast, high-energy neutron imaging at LANSCE, using unmoderated fast spallation neutrons from Target 4 [Weapons Neutron Research (WNR) facility] has been developed for applications in imaging of dense, thick objects. Using fast (ns), time-of-flight imaging, enables testing and developing imaging at specific, selected MeV neutron energies. The 4FP-60R beam line has been reconfigured with increased shielding and new, larger collimation dedicated to fast neutron imaging. The exploration of ways in which pulsed neutron beams and the time-of-flight method can provide additional benefits is continuing. We will describe the facilities and instruments, present application examples and recent results of all these efforts at LANSCE.

Published in Journal of Imaging

ISSN: 2313-433X (Online)
Publisher: MDPI AG
Country of publisher: Switzerland
LCC subjects: Technology: Photography; Medicine: Medicine (General): Computer applications to medicine. Medical informatics; Science: Mathematics: Instruments and machines: Electronic computers. Computer science
Website: http://www.mdpi.com/journal/jimaging

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