Patent ID: 8575546
Filing Date: 2013-11-05
Classification: G01B,G01N

Abstract:
1. A nondestructive inspection apparatus for inspecting an inside of a surface layer of a composite structure using cosmic-ray muons incoming substantially in a horizontal direction with being spin polarized by a given amount in a incoming direction, the apparatus comprising: positron/electron amount detecting means for detecting a positron/electron amount reflection-emitted having a characteristic time constant in a direction opposite to the incoming direction of the cosmic-ray muons by a decay of the cosmic-ray muons stopping inside the composite structure; and radiography data processing means for monitoring a state of a second substance, different from a first substance of the surface layer, existing inside the surface layer of the composite structure, as radiography to output, from the positron/electron amount detected in the positron/electron detecting means, wherein the positron/electron amount detecting means comprises the positron/electron amount detecting means detects all positron/electron amounts reflection-emitted by the decay of two different muons, positive muons and negative muons, constituting the cosmic-ray muons stopping inside the composite structure, and the radiography data processing means comprises