Patent ID: 8019556
Filing Date: 2011-09-13
Classification: G01J,G01N,G01T,G01V

Abstract:
1. A system for nuclear material detection, comprising: a shielding layer adapted to allow muons, passing through the shielding layer while cutting off all other charged particles, at least a first flat muon detector and a second flat muon detector positioned along the way of muons passed through the shielding layer, the first muon detector is indicative of a first muon coordinate and a first incidence angle, and the second muon detector is indicative of an actual second muon coordinate and an actual second incidence angle, a digital signal processing unit for calculating a predicted second coordinate and a predicted second incidence angle, an alarm system being adapted for generating an alarm when a presence of a nuclear material between the first and the second flat muon detectors suspected, wherein the digital signal processing unit compares the actual second muon coordinate and the actual second incidence angle with the predicted second coordinate and the predicted second incidence angle for each muon, and the presence of nuclear material between the first and the second muon detectors is suspected if a difference between the actual second incidence angle and the predicted second incidence angle is larger than a predetermined value; further comprising: a chemical detection system, wherein the chemical detection system is a photo-thermal, interferometric spectroscopy system, including a first light source assembly that emits a first beam, the first beam having one or more wavelengths that interact with the chemical and change a refractive index of the chemical; a second light source that produces a second beam, the second beam interacting with the chemical resulting in a third beam with a phase change that corresponds with the change of the refractive index of the chemical; and a detector system positioned remote from the chemical to receive at least a portion of the third beam, the detector system providing information on a phase change in the third beam relative to the second beam that is indicative of at least one of, absorption spectrum and concentration of the chemical.