Patent ID: 8748837

Claim:
A method for detecting the presence of a chemical element (X) in an object by emission of neutrons onto the object, characterized in that the emission of neutrons onto the object is constituted, firstly, by a continuous emission of neutrons originating from an associated particle neutron generator (G 1 ) able to implement a radiation detection by means of an associated particle technique and, secondly, by an emission of neutron pulses which are superimposed on the continuous emission of neutrons, where the neutron pulses originate from a pulsed neutron generator (G 2 ) able to implement a radiation detection by means of a pulse neutron interrogation technique, said pulsed neutron generator generating neutron pulses of pulse duration T 2 , where two successive neutron pulses are separated by a duration T 4 , and where the continuous and pulsed emissions of neutrons onto the object produce a gamma capture radiation and an inelastic gamma radiation.