C. Carasco

Atomic Energy and Alternative Energies Commission | CEA · Département de Technologie Nucléaire (DTN)

The European H2020 project, entitled “effective Container inspection at BORDer control points” (C-BORD), aims to develop a framework of Non-Intrusive Inspection (NII) technologies, for containers and large-volume freight at the EU borders. In this article the first results of the field trials of the Rapidly Relocatable Tagged Neutron Inspection Sys...

The measurement of uranium ore samples by high-resolution gamma-ray spectroscopy requires long measurement time and expensive high-purity germanium detectors. In this work, we present the possibility to measure uranium concentration by low-resolution gamma-ray spectrometry with an easy-to-operate and cost-effective NaI(Tl) detector. This method is...

This article reports a detailed description of the integration tests of the first Rapidly Relocatable Tagged Neutron Inspection System (RRTNIS) carried out at the European Commission’s Joint Research Centre in Ispra (Italy). This technology allows the detection and identification of suspicious or illicit materials (such as narcotics, explosives, co...

In the frame of the effective Container inspection at BORDer control points (C-BORD) project [H2020 program of the European Union (EU)], a Rapidly Relocatable Tagged Neutron Inspection System (RRTNIS) has been developed for a nonintrusive inspection of cargo containers, aiming at explosives and other illicit goods detection. Twenty large-volume NaI...

This work addresses the use of plastic scintillators as an alternative to ³ He detectors for radioactive waste drum characterization. The time response of scintillators is three orders of magnitude faster than that of gas proportional counters and they offer similar neutron detection efficiency at lower cost. However, they are sensitive to gamma ra...

To investigate the possibility to characterize radioactive wastes using available information and measurements in a coherent frame, a Bayesian formalism is built to couple gamma-ray spectrometry and tomographic scans. The gamma ray spectrometry is performed with four High Purity Germanium (HPGe) detectors placed around the waste and scanning 2 cm t...

In the framework of homeland security, the Nuclear Measurements Laboratory of CEA Cadarache is studying the detection of Special Nuclear Materials hidden in sea-going cargo containers. Proof of principle experiments done in the DANAIDES facility of CEA Cadarache shows the feasibility of detecting some dozen of grams of highly enriched uranium by me...

In the framework of the radioactive waste drum characterization using neutron coincidence counting, the Nuclear Measurement Laboratory of French Alternative Energies and Atomic Energy Commission (CEA) Cadarache is studying plastic scintillators as an alternative to ideal but costly <sup xmlns:mml="http://www.w3.org/1998/Math/MathML" xmlns:xlink="h...

As part of its R&xD activities in the fields of radioactivewaste drum storage and homeland security, the NuclearMeasurement Laboratory of CEA Cadarache has started studiesrelated to the detection of induced delayed fission gamma rays asa signature of U/Pu presence either in radioactive wastes or incargo containers and luggage. The study described i...

Gamma logging for uranium exploration is currently based on total counting with the Geiger-Müller gas detectors or NaI(Tl) scintillators. However, the total count rate interpretation in terms of uranium concentration may be impaired in case of roll fronts when the radioactive equilibrium of the natural <sup xmlns:mml="http://www.w3.org/1998/Math/M...

Gamma logging for uranium exploration are currently based on total counting with Geiger Müller gas detectors or NaI (TI) scintillators. However, the total count rate interpretation in terms of uranium concentration may be impaired in case of roll fronts, when the radioactive equilibrium of the natural ²³⁸ U radioactive chain is modified by differen...

In the framework of the radioactive waste drum characterization using neutron coincidence counting, the Nuclear Measurement Laboratory of CEA Cadarache is studying plastic scintillators as an alternative to ideal but costly ³ He gas proportional counters. Plastic scintillators are at least 5 times cheaper for the same detection efficiency, and in a...

To inspect cargo containers, X-ray imaging can be complemented by fast neutron interrogation to provide indication concerning the chemical nature of the transported goods through the detection of neutron-induced gamma rays. Organic goods are of special interest since they constitute a significant part of the merchandises. In addition, in the contex...

The measurement of delayed gamma rays following neutron-induced fission is simulated with MCNP 6.1 to investigate the feasibility of fissile material detection in long-lived, medium activity radioactive waste in 870 L drums. The signal from homogeneously distributed fissile material in the drum is several hundred counts in the main delayed gamma pe...

AREVA Mines and the Nuclear Measurement Laboratory of CEA Cadarache are collaborating to improve the sensitivity and precision of uranium concentration measurement by means of gamma-ray logging. The determination of uranium concentration in boreholes is performed with the Natural Gamma Ray Sonde (NGRS) based on a NaI(Tl) scintillation detector. The...

AREVA Mines and the Nuclear Measurement Laboratory of CEA Cadarache are collaborating to improve the sensitivity and precision of uranium concentration evaluation by means of gamma-ray measurements. This paper reports gamma-ray spectra, recorded with two high-purity germanium detectors, on standard cement blocks with increasing uranium content, and...

In the frame of C-BORD project (H2020 program of the EU), a Rapidly relocatable Tagged Neutron Inspection System (RRTNIS) is being developed to non-intrusively detect explosives, chemical threats, and other illicit goods in cargo containers. Material identification is performed through gamma spectroscopy, using twenty NaI detectors and four LaBr3 d...

AREVA Mines and the Nuclear Measurement Laboratory of CEA Cadarache are collaborating to improve the sensitivity and precision of uranium concentration evaluation by means of gamma measurements. This paper reports gamma-ray spectra, recorded with a high-purity coaxial germanium detector, on standard cement blocks with increasing uranium content, an...

AREVA Mines and the Nuclear Measurement Laboratory of CEA Cadarache are collaborating to improve the sensitivity and precision of uranium concentration measurement by means of gamma ray logging. The determination of uranium concentration in boreholes is performed with the Natural Gamma Ray Sonde (NGRS) based on a NaI(Tl) scintillation detector. The...

This paper reports a feasibility study, performed by numerical simulation with MCNPX-PoliMi v2.0, for plutonium quantitative assessment in radioactive waste packages by passive neutron coincidence counting with plastic scintillators. Owing to their low cost and good detection efficiency for fast neutrons, plastic scintillators could indeed constitu...

This paper reports a feasibility study of 235U and 239Pu characterization in 225 L bituminized waste drums or 200 L concrete waste drums, by detecting delayed fission gamma rays between the pulses of a deuterium-tritium neutron generator. The delayed gamma yields were first measured with bare samples of 235U and 239Pu in REGAIN, a facility dedicate...

This paper reports on a numerical feasibility study of a passive neutron coincidence counting system for radioactive waste drums with plastic scintillators. The motivation is to replace gas counters generally used for this type of measurement. Indeed, plastic scintillators present several advantages for the measurement of neutron coincidences such...

A gamma and neutron shielding for the HPGe-detector of the MEDINA facility is designed by means of MCNP5 simulations. The performance of the shielding is validated comparing MCNP5 calculations and experimental background reduction factors for easy-to-implement shielding configurations. A good correspondence between simulations and experiment is obs...

The possibility to determine the amount of beryllium in cans containing a mixed powder of iron and plutonium by counting photoneutrons is investigated with Monte Carlo simulation. The sensitivity of the optimized measurement cell is larger than 3000 s−1 wt% of Be with a 3.7E10 Bq source of 124Sb. A heterogeneous distribution of beryllium induces a...

The Scintilla FP7 project is ended in December 2014, the fruitful results of 3 years development and tests will be presented. SCINTILLA offers the capacity to finding a reliable alternative to Helium-3 based detection systems since the gas which is predominantly used in nuclear safeguards and security applications has now become very expensive, rar...

This paper reports a numerical feasibility study of a passive neutron coincidence counting system for radioactive waste drums with plastic scintillators. The motivation is to replace 3He gas counters generally used for this type of measurement. Indeed, plastic scintillators present several advantages for the measurement of neutron coincidences such...

In the frame of the French trans-governmental R&D program against CBRN-E threats, CEA (French Alternative Energies and Atomic Energy Commission) is studying the detection of Special Nuclear Materials (SNM) by neutron interrogation with the Associated Particle Technique (APT). Coincidences including at least 3 fission neutrons or gamma rays induced...

The French Alternative Energies and Atomic Energy Commission (CEA Cadarache), the Forschungszentrum Jülich GmbH (FZJ), and the RWTH Aachen University (RWTH) are involved in a cooperation aiming at characterizing toxic and reactive elements in radioactive waste packages by means of Prompt Gamma Neutron Activation Analysis (PGNAA). The design of an o...

Radioactive waste has to undergo a process of quality checking in order to check its conformance with national regulations prior to its transport, intermediate storage and final disposal. Within the quality checking of radioactive waste packages non-destructive assays are required to characterize their radio-toxic and chemo-toxic contents. The Inst...

3He shortage has provoked a renewed interest for organic scintillation detectors (good neutron detection efficiency) with neutron-gamma discrimination capability. Pulse Shape Discrimination (PSD) with plastic scintillators has recently shown important progresses and raises a great interest as plastic detectors are not toxic and not inflammable cont...

In the frame of the French trans-governmental R&D program against chemical, biological, radiological, nuclear and explosives (CBRN-E) threats, CEA is studying the detection of Special Nuclear Materials (SNM) by neutron interrogation with fast neutrons produced by an associated particle sealed tube neutron generator. The deuterium-tritium fusion rea...

The Forschungszentrum Jülich GmbH (FZJ), together with the Aachen University Rheinisch-Westfaelische Technische Hochschule (RWTH) and the French Alternative Energies and Atomic Energy Commission (CEA Cadarache) are involved in a cooperation aiming at characterizing toxic and reactive elements in radioactive waste packages by means of Prompt Gamma N...

A system using a neutron sensor installed within a Remotely Operated Vehicle (ROV) for underwater inspection has been developed. The system can inspect objects for the presence of threat materials, such as explosives and chemical agents, by using alpha particle tagged neutrons from a sealed tube d+t neutron generator to produce characteristic gamma...

The French Alternative Energies and Atomic Energy Commission (CEA) is conducting an R&D program to improve the characterization of long lived and medium activity radioactive waste packages with nondestructive nuclear measurements. Neutron interrogation with the “Associated Particle Technique” (APT), which brings 3D information about waste materials...

Since the last past years, the Nuclear Measurement Laboratory of CEA Cadarache, France, together with Partners from European and National projects, has been studying the application of fast neutron interrogation with the Associated Particle Technique for material identification in different areas of homeland and maritime security, and for the chara...

The French Alternative Energies and Atomic Energy Commission (CEA) and National Radioactive Waste Management Agency (ANDRA) are conducting an R&D program to improve the characterization of long-lived and medium activity (LL-MA) radioactive waste packages. In particular, the amount of toxic elements present in radioactive waste packages must be asse...

CEA, a prominent player in research, development and innovation has developed extensive expertise in a number of topics which are now central within the global security research issues. As an example, CEA is developing research of new technologies for the detection of explosives. This article gives an overview of the main activities regarding to th...

In neutron Time-of-Flight (TOF) measurements performed with fast organic scintillation detectors, both pulse arrival time and amplitude are relevant. Monte Carlo simulation can be used to calculate the time-energy dependant neutron flux at the detector position. To convert the flux into a pulse height spectrum, one must calculate the detector respo...

The EURopean Illicit TRAfficking Countermeasures Kit (EURITRACK) uses 14MeV neutrons produced by the 3H(d,n)4H fusion reaction to detect explosives and narcotics in cargo containers. Reactions induced by fast neutrons produce gamma rays, which are detected in coincidence with the associated alpha particle to determine the neutron direction. In addi...

Fast neutron interrogation with the associated particle technique can be used to identify explosives in cargo containers (EURITRACK FP6 project) and unexploded ordnance on the seabed (UNCOSS FP7 project), by detecting gamma radiations induced by 14 MeV neutrons produced in the 2H(3H,α)n reaction. The origin of the gamma rays can be determined in 3D...

The French Alternative Energies and Atomic Energy Commission (CEA) and National Radioactive Waste Management Agency (ANDRA) are conducting an R&D program to improve the characterization of long-lived and medium activity (LL-MA) radioactive waste packages with analytical methods and with non-destructive nuclear measurements. This paper concerns fast...

The purpose of the FP7 UNCOSS project (Underwater Coastal Sea Surveyor, http://www.uncoss-project.org) is to develop a neutron-based underwater explosive sensor to detect unexploded ordnance lying on the sea bottom. The Associated Particle Technique is used to focus the inspection on a suspicious object located by optical and electromagnetic sensor...

Gamma-ray spectra produced in carbon, nitrogen, oxygen, sodium, aluminium, silicon, chlorine, calcium, chromium, iron, nickel, copper, zinc, and lead by 14 MeV tagged neutrons have been collected with NaI(Tl) detectors of the EURITRACK system, which low-energy threshold has been reduced to 0.6 MeV to detect gamma rays of major elements like iron. T...

In the frame of the FP7 UNCOSS project (Underwater Coastal Sea Surveyor), whose aim is to develop a neutron-based explosive detection system to identify unexploded ordnance (UXO) lying on the sea bottom, the choice of the gamma-ray detector is essential to reach the optimal performances. This paper presents comparative tests between the two candida...

MCNP Output Data Analysis with ROOT (MODAR) is a tool based on CERN's ROOT software. MODAR has been designed to handle time-energy data issued by MCNP simulations of neutron inspection devices using the associated particle technique. MODAR exploits ROOT's Graphical User Interface and functionalities to visualize and process MCNP simulation results...

The EURopean Illicit TRAfficking Countermeasures Kit (EURITRACK) inspection system uses 14 MeV neutrons produced by the D(T,n α) reaction to detect explosives in cargo containers. Reactions induced by fast neutrons inside the container produce gamma rays, which are detected in coincidence with the associated alpha particle, the detection of which a...

We have extracted QCD matrix elements from our data on doubly polarized inelastic scattering of electrons on nuclei. We find the higher twist matrix element (d) over tilde (2), which arises strictly from quark-gluon interactions, to be unambiguously nonzero. The data also reveal an isospin dependence of higher twist effects if we assume that the Bu...

The elemental characterization of materials constituting radioactive waste is of great importance for the management of storage and repository facilities. To complement the information brought by gamma or X-ray imaging, the performance of a fast neutron interrogation system based on the associated particle technique (APT) has been investigated by u...

The container scanning system based on the elemental analysis of suspect cargo by use of fast 14 MeV neutrons with detection of associated alpha particle has been recently developed under the EU-FP6 “EURITRACK” project. The system is currently set-up in port of Rijeka, Croatia, to be tested and upgraded under the EU-JLS ERITR@C project.Here we pres...

The goal of the FP7 UNCOSS project (Underwater Coastal Sea Surveyor) is to develop a non destructive explosive detection system based on the associated particle technique, in view to improve the security of coastal area and naval infrastructures where violent conflicts took place. The end product of the project will be a prototype of a complete coa...

MCNP Output Data Analysis with ROOT (MODAR) is a tool based on CERN’s ROOT software. MODAR has been designed to handle time-energy data issued by MCNP simulations of neutron inspection devices using the associated particle technique. MODAR exploits ROOT’s Graphical User Interface and functionalities to visualize and process MCNP simulation results...

The EURopean Illicit TRAfficking Countermeasures Kit (EURITRACK) inspection system uses 14 MeV neutrons produced by the D(T,nα) reaction to detect explosives in cargo containers. Reactions induced by fast neutrons inside the container produce gamma rays, which are detected in coincidence with the associated alpha particle, the detection of which al...

The associated particle technique (APT) is a “neutron in - gamma out” non destructive characterization method recently brought out of the laboratory thanks to the development of transportable associated particle neutron generators. The possibility to determine a 3D map of the elements present in an inspected volume makes this technique very attract...

The EURopean Illicit TRAfficking Countermeasures Kit (EURITRACK) inspection system has been developed within the 6th EU Framework Program to complement X‐ray scanners in the detection of explosives and other illicit materials hidden in cargo containers. Gamma rays are produced inside the cargo materials by 14 MeV tagged neutron beams, which yields...

Moments of the spin structure functions g1 and g2 of the proton and deuteron have been measured in the resonance region at intermediate four momentum transfer. We perform a Nachtmann moment analysis of this data, along with isovector and isoscalar combinations, in order to rigorously account for target mass effects. This analysis provides the first...

The detection of special chemical elements that could be used by terrorist in improvised explosive devices (IED) can be performed by the spectroscopic analysis of neutron-induced gamma rays. Capture gamma-ray detection is optimally performed by thermal neutron analysis (TNA) between the pulses delivered by a fast neutron generator, when the ratio b...

The detection of special elements that can be used by terrorists in improvised chemical weapons can be performed by the spectroscopic analysis of neutron-induced gamma rays. Numerical simulations and experiments have been performed with the aim of designing a portable inspection system. Both thermal neutron analysis (TNA) and the associated particl...

Within the EURopean Illicit TRAfficking Countermeasures Kit (EURITRACK) project, the gamma-ray spectra produced in a series of materials by 14-MeV tagged-neutron beams have been collected in the inspection portal equipped with large volume NaI(Tl) detectors, in order to build a database of signatures for various elements: C, N, O, Na, Al, Si, Cl, K...

The EURopean Illicit TRAfficking Countermeasures Kit (EURITRACK) inspection system has been designed to complement X-ray scanners in the detection of explosives and other illicit materials hidden in cargo containers. The containers are interrogated by a 14-MeV tagged neutron beam at any suspect position in the X-ray image. Interrogation of a specif...

The EURopean Illicit TRAfficking Countermeasures Kit (EURITRACK) inspection system uses 14MeV neutrons produced by the D(T,n α) reaction to detect explosives in cargo containers. Fast-neutron-induced reactions inside the container produce gamma rays, which are detected in coincidence with the associated alpha particle. The definition of the neutron...

A new Tagged Neutron Inspection System (TNIS) able to detect illicit materials such as explosives and narcotics in cargo containers has been developed within the EURopean Illicit TRAfficing Countermeasures Kit (EURITRACK) project. After the R&D phase, the inspection portal has been installed and commissioned at the Rijeka seaport in Croatia, where...

The EURopean Illicit TRAfficing Countermeasures Kit (EURITRACK) project is part of the 6th European Union Framework Program. It aims at developing a Tagged Neutron Inspection System (TNIS) to detect illicit materials, such as explosives and narcotics, in cargo containers. Fast neutron induced reactions produce specific gamma-rays used to determine...

The detection of illicit trafficking such as explosive materials inside large commercial payloads is today an important worldwide problem. Differently from the X- or γ-ray based systems, neutron interrogation allows the elemental composition of inspected materials to be measured. A container interrogation device based on the Tagged Neutron Inspecti...

We have examined the spin structure of the proton in the region of the nucleon resonances (1.085 GeV<W<1.910 GeV) at an average four momentum transfer of Q2=1.3 GeV2. Using the Jefferson Lab polarized electron beam, a spectrometer, and a polarized solid target, we measured the asymmetries A|| and A(perpendicular) to high precision, and extracted th...

The ratio of the proton's electric to magnetic form factor, GE/GM, can be extracted in elastic electron-proton scattering by measuring cross sections, beam-target asymmetry, or recoil polarization. Separate determinations of GE/GM by cross sections and recoil polarization observables disagree for Q2>1 (GeV/c)2. Measurement by a third technique migh...

Precise measurements of the deuteron vector analyzing power Ayd and the tensor analyzing power Ayy of the 1H (d⃗,γ)3He capture reaction have been performed at deuteron energies of 29 MeV and 45 MeV. The data have been compared to theoretical state-of-the-art calculations available today. Due to the large sensitivity of polarization observables and...

We studied the reaction 12C(e,e'p) in quasielastic kinematics at momentum transfers between 0.6 and 1.8 (GeV/c)^2 covering the single-particle region. From this the nuclear transparency factors are extracted using two methods. The results are compared to theoretical predictions obtained using a generalization of Glauber theory described in this pap...

The electron target asymmetries A || and A ⊥ with target spin parallel and perpendicular to the momentum transfer $\ensuremath{\boldsymbol{q}}$ were measured for both the two- and three-body breakup of 3He in the 3 $ \overrightarrow{\rm He}$ (¯e, e’p)-reaction. Polarized electrons were scattered off polarized 3He in the quasielastic regime in pa...

We have carried out an (e,e'p) experiment at high momentum transfer and in parallel kinematics to measure the strength of the nuclear spectral function S(k,E) at high nucleon momenta k and large removal energies E. This strength is related to the presence of short-range and tensor correlations, and was known hitherto only indirectly and with consid...

The electric form factor of the neutron was determined from measurements of the d-->(e-->,e'n)p reaction for quasielastic kinematics. Polarized electrons were scattered off a polarized deuterated ammonia (15ND3) target in which the deuteron polarization was perpendicular to the momentum transfer. The scattered electrons were detected in a magnetic...

The charge form factor of the neutron has been determined from asymmetries measured in quasi-elastic at a momentum transfer of 0.67 (GeV/c)2. In addition, the target analyzing power, Ayo, has been measured to study effects of final state interactions and meson exchange currents.

Asymmetries in quasi-elastic have been measured at a momentum transfer of 0.67 (GeV/c)2 and are compared to a calculation which takes into account relativistic kinematics in the final state and a relativistic one-body current operator. With an exact solution of the Faddeev equation for the -ground state and an approximate treatment of final state i...

Recent results on the gaseous microstrip detector Micromegas which will be used to track particles in the COMPASS experiment at CERN are presented. Developments concerning its mechanical and electrical design, associated readout electronics and gas mixture were carried out. Particular attention was paid to the discharge phenomenon which affects thi...

Precise data on the neutron magnetic form factor G mn have been obtained with measurements of the ratio of cross sections of D(e,e′n) and D(e,e′p) up to momentum transfers of Q 2=0.9 (GeV/c)2. Data with typical uncertainties of 1.5% are presented. These data allow for the first time to extract a precise value of the magnetic radius of the neutron.

Recent results obtained with a gaseous microstrip detector Micromegas developed for the tracking in the high-rate environment of the COMPASS experiment at CERN are presented. A prototype equipped with the low-noise preamplifier SFE16 was tested in a high-energy hadron beam at CERN. With a gas mixture based on neon, the full efficiency of the Microm...

Precise measurements of the deuteron vector analyzing power Ady and the tensor analyzing power Ayy of the 1H(~d,∞3He)-capture reaction have been performed at deuteron energies of 29 MeV and 45 MeV. The data have been compared to theoretical state-of-the-art calculations of the Bochum-Krakow, Hannover-Lisbon and the Pisa group. Due to the large sens...

The charge form factor of the neutron has been determined from asymmetries mea- sured in quasi-elastic 3 − → He(~e, en) at a momentum transfer of 0.67 (GeV/c)2. In addition, the target analyzing power, Aoy, has been measured to study effects of final state interactions and meson exchange currents.