A Compton-suppressed multidimensional gamma-spectrometer is being developed within the Shallow Underground Laboratory (SUL) at Pacific Northwest National Laboratory (PNNL, USA). This Advanced Radionuclide Gamma-spectrOmeter (ARGO) system consists of two Broad Energy Germanium (BEGe) detectors, surrounded by a 12-detector sodium iodide (NaI) Compton suppression shield, situated inside a low-background lead and copper shield, fitted with a cosmic veto background reduction system. The detector has advanced functionality, including operation in single or combined detector mode, coincidence mode and Compton suppressed coincidence mode. Validation experiments measuring a neutron irradiated natural uranium sample, have demonstrated order of magnitude improvements in gamma detection sensitivity compared to conventional gamma-spectrometry techniques. Importantly this research demonstrates the feasibility of processing and analysing high-multiplicity datasets and the potential for high-sensitivity radionuclide measurements.
Revised: February 11, 2020 |
Published: January 21, 2020
Citation
Davies A., J.L. Burnett, and R.E. Britton. 2020.Performance testing of a Compton suppressed coincidence measurements using the Advanced Radionuclide Gamma-spectrOmeter.Nuclear Instruments and Methods in Physics Research. Section A, Accelerators, Spectrometers, Detectors and Associated Equipment 951.PNNL-SA-147241.doi:10.1016/j.nima.2019.163009