Abstract
The Atomic Energy Act of 1954 defined special nuclear material (SNM) as plutonium or uranium enriched in the isotopes 233U or 235U, or any materials the U.S. Atomic Energy Commission determines to be SNM. With the current state of affairs, a key technical challenge on a quest to combat illegal use of SNM is detecting heavily shielded highly enriched uranium. For the purpose of this anthology the above definition holds. Active interrogation is the intentional bombardment of an object using ionizing radiation in order to induce nuclear reactions producing distinct, energetic emissions, hence making the target more readily detectable. This method further allows the detection of SNM quantity and other material properties. Traditionally, this technique uses ionizing radiation such as neutrons, muons, and γ rays as a probe. Combating this challenge has resulted in various government entities investing their substantial resources.
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Ojaruega, M., Erickson, A.S. (2018). Overview of Signatures and Measurement Needs. In: Jovanovic, I., Erickson, A. (eds) Active Interrogation in Nuclear Security. Advanced Sciences and Technologies for Security Applications. Springer, Cham. https://doi.org/10.1007/978-3-319-74467-4_2
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