Systems and methods for detecting a neutron generator operating in air

A system comprising:

• a pulsed neutron generator configured to emit neutrons in an environment;
• a radiation detector configured to take measurements of the neutrons or neutron induced gamma rays;
• and
• data processing circuitry configured to determine if the environment surrounding the pulsed neutron generator is an air environment, based at least in part on a time spectrum, wherein the time spectrum comprises a neutron or gamma ray count rate based at least in part on the measurements of the neutrons or gamma rays and to deactivate the pulsed neutron generator in response to determining that the pulsed neutron generator is in the air environment.

A method for deactivating a neutron generator in an undesired environment comprising:

• emitting neutrons, from the neutron generator, into an environment;
• detecting the neutrons or neutron induced gamma rays using one or more detectors;
• determining, via a processor, from the detected neutrons or gamma rays a time spectrum;
• determining, via the processor, if the environment is undesirable based at least in part on one or more characteristics of the time spectrum;
• and
• in response to determining that the environment is undesirable, disabling, via the processor, the neutron generator.