High energy X-ray inspection system for detecting nuclear weapons materials

An x-ray inspection system for inspecting an object to detect nuclear weapons materials, the system comprising:

• means for providing a high energy x-ray fan beam that traverses the object;
• a transmission detector that detects x-ray energy that passes through the object under inspection using a plurality of detector elements which collectively define said transmission detector, and provides detected signals indicative thereof;
• and
• means for processing said detected signals to detect the presence of an area of very high x-ray attenuation which is indicative of nuclear weapons materials, wherein the x-ray absorption of the nuclear weapons' material is at least one standard deviation greater than the surrounding material.

An x-ray inspection system for inspecting an object to detect nuclear weapons materials, the system comprising:

• an x-ray source that provides a high energy x-ray fan beam that traverses an object under inspection;
• a detector that detects x-ray energy from the object under inspection and provides a detected signal indicative thereof;
• and
• a signal processor that processes said detected signal to detect the presence of an area of very high x-ray attenuation which is indicative of nuclear weapons materials, wherein the x-ray absorption of the nuclear weapons material is at least an order of magnitude greater than lead.

A method of detecting nuclear weapons materials with an x-ray inspection system, the method comprising the steps of:

• providing a high energy x-ray pencil beam that traverses an object under inspection;
• transmission detecting x-ray energy that passes through the object under inspection, and providing transmission detected signals indicative thereof;
• scatter detecting x-ray energy that is emitted by the object under inspection, and providing scatter detected signals indicative thereof;
• processing said transmission detected signals to detect the presence of an area of very high x-ray attenuation which is indicative of nuclear weapons materials, wherein the x-ray attenuation of the nuclear weapons material is at least one standard deviation greater than the surrounding material;
• processing said scatter detected signals to detect the absence of a scatter signal in the area of very high x-ray attenuation as further indication of nuclear weapons' material.