Ultrafast table-top dynamic radiography of spontaneous or stimulated events
AssigneeLos Alamos National Security, LLC
InventorsLaura Smilowitz, Bryan Henson
Life of this patent
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Abstract
Disclosed herein are representative embodiments of methods, apparatus, and systems for performing radiography. For example, certain embodiments concern X-ray radiography of spontaneous events. Particular embodiments of the disclosed technology provide continuous high-speed x-ray imaging of spontaneous dynamic events, such as explosions, reaction-front propagation, and even material failure. Further, in certain embodiments, x-ray activation and data collection activation are triggered by the object itself that is under observation (e.g., triggered by a change of state detected by one or more sensors monitoring the object itself).
Claims18
A radiographic imaging method, comprising:
- placing an x-ray source into an armed state in which elements of the x-ray source are operative and ready for x-ray generation but no x-rays are generated;
- and
- triggering the x-ray source to transition into an active x-ray generation state using a signal that originates from an event occurring in an object to be imaged using the generated x-rays from the x-ray source,
- wherein the object to be imaged is a material experiencing an exothermic reaction or an explosive material and wherein the event is an onset of the exothermic reaction or an onset of an explosion of the explosive material during a period of thermal runaway experienced by the explosive material.
A radiographic imaging method, comprising:
- automatically triggering generation of x-rays and image data collection for transmission images resulting from the x-rays using one or more measurements of an object being imaged by the x-rays,
- wherein the measurements indicate a change of state in the object, and
- wherein the object is a material experiencing an exothermic reaction or an explosive material and the measurements indicate that the object has entered a state of exothermic reaction or that the object has entered a state of explosion.
A system, comprising:
- an x-ray source, the x-ray source comprising a gridded x-ray tube;
- a scintillator positioned to receive x-rays generated by the x-ray source;
- a video capture system configured and arranged to, when activated, capture and store image data produced by the scintillator for multiple consecutive frames;
- and
- an object to be x-ray imaged using the x-ray source, the scintillator, and the video capture system, the object being located between the x-ray source and the scintillator;
- and
- a trigger mechanism for providing a trigger signal that causes the x-ray source to begin generating x-rays,
- wherein (a) the object to be x-ray imaged is a material experiencing an exothermic reaction or an explosive material, and the trigger signal is triggered by an onset of the exothermic reaction or an onset of an explosion of the explosive material during a period of thermal runaway experienced by the explosive material;
- or (b) the object to be x-ray imaged is a material being strained, and the trigger signal is triggered by an onset of a material failure of the material being strained.
A radiographic imaging method, comprising:
- placing an x-ray source into an armed state in which elements of the x-ray source are operative and ready for x-ray generation but no x-rays are generated;
- and
- triggering the x-ray source to transition into an active x-ray generation state using a signal that originates from an event occurring in an object to be imaged using the generated x-rays from the x-ray source,
- wherein the object to be imaged is a material being strained and wherein the event is an onset of a material failure of the material being strained.
A radiographic imaging method, comprising:
- automatically triggering generation of x-rays and image data collection for transmission images resulting from the x-rays using one or more measurements of an object being imaged by the x-rays,
- wherein the measurements indicate a change of state in the object, and
- wherein the object is a material being strained and the measurements indicate that the object has entered a state of material failure.
Dependencies are inferred from the claim text.