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A neutron beam line for multiple prompt gamma-ray analysis was constructed at the Japan Atomic Energy Agency. A detector system for the MPGA was constructed at the C2-3-2 beam line in January 2005. It comprised eight (upgraded in March 2007) clover Ge detectors with a BGO Compton suppressor. High efficiency detector system provides an advantage in terms of the detection limit of MPGA when compared to the result of PGA. The supermirror neutron bender was improved and a supermirror neutron guide was installed upstream of the sample position. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

A new radionuclide quantification method is proposed on the basis of multiple gamma-ray detection, which is two or higher fold gamma-ray coincidence method. The coincidence method has so far been used for nuclear structure study. We apply this method for quantification of radioactive nuclei. The advantage of this method consists of high energy resolution and high sensitivity. It is successfully applied to nuclear waste analysis, neutron activation analysis and prompt gamma-ray analysis. The principle of the multiple gamma-ray detection method and future perspectives for an innovative pulsed neutron source and a new detector system will be presented. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

In order to improve the sensitivity for the quantification of trace elements, we propose the combination of prompt gamma-ray analysis (PGA) and a multiple gamma-ray detection method. A new Ge detector system for multiple prompt gamma-ray analysis (MPGA) was constructed at the neutron guide-hall of the JRR-3M reactor of the Japan Atomic Energy Agency (JAEA). The first demonstration of this system was given with a plastic sample containing traces of cadmium. The quantification limit of cadmium in a plastic sample was found to be about 0.1 ppm. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Abstract: Neutron resonance densitometry (NRD) has been proposed to quantify nuclear materials in melted fuel (MF) that will be removed from the Fukushima Daiichi nuclear power plant. The problem is complex due to the expected presence of strong neutron absorbing impurities such as 10B and high radiation field that is mainly caused by 137Cs. To identify the impurities under the high radiation field, NRD is based on a combination of neutron resonance transmission analysis (NRTA) and neutron resonance capture analysis (NRCA). We investigated with Geant4 the performance of a gamma-ray detector for NRCA in NRD. The gamma-ray detector has a well shape, consisting of cylindrical and tube type LaBr3 scintillators. We show how it measures 478keV gamma rays derived from 10B(n, ) reaction in MF under a high 137Cs-radiation environment. It was found that the gamma-ray detector was able to well suppress the Compton edge of 662-keV gamma rays of 137Cs and had a high peak-to-Compton continuum ratio, by using the tube type scintillator as a back-catcher detector. Then, we demonstrate that with this ability, detection of 478-keV gamma rays from 10B is accomplished in realistic measuring time. [Copyright &y& Elsevier]