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The Practicality of Pulsed Fast Neutron Transmission Spectroscopy for Aviation Security (1999) / Chapter Skim
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1 Introduction
Pages 6-8

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From page 6...
... However, through its Explosives Detection Program, the FAA continues to pursue research in other promising technologies for addressing the FAA's future needs for explosives detection. OVERVIEW OF PULSED FAST NEUTRON TRANSMISSION SPECTROSCOPY One area of research the FAA has pursued is acceleratorbased nuclear detection technologies that detect explosives by measuring the elemental composition of materials.
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From page 7...
... operational aspects, including operator training requirements, alarm resolution procedures, impact on air carrier operations, access to baggage, and baggage flow performance levels, including expected and measured detection and false alarm rates for all relevant types of explosives availability of equipment, including mean time be tween failures, mean time to repair, required parts inventory and lead time to obtain parts, and maintenance costs safety concerns, including radiation safety and monitoring, U.S. Nuclear Regulatory Commission licensing, and radiation shielding costs, including initial unit cost and installation costs, site preparation costs, costs of modifying belt lines and baggage-handling equipment and support equipment, and operational costs for utilities and environmental control · cost to finish development compared to technical risk
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From page 8...
... In response to the FAA's request, the NRC convened the Panel on Assessment of the Practicality of Pulsed Fast Neutron Transmission Spectroscopy for Aviation Security under the auspices of the CCAS. The panel was charged with evaluating the practicality of PFNTS for the primary screening of passenger baggage or for cargo screening, as compared to currently available x-ray-based CT systems (see Box 1-2~.
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Key Terms

  • computed tomography
  • neutron transmission
  • fast neutron
  • transmission spectroscopy
  • primary screening

  • passenger baggage
  • explosives detection
  • cargo screening
  • aviation security
  • detection performance

  • tensor technology
  • checked baggage
  • available technologies
  • awarded tensor
  • bulk explosives

  • airline security
  • bag set
  • neutron radiometer
  • multidimensional neutron
  • faa awarded

  • identifies explosives
  • false alarm
  • substantially improved
  • faa eds
  • operational requirements

  • support equipment
  • detection devices
  • including operator
  • nuclear accelerator
  • ccas concluded


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