Development of a semi-autonomous directional and spectroscopic radiation detection mobile platform

This thesis presents a method for a small, inexpensive mobile robot equipped with a single high resolution scintillation detector to quickly survey an area and convey information about local sources of gamma radiation to a remote human operator. This is achieved by surrounding the detector with a lead sheath that blocks all gamma rays except those incident along the detector’s axial direction. A horizontal scan is performed by rotating the detector and a directional profile of gamma radiation is constructed. In addition a visual panorama of the local area is assembled using a camera mounted on the detector. A plot of the detector signal versus angle is then overlaid on top of the visual panorama and visible peaks clearly indicate the direction of local gamma radiation sources. Moreover, measuring the energy spectrum of gamma rays in each direction produces a 2D count frequency histogram where distinct peaks indicate the energy and direction of local gamma ray sources allowing the identification of different radio-isotopes.

Name thesis:degree_name

Master of Applied Science (MASc)

Discipline thesis:degree_discipline

Nuclear Engineering

Grantor

University of Ontario Institute of Technology

Year dc:date.issued

2014

Author dc:creator

• Miller, Alexander Luke

Advisors dc:contributor.advisor

• Machrafi, Rachid
• Mohany, Atef

• Gamma ray detector
• Radioactive source localization
• Lanthanum bromide
• Radiation detection robot

Language dc:language.iso

en

Handle dc:identifier.uri

https://hdl.handle.net/10155/425

OAI identifier oai:identifier

oai:ontariotechu.scholaris.ca:10155/425