CEA-List researchers are currently developing two major
innovations in active non-destructive nuclear measurement
methods to fight the trafficking of hazardous materials
and illicit substances. The first combines a linear
electron accelerator (linac), photoneutron spectrometry,
and artificial intelligence to identify light elements
characteristic of explosives and narcotics. The second,
developed for the EU MULTISCAN 3D project with Munich’s
LMU[1] -CALA[2] , is laying the foundations for a breakthrough
in nuclear material detection technology.
The method developed to detect illicit substances is
based on a linac that generates a braking radiation
capable of inducing photonuclear reactions. Liquid
scintillators are used to detect the neutrons emitted,
whose spectra contain the signatures of the elements
(carbon, nitrogen, oxygen) present. An intense burst of
photons allows the neutrons of interest to be identified.
The spectra, despite their rich structures, are often
distorted by the geometry of objects inspected and the
detector’s response, a challenge that is effectively
addressed by automated analysis. The DeepNSI deep
learning model, based on convolutional neural networks
trained by Monte Carlo simulation, is able to identify
elements even at very low concentrations (less than 4%
for nitrogen). Other algorithms, like Nonnegative Elastic
Net, can also be used to estimate the relative concentrations
of the different elements present. The resulting
chemical identification is advanced, robust, and fast
enough to meet the requirements of freight inspection.
CEA-List also reported a world-first experimental
demonstration of photofission on impoverished uranium
using a totally new photon source, marking a major
advance in the development of tools to fight the illegal
trafficking of nuclear material. The photon source
developed is based on Inverse Compton Scattering (ICS):
A femtosecond laser beam accelerates high-energy
electrons in a plasma, producing photons of sufficient
energy to initiate photofission. This is the first time this
type of photon source has been used in place of a traditional linac. The laser’s quasi-mono energy, integrability,
and scalability clear a major new path toward the
future deployment of active nuclear measurement to
detect actinides in shipping containers.
While these two advances focus on the detection of
different targets (drugs and nuclear material), both are a
testament to the emergence of disruptive, more sensitive,
and smarter technologies capable of making
Europe’s ports much more secure.
[2] CALA : Centre for Advanced Laser Applications
«AI analyzes distorted photoneutron spectra and extracts the elementary signatures that cannot be isolated by spectrometry alone»
«Our advance using a laser-based ICS source marks a major step toward the development of advanced technologies for the detection of nuclear material.»
According to the European
Drug Report 2024, nearly 70%
of seizures made by EU
customs officials take place
in ports, mainly in maritime
containers.