Terrorism and Drug Trafficking: Testing Status and Views on Operational Viability of Pulsed Fast Neutron Analysis Technology.

GGD-99-54, Apr. 13, 1999 (20 pages). Terrorism and Drug Trafficking: Testing Status and Views on Operational Viability of Pulsed Fast Neutron Analysis Technology. [Text] [PDF]

In recent years, the federal government has spent considerable sums to develop technologies capable of detecting explosives and narcotics. Along with X-ray and other nonintrusive inspection systems, one type of technology under development is a pulsed fast neutron analysis inspection system, which is designed to automatically detect and measure the presence of specific substances, such as cocaine, by exposing their constituent chemical elements to short bursts of subatomic particles called neutrons. This report discusses (1) the status of plans for field testing a pulsed fast neutron analysis inspection system for counterterrorism and counterdrug purposes and (2) the views of federal agencies and vendors on the operational viability of such a system.