High-Energy Gamma-ray Tomography in the Nuclear Industry

Brian A Cattle1, Lionel Elliott1, Andrew S Fellerman2, Derek B Ingham1, Daniel Lesnic1 and Robert M West3

1 Department of Applied Mathematics, University of Leeds, Leeds LS2 9JT, UK, brian@maths.leeds.ac.uk

2 British Nuclear Fuels plc. Sellafield, Seascale, Cumbria, CA20 1PG, UK.

3 Nuffield Institute, University of Leeds, Leeds, LS2 9PL, UK.

ABSTRACT

The storage and transfer of gamma-emitting radio-nuclides is common in the nuclear industry. As such, identifying the location and approximate geometry of accumulations of gamma-emitting solids is of interest to ensure safe storage of highly emitting materials. Herein we investigate the applicability of gamma tomography to a large-scale storage tank to which access for measurements is severely limited due to a high-radiation environment existing in the vicinity of the tank. The aim of this paper is to examine the feasibility for the use of gamma tomography in such an environment, and examine the approximate size of storage medium one can image using this technique.