FEASIBILITY TESTS OF A COMMERCIAL RADIOGRAPHIC LINAC FOR NUCLEAR MATERIALS ASSAY

Tests have been made on a variable energy, standing wave radiographic electron linac, * under the direction of the Safeguards Technical Services Organization at the Brookhaven National Laboratory, to determine the feasibility of using commercially available electron linacs for non-destructive assays of special nuclear materials. Assay techniques similar to those developed in the Safeguards research and development program at Gulf Radiation Technology and sponsored by the AEC Office of Safeguards and Materials Management, were used to test the linac parameters that are important for non-destructive measurements. Some of the parameters are: 1. stability of the electron energy spectrum during a series of assays, 2. reproducibility of the electron energy spectrum after changing back and forth between different electron energies, 3. reproducibility of the electron energy spectrum after power shut-down, and 4. general performance characteristics of the accelerator during the tests.