Evaluation of Highly Enriched Uranium (HEU) surrogate sources for use in training and modeling

Surrogate radiation sources are used to test detection equipment and train security personnel in the detection and interdiction of special nuclear material (SNM). Some current surrogate sources do not accurately match SNM energy spectra, including for HEU. In this research, we propose and investigate novel source configurations for higher fidelity surrogate SNM sources using thermal neutron capture reactions that result in prompt gammas. The objective is to create a surrogate source that has a more representative spectrum, low cost, and requires minimal security, special handling, and safety precautions.