Lynx: An unattended sensor system for detection of gamma-ray and neutron emissions from special nuclear materials

This manuscript profiles an unattended and fully autonomous radiation detection system sensitive to gamma-ray and neutron emissions. The Lynx design is intended for locations that require radiation detection capabilities for detection of special nuclear materials but lack supporting infrastructure. Signal-starved data is common in these environments since little or no control may be exerted over measurement conditions. The fundamental sensing elements of the Lynx system are traditional NaI(Tl) and 3He detectors. The new developments reported here center on two themes: low-power electronics and computationally simple analysis algorithms capable of discriminating gamma-ray signatures indicative of special nuclear materials from those of naturally occurring radioactive material. Incorporating tripwire-detection algorithms based on gamma-ray spectral signatures into a low-power electronics package significantly improves performance in environments where sensors encounter nuisance sources.