Performance Expectations for a Tomography System Using Cosmic Ray Muons and Micro Pattern Gas Detectors for the Detection of Nuclear Contraband

TL;DR

This paper uses detailed simulations to evaluate a muon tomography system with advanced detectors for detecting nuclear contraband, demonstrating its ability to distinguish materials by atomic number effectively.

Contribution

It introduces a simulation-based assessment of a muon tomography system employing micro-pattern gas detectors, highlighting its material discrimination capabilities and systematic effects.

Findings

Muon tomography can distinguish high-Z from low-Z materials effectively.

High spatial resolution detectors improve discrimination power.

Systematic effects influence the performance and are analyzed.

Abstract

We present results from a detailed GEANT4 simulation of a proposed Muon Tomography System that employs compact Micro Pattern Gas Detectors with high spatial resolution. A basic Point-Of-Closest-Approach algorithm is applied to reconstructed muon tracks for forming 3D tomographic images of interrogated targets. Criteria for discriminating materials by Z and discrimination power achieved by the technique for simple scenarios are discussed for different integration times. The simulation shows that Muon Tomography can clearly distinguish high-Z material from low-Z and medium-Z material. We have studied various systematic effects that affect the performance of the MT and the discrimination power. The implications of the simulation results for the planned development of a prototype MT station are discussed.