Neutron Radiograph (2-D imaging)
Neutron radiographs are the neutron shadows of objects placed in the beam.
Using a 2 dimensional neutron camera the image captured is actually a gray
level image where the gray level of each pixel is proportional to the number of
neutrons that made it through the object. This gray level value, or the number
of measured neutrons is proportional to the amount of neutron scattering and
absorbing material in the beam and is determined from the attenuation law known
as Beer’s Law:
I(i,j ) = I0(i,j ) exp(-µ t).
In this case, µ is known as the attenuation length of the material. A large µ
means that a material will strongly scatter or absorb neutrons. One can measure
µ in a separate experiment (for instance by using a stepped wedge of water, or
a cuvet) and thus obtain the material thickness, t, in a pixel. Since
the area of a pixel is known, this thickness can be converted to either a
volume or mass of liquid water. More information on the measurement of µ can be
found water calibration.
The first step to measuring water is to form the transmission image. By
dividing the image during operation by a reference image (either of the beam
without a sample, or the sample in a dry state) one arrives at the transmission
image. The transmission image allows one to quantify the amount of material in
the beam and to do numerical analysis with the images. Small amounts of water
in the operating fuel cell which are barely visible in the operating image are
dramatically apparent in the transmission image.
Inquiries or comments:
David
Jacobson
Online: July 2004 - Last update: May 2006
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