Einsatzfähigkeit von Gammadetektoren zum Nachweis des illegalen Transports von durch Containerladung abgeschirmter radioaktiver Substanzen

The topic of this research project is the detection of illicit trafficking of radioactive material inside of cargo containers. The currently used radiation portal monitors (RPM) at border crossings are not sufficient due to two effects which often occur during operation: false positive and false negative alarms. In case of false positive an alarm is given in the absence of radioactive material (or natural and harmless radioactive substances are classified as relevant anthropogenic material). In the second case, false negative, radioactive material with high risk potential is not detected. Because of these two effects, more advanced detection systems and other technical efforts are desirable. The expected increase of cargo container flow and special security programs like the Mega Port Initiative are demanding more reliable detection systems