Abstract: An article for screening includes a top surface and a bottom surface. A forward wall, an aft wall and side walls each extend between the top surface and the bottom surface. A longitudinal recess extends at least partially across the top surface has a first lateral wall extending away from the top surface toward the bottom surface and meeting with a base wall at a predetermined angle therebetween for positioning of a liquid material relative to the first lateral wall and the base wall. The predetermined angle is for restricting data in a data range provided by a scanning operation of the liquid material to data provided within the predetermined angle between the first lateral wall and the base wall of the recess. The liquid material may be contained within a container positioned within the recess. Preferably, the article is an insert for a security screening tray.

Abstract: There is described a system for determining air content of fresh concrete received in a drum of a concrete mixer. The system generally has a high energy photon source mounted to the drum and emitting high energy photons towards a photon path rotating about a rotation axis as the drum rotates, the photon path is immersed in the fresh concrete during rotation, a photon detector mounted to the drum, the photon detector counting high energy photons received from the photon path; and generating a signal indicative of a number of counted events; a computing device determining an air content value of the fresh concrete based on the generated signal and on reference data; comparing the determined air content value to an air content threshold; and generating an alert based on the comparison to be displayed.

Abstract: Improvements to ice protection systems as disclosed herein include monitoring ice accretion intensity based on atmospheric conditions proximate to a vehicle. Examples of parameters that measure atmospheric conditions include a water content and a size distribution of an atmosphere around a vehicle. These parameters, along with other vehicle parameters, are used to control at least one ice protection element to reduce ice accretion intensity at one or more designated locations of the vehicle. Incorporating measurements of cloud conditions enables nuanced control of the ice protection system and improves overall system efficiency of the vehicle.

Abstract: A micro-electromechanical system (MEMS) device includes a moveable element within a cavity. The MEMS device also includes a first layer over the cavity, the first layer having a first hole and a second hole. The first hole has a first diameter. The second hole has a second diameter. The second diameter is larger than the first diameter, and the second hole is farther from the moveable element than the first hole. The first hole is sealed with a first dielectric material. The second hole is sealed with a second dielectric material. The cavity filled with a gas at a pressure of at least approximately 10 torr.

Abstract: A gauge is provided for measuring one or more characteristics of a construction material such as a road surface. The gauge includes a detector, a base that carries the detector, and a source housing carried by the base and defining a shield material circumferentially extending inwards. A source rod is positioned within the housing and carries a source that is translatable between a shielded position within the housing and a measuring position external of the housing. The source rod has a source shield on the top thereof and a shield material spaced-downwardly from the source such that the source is completely enclosed when contained within the base.

Abstract: A system for remote sensing of air gaps includes a substrate and a capacitor sensor array attached to the substrate, where the capacitor sensor array includes a plurality of capacitor sensors. The system also includes a transmit antenna attached to the substrate, and a microprocessor electrically connected to the transmit antenna and the capacitor sensor array. The microprocessor is configured to switch on and off at least one capacitor sensor of the plurality of capacitor sensors and to transmit determined air gap measurements using the transmit antenna.

Abstract: The subject matter described herein includes methods, systems, and computer program products for measuring the density of a material. According to one aspect, a material property gauge includes a nuclear density gauge for measuring the density of a material. A radiation source adapted to emit radiation into a material and a radiation detector operable to produce a signal representing the detected radiation. A first material property calculation function may calculate a value associated with the density of the material based upon the signal produced by the radiation detector. The material property gauge includes an electromagnetic moisture property gauge that determines a moisture property of the material. An electromagnetic field generator may generate an electromagnetic field where the electromagnetic field sweeps through one or more frequencies and penetrates into the material.

Abstract: A life-cycle performance intelligent-sensing and degradation warning system and method for concrete structures are disclosed. The warning system comprises a main control module, a multifunctional sensor module, an anti-theft module and a critical warning module. Environmental parameters in concrete are monitored by the multifunctional sensor module, and the remaining service life of a concrete structure is accurately predicted through a life prediction model according to the temperature, humidity, chloride ion concentration and pH at different depths, and a critical chloride ion concentration and a structure stress status that are dynamically obtained.

Abstract: A gauge is provided for measuring one or more characteristics of a construction material such as a road surface. The gauge includes a detector, a base that carries the detector, and a source housing carried by the base and defining a shield material circumferentially extending inwards. A source rod is positioned within the housing and carries a source that is translatable between a shielded position within the housing and a measuring position external of the housing. The source rod has a source shield on the top thereof and a shield material spaced-downwardly from the source such that the source is completely enclosed when contained within the base.

Abstract: According to one embodiment, a gas sensor is disclosed. The gas sensor includes a substrate region, a first electrode provided on the substrate region, and a movable structure above the first electrode. The movable structure includes a deformable member which deforms by absorbing or adsorbing a predetermined gas, a heat member which heats the deformable member, and a second electrode. The gas sensor further includes a first cavity region which is provided between the first electrode and the second electrode.

Abstract: A system of the present invention is capable of detecting, imaging and measuring both neutrons and gamma rays. In some cases, the system has a plurality of parallel plates each containing a plurality of detectors. The plates comprise non-PSD organic scintillation detectors, scintillation detectors having pulse-shape discrimination (PSD) properties, and inorganic scintillation detectors. In some other cases, the system has a plurality of scintillation rods radially distributed about a central axis, and the scintillation rods comprise non-PSD organic scintillation detectors, scintillation detectors having pulse-shape discrimination (PSD) properties, and inorganic scintillation detectors. A first plate or rod and a second plate or rod are used in connection to detect, image and measure neutrons and/or gamma rays.

Abstract: In order to provide a noise cancellation resonator that is highly effective in reducing noise, a noise cancellation resonator of the present invention is characterized by including: a noise cancellation resonator coil with an inductance component of Ln; and a noise cancellation resonator capacitor with a capacitance component of Cn, wherein the noise cancellation resonator has a resonance frequency that is calculated by adding a shift frequency that is determined based on a degree of coupling between a main resonator coil and the noise cancellation resonator coil, to a predetermined frequency of an electromagnetic field generated by a main resonator that is a source of noise and includes the main resonator coil.

Abstract: The subject matter described herein includes methods, systems, and computer program products for measuring the density of a material. According to one aspect, a material property gauge includes a nuclear density gauge for measuring the density of a material. A radiation source adapted to emit radiation into a material and a radiation detector operable to produce a signal representing the detected radiation. A first material property calculation function may calculate a value associated with the density of the material based upon the signal produced by the radiation detector. The material property gauge includes an electromagnetic moisture property gauge that determines a moisture property of the material. An electromagnetic field generator may generate an electromagnetic field where the electromagnetic field sweeps through one or more frequencies and penetrates into the material.

Abstract: The subject matter described herein includes methods, systems, and computer program products for measuring the density of a material. According to one aspect, a material property gauge includes a nuclear density gauge for measuring the density of a material. A radiation source adapted to emit radiation into a material and a radiation detector operable to produce a signal representing the detected radiation. A first material property calculation function may calculate a value associated with the density of the material based upon the signal produced by the radiation detector. The material property gauge includes an electromagnetic moisture property gauge that determines a moisture property of the material. An electromagnetic field generator may generate an electromagnetic field where the electromagnetic field sweeps through one or more frequencies and penetrates into the material.

Abstract: There is provided a high-sensitivity organic semiconductor radiation/light sensor and a radiation/light detector which can detect rays in real time. In the high-sensitivity organic semiconductor radiation/light sensor, a signal amplification wire 2 is embedded in an organic semiconductor 1. Carriers created by passage of radiation or light are avalanche-amplified by a high electric field generated near the signal amplification wire 2 by means of applying a high voltage to the signal amplification wire 2, thus dramatically improving detection efficiency of rays. Hence, even rays exhibiting low energy loss capability can be detected in real time with high sensitivity.

Abstract: Nuclear gauges and method of configuration and methods of calibrations of the nuclear gauges are provided. The nuclear gauges are used in measuring the density and/or moisture of construction-related materials. The nuclear gauge can include a gauge housing having a vertical cavity therethrough and at least one radiation detector located within the housing. The nuclear gauge can include a vertically moveable source rod and a radiation source operatively positioned within a distal end of the source rod.

Abstract: The subject matter described herein includes methods, systems, and computer program products for measuring the density of a material. According to one aspect, a material property gauge includes a nuclear density gauge for measuring the density of a material. The nuclear density gauge includes a radiation source adapted to emit radiation into a material and a radiation detector operable to produce a signal representing the detected radiation. A first material property calculation function is configured to calculate a value associated with the density of the material based upon the signal produced by the radiation detector. The material property gauge further includes an electromagnetic moisture property gauge configured to determine a moisture property of the material. The electromagnetic moisture property gauge includes an electromagnetic field generator configured to generate an electromagnetic field where the electromagnetic field sweeps through one or more frequencies and penetrates into the material.

Abstract: The subject matter described herein includes methods, systems, and computer program products for measuring the density of a sample construction material. According to one aspect, a nuclear density gauge is disclosed for measuring the density of a sample construction material. The material measurement gauge includes a radiation source positioned for emitting radiation into a sample construction material. A radiation detector is positioned apart from the radiation source and configured to detect radiation from the sample construction material and to produce a signal representing the detected radiation. A non-nuclear moisture property detector is configured to determine a moisture property of the sample construction material and to produce a signal representing the moisture property. A material property calculation function is configured to calculate a property value associated with the sample construction material based upon the signals representing the detected radiation and the moisture property.

Abstract: Methods, systems, and computer program products for measuring the density of material. According to one aspect, a nuclear density gauge is disclosed for measuring the density of a sample construction material. The gauge includes a radiation source positioned in an interior of a sample construction material and adapted to emit radiation from the interior of the sample construction material. Further, a radiation detector is positioned apart from the radiation source. The radiation detector is operable to produce a signal representing an energy level of detected radiation. A material property calculation function is configured to calculate a value associated with the density of the sample construction material based upon the signal produced by the radiation detector. Further, the radiation source may be positioned on a surface of the sample construction material and adapted to emit radiation towards the surface of the sample construction material.

Abstract: A system for producing beams of high energy photons and neutrons and a method to use such beams to actively interrogate and detect concealed nuclear materials, radiological materials, and chemical explosives.

Abstract: The present invention is directed toward the determination of soil water content and the water equivalent depth of snow deposited on top of the ground. The apparatus for measuring soil water content consists of one or more cosmic-ray neutron detectors located above the soil surface. The detectors record neutrons in the thermal, epithermal or fast energy bands. Snow water equivalence is determined by using a thermal neutron detector and an epithermal or fast neutron detector. Neutron count rates for all three energy bands decrease monotonically with increasing soil water content. Epithermal and fast neutron count rates decrease monotonically with increased snow water equivalent depth, but thermal neutron count rates increase at first and then decrease with increasing snow cover.

Abstract: A process for measuring the moisture content in a quantity of PuO2 powder. The process detects the content of thermal neutrons emitted by the quantity of PuO2 powder and then deduces its moisture content from a value of the detected content assuming a relation determined between the proportion of thermal neutrons emitted by a quantity of PuO2 powder and the known moisture content in this quantity of PuO2 powder.

Abstract: This invention relates to an apparatus for detecting hydrogeneous material on a ship's deck comprising a neutron source located below the surface of the ship's deck and emitting fast/energy-rich neutrons, and a detector device that is located below the surface of the ship's deck and detecting thermal neutrons. The invention further relates to a corresponding method of detecting hydrogeneous material on a ship's deck. Hereby an apparatus and a method are provided for detecting occurrences of water on a ship's deck, wherein these occurrences appear in particular when travelling in rough weather conditions. The apparatus being located below the ship's deck, it is consequently not exposed to wear due to rough weather conditions.

Abstract: A high measuring resolution along with a large irradiation surface and a high beam intensity are required for structural analysis of material according to the small angle neutron scattering measuring technique. However, with known diaphragm collimators, the necessary beam divergence cannot be reached without an unacceptable loss of intensity. The inventive neutron optical component (1) comprises a plurality of successively arranged pinhole diaphragms embodied as grating diaphragms (7), each grating diaphragm (7) comprising a plurality of diaphragm apertures (14). In this way, the neutron beam is divided into individual beams which are each improved in terms of the convergence thereof. Furthermore, the channels defined by the course of the grating diaphragms (7) by means of respectively identically positioned diaphragm apertures (14) are narrowed according to the convergence cone provided by the structure of the measuring instrument.

Abstract: The invention provides a sensor for monitoring an environmental parameter in concrete including an enclosure; a detecting device connected to the enclosure for a detecting at least one environmental parameter in concrete, wherein the detecting device includes at least one capacitive element; an active material connected to the enclosure, wherein the active material is liable to respond to the environmental parameter and is operably connected to the capacitive element; a RFID chip mounted within the enclosure and operably connected to the detecting device; and an antenna operably connected to the RFID chip and the detecting device, wherein the antenna is part of an L-R-C circuit whose resonance frequency shifts within an assigned frequency band. The invention also provides a MEMS-based capacitive element that responds to an environmental parameter in concrete. The invention further provides a method of forming a MEMS-based capacitive element.

Abstract: The purpose of the invention is a process for measuring the moisture content in a quantity of PuO2 powder by detecting the content of thermal neutrons emitted by the quantity of PuO2 powder and then deducing its moisture content from this value assuming a relation determined between the proportion of thermal neutrons emitted by a quantity of PuO2 powder and the known moisture content in this quantity of PuO2 powder.

Abstract: A non-destructive method for quantifying the hydrogen content or a hydrogen-bearing constituent in a material is based on the principle of moderating neutron spectroscopy. This technique is particularly suited for analyzing materials containing the high scattering/capture cross-section element of hydrogen. The method involves exposing a neutron moderator to a beam of radiation comprising neutrons and measuring thermal neutron intensities at a plurality of locations in the moderator. These measured intensities reflect the energy distribution of the beam of radiation incident upon the moderator. Thus, by measuring these intensities with the material present, and comparing these intensities to a model, to those of a composition standard(s), or combinations thereof, the hydrogen content of the material is quantified. Furthermore, the hydrogen-bearing constituent of the material is quantified by knowing or estimating the chemical or molecular structure of the material.

Abstract: A non-destructive method for quantifying the hydrogen content or a hydrogen-bearing constituent in a material is disclosed. The method is based on the principle of moderating neutron spectroscopy which is particularly suited for analyzing materials containing the high scattering/capture cross-section element of hydrogen. The method comprises the steps of exposing a neutron moderator to a beam of radiation comprising neutrons and measuring thermal neutron intensities at a plurality of locations in the moderator. These measured intensities reflect the energy distribution of the beam of radiation incident upon the moderator. Thus, by measuring these intensities with the material present, and comparing these intensities to a model, to those of a composition standard(s), or combinations thereof, the hydrogen content of the material is quantified. Furthermore, the hydrogen-bearing constituent of the material is quantified by knowing or estimating the chemical or molecular structure of the material.

Abstract: A neutron detection system for detection of contaminants contained within a bulk material during recycling includes at least one neutron generator for neutron bombardment of the bulk material, and at least one gamma ray detector for detection of gamma rays emitted by contaminants within the bulk material. A structure for analyzing gamma ray data is communicably connected to the gamma ray detector, the structure for analyzing gamma ray data adapted. The identity and concentration of contaminants in a bulk material can also be determined. By scanning the neutron beam, discrete locations within the bulk material having contaminants can be identified.

Abstract: A non-destructive method for quantifying the hydrogen content or a hydrogen-bearing constituent in a material. Moderating neutron spectroscopy is particularly suited for analyzing materials containing the high scattering/capture cross-section element of hydrogen. A neutron moderator is exposed to a beam of neutron radiation and the thermal neutron intensities at a number of locations in the moderator are then measured. The measured intensities reflect the energy distribution of the radiation beam incident upon the moderator. By measuring intensities with the material present and comparing the intensities to a model, or to those of a composition standard(s), the hydrogen content of the material is quantified. The hydrogen-bearing constituent of the material may be further quantified by knowing or estimating the chemical or molecular structure of the material.

Abstract: The present invention provides an improved thin layer nuclear density gauge comprising a gauge housing having a vertical cavity therethrough and a base, a first radiation detector located at a first position within said housing and adjacent to said base of said housing, a second radiation detector located at a second position within said housing and adjacent to said base of said housing, a vertically moveable source rod extending into said cavity of said gauge housing, a radiation source operatively positioned within a distal end of said source rod, at least one bearing operatively positioned to guide said source rod within said cavity, and means for vertically extending and retracting said source rod to a plurality of predetermined source rod positions so as to change the spatial relationship between said radiation source and said first and second radiation detectors. The source rod has a maximum radial movement of less than about 0.003 inch at each predetermined position.