A method for detecting an explosive in an object under investigation involves
the
initial X-ray irradiation of the object under investigation, e.g. a piece of luggage
or mailing, and forming its X-ray images; using the X-ray images to detect areas
with a high density of organic materials and identifying articles therein; determining
the location, dimensions and supposed mass of an unidentified article; determining
and forming a directional pattern of the neutron radiator corresponding to the
dimensions of the unidentified article. The method further includes subsequent
thermal neutron irradiation of the area with the unidentified article; recording
gamma-ray quanta having the energy of 10.8 MeV and cascade gamma-ray quanta with
energies of 5.534 and 5.266 MeV by at least two gamma-ray detectors; counting of
simultaneously recorded pairs of cascade gamma-ray quanta; determination of the
overall gamma-ray intensity, taking into account weight factors in readings of
the detectors; determination of the threshold value for the overall gamma-ray intensity
basing on the supposed mass of explosive being detected; and making a decision
in the event the threshold value of overall gamma-ray intensity is exceeded. When
checking small-size objects, the neutron irradiation step is preceded by replacing
the ambient air by a gaseous medium not containing nitrogen.
