Re: Nitrogen in explosives -Reply

[FRAMEP@ORAU.GOV]

>Group:
>The reaction is N14 (n,p) C14.
>That's how we get the C14 we use for dating.
>Wade Patterson

Wade, good sir

Its my understanding  that the explosives detectors used thermal
neutrons  and that the reaction was neutron capture. In other words,
there is no significant n, p reaction going on. I guess I was also confused
by the description of N-14 to C-14 as a "decay".  The reaction of interest
is:

N-14 + n    ->    N-15  plus a bunch of prompt gammas. I believe that they
look for the 10, 829 keV prompt gamma which is produced 47% of the
time.

Paul Frame
Professional Training Programs
ORISE
framep@orau.gov