Multiparametric approach to the assessment of muon tomographic results for the inspection of a full-scale container

F. Riggi; M. Bandieramonte; U. Becciani; D. L. Bonanno; G. Bonanno; P. G. Fallica; G. Gallo; A. Grillo; P. La Rocca; D. Lo Presti; C. Petta; C. Pinto; S. Riggi; G. Romeo; G. V. Russo; G. Santagati; G. Valvo

doi:10.1140/epjp/s13360-020-00970-z

2022 Impact factor 3.4

EPJ PLUS - Condensed Matter and Complex Systems

Open Access

Eur. Phys. J. Plus (2021) 136: 139
https://doi.org/10.1140/epjp/s13360-020-00970-z

Regular Article

Multiparametric approach to the assessment of muon tomographic results for the inspection of a full-scale container

F. Riggi¹^,2^a, M. Bandieramonte³, U. Becciani⁴, D. L. Bonanno², G. Bonanno⁴, P. G. Fallica⁵, G. Gallo⁶, A. Grillo⁴, P. La Rocca¹^,2, D. Lo Presti¹^,2, C. Petta¹^,2, C. Pinto¹^,2, S. Riggi⁴, G. Romeo⁴, G. V. Russo¹^,2, G. Santagati⁶ and G. Valvo⁵

¹ Department of Physics and Astronomy E. Majorana, University of Catania, Via S. Sofia 64, 95123, Catania, Italy
² INFN, Sezione di Catania, Via S. Sofia 64, 95123, Catania, Italy
³ Department of Physics and Astronomy, University of Pittsburgh, 100 Allen Hall, 3941 O’Hara St., 15260, Pittsburgh, PA, USA
⁴ INAF, Osservatorio Astrofisico di Catania, Via S. Sofia 78, 95123, Catania, Italy
⁵ STMicroelectronics, Stradale Primosole 50, 95121, Catania, Italy
⁶ INFN, Laboratorio Nazionale del Sud, Via S. Sofia 62, 95125, Catania, Italy

^a Francesco.Riggi@ct.infn.it

Received: 24 June 2020
Accepted: 25 November 2020
Published online: 25 January 2021

Abstract

Experimental results from a dataset collected with a full-scale muon tomograph for the inspection of cargo containers were studied in a single scattering scenario with a multiparametric analysis based on the method of the Point Of Closest Approach (Poca). To search for high-Z materials, a 4 Pb block was positioned inside the volume to be inspected, in order to quantitatively investigate the appearance of the Poca signal. Signal-to-noise ratio and significance of the Poca signal were investigated by means of mono-dimensional spectra of the Poca components, for different values of the scattering angle between the incoming and outgoing muon tracks and with different angle-dependent weights. A systematic scan of two-dimensional maps was also carried out, as a strategy to search for possible enhancements to the Poca signal. A comparison was also done between the results obtained from the two half-volumes, one containing the Pb block and one left empty, to take into account the response of the detector and some aspects of the Poca strategy.

© The Author(s) 2021

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