Chemical warfare agent and high explosive identification by spectroscopy of neutron-induced gamma rays

A nondestructive assay method to identify chemical warfare (CW) agents and high explosive (HE) munitions was tested with actual chemical agents and explosives at the Toole Army Depot, Toole, Utah, from 22 April 1991 through 3 May 1991. The assay method exploits the gamma radiation produced by neutron interactions inside a container or munition to identify the elemental composition of its contents. The characteristic gamma-ray signatures of the elements chlorine, phosphorus, and sulfur were observed from the CW agent containers and munitions in sufficient detail to make it possible to reliably discern agents GB (sarin), HD (mustard gas), and VX from one another, and from HE-filled munitions. By detecting the presence of nitrogen, the key indicator of explosive compounds, and the absence of elements Cl, P, and S, HE shells were also clearly identified.<<ETX>>