Peer Reviewed Journal via three different mandatory reviewing processes, since 2006, and, from September 2020, a fourth mandatory peer-editing has been added.
An automated method for ?-emission spectrum calibration
and deconvolution is presented for spaceflight applications
for a Cerium doped Lanthanum Chloride, (LaCl3(Ce)) ?-ray
detector system. This detector will be coupled with a pulsed
neutron generator (PNG) to induce and enhance nuclide
signal quality and rates, yielding large volumes of spectral
information. Automated analytical methods are required to
deconvolve and quantify nuclide signals from spectra; this
will both reduce human interactions in spectrum analysis and
facilitate feedback to automated robotic and operations
planning. Initial system tests indicate significant energy
calibration drifts (>6%), that which must be mitigated for
spectrum analysis. A linear energy calibration model is
presently considered, with gain and zero factors.
Deconvolution methods incorporate a tabu search heuristic
to formulate and optimize searches using memory structures.
Iterative use of a peak likelihood methodology identifies
global calibration minima and peak areas. The method is
compared to manual methods of calibration and indicates
superior performance using tabu methods. Performance of
the Tabu enhanced calibration method is superior to similar
unoptimized local search. The techniques are also applicable
to other emission spectroscopy, eg. X-ray and neutron.
