A Simulation of a Cosmic Ray Tomography Scanner for Trucks and Shipping Containers

Abstract

The SilentBorder project aims to develop and construct a new high-technology scanner for the identifica-
tion of hazardous and illegal goods hidden in trucks and sea containers. The scanner will enable scanning
of shipping containers or cargo and is based on muon tomography, a technology that uses natural cosmic
ray muons and therefore is inherently safe for people. We report on the development of a simulation and
reconstruction framework aimed at optimizing the geometry of the detector and exploring feasibility of
CRT in real smuggling scenarios using simulated data. The framework includes GEANT4 modeling of
light transport in a scintillating fiber tracker to optimize the geometry and materials used to produce fiber
mats. A systematic comparison was made of particle generators such as CRY, MUSIBO, and EcoMug in-
terfaced with the GEANT4 toolkit to find the most effective one for modeling real smuggling scenarios.
The Point-of-Closest-Approach reconstruction algorithm was used to create 3D images of sea containers
or trucks. An analysis of the sensitivity of CRT was performed using simulated synthetic data generated
for different smuggling scenarios of contraband of low-Z organic materials and high-Z inorganic mate-
rials. Results of our research indicate that by using muon tomography, it would be possible to improve
the performance and sensitivity of sea container and cargo screening systems to overcome limitations of
traditional screening methods, such as X-ray scanners, when it comes to detecting illicit materials that may
be well concealed. CRT can provide a complementary imaging technique that could enhance the detection
capabilities of existing systems.