Cosmic-Ray Tomography for Border Security

A key task for customs workers is the interception of hazardous, illegal and counterfeit items in order to protect health safety citizens. However, it estimated that only a small fraction cargo inspected an even smaller trafficked goods are detected. Today, most widely used technology scanning vehicles, ranging from vans trucks railcars, γ ray X-ray radiography. New technologies required overcome current technological shortcomings, such as inability detect target material composition, usage harmful ionising radiation sources resultant low throughput. Cosmic tomography (CRT) promising screening. muons have average energies around 10,000 times larger than typical therefore can penetrate relatively large dense materials. By analysing muon scattering, possible identify materials hidden inside shielding too thick or deep other imaging methods. CRT also completely passive, exploiting naturally occurring secondary cosmic radiation, safe humans animals. Contrary conventional X-ray- γ-ray-based techniques, allows differentiation anomaly localisation within vehicle through provision 3D images. This article reviews state-of-the-art CRT, critically assessing strengths weaknesses method, suggesting further directions development.