On Localisation of a Radiological Point Source

The problem is to localise a source of gamma radiation using dose rate measurements taken with a gamma probe at various points in space. A statistical model of dose-rate counts is developed using experimental data recorded in a laboratory. The problem is then studied using the theoretical Cramer-Rao bound (CRB) analysis, which quantifies the accuracy with which it is possible to localise the source and estimate its intensity. Three estimation algorithms are implemented and their performance investigated by simulations. The algorithms are then applied to field trial radiological survey data. The maximum likelihood algorithm performs the best of the considered algorithms.