DE102019131006B3 - Method and arrangement for characterizing the positioning of an object - Google Patents

Abstract

The invention relates to a method and an arrangement for characterizing the positioning of an object within a stay area, with muons hitting it as muon telescope detection events and their muon trajectories as muon trajectory data by means of a muon telescope, with muons hitting them as muon detectors by means of a muon detector on the object side Detection events are recorded, and quasi-simultaneous muon telescope detection events and muon detector detection events are determined and the positioning of the object is characterized based on the associated muon trajectory data.

Description

The invention relates to an arrangement and a method for characterizing the positioning of an object, e.g. to locate an object within a closed process volume.

Knowledge of the positioning of movable objects within closed volumes is relevant in many areas. E.g. knowledge of the position of the object, the spatial orientation of the object and / or the temporal course of the same within a predetermined period of time may be relevant. A large number of principles are known for the localization of objects in process volumes.

E.g. the position can be determined by means of the transit time method using wave pulses such as sound pulses or pulses of electromagnetic waves (e.g. in the radar frequency range). According to a first transit time-based method, transmitters located at different positions on the edge and / or within the process volume can emit sound pulses or pulses of electromagnetic waves into the process volume, these wave pulses or wave packets from an object integrated in the object to be localized Receiver are detected and the position of the object is determined from the transit time differences of the individual signals. Alternatively, instead of the object-side receiver, several receivers can be arranged at different positions on the edge or within the process volume, by means of which pulses reflected from the object can be detected, whereby the position of the object can be inferred from the transit time of the pulses and the direction of propagation of the waves. According to a further transit time-based method, the object to be localized can be equipped with a transmitter, from which pulses of sound waves or electromagnetic waves are emitted in different directions (e.g. isotropic), with receivers for receiving at different positions on the edge and / or within the process volume These pulses are arranged so that, depending on the distance between transmitter and receiver, the pulses have different transit times to the individual receivers. By evaluating the pulse transit time differences, the position of the transmitter and thus also the position of the object can be determined.

If the object to be localized is located within a container and / or within a medium, e.g. However, within a liquid or solid-filled process container, such a transit time-based position determination is only possible if the container and the medium are sufficiently transparent for the sound waves or electromagnetic waves used as signal carriers. It must also be possible to install transmitters and / or receivers on the edge or inside the process volume. Furthermore, uncertainties in the signal propagation time and / or local variations in the signal propagation speed (e.g. due to density differences) can lead to inaccuracies in determining the position. For time-based methods based on the detection of pulses reflected on the object and signals sent from the object, the object to be localized must also be sufficiently distinguishable from its surroundings (e.g. from other objects or particles).

Other methods of determining position are based on projective imaging and triangulation. If the object to be localized can be imaged from different perspectives using imaging processes (e.g. with optical cameras or infrared cameras), then its position can be determined using a triangulation process. This requires at least two cameras that register the object to be localized from different angles. If the object to be localized is located within a container and / or within a medium, this type of position determination is also only possible if the container or the medium is sufficiently transparent for the signal carrier (e.g. visible light or infrared radiation). In addition, it must be possible to install cameras or image recorders on the edge or inside the process room.

There are also different tomographic imaging methods such as X-ray tomography, magnetic resonance tomography or electrical tomography, which can obtain sectional or volume images from a process volume through projective measurements and the application of image reconstruction methods. If the object to be localized can be identified in such images, its position can be determined directly. If the object to be localized is located inside a container and / or inside a medium, this type of position determination is also only possible if the container or the medium is sufficiently transparent for the signal carrier (e.g. X-rays). In addition, it must be possible to install the tomographic sensor system, with tomographic methods often being very slow and / or only applicable for small process spaces and rarely having the capability of three-dimensional imaging.

Conventional methods for determining the position of an object within a container and / or medium thus require that the container and / or the medium are sufficiently transparent for the signal carrier used so that the methods that can be used in each case are supported by the The nature of the container and the medium are restricted. In addition, such conventional methods require the possibility of installing system components such as transmitters, receivers or detectors on the edge and / or inside the monitored volume, which, however, often affects the system to be monitored.

The US 2016/0104 290 A1 describes methods and devices for analyzing images of an examination volume, which are generated by detecting charged particles such as cosmic muons, for determining the positioning and / or delimitation of objects.

The invention provides a method and an arrangement by means of which the positioning of an object within a given location area (e.g. within a process container) can be characterized in a simple manner and with little expenditure on equipment for different application scenarios.

According to one aspect of the invention a method and an arrangement for characterizing, e.g. for delimiting or determining the positioning of an object within a predetermined location area, the method also being referred to below as a measuring method and the arrangement also being referred to as a measuring arrangement. The measuring method and the measuring arrangement can be used for more detailed determination or precise determination of the positioning, i.e. the position and / or the spatial orientation of the object can be used. The positioning of the object thus characterizes the position and / or the spatial orientation of the object (i.e. the orientation of the object in space). By means of the method and the arrangement, the object can be localized within a given location area, e.g. possible within a process volume in an (industrial) process apparatus, the process apparatus e.g. a biofermenter, a digestion tower, a silo, a hopper, a fluidized bed reactor or a mixing drum. The location area identifies the area within which the object is arranged and within which the positioning of the object can be determined in more detail.

The method and arrangement may e.g. be provided for characterizing the positioning of an object within a container. Accordingly, the accommodation area is given by the interior volume or the interior of the container, the object being located in the container and the positioning of the object within the container being to be characterized. The container can e.g. be a completely closed container. The container can e.g. be a metal container, i.e. made of metal.

Alternatively or additionally, the method and arrangement may e.g. to characterize the positioning of an object within a medium (e.g. within a liquid or a liquid volume). Accordingly, the location area is given by a volume of a medium, the object being located in the volume of the medium and the positioning of the object within the volume filled with the medium being to be characterized. The medium can e.g. be a solid, e.g. a bulk or granular material, i.e. a material made up of solid particles. However, it can also be provided that the medium is a fluid, e.g. a liquid.

The medium is also known as material or filler material.

The method and the arrangement can in particular be provided for characterizing the positioning of an object within a container filled or filled with such a medium, e.g. to characterize the positioning of an object within a liquid or solid-filled container. Accordingly, the object is located within a medium, the medium being accommodated in a container and the positioning of the object within the medium accommodated in the container being to be characterized. The method and the arrangement can in particular be provided for characterizing the positioning of an object within a liquid contained in a metal container.

It can e.g. it can be provided that the object is not stationary or not fixed within the location area and thus the position of the object within the location area and / or the spatial orientation of the object can vary. The object can e.g. An instrumented float floating passively in the medium or an underwater vehicle. The method and the arrangement are explained jointly below, wherein features described with reference to the method can be used analogously for the arrangement and vice versa. The arrangement can in particular be designed to carry out the method.

According to the invention, a muon telescope is arranged outside the residence area. Accordingly, the measuring arrangement has a muon telescope which is arranged outside the location area and is designed and arranged in such a way that it can detect muons whose trajectories run through the location area.

Muons are simply charged, mass-laden elementary particles that are deposited on artificial Paths can be created eg by means of a particle accelerator, but can also be created naturally by cosmic radiation in the earth's atmosphere. The muons naturally generated by the interaction of cosmic rays in the upper layers of the atmosphere are high-energy elementary particles that reach the earth's surface with high energies between approx. 1 GeV and 10 GeV and a flow of approx. 1 per cm ² , rad and minute, whereby they reach a have anisotropic directional distribution, the frequency of which is at the zenith and thus corresponds to the perpendicular direction. Due to their high energy, these muons have a high penetration capacity for matter.

The muon telescope is a device by means of which muons hitting it can be detected, and by means of which data can also be acquired for a muon hitting it which represents the trajectory of this muon. The acquisition or detection of a muon by the muon telescope is also referred to as a muon telescope detection event. The data acquired by means of a muon telescope, which represent the trajectory of a muon acquired by the muon telescope, are also referred to as muon trajectory data. The muon telescope is thus designed in such a way that muons striking it are recorded as a muon telescope detection event and muon trajectory data are recorded for each muon telescope detection event and assigned to the same, which data represent the trajectory of the muon causing the muon telescope detection event. The muon trajectory data can contain the trajectory itself and / or contain data by means of which the trajectory can be determined or calculated. The muon telescope can thus be designed to directly determine the trajectories of muons recorded by means of the muon telescope and / or to record data which enable these trajectories to be calculated. In summary, the muon telescope enables the determination of the muon trajectories of muons which hit it or pass through it.

The muon telescope can e.g. have a detector arrangement and an evaluation unit. The detector arrangement can e.g. have several muon-sensitive individual detectors, the individual detectors being arranged in such a way that when a muon passes through several of the individual detectors respond to generate detector signals and the muon trajectory can be calculated using the known positions or spatial coordinates of these individual detectors. Such a single detector can e.g. a scintillation detector, a gas detector or a semiconductor detector (e.g. a room temperature semiconductor detector). The evaluation unit is connected to the detector arrangement and is designed to evaluate the detector signals. It can in particular be provided that the evaluation unit is designed to determine the muon trajectory data based on the detector signals of the individual detectors of the detector arrangement, e.g. for determining the trajectories of muons detected by means of the detector arrangement. The muon telescope can also have several such detector arrangements, e.g. can be connected to a common evaluation unit, the evaluation unit being designed to evaluate the detector signals of all of these detector arrangements. The muon telescope can thus have one or more detector arrangements, each of the detector arrangements being designed and arranged in such a way that it can detect muons whose trajectories run through the location area.

It can e.g. it can be provided that such a detector arrangement has a plurality of muon-sensitive individual detectors arranged in a first area and a plurality of muon-sensitive individual detectors arranged in a second area, the first and second areas being arranged at a distance from one another. The first area is also referred to as the first detector area, the second area is also referred to as the second detector area. The individual detectors are preferably arranged without gaps in both the first and the second detector area. If a muon passes through the muon telescope or through the detector arrangement, it is detected by an individual detector in the first detector area and by an individual detector in the second detector area, the spatial positions of these individual detectors and thus two points of the trajectory of the detected muon being known so that the trajectory can be determined. It can e.g. it can be provided that the first surface is a plane and / or that the second surface is a plane (in this case the detector surfaces are also referred to as detector planes). If the first and the second detector surface are designed as a plane, these two planes are preferably parallel to one another.

It can be provided, for example, that the muon telescope has at least one detector arrangement which is arranged partially or completely above the occupied area. For example, it can be provided that the muon telescope has a detector arrangement with two detector planes parallel to one another, the detector arrangement being arranged in such a way that the detector planes are arranged horizontally (ie with a vertical plane normal) above the location area. It can also be provided that the location area is partially or completely covered by one or more detector arrangements of the muon telescope. For example, it can be provided that the muon telescope has a detector device which is arranged partially or completely above the location area and is arranged and designed in such a way that the projection of the detector arrangement along the perpendicular direction includes the projection of the location area along the perpendicular direction.

As an alternative or in addition, it can be provided that the muon telescope has at least one detector arrangement which is arranged partially or completely below the location area. It can e.g. It can be provided that the muon telescope has a detector arrangement with two detector planes parallel to one another, the detector arrangement being arranged in such a way that the detector planes are arranged horizontally (i.e. with a vertical plane normal) below the location area. It can also be provided that the location area is partially or completely underlaid by one or more detector arrangements of the muon telescope. It can e.g. It can be provided that the muon telescope has a detector device which is arranged partially or completely below the location area and is arranged and designed such that the projection of the detector arrangement along the perpendicular direction includes the projection of the location area along the perpendicular direction.

In that a muon-sensitive detector arrangement is arranged above or below the location area as explained above, i. is arranged above or below the occupied area with respect to the vertical direction, an effective detection and use of muons formed naturally in the atmosphere is made possible, since the frequency maximum of their directional distribution is at the zenith and thus corresponds to the vertical direction. In the case of a detector arrangement arranged above the location area, these muons first pass through the detector arrangement of the muon telescope and then through the location area (or the muon detector of the object, see below). In the case of a detector arrangement arranged below the location area, these muons first pass through the location area (or the muon detector of the object) and then through the detector arrangement of the muon telescope.

According to one embodiment, it is provided that the muon telescope has at least a first detector arrangement and a second detector arrangement, which are arranged such that the location area is located between the first detector arrangement and the second detector arrangement. It can e.g. It can be provided that the muon telescope has at least a first detector arrangement and a second detector arrangement, wherein the first detector arrangement is arranged partially or completely above the location area as explained above, and wherein the second detector arrangement is arranged partially or completely below the location area as explained above. Accordingly, for one and the same muon the trajectory can be detected both by means of the first detector arrangement and by means of the second detector arrangement, whereby e.g. a higher accuracy is enabled and e.g. it can be ensured that only muons with a desired scattering behavior (which, for example, do not experience too great a change in direction or scatter in the area between the first and the second detector arrangement) are taken into account in the evaluation. According to this embodiment, the trajectory or direction of propagation of a muon can be detected by means of the first detector arrangement (and the evaluation unit) in particular before crossing the area where the muon is located, and the trajectory or direction of propagation of the (same) muon afterwards using the second detector arrangement (and the evaluation unit) when crossing the occupied area.

According to the invention, the object is equipped with a muon detector which is designed to detect muons striking it and which is also referred to as an object-side muon detector. Unless the context indicates otherwise, the term “muon detector” denotes such an object-side muon detector. The measuring arrangement is accordingly provided for characterizing the positioning of an object, the object having a muon detector. The acquisition or detection of a muon by such an object-side muon detector is also referred to as a muon detector detection event. The object-side muon detector can e.g. be arranged within the object. However, it can also be provided that the object-side muon detector is arranged on the outside of the object (e.g. attached to the outside of the object). Such a muon detector can e.g. a scintillation detector, a gas detector or a semiconductor detector (e.g. a room temperature semiconductor detector).

The object is also equipped with a processing unit which is connected to the object-side muon detector and by means of which the interaction events of muons are recorded and processed or fed to further processing. The object thus has a processing unit (for example in the form of electronics) which is designed to record the muon detector detection events. The processing unit is designed to transmit the times of the muon detector detection events to the evaluation device of the measuring arrangement. The processing unit is preferably within the object arranged, but can also (at least partially or completely) be arranged on the outside of the object.

The invention thus relates to a method and an arrangement for characterizing the positioning of an object within a given location area, with a muon telescope being provided outside the location area, by means of which muons that strike it and pass through the location area can be detected as muon telescope detection events and their trajectories can be determined , and wherein the object is equipped with a muon detector, by means of which muons striking it can be detected as muon detector detection events.

If a detection event in the muon telescope and a detection event in the muon detector of the object are registered at the same time (within the scope of the propagation speed of the muon, which is close to the speed of light), the two detection events are correlated (which is also referred to as muon coincidence) and can be assigned to a single muon. In this case it is known that the object is located on the muon trajectory that can be determined or determined for this muon by means of the muon telescope, so that the position of the object can be limited to the muon trajectory.

A muon telescope detection event and a muon detector detection event can thus be considered to be caused by the same muon if the time between these two detection events does not exceed a predetermined threshold value, i. if the time span between these two detection events is less than or at most as large as the predefined threshold value and the two detection events can thus be viewed as being simultaneous in this context. This threshold value characterizes the time span between a muon telescope detection event and a muon detector detection event, within which these two detection events can be regarded as coincident, and is therefore also referred to as the coincidence threshold value. Two such detection events, for which the intervening time period is not greater than the coincidence threshold value, are also referred to as quasi-simultaneous, quasi-simultaneous or coincident. The time span between a muon telescope detection event and a muon detector detection event corresponds to the amount of the time difference between these two detection events, i.e. the amount of the difference between the event times of the two detection events.

According to the invention, such quasi-simultaneously occurring muon telescope detection events and muon detector detection events are determined, and based on the muon trajectory data assigned to the respective muon telescope detection event, the (at the time of the muon detector detection event or in the time span between the two quasi simultaneous detection events present) characterizes positioning of the object. Thus, those muon telescope detection events and muon detector detection events are determined for which the intervening time span is not greater than the coincidence threshold value, and the positioning of the object is characterized based on the muon trajectory data belonging to the muon telescope detection event.

genügt, wobei c die Lichtgeschwindigkeit (welche annähernd gleich der Ausbreitungsgeschwindigkeit kosmischer Myonen entspricht) und T_D die zeitliche Auflösung der Myonendetektoren bezeichnen. Alternativ oder zusätzlich dazu kann vorgesehen sein, dass der Koinzidenz-Schwellenwert maximal 1 µs beträgt, z.B. maximal 500 ns, insbesondere maximal 100 ns (wobei µs eine Mikrosekunde und ns eine Nanosekunde bezeichnet). Da die Myonentrajektorien-Daten die Trajektorie des Myons repräsentieren und z.B. diese Trajektorie enthalten können, kann somit die Positionierung des Objekts basierend auf der (Kenntnis der) Myonentrajektorie erfolgen, die dem Myonenteleskop-Detektionsereignis des 2-Tupels zugeordnet ist. Indem nacheinander mehrere derartige 2-Tupel bzw. Paare aus jeweils einem Myonenteleskop-Detektionsereignis und einem Myonendetektor-Detektionsereignis ermittelt werden, kann die Trajektorie des Objekts charakterisiert werden.In other words, such 2-tuples or pairs of a muon telescope detection event and a muon detector detection event are determined for which the time span between these two detection events is less than or at most the same as a predetermined threshold value, and based on the The muon trajectory data assigned to the muon telescope detection event of the 2-tuple characterizes the positioning of the object at the time of the muon detector detection event of the 2-tuple. The threshold, also known as the coincidence threshold, can be very small. The coincidence threshold value is to be selected according to the circumstances prevailing in the respective case, and is in particular dependent on the distance between the detector arrangement and the area of residence and on the dimensions of the area of residence, since these determine the maximum possible distance L _max between a muon detector of the muon telescope and an object-side Determine the muon detector (and thus also the maximum possible time interval between the detection of a muon by a muon detector of the muon telescope and a muon detector on the object side). It can be provided, for example, that the coincidence threshold value T _{C of} the condition $$T_c\ge \frac{{\mathrm{L.}}_{max}}{c}+T_{\mathrm{D.}},$$

is sufficient, where c is the speed of light (which corresponds approximately to the speed of propagation of cosmic muons) and T _D denotes the temporal resolution of the muon detectors. As an alternative or in addition, it can be provided that the coincidence threshold value is a maximum of 1 μs, for example a maximum of 500 ns, in particular a maximum of 100 ns (where μs denotes a microsecond and ns denotes a nanosecond). Since the If muon trajectory data represent the trajectory of the muon and can contain this trajectory, for example, the object can be positioned based on (knowledge of) the muon trajectory that is assigned to the muon telescope detection event of the 2-tuple. The trajectory of the object can be characterized by successively determining a plurality of such 2-tuples or pairs from a muon telescope detection event and a muon detector detection event.

Analogous to the measuring method, the measuring arrangement can have an evaluation device which is designed to determine such quasi-simultaneous muon telescope detection events and muon detector detection events, both of which are within a predetermined time span, and to characterize the positioning of the object based on the associated muon trajectory data . The evaluation device is connected to the muon telescope by means of a data connection so that the data generated by the muon telescope (e.g. the muon telescope detection events and the associated muon trajectory data, optionally together with the respective event times) can be transmitted to the evaluation device and evaluated and / or there can be saved. The evaluation device of the measuring arrangement can be formed integrally with the evaluation unit of the muon telescope or can be present separately from it.

If two such quasi-simultaneous detection events are registered in the muon telescope and in the muon detector and are thus assigned to the same muon, the muon detector (and thus also the object) is on the trajectory of this muon at the time of the muon detector detection event.

Thus, it can be provided in particular that, based on the corresponding muon trajectory data, the positioning of the object is characterized such that the position of the object present at the time of the muon detector detection event is identified as lying on the muon trajectory represented by the muon trajectory data. The evaluation device can in particular be designed in such a way that it identifies the position of the object (at the time of the muon detector detection event) as lying on the muon trajectory assigned to the muon telescope detection event based on a muon telescope detection event and a muon detector detection event occurring quasi-simultaneously or is rated. In some cases, a complete determination of the position of the object can already take place, e.g. if the object can only move along two spatial directions.

By characterizing the positioning of the object by means of muon detection, whereby naturally occurring muons can be used, the equipment required can be kept low, whereby - apart from the muon detector of the object - e.g. no transmitters and / or receivers are required for generating or receiving the signal carrier used for position determination within the location area or process volume, and there is therefore no impairment of processes running in the location area by such transmitters and / or receivers. Since muons have a high penetration capacity for matter, the positioning determination according to the invention can be used in a variety of ways for a wide variety of application scenarios, in particular for cases in which the object is within a conventional signal carrier - e.g. electromagnetic waves (e.g. optical radiation, infrared radiation, X-rays, gamma radiation), acoustic waves, electric and / or magnetic fields - the container and / or medium is not or only poorly transparent.

Detection events taking place quasi-simultaneously on the muon telescope and the muon detector can be determined by comparing the measurement data of the muon telescope and the muon detector, which can be implemented in different ways. In general, it can be provided that the processing unit is designed to transmit the times of the muon detector detection events to the evaluation device of the measuring arrangement, e.g. by means of the immediate transmission of a signal to the evaluation device for each muon detector detection event or by means of subsequent reading out of event times previously stored by means of a data memory.

According to one embodiment, the processing unit has a signal transmission device which is designed such that a signal is output by it for each muon detector detection event. Thus, whenever a muon is detected by the muon detector of the object, the signal transmission device immediately emits a signal, the time of the signal-triggering muon detector detection event being represented or given by the signal time. The signal is transmitted to the evaluation device of the measuring arrangement by means of a data connection, which is also connected to the muon telescope via a data connection, so that the times of the muon telescope detection events on the evaluation device by means of the data connection to the muon telescope and the times by means of the signals transmitted by the signal transmission device of the muon detector detection events are present and thus quasi-simultaneous from the evaluation device Detection events can be determined. The signals generated by the signal transmission device are preferably transmitted to the evaluation device by means of a wireless or cordless data connection (e.g. by means of a radio connection), but can also take place by means of a wired or wired data connection (e.g. by means of an electrical conductor or by means of an optical fiber) .

According to another embodiment, the processing unit has a time recording device (e.g. a high-precision electronic clock) and a data storage device, the processing unit being designed to store the time of the event for each muon detector detection event by means of the data storage device and the time recording device. In this case, the processing unit records and stores the point in time at which the muon is detected by the muon detector for each muon detector detection event.

According to the present embodiment, if a muon is detected by the object-side muon detector, the time of the event (i.e. the time of detection) is stored in the data storage device and can be read out later. According to this embodiment, the evaluation device of the measuring arrangement can be designed to read out the data storage device, so that the times of the muon telescope detection events are available on the evaluation device by means of the data connection to the muon telescope and the times of the muon detector detection events are available by means of reading out the object-side data storage device and thus from the evaluation device quasi-simultaneous detection events can be determined.

It can e.g. It can be provided that the evaluation device of the measuring arrangement is designed to record and / or store the time of the event for each muon telescope detection event, so that the time of detection of the muon by the muon telescope can be recorded and / or stored by the evaluation device for each muon telescope detection event. For this purpose, the muon telescope and / or the evaluation device can have a further time recording device for recording the times of the muon telescope detection events. In addition, the evaluation device can have a further data storage device for storing the times of the muon telescope detection events. Since the points in time of the muon detector detection events are available on the evaluation device by receiving the signals from the signal transmission device or by reading out the object-side data storage device and the points in time of the muon telescope detection events are available using the further time recording device and / or the further data storage device, these detection events can take place quasi-simultaneously by comparing these detection events Muon telescope detection events and muon detector detection events are determined.

Based on the determination of quasi-simultaneous detection events in the muon telescope and in the object-side muon detector, the positioning of the object can be characterized in such a way that the position of the object is identified as being on the respective muon trajectory at the respective event time. To further characterize the positioning of the object, e.g. to determine the position of the object more precisely and / or to determine the spatial orientation or alignment of the object in space, further information may be required, which e.g. can be determined by means of further detectors.

According to one embodiment, the object is or is equipped with at least one detector which is designed to detect a physical field variable. Such a detector designed to detect a field size is also referred to below as a field size detector. Accordingly, the object has one or more such field size detectors.

A field describes the spatial distribution of a physical quantity, which is also referred to as the field size. A field variable is therefore a physical variable, the spatial distribution of which can be described by a field. The field can be, for example, a magnetic field, and accordingly the field size detected by means of the field size detector can be, for example, the magnetic field strength. Alternatively, the field can be, for example, an electric field; accordingly, the field size detected by means of the field size detector can be, for example, the electric field strength. Alternatively, the field can be, for example, a sound field; accordingly, the field size detected by means of the field size detector can be, for example, the sound pressure. Alternatively, the field can be, for example, a radiation field, and accordingly the field size detected by means of the field size detector can be, for example, the radiation intensity. It can also be provided that the radiation field is a radiation field generated by means of radioactive sources or a radiation field generated by means of X-ray sources, accordingly the field size detected by the field size detector can be, for example, the radiation intensity of the radioactive radiation or the X-ray radiation. It can also be provided that the radiation field is a field of electromagnetic radiation in the visible, ultraviolet or infrared spectral range, which can be generated by means of appropriate radiation sources. Alternatively, the field can be, for example, a gravitational field, and accordingly the field size detected by means of the field size detector can be, for example, the hydrostatic pressure.

The value of the field size depends on the position within the field, so that the measurement of the field size at a measurement position enables the measurement position to be determined or at least a restriction of the measurement position. Since the field size detector is designed to detect the physical field size, the position of the field size detector and thus also of the object can be characterized (e.g. more closely determined or precisely determined). From the measured values measured by means of the field size detector, in particular, conclusions can be drawn about the position of the object in relation to the isolines of the field, namely on which isoline the field size detector and thus also the object is located at the respective measurement time.

Accordingly, with regard to the measuring method, it can be provided that the positioning of the object is characterized by taking into account the measured values detected by the field size detector. It can e.g. be provided that based on the determination of quasi-simultaneous detection events in the muon telescope and in the object-side muon detector, the positioning of the object is characterized in such a way that the position of the object at the time of the quasi-simultaneous detection events (more precisely: at the time of the muon detector detection event) as on of the respective muon trajectory is identified, and that the unknown position point of the object along the trajectory is determined on the basis of the measured value of the field size detector recorded at this time. Accordingly, it can be provided to determine the position of the field size detector and thus also of the object along the muon trajectory based on the measured values of the field size detector.

In general, it can be provided that the object-side processing unit is designed to transmit the field size values measured by the field size detector at the time of the muon detector detection events to the evaluation device of the measuring arrangement, e.g. by means of the immediate transmission of a signal to the evaluation device for each muon detector detection event or by means of subsequent reading out beforehand by means of a data memory including time stamp of stored measured values of the field size detector.

If the processing unit is designed with the signal transmission device, it is designed in such a way that it immediately outputs a signal for each muon detector detection event. According to one embodiment, the field size measured by the field size detector is transmitted together with the signal (e.g. as a component of the signal). Thus, with each signal, the value of the field size present at the time of the respective muon detector detection event is transmitted to the evaluation device of the measuring arrangement and can be used by the evaluation device to characterize the positioning of the object. Accordingly, it can be provided that the processing unit or signal transmission device is connected to the field size detector and is designed in such a way that it outputs a signal for each muon detector detection event and transmits it to the evaluation device together with the field size measured by the field size detector .

In the embodiment of the processing unit with the time recording device and the data storage device, the data storage device is designed by means of the time recording device for storing the time of the event for each muon detector detection event. According to one embodiment, the field size measured by means of the field size detector at this event time is stored together with each event time. Thus, if a muon is detected by the object-side muon detector, the time of the event (i.e. the time of detection) is stored by the data storage device together with the field size value available at this time of the event, so that the field size values are later read out by the evaluation device and for characterization the positioning of the object can be used. Accordingly, it can be provided that the evaluation device is designed to read out the times of the muon detector detection events and the field size values measured at these times from the data storage device.

Thus, for each muon detector detection event, the field size value measured by the field size detector at the respective event time can be provided to the evaluation device, for example by means of signal transmission or by reading out the data storage device of the processing unit. Accordingly, it can be provided that the evaluation device is designed to characterize the positioning of the object while taking into account the measured values of the field size detector. The evaluation device can in particular be designed in such a way that, based on a muon telescope detection event and a muon detector detection event taking place quasi-simultaneously, the position of the object (at the time of the muon detector detection event) than on the The muon trajectory assigned to the muon telescope detection event is identified lying down, and that the position of the position of the object along the muon trajectory is determined by it based on the measured value of the field size detector (present at the time of the muon detector detection event).

According to one embodiment, the field size detected by means of the field size detector is the hydrostatic pressure. The hydrostatic pressure is the pressure that is created within a (resting) fluid, ie a gas or a liquid, due to gravity. The isolines of the associated field, which describes the hydrostatic pressure as a function of the position, run perpendicular to the perpendicular, ie horizontally. The hydrostatic pressure present at a position depends on the vertical coordinate of this position, ie on the position of the position along the perpendicular direction, so that the measurement of the hydrostatic pressure at a measurement position enables the vertical coordinate of the measurement position to be determined. If the object is in a liquid, its immersion depth h and thus its vertical position can be determined via the hydrostatic pressure. If the hydrostatic pressure p is measured by the field size detector, the immersion depth h results as h = (p - p ₀ ) / (ρ.g), where g is the gravitational acceleration, ρ the density of the liquid, and p ₀ the an the ambient pressure present on the surface of the liquid. Since the field size detector is designed to detect the hydrostatic pressure, the vertical position of the field size detector and thus also of the object can be determined.

Accordingly, with regard to the measurement method, it can be provided that the field size detector is designed to detect the hydrostatic pressure, and that the vertical coordinate of the position of the object is determined based on the measured values detected by the field size detector. Accordingly, the evaluation device can be designed in such a way that it determines the vertical position of the object based on the measured values of the field size detector designed to detect the hydrostatic pressure.

In the embodiment of the field size detector for detecting the hydrostatic pressure, it can be provided in particular that the muon telescope has a detector arrangement arranged above and / or below the location area, as explained above, and / or that the object, as explained above, within a (e.g. in a container absorbed) liquid is arranged. In this case, the muon telescope can be used to detect naturally occurring muons in the atmosphere, the trajectories of which essentially run along the perpendicular direction, so that if there are quasi-simultaneous detection events on the muon telescope and the object-side muon detector, it is known that the position of the object is of the associated (essentially vertical) muon trajectory, although the vertical coordinate of the object is initially unknown. However, since the hydrostatic pressure measured by the field size detector depends on the vertical coordinate, the vertical coordinate of the object can also be determined using the measured values determined by the field size detector, so that the position of the object can be determined completely.

In some cases, a field that is already present can be used to help determine the object positioning by means of a corresponding field size detector, e.g. the earth's gravity field. However, provision can also be made to generate a field specially provided for characterizing the object positioning. According to one embodiment, the measuring arrangement has a device for generating an inhomogeneous field (also referred to as a field generating device), which is designed to generate a field of the physical field quantity detected by means of the field quantity detector. The field generating device is arranged and designed in such a way that the field generated by it penetrates the location area. The field generating device is designed to generate an inhomogeneous field, so that the value of the field size varies along one or more directions and thus a measurement of the field size enables conclusions to be drawn about the measurement position.

In particular, it can be provided that the muon telescope is designed and arranged in such a way that it can detect muons whose trajectories or directions of propagation have a component along a predetermined main direction, and that the field generating device is arranged and designed such that within of the field it creates changes the value of the field size along the main direction. Accordingly, muons can be detected by means of the muon telescope whose trajectories have a direction vector with a component running parallel to the main direction, for example muons whose trajectory is parallel to the main direction. It can for example be provided that the muon telescope has a detector arrangement which is arranged and designed in such a way that it can detect muons whose trajectories have a direction vector with a component running parallel to the main direction. It can be provided, for example, that the muon telescope has a detector arrangement with two detector planes parallel to one another, the Detector arrangement is arranged such that the detector planes are arranged running perpendicular to the main direction. Accordingly, the detector planes are arranged in such a way that their plane normals run parallel to the main direction.

Since muon trajectories with a component parallel to the main direction are recorded by means of the muon telescope and the value of the field size changes along the main direction, the position of the object can be identified as lying on the trajectory by determining quasi-simultaneous detection events on the muon telescope and on the muon detector, as explained above , and by detecting the field size present at the position of the object, the position of the object along the main direction and thus also the position of the object along the trajectory can be reliably determined.

It can e.g. it can be provided that the main direction corresponds to the perpendicular direction, i.e. that the main direction is vertical. In this case, an effective collection and use of naturally formed muons in the atmosphere is possible, since the maximum frequency of their directional distribution is in the zenith, i.e. corresponds to the perpendicular and thus the main direction.

The field generating device can e.g. be a device for generating a magnetic field, an electric field, a field of electromagnetic radiation, a sound field or a radiation field, together with the field quantities mentioned above for the respective fields. These fields can be generated in known ways, e.g. an electric field can be generated by means of electrically charged elements and / or by means of electrodes subjected to voltage, a magnetic field by means of electric magnets and / or permanent magnets, a sound field by means of one or more sound emitters, and a radiation field by means of one or more radiation sources.

The field generating device can be arranged completely outside the location area. When the object is arranged within a container, e.g. be provided that the field generating device is arranged completely outside the container. However, it can also be provided that the field generating device is arranged partially or completely within the location area. When the object is arranged within a container, e.g. it can be provided that the field generating device is arranged partially or completely inside the container.

Based on the determination of a muon coincidence, i.e. two quasi-simultaneous detection events on the muon telescope and on the object-side muon detector, the positioning of the object can be characterized such that the position of the object is identified as lying on the trajectory of the muon, with the position point of the object along the trajectory e.g. can be determined as described above by detecting a physical field size.

Alternatively, it can be provided that the position point of the object along the trajectory is determined or at least approximately determined on the basis of a second muon coincidence. If two muon coincidences are detected at the same time or within a short period of time within which the position of the object can be assumed to be at least approximately unchanged, then it is known that the muon detector and thus also the object are on the trajectory at the time of the first muon detector detection event of the first muon and at the time of the second muon detector detection event is on the trajectory of the second muon, both trajectories running through the muon detector. If the object has not moved in the time between the two muon detector detection events, then the two muon trajectories intersect thus on the object-side muon detector, so that it is known that the muon detector and thus also the object are located at the intersection of the two trajectories, so that the position of the object can be determined by determining the intersection of the trajectories. If the object has moved in the time between the two detection events or due to measurement uncertainties (e.g. caused by scattering of the muons, which can cause them to deviate slightly from the straight-line trajectory determined), the two muon trajectories may not have a common point of intersection. In this case e.g. be provided to determine the position of the closest approach of the two muon trajectories as the position of the object. Accordingly, it can be provided to determine the position of the closest approach (or the smallest distance) of the two muon trajectories, e.g. by means of an optimization process, and to evaluate this position as the position of the object. It can e.g. be provided to determine the common perpendicular of the two muon trajectories, and to evaluate the center of the common perpendicular as the position of the object. The common perpendicular of two skewed straight lines is the connecting line with the shortest length between these straight lines.

According to one embodiment of the measuring method and the measuring device, those pairs of muon coincidences are determined which both lie within a predetermined time span and are based on the two associated muon trajectories, the positioning of the object is characterized.

Accordingly, a first muon coincidence is determined, i.e. a first 2-tuple or pair of a first muon detector detection event and a first muon telescope detection event, for which the intervening time period is not greater than the coincidence threshold value, the muon trajectory data assigned to the first muon telescope detection event being a first muon trajectory represent. In addition, a second muon coincidence is determined, i.e. a second 2-tuple or pair of a second muon detector detection event and a second muon telescope detection event, for which the intervening time period is not greater than the coincidence threshold value, the muon trajectory data assigned to the second muon telescope detection event being a second muon trajectory represent.

Two such muon coincidences are determined for which the time span between the two muon coincidences does not exceed a specified threshold value (i.e. is smaller or at most as large as the specified threshold value), so that the position of the object within this time span can be viewed as quasi-stationary . This threshold value characterizes the time span between two muon coincidences within which the position of the object can be viewed as stationary or quasi-stationary, and is therefore also referred to as the stationarity threshold value. The period of time between the first and the second muon coincidence can e.g. be given by the amount of the time difference between the first and the second muon detector detection event, i.e. by the amount of the difference between the event times of these two detection events. The time span between the first and the second muon coincidence can e.g. also be given by the amount of the time difference between the first and the second muon telescope detection event, i.e. by the amount of the difference between the event times of these two detection events.

genügt, wobei ΔS_max die maximal zulässige Unsicherheit der zu ermittelnden Raumposition und v_max die maximale bzw. maximal erwartbare Geschwindigkeit des Objektes bezeichnen. Alternativ oder zusätzlich dazu kann vorgesehen sein, dass der Stationaritäts-Schwellenwert maximal 1 s beträgt, z.B. maximal 500 ms, insbesondere maximal 100 ms (wobei s eine Sekunde und ms eine Millisekunde bezeichnet). Alternativ oder zusätzlich dazu kann vorgesehen sein, dass der Stationaritäts-Schwellenwert größer ist als der Koinzidenz-Schwellenwert.The stationarity threshold value is to be selected in accordance with the circumstances prevailing in the respective case and is particularly dependent on the maximum permissible uncertainty of the spatial position to be determined and the maximum or maximum expected speed of the object. It can be provided, for example, that the stationarity threshold value T _{S of} the condition $$T_s\le \frac{\mathrm{\Delta }{\mathrm{S.}}_{max}}{{\nu }_{max}},$$

is sufficient, where ΔS _max denotes the maximum permissible uncertainty of the spatial position to be determined and v _max denotes the maximum or maximum expected speed of the object. Alternatively or additionally, it can be provided that the stationarity threshold value is a maximum of 1 s, for example a maximum of 500 ms, in particular a maximum of 100 ms (where s denotes a second and ms denotes a millisecond). As an alternative or in addition to this, it can be provided that the stationarity threshold value is greater than the coincidence threshold value.

The positioning of the object is characterized based on the muon trajectory data assigned to the first muon telescope detection event (which represent the trajectory of the first muon) and the muon trajectory data assigned to the second muon telescope detection event (which represent the trajectory of the second muon). As explained above, it can in particular be provided that, based on the muon trajectory data assigned to the first muon telescope detection event and the muon trajectory data assigned to the second muon telescope detection event, the positioning of the object is characterized in such a way that the point of greatest approximation of the two Trajectories is determined and is evaluated as the position of the object. The point of closest approach of the two muon trajectories can e.g. can be determined by an optimization process. The point of closest approach of the two muon trajectories can e.g. be given by the middle of the common perpendicular of the two muon trajectories. In the event that the two muon trajectories are not skewed to one another and intersect, this coincides with the point of intersection of the two muon trajectories, so that in this case the point of closest approach of the two muon trajectories is given by the point of intersection of the two trajectories.

In particular, it can be provided that the point of greatest approximation of the two muon trajectories is evaluated as the position of the object in the time or the period between the two muon coincidences, e.g. as the position in the time between the first muon detector detection result and the second Muon detector detection result present position of the object. It can also be provided that the point of greatest approximation of the two muon trajectories is evaluated as the position of the object at a point in time between the two muon coincidences, for example at the point in time in Middle between the first and second muon coincidences.

Analogous to the measuring method, it can be provided with regard to the measuring arrangement that the evaluation device is designed to determine two such muon coincidences for which the time span between the two muon coincidences does not exceed a predetermined stationarity threshold value, and that the evaluation device is based on characterizing the positioning of the object is based on the muon trajectory data assigned to the first muon coincidence and the muon trajectory data assigned to the second muon coincidence. The characterization of the positioning of the object based on two muon coincidences can e.g. can be realized by the data captured by the object-side muon detector either being transmitted instantaneously to the evaluation device by means of the signal transmission device or stored by means of the data storage device and transmitted to the evaluation device at a later point in time by reading out the data storage device.

In some cases (in addition to or instead of knowing the position), knowing the spatial orientation of the object can also be of interest. According to one embodiment, the object is equipped with several muon detectors, which are arranged at different positions. Accordingly, the object may have two or more muon detectors arranged at different positions, with a respective muon detector e.g. can be arranged inside the object or outside of the object. The position of the object-side muon detectors relative to one another and relative to the rest of the object (also referred to as the relative positioning of the muon detectors) is known.

If the object is configured with several (i.e. two or more) muon detectors, the processing unit is connected to all of these muon detectors and is designed to record the muon detector detection events of all of these muon detectors. In this case, the processing unit is designed to transmit the event times of the muon detector detection events of all muon detectors to the evaluation device, and for each transmitted event time of a muon detector detection event, it also transmits data on which muon detector the muon detector detection event took place to the evaluation device . Accordingly, the processing unit transmits data to the evaluation device which represent or contain the event times of the muon detector detection events and which enable the assignment of a respective event time to the muon detector from which the muon detector detection event was registered.

If the processing unit is configured with the signal transmission device, in the case of several object-side muon detectors, it is designed in such a way that it immediately outputs a signal at one of the muon detectors for each muon detector detection event, and together with the signal (e.g. as part of the signal), information about this is transmitted At which of the muon detectors the muon detector detection event triggering the signal took place, so that an assignment of each signal to one of the muon detectors is possible.

If the processing unit is designed with the time recording device and the data storage device, in the case of several object-side muon detectors, these are designed in such a way that for each muon detector detection event on one of the muon detectors, the time of the event is stored together with data or information about the muon detector at the respective stored time a muon detector detection event took place, so that an assignment of each stored event time to one of the muon detectors is possible.

If a detection event in the muon telescope and detection events in several object-side muon detectors are registered at the same time (within the framework of the propagation speed of the muon, which is close to the speed of light), these detection events can be assigned to a single muon. In this case it is known that all muon detectors on which a detection event was registered are located on the trajectory that can be determined for this muon by means of the muon telescope, so that the spatial orientation of the object (i.e. the orientation of the object in space) is based on the known relative positioning of the muon detectors ) can be determined or at least limited. If e.g. If a muon detected by means of the muon telescope passes through two object-side muon detectors and is registered on them, the spatial orientation of the object can then be characterized in that the connecting line between these two muon detectors lies on the trajectory of the muon.

According to one embodiment of the measuring method and the measuring device, several (ie two or more) muon detector detection events registered on different muon detectors are determined, which are quasi-simultaneously to one and the same muon telescope Are detection events, and based on the associated muon trajectory data and the muon detector detection events, the spatial orientation of the object is characterized. Thus, for a single muon telescope detection event, several muon detector detection events are determined, which are recorded at different object-side muon detectors, the time span between the muon detector detection event and the muon telescope detection event not being greater than the coincidence threshold value for each of the muon detector detection events , and based on the muon trajectory data assigned to the muon telescope detection event, the spatial orientation of the object is characterized taking into account the known relative positioning of the object-side muon detectors.

Based on the muon telescope detection event and the muon detector detection events, the spatial orientation of the object at the time of these detection events (for example in the time span between the earliest and the latest of these detection events) can be characterized. Provision can be made, for example, that based on the corresponding muon trajectory data and the known position of the object-side muon detectors relative to one another, the spatial orientation of the object is characterized in such a way that the connecting line of the muon detectors registering the muon detector detection events is based on the muon detector Data represented lying muon trajectory is identified.
With regard to the measuring arrangement, the evaluation device can be designed to carry out the orientation characterization explained above. Accordingly, the evaluation device can be designed in particular to determine several muon detector detection events on different muon detectors, which are all quasi-simultaneous with a common muon telescope detection event, and to characterize the spatial orientation of the object based on the muon trajectory data assigned to the muon telescope detection event.

1. 1. das Objekt nicht oder nur schwer mithilfe elektromagnetischer (einschließlich optischer Bildgebung, Röntgen- und Gammastrahlungsmessverfahren, Radar- und Infrarot-Messverfahren), akustischer, elektrischer, magnetischer oder anderer Mess- und Bildgebungsverfahren beobachtet oder lokalisiert werden kann. Dies ist etwa der Fall, wenn sich das Objekt innerhalb eines Mediums befindet, welches für Schall, elektrische, magnetische oder elektromagnetische Felder nicht oder schlecht durchdringbar ist oder innerhalb eines Gefäßes, welches keinen elektromagnetischen, magnetischen, akustischen oder elektrischen Zugang bietet.
2. 2. das Objekt selbst mit Myonendetektoren und einer Verarbeitungseinheit ausgestattet werden kann und mit Hilfe der Verarbeitungseinheit eine Speicherung von Daten oder eine Übertragung von Daten zu mit der Außenwelt verbundenen Empfängern möglich ist.
3. 3. die geforderte zeitliche Auflösung der Positionierungsermittlung klein ist, z.B. im Bereich von Sekunden oder langsamer ist.

The invention can thus very generally relate, for example, to an arrangement and a method for localizing one or more objects within a volume. It can be particularly useful for applications where

1. 1. the object cannot be observed or located with difficulty using electromagnetic (including optical imaging, X-ray and gamma radiation measuring methods, radar and infrared measuring methods), acoustic, electrical, magnetic or other measuring and imaging methods. This is the case, for example, when the object is located within a medium that cannot be penetrated by sound, electrical, magnetic or electromagnetic fields or is difficult to penetrate, or within a vessel that does not offer any electromagnetic, magnetic, acoustic or electrical access.
2. 2. the object itself can be equipped with muon detectors and a processing unit and, with the aid of the processing unit, data can be stored or data can be transmitted to recipients connected to the outside world.
3. 3. The required temporal resolution of the positioning determination is small, for example in the range of seconds or slower.

In particular, the invention can be used to localize an object within a process volume, for example in an industrial apparatus, in which a non-transparent medium is located and it is difficult to locate the object with classical methods based on sound, electric or magnetic fields or any To localize type of electromagnetic radiation.
As explained above, the functional principle according to the invention can be implemented by means of different embodiments, in particular the four embodiments explained below can be used.

According to one embodiment e.g. it can be provided that the object is detected via a field size detector, e.g. a detector for detecting the hydrostatic pressure, and a processing unit with a signal transmission device, wherein the processing unit sends a signal to an evaluation device immediately upon detection of a muon and transmits the measured field size, and the evaluation device from this data and from the data of the muon telescope determined trajectory calculates the object position.

According to another embodiment it can be provided, for example, that the object has a field size detector, e.g. a detector for detecting the hydrostatic pressure, as well as a processing unit with a time recording device (e.g. an internal high-precision electronic clock), the processing unit each time of detection of a muon as a time stamp together with the recorded field size in an internal data storage device. According to this embodiment, the muon telescope (for example its detection electronics) or the evaluation device also stores all detected muon trajectories with a time stamp. After the object has been recovered from the process, the data is taken from the internal The data storage device of the object is transferred to the evaluation device (eg a computer), where it is analyzed for coincidence and the time-dependent object positions are calculated from the coincidences and field data.

According to a further embodiment, it can be provided that the object has a muon detector and a processing unit with a signal transmission device, the processing unit sending a signal to an evaluation device immediately upon detection of a muon, and the evaluation device the associated trajectories and from them for at least two muon coincidences calculates the trajectory intersection.

According to a further embodiment it can be provided that the object has a muon detector and a processing unit with a time recording device, the processing unit storing each point in time of the detection of a muon as a time stamp in an internal data storage device. According to this embodiment, the muon telescope (e.g. its detection electronics) or the evaluation device also saves all recorded muon trajectories with a time stamp. After the object has been recovered from the process, the data is transferred from the internal data storage device of the object to the evaluation device (e.g. a computer), where it is analyzed for coincidences and time-dependent object positions are calculated.

• 1 eine Schnittdarstellung einer Messanordnung bei der Durchführung eines Messverfahrens gemäß einer Ausführungsform,
• 2 eine Ausgestaltung des Objekts gemäß einer Ausführungsform in einer Schnittdarstellung,
• 3A eine Ausgestaltung einer Verarbeitungseinheit gemäß einer Ausführungsform,
• 3B eine Ausgestaltung einer Verarbeitungseinheit gemäß einer weiteren Ausführungsform,
• 4 eine Ausgestaltung des Objekts gemäß einer weiteren Ausführungsform in einer Schnittdarstellung, und
• 5 eine Schnittdarstellung einer Messanordnung bei der Durchführung eines Messverfahrens gemäß einer weiteren Ausführungsform.

The invention is explained below on the basis of exemplary embodiments with reference to the accompanying figures, the same or similar features being provided with the same reference numerals, here schematically showing:

• 1 a sectional view of a measuring arrangement when performing a measuring method according to an embodiment,
• 2 a configuration of the object according to an embodiment in a sectional view,
• 3A a configuration of a processing unit according to an embodiment,
• 3B a configuration of a processing unit according to a further embodiment,
• 4th an embodiment of the object according to a further embodiment in a sectional view, and
• 5 a sectional view of a measuring arrangement when performing a measuring method according to a further embodiment.

1 shows a measuring arrangement 1 according to one embodiment when performing a measurement method according to one embodiment. The measuring arrangement 1 is used to characterize the positioning of an object 3 within a given area 5 . In the present case it is the object 3 around a buoyancy-neutral object (e.g. around an instrumented float floating passively in the medium or around an underwater vehicle) that is in a process vessel 7th made of metal. The common area 5 is presently through the interior 5 of the process tank 7th given, which is also called the process volume 5 referred to as. In the process tank 7th is a medium 9 , for example a liquid 9 , recorded, with the object 3 within the liquid 9 is located. The medium 9 however, it can also be a solid. The process container is in the closed state shown 7th closed all around. The object 3 is not fixed and can be inside the common area 5 change both its position and its spatial orientation. The measuring arrangement 1 exhibits a muon telescope 11 and an evaluation device 13 on.

The muon telescope 11 is outside the common area 5 arranged, in particular outside the process container 7th , and is designed in such a way that muons can be detected by it, their trajectories through the location area 5 run away. The muon telescope 11 has a detector array 15th and an evaluation unit, the evaluation unit of the muon telescope 11 present in the evaluation device 13 the measuring arrangement 1 is integrated. The detector arrangement 15th is accordingly with the evaluation device 13 connected, for example by means of a data connection.

The detector arrangement 15th has a first detector plane 17th and a second detector plane 19th on. There are several muon-sensitive individual detectors in both the first 17 and second 19 detector levels 21st arranged without gaps (where in 1 exemplarily in the first detector level 17th three individual detectors 21st and in the second detector plane 19th two single detectors 21st Marked are). The first detector level 17th and the second detector plane 19th run parallel to each other at a distance. The detector arrangement 15th is so above the process tank 7th (and thus also above the common area 5 ) arranged that the two detector levels 17th , 19th run horizontally, i.e. parallel to the xy plane of the in 1 Cartesian xyz coordinate system shown. This enables the effective recording and use of naturally occurring muons in the atmosphere.

The x-axis and the y- The axes of the xyz coordinate system shown in the figures run horizontally, ie perpendicular to the perpendicular direction. The z-axis of the xyz coordinate system shown in the figures runs vertically, ie parallel to the perpendicular direction.

The detector arrangement 15th is dimensioned so that the living area 5 completely from the detector array 15th is covered, the projection of the detector arrangement 15th as well as the detector levels 17th and 19th along the perpendicular direction z the projection of the occupied area 5 includes along the perpendicular direction z. When running after 1 is the detector array 15th above the common area 5 arranged. Alternatively or in addition to this, however, such a detector arrangement can be provided 15th with horizontally running detector levels 17th , 19th below the common area 5 (e.g. below the process tank 7th ) to be arranged in such a way that the projection of the detector array 15th and the detector levels 17th , 19th the projection of the occupied area along the plumb line 5 includes along the perpendicular direction (not shown).

If a muon occurs along a trajectory 23 from above through the detector arrangement 15th through, speaks in the first detector level 17th arranged first individual detector 21st and one in the second detector plane 19th arranged second individual detector 21st while generating corresponding detector signals. By means of the evaluation device 13 can use the known spatial coordinates (x ₁ , y ₁ , z ₁ ) of the first individual detector and (x ₂ , y ₂ , z ₂ ) of the second individual detector to determine the muon trajectory 23 be calculated. The muon trajectory can be written in vectorial notation in parameter form as r = r ₁ + t * v, where r ₁ = (x ₁ , y ₁ , z ₁ ) ^{T is} the position vector of the first individual detector that records 21st in the first detector level 17th denotes, and where v = (x _v , y _v , z _v ) ^T = ((x ₂ - x ₁ ), (y ₂ - y ₁ ), (z ₂ - z ₁ )) ^{T describes} the direction vector of the trajectory, which results from the difference in position of the two individual detectors (where the superscript T denotes a transposition). The free parameter t describes the course of the trajectory and is also referred to as the free beam parameter.

From the muon telescope 11 the detection of a muon is recorded as a muon telescope detection event in that the detector signals from the individual detectors are recorded by the detector arrangement 15th to the evaluation device 13 transmitted and recorded here. The evaluation device 13 is designed in such a way that by means of the detector arrangement 15th detected muon data are recorded which represent the trajectory of this muon, these data also being referred to as muon trajectory data. Thus, from the muon telescope 11 every muon impinging thereon is recorded as a muon telescope detection event, each muon telescope detection event being assigned muon trajectory data which represent the trajectory of the corresponding muon. The muon trajectory data can, for example, identify the two individual detectors and / or the spatial coordinates of the two individual detectors by means of which the respective muon was detected, the trajectory of the muon being calculable via their spatial coordinates. As an alternative or in addition to this, the muon trajectory data can contain the already calculated muon trajectory.

The evaluation device 13 is with the muon telescope 11 connected, in this case the evaluation unit of the muon telescope 11 into the evaluation device 13 the measuring arrangement 1 is integrated. The evaluation device 13 is for acquiring and / or storing the data from the muon telescope 11 generated data. The evaluation device 13 is designed in particular to record and / or store the times of the muon telescope detection events and the muon trajectory data assigned to each time point (or each muon telescope detection event).

The object 3 is with at least one muon detector 25th fitted. In the present case, the object has four object-side muon detectors as an example 25th , 27 , 29 , 31 on that within the object 3 are arranged. For the sake of clarity, in 1 only the central muon detector 25th shown, with the 2 and 4th more detailed design options for the property 3 out 1 show in which the other muon detectors 27 , 29 , 31 and further configuration details according to the respective embodiments are shown. As an example, the object 3 a circular cross-section, the first muon detector 25th is arranged centrally with respect to the cross section, and wherein the second 27 , third 29 and fourth 31 Muon detector on the inside of the object's outer shell 3 are arranged in a row next to each other. If a muon occurs along a trajectory 23 by one of the muon detectors 25 - 31 through, this muon detector responds while generating a detector signal, the detection of a muon by one of the object-side muon detectors 25 - 31 also referred to as a muon detector detection event. In the 2 and 4th spatial orientation of the object shown 3 are the second 27 , third 29 and fourth 31 Muon detector essentially above the first muon detector 25th arranged.

The object 3 is also with a processing unit 33 equipped inside the property 3 is arranged and with each of the object-side muon detectors 25 - 31 connected, e.g. by means of a data connection (see 2 , 4th ). From the processing unit 33 will the object-side muon detectors 25 - 31 muon detector detection events taking place are registered by sending the detector signals from the muon detector to the processing unit 33 be transmitted. In addition, the registered muon detector detection events are recorded by the processing unit 33 processed or fed to further processing. The processing unit 33 is designed to transmit information which represents the times of the event of the muon detector detection signals and enables the assignment of each muon detector detection event to the muon detector detecting the same to the evaluation device. The 3A and 3B show different design options for the processing unit 33 .

According to the in 3A The embodiment shown has the processing unit 33 a signal transmission device 35 on. The signal transmission device 35 is designed in such a way that it immediately outputs a signal for each muon detector detection event and sends it to the evaluation device 33 is transmitted, the signal containing data or information identifying the muon detector at which the signal-triggering muon detector detection event took place. The evaluation device can therefore use the signal times to detect the times of the muon detector events and, based on the data contained in the signal, identify the muon detector on which a muon detector detection event took place at this time. The transmission of the from the signal transmission device 35 generated signals to the evaluation device 13 takes place by means of a data connection 41 , for example a wireless or cordless data connection (for example by means of a radio link), or a wired or wired data connection (for example by means of an electrical conductor or an optical fiber).

According to the in 3B The embodiment shown has the processing unit 33 a time recording device 37 and a data storage device 39 and is by means of the time recording device 37 designed to detect the time of each muon detector detection event. The processing unit 33 is by means of the data storage device 39 designed to store the time of each muon detector detection event and to store data or information about which of the muon detectors at the respective stored event time a muon detector detection event took place. According to this embodiment, the evaluation device 13 for reading out the data storage device 39 formed so that on the evaluation device 13 by reading out the data storage device 39 the times of the muon detector detection events are present and it can be identified at which of the muon detectors a muon detector detection event took place at the respective time of the event. In the case of the design of the processing unit 33 according to 3B represents the dashed line 41 in 1 reading out the data storage device 39 by the evaluation device 13 .

The evaluation device 13 Thus, both the event times of the muon telescope detection events including the associated muon trajectory data and the event times of the muon detector detection events including their assignment to the respective muon detector are available.

The evaluation device 13 is for determining temporally coincident muon telescope detection events and muon detector detection events and for characterizing the positioning of the object 3 based on the muon trajectory data assigned to the muon telescope detection event, as follows using the example of the muon detector 25th explained.

The evaluation device 13 is especially for the determination of such muon telescope detection events and at the central muon detector 25th registered muon detector detection events for which the intervening period of time is not greater than a predetermined threshold value (which is also referred to as a coincidence threshold value) and which can thus be viewed as temporally coincident or quasi-simultaneous. In other words, such 2-tuples or pairs are each made up of one muon telescope detection event and one at the muon detector 25th detected muon detector detection event for which the time span between these two detection events is less than or at most as large as the coincidence threshold.

The evaluation device 13 is designed in such a way that for such a pair of a muon telescope detection event and a quasi-simultaneous therewith on the muon detector 25th detected muon detector detection event based on the muon trajectory data associated with the muon telescope detection event, the positioning of the object 3 is characterized, which is present at the time of the muon detector detection event. If two such quasi-simultaneous detection events in the muon telescope 11 and in the muon detector 25th are registered and thus assigned to the same muon, the muon detector is located 25th (and thus also the object 3 ) at the time of the muon detector detection event on the trajectory 23 this muon. The evaluation device is accordingly 13 designed in such a way that it characterizes the positioning of the object based on the respective muon trajectory data 3 to the effect that the position of the object 3 than on the muon trajectory represented by the muon trajectory data 23 is identified lying down.

Based on the determination of quasi-simultaneous detection events on the muon telescope 11 and on the muon detector 25th can position the object 3 can be characterized as being the position of the object 3 than at the time of the event on the respective muon trajectory 23 is identified lying down. To further characterize the positioning of the object 3 For example, to more precisely determine the position of the object and / or to determine the orientation or alignment of the object in space, further information may be required, which can be determined, for example, by means of further detectors. The 2 and 4th show different configurations of the object in this regard 3 according to different embodiments of the invention.

According to the in 2 illustrated embodiment, the object 3 a field size detector 43 on. The field size detector 43 is designed to detect a physical field size, using the field size detector as an example 43 The detected field size is the hydrostatic pressure. The processing unit 33 is connected to the field size detector, for example by means of a data connection, and for transmitting the muon detector detection events at the time of the event from the field size detector 43 measured field size values to the evaluation device 13 educated. The evaluation device 13 is also used to characterize the positioning of the object 3 taking into account that of the field size detector 43 recorded field size values or measured values.

When designing the property 3 with the field size detector 43 and the processing unit 33 according to 3A with the signal transmission device 35 it is designed, for example, in such a way that it immediately emits a signal for each muon detector detection event, the field size detector together with the signal (for example as part of the signal) 43 measured field size is transmitted. Thus, with each signal, the value of the field size present at the time of the respective signal-triggering muon detector detection event is sent to the evaluation device 13 transmitted and can be used by this to characterize the positioning of the object 3 can be used.

When designing the property 3 with the field size detector 43 and the processing unit 33 according to 3B with the time recording device 37 and the data storage device 39 the data storage device is designed by means of the time recording device, for example, to store the time of the event for each muon detector detection event, with the time taken at this time of the event by means of the field size detector 43 measured field size is saved. Thus, if a muon is detected by one of the object-side muon detectors 25 - 31 the time of the event together with the value of the field size present in the data storage device at this time of the event 39 saved, so that the field size values are also later received by the evaluation device 13 read out and to characterize the positioning of the object 3 can be used. The evaluation device is accordingly in this case 13 for reading out the times of the muon detector detection events and the field size values measured at these times from the data storage device 39 educated.

By means of the processing unit 33 are thus those of the field size detector 43 recorded measured values of the evaluation device 13 made available, in the present case from the field size detector 43 the hydrostatic pressure is recorded as a field variable. Using the at the position of the field size detector 43 prevailing hydrostatic pressure, the immersion depth h and thus also the z coordinate z _{r of} the field size detector 43 (and thus also of the object 3 ), where the immersion depth h is the height of the liquid level above the position of the field size detector 43 indicates. Together with the z coordinate z _{r of} the position of the object 3 according to the above equation for the muon trajectory, according to which z _{r is} given as z _r = z ₁ + t · z _v , the position of the object results 3 along the muon trajectory 23 Characteristic beam parameters for t = (z _r - z ₁ ) / z _v = (z ₀ - h - z ₁ ) / (z ₂ - z ₁ ). Since the z-coordinate z _{0 of} the liquid level and the z-coordinates z ₁ and z _{2 of} the individual detectors 21st in the first 17 and second 19 detector levels are known, and since the immersion depth h is based on the value determined by the field size detector 43 measured hydrostatic pressure can be determined, the position of the object 3 along the muon trajectory 23 characteristic beam parameters t are determined, so that the position of the object 3 along the muon trajectory and thus also the position of the object 3 can be fully determined.

Accordingly, in the execution according to 2 the evaluation device 13 designed in such a way that based on the determination of quasi-simultaneous detection events on the muon telescope 11 and at the central muon detector 25th the Position of the object 3 than (at the time of the event) on the respective muon trajectory 23 is identified lying down, and that of it based on the measured value of the field size detector (recorded at this time of the event) 43 the location or position of the object 3 along this trajectory 23 is determined.

In the embodiment according to 1 the field size of an already existing field is used with the hydrostatic pressure to position the object 3 to determine more precisely. As an alternative to this, provision can be made for a field specially provided for characterizing the object positioning by means of a field generating device 45 to create. In this regard shows 5 schematically an embodiment of a measuring arrangement 1 with a field generating device 45 . The field generating device 45 is for generating an inhomogeneous field by means of the field size detector 43 detected physical field size, wherein the physical field size does not have to be given by the hydrostatic pressure but can also be any other field size. The field generating device 45 can for example be a device for generating a magnetic field, an electric field, a field of electromagnetic radiation, a sound field or a radiation field, together with the field variables mentioned above for the respective fields.

The field generating device 45 is arranged and designed in such a way that the field generated by it occupies the area 5 penetrates. The field generating device 45 is also arranged and designed in such a way that within the field it generates, the value of the field size changes along the perpendicular direction (ie along the z-direction). As by means of the detector arrangement 15th Muons are recorded, their trajectory 23 or whose direction of propagation has a (non-vanishing) component along the z-direction as the main direction, the value of the field size thus changes within the field-generating device 43 generated field along the trajectory of these muons. By using the muon telescope 11 Muon trajectories 23 with a component parallel to the z-direction as the main direction and the value of the field size within that of the field generating device 45 generated field changes along the z-direction, can by determining quasi-simultaneous detection events on the muon telescope 15th and at the central muon detector 25th as explained above, the position of the object 3 than on the trajectory 23 can be identified lying, and by detecting the at the position of the object 3 The present field size can reliably determine the position of the object along the z-direction and thus also the position point of the object 3 along the trajectory 23 be determined. In 5 is only the central muon detector for the sake of clarity 25th shown. With regard to the rest of the design, arrangement and functionality of the property 3 , the muon telescope 11 , the evaluation device 13 , the muon detectors 25 - 31 and the processing unit 33 corresponds to the embodiment according to 5 the previously referring to the 1 , 2 , 3A and 3B Embodiments described, so that reference is made to the above explanations in this regard.

Based on the determination of quasi-simultaneous detection events on the muon telescope 11 and at the central object-side muon detector 25th can position the object 3 can be characterized as being the position of the object 3 than at the time of the event on the respective muon trajectory 23 is identified lying down. 4th Figure 11 illustrates one embodiment by which the position of the object 3 can be determined more precisely without a field size detector. According to the in 4th The embodiment illustrated is the evaluation device 13 designed in such a way that pairs of two muon coincidences are determined from it, both of which lie within a predetermined time span, and the positioning of the object is characterized based on the two associated muon trajectories, as follows using the example of the muon detector 25th explained.

According to the in 4th The embodiment illustrated is the evaluation device 13 for determining a first pair from a first muon telescope detection event and one at the central muon detector 25th registered first muon detector detection event for which the intervening period of time is not greater than the coincidence threshold value, the muon trajectory data associated with the first muon telescope detection event being a first muon trajectory 23 represent. The evaluation device 13 is also used to determine a second pair from a second muon telescope detection event and one at the central muon detector 25th registered second muon detector detection event, for which the intervening period of time is not greater than the coincidence threshold value, the muon trajectory data associated with the second muon telescope detection event being a second muon trajectory 47 represent.

The evaluation device 13 is also designed in such a way that it is used to position the object based on the first muon trajectory data and the second muon trajectory data 3 is characterized, which was present in the period between the first muon detector detection event and the second muon detector detection event. If two such When muon coincidences are registered, the muon detector is located 25th (and thus also the object 3 ) at the time of the first muon detector detection event on the first muon trajectory 23 and at the time of the second muon detector detection event on the second muon trajectory 47 .

The evaluation device 13 is designed to determine the two muon coincidences in such a way that the time interval between them is not greater than a predetermined threshold value. This threshold characterizes the time span within which the position of the object 3 can be viewed as stationary or quasi stationary, and is therefore also referred to as the stationarity threshold value. The evaluation device 13 can be designed in particular for determining the first pair and the second pair in such a way that the time span between the first and the second muon detector detection event is not greater than the stationarity threshold value and / or that the time span between the first and the second muon telescope detection event is not greater than the stationarity threshold. The stationarity threshold is selected to be greater than the coincidence threshold.

The evaluation device 13 is also designed such that it characterizes the positioning of the object based on the first muon trajectory data and the second muon trajectory data 3 takes place to the effect that the point of closest approach of the two muon trajectories 23 , 47 is determined and as the position of the object 3 is rated. The point of closest approach of the two muon trajectories 23 , 47 can eg be given by the middle of the common perpendicular of the two muon trajectories. In the event that the two muon trajectories 23 , 47 intersect each other (as in 4th shown), this coincides with the intersection of the two muon trajectories.

The point of closest approach of the two muon trajectories 23 , 47 can as the position of the object in the time between the two muon coincidences (for example as the position in the time between the first muon detector detection result and the second muon detector detection result) 3 get ranked. It can also be provided that the point of closest approach of the two muon trajectories 23 , 47 is evaluated as the position of the object at a point in time between the two muon coincidences, e.g. at the point in time in the middle between the two muon coincidences (e.g. in the middle between the two event times of the first and the second muon detector detection event).

Also according to the in 4th illustrated embodiment, the processing unit 33 as described above, for example either with the signal transmission device 35 or with the time recording device 37 and the data storage device 39 be executed and to transmit the corresponding information to the evaluation device 13 be trained.

Besides knowing the location of the object 3 can also be knowledge of the spatial orientation of the object 3 be of interest.

The object 3 is with multiple muon detectors 25 - 31 equipped, their position relative to each other and relative to the rest of the property 3 (also known as the relative positioning of the muon detectors). The processing unit 33 is for transmitting to the evaluation device information which represents the time of occurrence of the muon detector detection signals of all object-side muon detectors and enables the assignment of each muon detector detection event to the same detecting muon detector 13 designed so that the event time of each muon detector detection event can be assigned to the corresponding muon detector by the evaluation device.

The evaluation device 13 is designed to determine several muon detector detection events for which the time interval to a common muon telescope detection event is not greater than the coincidence threshold value, so that all of these detection events can be assigned to a single muon. The evaluation device 13 is also designed in such a way that it determines the spatial orientation of the object based on the muon trajectory data assigned to the common muon telescope detection event and taking into account the known relative positioning of the muon detectors (in particular taking into account the known position of the muon detectors assigned to the respective muon detector detection events) 3 is characterized.

If a detection event on the muon telescope and several (i.e. two or more) detection events on different object-side muon detectors take place quasi-simultaneously and can thus be assigned to a single muon, all muon detectors registering a detection event are located on the muon trajectory, which is caused by the detection event assigned to the muon telescope Muon trajectory data is represented. The evaluation device 13 is accordingly designed in particular in such a way that it determines the spatial orientation of the object based on the muon trajectory data assigned to the common muon telescope detection event and taking into account the known relative positioning of the muon detectors 3 It is characterized in that the connecting line between the muon detectors registering a detection event is identified as lying on the muon trajectory (represented by the muon trajectory data). As a result, the spatial orientation of the object present at the time of these detection events (for example in the time span between the earliest of these detection events and the latest of these detection events) can be made 3 be characterized.

Provision can also be made for a more precise characterization (for example for an exact or complete determination) of the spatial orientation of the object 3 to determine one or more further muon trajectories running through at least two muon detectors, and based on the associated muon trajectory data and the muon detectors arranged on the respective muon trajectory, taking into account the known relative positioning of the muon detectors, the spatial orientation of the object 3 to characterize.

List of reference symbols

1

Measuring arrangement

3

object

5

Living area / process volume / process container interior

7th

Process vessel

9

Medium / liquid

11

Muon telescope

13

Evaluation device

15th

Detector arrangement of the muon telescope

17th

first detector level

19th

second detector level

21st

Muon-sensitive single detector of the detector arrangement 15

23

Muon trajectory / first muon trajectory

25 - 31

object-side muon detector

33

Processing unit

35

Signal transmission device

37

Time recording device

39

Data storage facility

41

Data connection / memory readout

43

Field size detector

45

Field generating device

47

further muon trajectory / second muon trajectory

Claims (14)

Method for characterizing the positioning of an object (3) within a predetermined location area (5), wherein - by means of at least one muon telescope (11) arranged outside the area (5), muons striking it are recorded as muon telescope detection events and muon trajectory data are recorded for each muon telescope detection event, which represent the trajectory (23) of the recorded muon, - The object (3) is equipped with at least one muon detector (25), by means of which muons impinging on it are detected as muon detector detection events, and - those muon telescope detection events and muon detector detection events are determined for which the intervening period of time is not greater than a predetermined coincidence threshold value, and the positioning of the object (3) is characterized based on the associated muon trajectory data. Procedure according to Claim 1 wherein the object (3) is equipped with a signal transmission device (35) by means of which a signal is output for each muon detector detection event. Procedure according to Claim 1 or 2 wherein the object (3) is equipped with a time recording device (37) and a data storage device (39), and wherein for each muon detector detection event the time of the event is stored by means of the data storage device (39). Method according to one of the Claims 1 to 3 , the object (3) being equipped with at least one field size detector (43) which is designed to detect a physical field size, and the positioning of the object (3) taking into account the measured values detected by the field size detector (43) is characterized. Procedure according to Claim 4 , wherein an inhomogeneous field of the physical field size is generated by means of a field generating device (45). Method according to one of the Claims 1 to 5 , wherein - a first muon telescope detection event and a first muon detector detection event are determined, for which the intermediate Time period is not greater than the coincidence threshold value, - a second muon telescope detection event and a second muon detector detection event are determined for which the time interval between is not greater than the coincidence threshold value, and - the positioning of the object (3) based on the muon trajectory data assigned to the first muon telescope detection event and the muon trajectory data assigned to the second muon telescope detection event are characterized. Method according to one of the Claims 1 to 6th - The object (3) is equipped with several muon detectors (25, 27, 29, 31) which have a predetermined position relative to one another, - a muon telescope detection event and several muon detector detection events recorded on different muon detectors are determined for which the time span between the muon detector detection event and the muon telescope detection event is in each case not greater than the coincidence threshold value, and - based on the associated muon trajectory data, taking into account the position of the muon detectors relative to each other, the spatial orientation of the object (3) is characterized. Arrangement (1) for characterizing the positioning of an object (3) within a predetermined location area (5), the object being part of the arrangement and having at least one muon detector (25) which is designed as a muon detector detection event to detect muons that strike it , having the arrangement: - At least one muon telescope (11) which is designed as muon trajectory data for detecting muons impinging thereon as a muon telescope detection event and for detecting data which represent the trajectory (23) of a detected muon, and - An evaluation device (13), which is used to determine such muon telescope detection events and muon detector detection events for which the intervening period of time is not greater than a predetermined coincidence threshold value, and to characterize the positioning of the object (3) based on the associated muon trajectories Data is formed. Arrangement according to Claim 8 wherein the object (3) has a signal transmission device (35) which is designed in such a way that a signal is output by it for each muon detector detection event. Arrangement according to Claim 8 or 9 wherein the object (3) has a time recording device (37) and a data storage device (39), and wherein the data storage device is designed by means of the time recording device to store the time of the event for each muon detector detection event. Arrangement according to one of the Claims 8 to 10 , wherein the object (3) has at least one field size detector (43) which is designed to detect a physical field size, and wherein the evaluation device (13) for characterizing the positioning of the object (3) taking into account that of the field size detector (43) recorded measured values is formed. Arrangement according to Claim 11 wherein the arrangement has a field generating device (45) which is designed to generate an inhomogeneous field of the physical field size. Arrangement according to one of the Claims 8 to 12 , wherein the evaluation device (13) is designed to - determine a first muon telescope detection event and a first muon detector detection event, for which the intervening time period is not greater than the coincidence threshold, - determine a second muon telescope detection event and a second muon detector Detection event for which the intervening period of time is not greater than the coincidence threshold value, and characterizing the positioning of the object (3) based on the muon trajectory data assigned to the first muon telescope detection event and the muon trajectories data assigned to the second muon telescope detection event . Arrangement according to one of the Claims 8 to 13 , wherein the object (3) has several muon detectors (25, 27, 29, 31), and wherein the evaluation device (13) is designed to - determine a muon telescope detection event and several at different muon detectors (25, 27, 29, 31) detected muon detector detection events for which the period of time between the muon detector detection event and the muon telescope detection event is in each case not greater than the coincidence threshold value, and characterizing the spatial orientation of the object (3) based on the associated with the muon telescope detection event Muon trajectory data including the position of the muon detectors relative to each other.

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