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Title: Impact of instrument response variations on health physics measurements

Abstract

Uncertainties in estimating the potential health impact of a given radiation exposure include instrument measurement error in determining exposure and difficulty in relating this exposure to an effective dose value. Instrument error can be due to design or manufacturing deficiencies, limitations of the sensing element used, and calibration and maintenance of the instrument. This paper evaluates the errors which can be introduced by design deficiencies and limitations of the sensing element for a wide variety of commonly used survey instruments. The results indicate little difference among sensing element choice for general survey work, with variations among specific instrument designs being the major factor. Ion chamber instruments tend to be the best for all around use, while scintillator-based units should not be used where accurate measurements are required. The need to properly calibrate and maintain an instrument appears to be the most important factor in instrument accuracy. 8 references, 6 tables.

Authors:
Publication Date:
Research Org.:
Lawrence Livermore National Lab., CA (USA)
OSTI Identifier:
6315141
Report Number(s):
UCRL-91682; CONF-841007-7
ON: DE85000860
DOE Contract Number:  
W-7405-ENG-48
Resource Type:
Conference
Resource Relation:
Conference: Nuclear science symposium, Orlando, FL, USA, 31 Oct 1984; Other Information: Portions are illegible in microfiche products
Country of Publication:
United States
Language:
English
Subject:
46 INSTRUMENTATION RELATED TO NUCLEAR SCIENCE AND TECHNOLOGY; RADIATION DETECTORS; DATA COVARIANCES; ACCURACY; DOSE-RESPONSE RELATIONSHIPS; ENERGY SPECTRA; RADIATION DOSES; DOSES; MEASURING INSTRUMENTS; SPECTRA; 440102* - Radiation Instrumentation- Radiation Dosemeters

Citation Formats

Armantrout, G A. Impact of instrument response variations on health physics measurements. United States: N. p., 1984. Web.
Armantrout, G A. Impact of instrument response variations on health physics measurements. United States.
Armantrout, G A. 1984. "Impact of instrument response variations on health physics measurements". United States. https://www.osti.gov/servlets/purl/6315141.
@article{osti_6315141,
title = {Impact of instrument response variations on health physics measurements},
author = {Armantrout, G A},
abstractNote = {Uncertainties in estimating the potential health impact of a given radiation exposure include instrument measurement error in determining exposure and difficulty in relating this exposure to an effective dose value. Instrument error can be due to design or manufacturing deficiencies, limitations of the sensing element used, and calibration and maintenance of the instrument. This paper evaluates the errors which can be introduced by design deficiencies and limitations of the sensing element for a wide variety of commonly used survey instruments. The results indicate little difference among sensing element choice for general survey work, with variations among specific instrument designs being the major factor. Ion chamber instruments tend to be the best for all around use, while scintillator-based units should not be used where accurate measurements are required. The need to properly calibrate and maintain an instrument appears to be the most important factor in instrument accuracy. 8 references, 6 tables.},
doi = {},
url = {https://www.osti.gov/biblio/6315141}, journal = {},
number = ,
volume = ,
place = {United States},
year = {Mon Oct 01 00:00:00 EDT 1984},
month = {Mon Oct 01 00:00:00 EDT 1984}
}

Conference:
Other availability
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