Streamlined Monte Carlo simulation of environmental gamma-ray backgrounds for radiation detector sensitivity comparisons

Journal Article · 08 September 2018 · Journal of Radioanalytical and Nuclear Chemistry

DOI:https://doi.org/10.1007/s10967-018-6150-4· OSTI ID:1489256

Keillor, Martin E.; Campbell, Luke W.; Cowles, Christian C.; Dion, Michael P.; Ely, James H.; Neumann, Colby R.

In a recent effort to compare the detection sensitivity of a variety of gamma radiation detectors applied to in-situ and lightly shielded field laboratory scenarios, the authors found that a lack of “apples-to-apples” background measurements with the different detectors presented significant challenges in the detection sensitivity calculations. To overcome this hurdle, Monte Carlo modeling of the terrestrial environmental gamma radiation and experimental measurements were undertaken. Inspired by the work of Vojtyla to reduce the computing burden of modeling bremsstrahlung emitted from the surface of lead, a related approach was taken to define a gamma-ray surface source that would adequately represent the emission of natural gamma-rays from the earth’s surface. This work will present the definition of a surface source that is based on the potassium, uranium, and thorium content of a local soil, and provide a comparison to experimental in-situ gamma measurements.

• Research Organization: Pacific Northwest National Lab. (PNNL), Richland, WA (United States)
• Sponsoring Organization: USDOE National Nuclear Security Administration (NNSA)
• DOE Contract Number: AC05-76RL01830
• OSTI ID: 1489256
• Report Number(s): PNNL-SA-133971
• Journal Information: Journal of Radioanalytical and Nuclear Chemistry, Vol. 318, Issue 1; ISSN 0236-5731
• Publisher: Springer
• Country of Publication: United States
• Language: English