Development of a Course in Gamma Ray Spectrometry
- Nuclear Engineering Teaching Laboratory, University of Texas Austin, Texas, 78758 (United States)
- Faculty Innovative Center, University of Texas, Austin, Texas, 78712 (United States)
- Nuclear and Applied Robotics Group, University of Texas Austin, Texas, 78758 (United States)
The majority of undergraduate and graduate students in nuclear science and engineering take a general course in nuclear instrumentation where one of the topics is typically in gamma ray spectrometry. Rarely are courses offered solely on this subject matter other than intensified workshops conducted by the International Atomic Energy Agency (IAEA) or private companies which can be expensive especially for large groups of students. Currently there are many world-wide projects in routine monitoring and advanced research that employ gamma rays. Some but not an exhaustive list of these topics include neutron activation analysis, naturally occurring radioactivity materials (NORM), nuclear forensics, nuclear security, in-situ gamma ray detection, galactic gamma ray detection, health physics and advanced instrumentation. At the Nuclear Engineering Teaching Laboratory at the University of Texas at Austin, many of our students are involved in an array of research topics that involve gamma ray spectrometry in their Masters of Science theses, PhD dissertations and special topics courses. It was decided to invest the time and effort to develop a course with a strong technical component to complement their research activities. A detailed stand-alone course in gamma ray spectrometry that includes a series lectures in modular form has been developed. As well we have incorporated fourteen advanced animations to better explain some of the fundamental physical processes and experimental set-ups. Six laboratory sessions and multiple homework assignments have also been established. This course is applicable to senior undergraduate students, graduate students, and novice researchers the above mentioned fields in a traditional class/laboratory setting or for intense one to two week workshops. A great deal of effort was undertaken to prepare a stand-alone course in gamma ray spectrometry which includes many of the fundamental aspects as well as the more advanced instrumentation. Animations of gamma ray interactions and experimental set ups were also developed. Six laboratories and six assignments were also conceived. Every topic has its own module thus a 'pick and choose' subset of lectures can be given to different levels of understanding. This course is applicable to senior undergraduate students, graduate students, novice researchers in neutron activation analysis and naturally occurring radioactive material, and for intense one to two week workshops. (authors)
- OSTI ID:
- 22991824
- Journal Information:
- Transactions of the American Nuclear Society, Vol. 114, Issue 1; Conference: Annual Meeting of the American Nuclear Society, New Orleans, LA (United States), 12-16 Jun 2016; Other Information: Country of input: France; 14 refs.; Available from American Nuclear Society - ANS, 555 North Kensington Avenue, La Grange Park, IL 60526 United States; ISSN 0003-018X
- Country of Publication:
- United States
- Language:
- English
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