FAST NEUTRON DOSIMETRY OF A PLUTONIUM-BERYLLIUM SOURCE (thesis)

Technical Report · Wed Jan 01 04:00:00 EST 1958

OSTI ID:4808538

Lawrence, D C

S>Investigations showed that using a combination of two ehambers, one composed of polythylene-- ethylene and the other of teflon-- CO/sub 2/, the doses delivered to a standard tissue'' by the fast neutrons and the gamma rays from a Pu--Be neutron source can be measured. The ionization currents were read on a vibrating reed electrometer. The probable errors in the measurements were about 6% in the neutron dose rate and about 15% in the gamma dose rate. The final results obtained for a 0.980 c Pu--Be source were: fast neutron dose rate at 10 cm = 17.9 + mrep/hr and gamma dose rate at 10 cm = 17.9 plus or minus 0.4 mrep/ hr. From this the source strength was determined to be 1.6 x 10/sup 6/ plus or minus 0.1 n/ sec. During the experiments it was found that the variation of the conductivity of polyethylene on exposure to radiation can be used as a means of radiation measurement. The theory, apparatus, experimental method, and results are discussed. (M.C.G.)

• Research Organization: Washington. Univ., Seattle
• NSA Number: NSA-16-010960
• OSTI ID: 4808538
• Report Number(s): TID-14865
• Country of Publication: Country unknown/Code not available
• Language: English

Related Subjects

BERYLLIUM
CARBON DIOXIDE
ELECTRIC CONDUCTIVITY
ELECTROMETERS
ERRORS
ETHYLENE
FAST NEUTRONS
FLUORINATED HYDROCARBONS
GAMMA RADIATION
IONIZATION CHAMBERS
ORGANIC FLUORINE COMPOUNDS
PERFORMANCE
PHYSICS
PLANNING
PLUTONIUM
POLYETHYLENES
POLYMERS
RADIATION DOSES
RADIATION SOURCES
STANDARDS
TEFLON
TISSUES