Bismuth germanate scintillators: applications in nuclear safeguards and health physics

Conference · Wed May 01 04:00:00 EDT 1985

DOI:https://doi.org/10.1016/0168-9002(86)90450-X· OSTI ID:5844714

Moss, C E; Dowdy, E J; Lucas, M C

Bismuth germanate (BGO) scintillators are preferable to NaI(Tl) scintillators or germanium detectors for some applications in nuclear safeguards and health physics. The first system, which consists of eight scintillators and a computer-based data acquisition system, is very efficient. The second, which consists of one scintillator and a small analyzer, is less efficient but portable. A computer code that uses measured response functions and photopeak efficiencies, unfolds the BGO distributions measured with these systems to determine gamma-ray flux spectra and dose rates. One application of these systems is the accurate determination of flux spectra and dose rates from containers of uranium or plutonium. A second application determined these quantities from a replica of Little Boy, the device exploded over Hiroshima. 7 refs., 6 figs.

• Research Organization: Los Alamos National Lab., NM (USA)
• DOE Contract Number: W-7405-ENG-36
• OSTI ID: 5844714
• Report Number(s): LA-UR-85-1477; CONF-850533-2; ON: DE85010730
• Country of Publication: United States
• Language: English

Related Subjects

440102* -- Radiation Instrumentation-- Radiation Dosemeters
46 INSTRUMENTATION RELATED TO NUCLEAR SCIENCE AND TECHNOLOGY
BISMUTH COMPOUNDS
BISMUTH GERMANATES
DATA ACQUISITION SYSTEMS
DATA PROCESSING
DOSE RATES
DOSIMETRY
GAMMA DOSIMETRY
GAMMA SPECTRA
GERMANATES
GERMANIUM COMPOUNDS
MEASURING INSTRUMENTS
OXYGEN COMPOUNDS
PROCESSING
RADIATION DETECTORS
SCINTILLATION COUNTERS
SOLID SCINTILLATION DETECTORS
SPECTRA
USES