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Title: Berkeley Low Background Facility

Abstract

The Berkeley Low Background Facility (BLBF) at Lawrence Berkeley National Laboratory (LBNL) in Berkeley, California provides low background gamma spectroscopy services to a wide array of experiments and projects. The analysis of samples takes place within two unique facilities; locally within a carefully-constructed, low background laboratory on the surface at LBNL and at the Sanford Underground Research Facility (SURF) in Lead, SD. These facilities provide a variety of gamma spectroscopy services to low background experiments primarily in the form of passive material screening for primordial radioisotopes (U, Th, K) or common cosmogenic/anthropogenic products; active screening via neutron activation analysis for U,Th, and K as well as a variety of stable isotopes; and neutron flux/beam characterization measurements through the use of monitors. A general overview of the facilities, services, and sensitivities will be presented. Recent activities and upgrades will also be described including an overview of the recently installed counting system at SURF (recently relocated from Oroville, CA in 2014), the installation of a second underground counting station at SURF in 2015, and future plans. The BLBF is open to any users for counting services or collaboration on a wide variety of experiments and projects.

Authors:
;  [1]; ; ;  [2];  [3]
  1. Department of Nuclear Engineering, University of California-Berkeley, CA 94720 (United States)
  2. Nuclear Science Division, Lawrence Berkeley National Laboratory, CA 94720 (United States)
  3. Physics Division, Lawrence Berkeley National Laboratory, CA 94720 (United States)
Publication Date:
OSTI Identifier:
22488699
Resource Type:
Journal Article
Journal Name:
AIP Conference Proceedings
Additional Journal Information:
Journal Volume: 1672; Journal Issue: 1; Conference: LRT 2015: 5. international workshop in low radioactivity techniques, Seattle, WA (United States), 18-20 Mar 2015; Other Information: (c) 2015 AIP Publishing LLC; Country of input: International Atomic Energy Agency (IAEA); Journal ID: ISSN 0094-243X
Country of Publication:
United States
Language:
English
Subject:
07 ISOTOPES AND RADIATION SOURCES; 73 NUCLEAR PHYSICS AND RADIATION PHYSICS; GAMMA SPECTROSCOPY; LAWRENCE BERKELEY LABORATORY; NEUTRON ACTIVATION ANALYSIS; NEUTRON FLUX; POTASSIUM ISOTOPES; RADIOISOTOPES; SENSITIVITY; STABLE ISOTOPES; SURFACES; THORIUM ISOTOPES; UNDERGROUND; URANIUM ISOTOPES

Citation Formats

Thomas, K. J., Norman, E. B., Nuclear Science Division, Lawrence Berkeley National Laboratory, CA 94720, Smith, A. R., Poon, A. W. P., Chan, Y. D., and Lesko, K. T. Berkeley Low Background Facility. United States: N. p., 2015. Web. doi:10.1063/1.4927981.
Thomas, K. J., Norman, E. B., Nuclear Science Division, Lawrence Berkeley National Laboratory, CA 94720, Smith, A. R., Poon, A. W. P., Chan, Y. D., & Lesko, K. T. Berkeley Low Background Facility. United States. https://doi.org/10.1063/1.4927981
Thomas, K. J., Norman, E. B., Nuclear Science Division, Lawrence Berkeley National Laboratory, CA 94720, Smith, A. R., Poon, A. W. P., Chan, Y. D., and Lesko, K. T. 2015. "Berkeley Low Background Facility". United States. https://doi.org/10.1063/1.4927981.
@article{osti_22488699,
title = {Berkeley Low Background Facility},
author = {Thomas, K. J. and Norman, E. B. and Nuclear Science Division, Lawrence Berkeley National Laboratory, CA 94720 and Smith, A. R. and Poon, A. W. P. and Chan, Y. D. and Lesko, K. T.},
abstractNote = {The Berkeley Low Background Facility (BLBF) at Lawrence Berkeley National Laboratory (LBNL) in Berkeley, California provides low background gamma spectroscopy services to a wide array of experiments and projects. The analysis of samples takes place within two unique facilities; locally within a carefully-constructed, low background laboratory on the surface at LBNL and at the Sanford Underground Research Facility (SURF) in Lead, SD. These facilities provide a variety of gamma spectroscopy services to low background experiments primarily in the form of passive material screening for primordial radioisotopes (U, Th, K) or common cosmogenic/anthropogenic products; active screening via neutron activation analysis for U,Th, and K as well as a variety of stable isotopes; and neutron flux/beam characterization measurements through the use of monitors. A general overview of the facilities, services, and sensitivities will be presented. Recent activities and upgrades will also be described including an overview of the recently installed counting system at SURF (recently relocated from Oroville, CA in 2014), the installation of a second underground counting station at SURF in 2015, and future plans. The BLBF is open to any users for counting services or collaboration on a wide variety of experiments and projects.},
doi = {10.1063/1.4927981},
url = {https://www.osti.gov/biblio/22488699}, journal = {AIP Conference Proceedings},
issn = {0094-243X},
number = 1,
volume = 1672,
place = {United States},
year = {Mon Aug 17 00:00:00 EDT 2015},
month = {Mon Aug 17 00:00:00 EDT 2015}
}