Journal of Radiation Protection and Research

The Korean Association for Radiation Protection (대한방사선방어학회)
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Determination of Microdosimetric Quantities of Several Neutron Calibration Fields at KAERI

  • Kim, B.H. (Korea Atomic Energy Research Institute) ;
  • Kim, J.S. (Korea Atomic Energy Research Institute) ;
  • Kim, J.L. (Korea Atomic Energy Research Institute) ;
  • Chang, S.Y. (Korea Atomic Energy Research Institute) ;
  • Cho, G. (Korea Advanced Institute of Science and Technology) ;
  • McDonald, J.C. (Pacific Northwest National Laboratory)
  • Published : 2003.12.30
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Abstract

The commercially available neutron survey meter, the REM500, which uses a tissue equivalent proportional counter (TEPC) and the self-constructed TEPC were used to determine the microdosimetric quantities of several neutron calibration fields at Korea Atomic Energy Research Institute (KAERI). Microdosimetric spectra, absorbed dose, dose equivalent as well as quality factor were derived and compared with several neutron fields which were produced by using the shadow objects to make neutron scattered and being used as a kind of realistic neutron calibration fields at KAERI. The response of REM500 as a function of mean energy was evaluated with these neutron fields using the counts measured and the predetermined reference value. The response of the self-made TEPC and the REM500 was compared using one of the neutron calibration filelds of a $^{252}Cf$ source. The reference quantities of scattered neutron calibration fields were determined using a Bonner Sphere (BS). The value of frequency-mean lineal energy, dose-mean lineal energy and quality factor of two $^{252}Cf$ sources (unmoderated and $D_2O$ moderated) were determined to check the differences in the reference neutron fields between KAERI and Pacific Northwest National Laboratory (PNNL, USA) and the results were in good agreement within 1%. It means that there is no big difference in dosimetric quantifies of neutron calibration fields of two laboratories.

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