Calorimetric Dose Measurements and Calorimetric System Developed for the Armed Forces Radiobiology Research Institute

Abstract

This report describes measurements that were carried out with a tissue-equivalent (TE) plastic calorimeter. This calorimeter was used in the radiation fields produced at the Armed Forces Radiobiology Institute (AFRRI) LINAC (linear acccelerator), reactor, and cobalt-60 sources. The calorimeter was used as a cross-check for other dosimetry in use of AFRRI because its response is essentially independent of dose rate and ionization density. This is important to dose measurements at AFRRI because the radiation sources there are high in intensity, capable of delivering single pulses, and, in the case of the reactor, high in LET (linear energy transfer). The other types of dosimeter systems at AFRRI include TE and nonhydrogenous ionization chambers and activation foils. Ionization chambers suffer from recombination problems when exposed to high dose rates and high-LET radiations, and activation foils require knowledge of the neutron energy spectrum. The calorimeter is not subject to these restrictions, which makes it useful for intercomparison studies.

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Document Details

Document Type
Technical Report
Publication Date
Aug 01, 1986
Accession Number
ADA172568

Entities

People

  • Joseph C. Mcdonald

Organizations

  • Armed Forces Radiobiology Research Institute

Tags

Communities of Interest

  • Advanced Electronics

DTIC Thesaurus Topics

  • Accuracy
  • Calibration
  • Charged Particles
  • Data Analysis
  • Dose Rate
  • Electron Beams
  • Electronic Equipment
  • Gamma Rays
  • Ionization
  • Ionization Chambers
  • Linear Accelerators
  • Materials
  • Measurement
  • Radiation
  • Resistance
  • Steady State
  • Vacuum Pumps

Fields of Study

  • Medicine
  • Physics

Readers

  • Nuclear and Radiation Engineering.