Accession Number:

ADA172568

Title:

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

Descriptive Note:

Contract rept.

Corporate Author:

ARMED FORCES RADIOBIOLOGY RESEARCH INST BETHESDA MD

Personal Author(s):

• McDonald, Joseph C.

Report Date:

1986-08-01

Pagination or Media Count:

25.0

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.

Descriptors:

• *CALORIMETERS
• *DOSIMETERS
• *DOSIMETRY
• *RADIOBIOLOGY
• ACTIVATION
• DENSITY
• DOSAGE
• DOSE RATE
• ENERGY
• ENERGY TRANSFER
• FOILS(MATERIALS)
• HIGH RATE
• IONIZATION
• IONIZATION CHAMBERS
• LINEARITY
• MEASUREMENT
• MILITARY RESEARCH
• NEUTRON SPECTRUM
• PLASTICS
• PULSES
• RADIATION
• RECOMBINATION REACTIONS
• SOURCES
• THERMAL RADIATION

Subject Categories:

• Radiobiology
• Nuclear Instrumentation

Distribution Statement:

APPROVED FOR PUBLIC RELEASE