Measurement and Detection of Radiation, Third Edition / Edition 3

by Nicholas Tsoulfanidis, Sheldon Landsberger

Overview

The research and applications of nuclear instrumentation have grown substantially since publication of the previous editions. With the miniaturization of equipment, increased speed of electronic components, and more sophisticated software, radiation detection systems are now more productively used in many disciplines, including nuclear nonproliferation, homeland security, and nuclear medicine. Continuing in the tradition of its bestselling predecessors, Measurement and Detection of Radiation, Third Edition illustrates the fundamentals of nuclear interactions and radiation detection with a multitude of examples and problems. It offers a clearly written, accessible introduction to nuclear instrumentation concepts.

New to the Third Edition

• A new chapter on the latest applications of radiation detection, covering nuclear medicine, dosimetry, health physics, nonproliferation, and homeland security
• Updates to all chapters and subtopics within chapters, as needed
• Many new references and a completely updated bibliography

This third edition of a classic textbook continues to serve new students entering the nuclear science and engineering fields. It enables them to select the proper detector, analyze the results of counting experiments, and perform radiation measurements that follow proper health physics procedures. A solutions manual is available with qualifying course adoption.

Product Details

ISBN-13:	9781420091854
Publisher:	Taylor & Francis
Publication date:	12/09/2010
Edition description:	Older Edition
Pages:	518
Product dimensions:	6.90(w) x 10.10(h) x 1.10(d)

About the Author

Nicholas Tsoulfanidis is an adjunct professor at the University of Nevada in Reno and professor emeritus at the Missouri University of Science and Technology. Since June 1997, he has been the editor of Nuclear Technology, an international journal published by the American Nuclear Society.

Sheldon Landsberger is the coordinator of the Nuclear and Radiation Engineering Program and a Hayden Head Centennial Endowed Professor at the University of Texas in Austin. He has been a recipient of the Arthur Holly Compton Award from the American Nuclear Society.

Both Dr. Tsoulfanidis and Dr. Landsberger have been recipients of the Glenn Murphy Award from the American Society for Engineering Education.

Table of Contents

Introduction to Radiation Measurements
What Is Meant by Radiation?
Statistical Nature of Radiation Emission
The Errors and Accuracy and Precision of Measurements
Types of Errors
Nuclear Instrumentation

Statistical Errors of Radiation Counting
Introduction
Definition of Probability
Basic Probability Theorems
Probability Distributions and Random Variables
Location Indexes (Mode, Median, Mean)
Dispersion Indexes, Variance, and Standard Deviation
Covariance and Correlation
The Binomial Distribution
The Poisson Distribution
The Normal (Gaussian) Distribution
The Lorentzian Distribution
The Standard, Probable, and Other Errors
The Arithmetic Mean and Its Standard Error
Confidence Limits
Propagation of Errors
Goodness of Data—x² Criterion—Rejection of Data
The Statistical Error of Radiation Measurements
The Standard Error of Counting Rates
Methods of Error Reduction
Minimum Detectable Activity
Counter Dead-Time Correction and Measurement of Dead Time

Review of Atomic and Nuclear Physics
Introduction
Elements of Relativistic Kinematics
Atoms
Nuclei
Nuclear Binding Energy
Nuclear Energy Levels
Energetics of Nuclear Decays
The Radioactive Decay Law
Nuclear Reactions
Fission

Energy Loss and Penetration of Radiation through Matter
Introduction
Mechanisms of Charged-Particle Energy Loss
Stopping Power Due to Ionization and Excitation
Energy Loss Due to Bremsstrahlung Emission
Calculation of dE/dx for a Compound or Mixture
Range of Charged Particles
Stopping Power and Range of Heavy Ions (Z > 2, A > 4)
Interactions of Photons with Matter
Interactions of Neutrons with Matter

Gas-Filled Detectors
Introduction
Relationship between High Voltage and Charge Collected
Different Types of Gas-Filled Detectors
Ionization Chambers
Proportional Counters
Geiger–Müller Counters
Gas-Flow Counters
Rate Meters
General Comments about Construction of Gas-Filled Detectors

Scintillation Detectors
Introduction
Inorganic (Crystal) Scintillators
Organic Scintillators
Gaseous Scintillators
The Relationship between Pulse Height and Energy and Type of Incident Particle
The Photomultiplier Tube
Assembly of a Scintillation Counter and the Role of Light Pipes
Dead Time of Scintillation Counters
Sources of Background in a Scintillation Counter
The Phoswich Detector

Semiconductor Detectors
Introduction
Electrical Classification of Solids
Semiconductors
The p-n Junction
The Different Types of Semiconductor Detectors
Radiation Damage to Semiconductor Detectors

Relative and Absolute Measurements
Introduction
Geometry Effects
Source Effects
Detector Effects
Relationship between Counting Rate and Source Strength

Introduction to Spectroscopy
Introduction
Definition of Energy Spectra
Measurement of an Integral Spectrum with a Single-Channel Analyzer (SCA)
Measurement of a Differential Spectrum with an SCA
The Relationship between Pulse-Height Distribution and Energy Spectrum
Energy Resolution of a Detection System
Determination of the Energy Resolution—The Response Function
The Importance of Good Energy Resolution
Brief Description of a Multichannel Analyzer (MCA)
Calibration of an MCA

Electronics
Introduction
Resistance, Capacitance, Inductance, and Impedance
A Differentiating Circuit
An Integrating Circuit
Delay Lines
Pulse Shaping
Timing
Coincidence-Anticoincidence Measurements
Pulse-Shape Discrimination
Preamplifiers
Amplifiers
Analog-to-Digital Converters (ADC)
Multiparameter Analyzers

Data Analysis Methods
Introduction
Curve Fitting
Interpolation Schemes
Least-Squares Fitting
Folding and Unfolding
Data Smoothing

Photon (Gamma-Ray and X-Ray) Spectroscopy
Introduction
Modes of Energy Deposition in the Detector
Efficiency of X-Ray and Gamma-Ray Detectors: Definitions
Detection of Photons with NaI(Tl) Scintillation Counters
Detection of Gammas with Ge Detectors
CdTe and HgI₂ Detectors as Gamma Spectrometers
Detection of X-Rays with a Si(Li) Detector

Charged-Particle Spectroscopy
Introduction
Energy Straggling
Electron Spectroscopy
Alpha, Proton, Deuteron, and Triton Spectroscopy
Heavy-Ion (Z > 2) Spectroscopy
The Time-of-Flight Spectrometer
Detector Telescopes (E dE/dx Detectors)
Position-Sensitive Detectors

Neutron Detection and Spectroscopy
Introduction
Neutron Detection by (n, Charged Particle) Reaction
Fission Chambers
Neutron Detection by Foil Activation
Measurement of a Neutron Energy Spectrum by Proton Recoil
Detection of Fast Neutrons Using Threshold Activation Reactions
Neutron Energy Measurement with a Crystal Spectrometer
The Time-of-Flight Method
Compensated Ion Chambers
Self-Powered Neutron Detectors (SPND)
Concluding Remarks

Activation Analysis
Introduction
Selection of the Optimum Nuclear Reaction
Preparation of the Sample for Irradiation
Sources of Radiation
Irradiation of the Sample
Counting of the Sample
Analysis of the Results
Sensitivity of Activation Analysis
Interference Reactions
Advantages and Disadvantages of the Activation Analysis Method
Prompt Gamma Activation Analysis
Neutron Depth Profile
Neutron Radiography

Health Physics Fundamentals
Introduction
Units of Exposure and Absorbed Dose
The Relative Biological Effectiveness—The Dose Equivalent
Dosimetry for Radiation External to the Body
Dosimetry for Radiation Inside the Body
Internal Dose Time Dependence—Biological Half-Life
Biological Effects of Radiation
Radiation Protection Guides and Exposure Limits
Health Physics Instruments
Proper Use of Radiation

Applications of Radiation Detection
Introduction
Health Physics within Nuclear Power Plants and Radiological Facilities
Portal Monitors and Passive Detection
Interactive Radiation Detection Systems
Unmanned Aerial Vehicles for Radiation Detection
Coincidence and Anti-Coincidence Detection Systems
Nuclear Medicine
Detection of Nuclear Materials/Nonproliferation Issues

Appendix A: Useful Constants and Conversion Factors
Appendix B: Atomic Masses and Other Properties of Isotopes
Appendix C: Alpha, Beta, and Gamma Sources Commonly Used
Appendix D: Tables of Photon Attenuation Coefficients
Appendix E: Table of Buildup Factor Constants

Index

Problems, Bibliography, and References appear at the end of each chapter.

What People are Saying About This

From the Publisher

… a very good textbook, providing a solid introduction to radiation detection and measurement for upper-level undergraduate and first-year graduate students in the field of nuclear science and engineering.
—Medical Physics, July 2012

This book provides a solid introduction to radiation detection and measurement for upper-level undergraduate and first-year graduate students in the fields of nuclear science and engineering. … it may be used as a good background reference by those interested in a refresher course in the physics underlying detection. The review chapters on statistics, atomic and nuclear physics, interaction of radiation with matter, and data analysis methods are well written and could appeal to medical physicists.
—Olivier Gayou, Doody’s Listings and Reviews, August 2011

This book is an excellent review of nuclear detection systems. The updated text is particularly timely with regard to the current zeitgeist for homeland security, nuclear non-proliferation, and nuclear security.
—Professor Steven Biegalski, University of Texas at Austin, USA

Editorial Reviews

Reviewer: Olivier Gayou, PhD, DABR (Allegheny General Hospital)
Description: This is the third edition of a book first published in 1983 for upper-level undergraduate and first-year graduate students, mostly in nuclear engineering. Its 17 chapters alternate reviews of background information necessary for understanding radiation detection and measurement, and actual teaching material relevant to the field. The five appendixes contain useful tables of common physical constants and conversion factors, atomic masses and other properties of isotopes, half-life, energy and intensity of commonly used radionuclides, mass attenuation and energy absorption coefficients, and buildup factor constants. The book makes good use of equations (over 600) and easy-to-read figures (over 350). Some chapters have examples with solutions, and all chapters contain an average of 12 problems without solutions. Each chapter is documented by an average of 10 bibliography entries and 40 up-to-date references.
Purpose: The purpose of this edition is to update the 1995 second edition. That edition acknowledged few changes in the field since the first edition, and incorporated mainly corrections and updated references. The authors note that this third edition is justified by the progress in miniaturization and speed of equipment, notably benefiting nuclear nonproliferation, homeland security, and nuclear medicine. The main changes they highlight in the preface are the addition of the chapter on applications of radiation detection, the elimination of several outdated sections, and a complete updating of bibliography and references, including websites.
Audience: The book is intended for upper-level undergraduate and first-year graduate students in the fields of nuclear science and engineering, and as such may be used as a background reference for a medical physics graduate program. It may also satisfy the curiosity of medical physicists who are interested in a review of the bases of radiation detection and measurement methods.
Features: After an introduction, chapters 2 through 4 offer a review of statistics, atomic and nuclear physics, and interaction of radiation with matter. The next three chapters divide radiation detectors into three types — gas-filled detectors, scintillation detectors, and semiconductor detectors - and focus on the physics underlying these detectors, including interactions and signal formation and readout. Applications of these detectors are not discussed. Chapters 8 to11 focus on radiation measurement more specifically applied to spectroscopy, such as electronics and data analysis methods. The subsequent three chapters discuss in detail photon, neutron, and charge particle spectroscopy. Chapter 15 covers activation analysis. Health physics is then discussed from the perspective of radiation protection for radiation workers. The last chapter is the new one on radiation detection, and with only four pages, it is by far the shortest. It describes the latest advances in the applications of radiation detection as they relate to radiation protection, nuclear medicine, and nonproliferation issues. Although the sections of this chapter provide only brief overviews, they are complemented by a rich list of 78 references.
Assessment: This book provides a solid introduction to radiation detection and measurement for upper-level undergraduate and first-year graduate students in the fields of nuclear science and engineering. Its usefulness for medical physicists is limited, as it is does not focus primarily on applications. However, it may be used as a good background reference by those interested in a refresher course in the physics underlying detection. The review chapters on statistics, atomic and nuclear physics, interaction of radiation with matter, and data analysis methods are well written and could appeal to medical physicists.

Doody's Review Service