Application of a new in situ calibration technique for gamma spectrometry and comparison of in situ and laboratory measurements

Arh Hig Rada Toksikol. 2021 Mar 30;72(1):29-35. doi: 10.2478/aiht-2021-72-3468. Print 2021 Mar 1.

Abstract

In situ gamma ray spectrometry was developed to quickly measure large areas of land following nuclear accidents. However, a proper calibration of detectors for in situ measurements is a long and complicated process. One tool designed to make this calibration quick is the InSiCal software. We compared 5,000 s in situ measurements with two different HPGe detectors calibrated using the InSiCal software and laboratory measurements of samples collected at the same locations. Our findings suggest that in situ gamma spectrometry using InSiCal software can provide reasonably accurate data, but some improvements are needed.

In situ gama-spektrometrija razvijena je u svrhu brzog mjerenja velikih površina tla nakon nuklearnih nesreća. Međutim, odgovarajuća kalibracija detektora za in situ mjerenja kompliciran je i dug proces. Računalni program InSiCal omogućuje njihovu brzu kalibraciju. Koristeći se InSiCal računalnim programom, dvama različitim kalibriranim HPGe detektorima usporedili smo kratka in situ mjerenja, kakva bi se očekivala u slučaju izvanrednoga događaja, s laboratorijskim mjerenjima uzoraka uzetih s istih lokacija. Naše je istraživanje pokazalo da in situ gama-spektrometrija uz primjenu InSiCal softvera daje relativno točne rezultate, ali su potrebna daljnja poboljšanja takve metode brzog mjerenja.

Keywords: HPGe spectrometers; InSiCal software; emergency; radiation; radionuclide measurements.

MeSH terms

  • Calibration
  • Gamma Rays
  • Laboratories
  • Radiation Monitoring*
  • Spectrometry, Gamma*