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Search Publications by: Ryan P. Fitzgerald (Fed)

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Displaying 26 - 50 of 68

PRIMARY STANDARDIZATION OF THE MASSIC ACTIVITY OF A PROTACTINIUM-233 SOLUTION

August 23, 2018
Author(s)
Ryan P. Fitzgerald, Leticia S. Pibida
Protactinium-233 (233Pa) is used as a tracer for radiochemical analysis and is of particular interest as an isotope dilution mass spectrometry (IDMS) spike for 231Pa/235U radio- chronometry. To this end, we present massic activity determinations by two

Assessing Radiation Hardness of Silicon Photonic Sensors.

August 13, 2018
Author(s)
Zeeshan Ahmed, Lonnie T. Cumberland, Ronald E. Tosh, Nikolai N. Klimov, Ileana M. Pazos, Ryan P. Fitzgerald
In recent years silicon photonic platforms have undergone rapid maturation enabling not only optical communication but complex scientific experiments ranging from sensors applications to fundamental physics inquiries. There is con-siderable interest in

New determination of the 229Th half-life

July 23, 2018
Author(s)
Richard Essex, Jacqueline L. Mann, Ronald Colle, Lizbeth Laureano-Perez, Megan E. Bennett, Heather Dion, Ryan P. Fitzgerald, Amy M. Gaffney, Amelie Hubert, Robert E. Steiner, Ross W. Williams, Alkiviadis Gourgiotis, William S. Kinman
A new determination of the 229Th half-life was made based on measurements of the 229Th massic activity of a high-purity solution for which the 229Th molality had previously been measured. The 229Th massic activity was measured by direct comparison with SRM

Standardization of 64Cu activity

May 25, 2018
Author(s)
Denis E. Bergeron, Jeffrey T. Cessna, Ryan P. Fitzgerald, Leticia S. Pibida, Brian E. Zimmerman
The complex decay scheme that makes 64Cu promising as both an imaging and therapeutic agent in medicine also makes the absolute measurement of its activity challenging. The National Institute of Standards and Technology (NIST) has completed a primary

The 12C(n,2n)11C Cross Section from Threshold to 26.5 MeV

February 20, 2018
Author(s)
Ryan P. Fitzgerald, M Yuly, T Eckert, G Hartshaw, S. J. Padalino, D. N. Polsin, M. Russ, A. T. Simone, C R. Brune, T N. Massey, C. E. Parker, T. C. Sangster, S P. Regan
The 12C(n, 2n)11C cross section was measured from just below threshold to 26.5 MeV using the pelletron accelerator at Ohio University. Monoenergetic neutrons, produced via the 3H(d,n)4He reaction, were allowed to strike targets of polyethylene and graphite

Activity measurements of the radionuclides 18F and 64Cu for the NIST, USA in the ongoing comparisons BIPM.RI(II)-K4.F-18 and BIPM.RI(II)-K4.Cu-64

January 1, 2018
Author(s)
Denis E. Bergeron, Jeffrey T. Cessna, Ryan P. Fitzgerald, Leticia S. Pibida, Brian E. Zimmerman, Carine Michotte, Manuel Nonis, Andrew Fenwick, Kelly Ferreira, John Keightley
In 2016, comparisons of activity measurements of 18F and 64Cu using the Transfer Instrument of the International Reference System (SIRTI) took place at the National Institute of Standards and Technology (NIST, USA). This is the first SIRTI comparison for

Results of an International Comparison of Activity Measurements of 68Ge

November 7, 2017
Author(s)
Jeffrey T. Cessna, Ryan P. Fitzgerald, Brian E. Zimmerman, Lizbeth Laureano-Perez, Denis E. Bergeron
An international key comparison, identifier CCRI(II)-K2.Ge-68, has been performed. The National Institute of Standards and Technology (NIST) served as the pilot laboratory, distributing aliquots of a 68Ge/68Ga solution. Results for the activity

Monte Carlo modelling of live-timed anticoincidence (LTAC) counting for Cu-64

September 20, 2017
Author(s)
Denis E. Bergeron, Ryan P. Fitzgerald
The radionuclide copper-64 is a promising candidate for nuclear medicine, but its complex decay creates challenges in the primary standardization of its activity. Monte Carlo simulations of live timed anticoincidence (LTAC) counting of 64Cu were used to

Large Area Alpha Sources with a Lip: Integral Counting and Spectral Distortions

August 31, 2017
Author(s)
Lynne E. King, Ryan P. Fitzgerald, Ronald Tosh
The detection efficiency for large area alpha sources with adjustable heights of a raised lip around the edge were measured by 2π gas-filled proportional counter. The variations in low- energy spectral shape were modeled using a Geant4 radiation and charge

Evidence against solar influence on nuclear decay constants

August 24, 2016
Author(s)
Denis E. Bergeron, Ryan P. Fitzgerald, Leticia S. Pibida, Stefaan Pomme
The exponential decay of radionuclides as a function of time is a cornerstone of nuclear physics and radionuclide metrology. Decay constants for spontaneous radioactive decay are considered invariable in time and space. This convenient trait allows

Long-term stability of carrier-added Ge-68 standardized solutions

March 1, 2016
Author(s)
Brian E. Zimmerman, Denis E. Bergeron, Ryan P. Fitzgerald, Jeffrey T. Cessna
Tests for chemical stability were carried out on carrier-added 68Ge solutions prepared and calibrated in 2007 and 2011 to evaluate the suitability of the specific composition as a potential Standard Reference Material. Massic count rates of the stored

HOW OLD IS IT? - 241PU/AMNUCLEAR FORENSIC CHRONOLOGY REFERENCE MATERIALS

October 27, 2015
Author(s)
Ryan P. Fitzgerald, Kenneth G. Inn
One material attribute for nuclear forensics is material age. 241Pu is almost always present in uranium- and plutonium-based nuclear weapons, which pose the greatest threat to our security. The in-growth of 241Am due to the decay of 241Pu provides an

Development of an Ultra-Pure, Carrier-Free 209Po Solution Standard

July 23, 2015
Author(s)
Ronald Colle, Ryan P. Fitzgerald, Lizbeth Laureano-Perez
Ultra-pure, carrier-free 209Po solution standards have been prepared and standardized for their massic alpha-particle emission rate. The standards, which will be disseminated by the National Institute of Standards and Technology (NIST) as Standard

Uncertainties in 4-pi-beta-gamma coincidence counting

May 22, 2015
Author(s)
Ryan P. Fitzgerald, Claude Bailat, Christophe Bobin, John Keightley
The 4-pi-beta-gamma coincidence counting method and its close relatives are widely used for the primary standardization of radioactivity. Both the general formalism and specific implementation of these methods have been well-documented. In particular, the

Uncertainty evaluation in activity measurements using ionization chambers

May 22, 2015
Author(s)
Marie Noelle Amiot, V Chiste, Ryan P. Fitzgerald, F Juget, Carine Michotte, Andrew Pearce, G Ratel
Pressurized re-entrant (or 4π) pressurized ionization chambers (ICs) connected to current- measuring electronics are used for activity measurements of photon emitting radionuclides and some beta emitters in the field of metrology and nuclear medicine. As a

Uncertainty of nuclear counting

May 22, 2015
Author(s)
Stefaan Pomme, John Keightley, Ryan P. Fitzgerald
Nuclear counting is affected by pulse pileup and system dead time which induce rate-related count loss and alter the statistical properties of the counting process. Fundamental equations are presented to predict deviations from Poisson statistics due to

Two determinations of the 223Ra half-life

May 1, 2015
Author(s)
Denis E. Bergeron, Ryan P. Fitzgerald
Ra-223 is an alpha-emitter that is being used as a bone-seeking radiotherapeutic agent. The relatively large uncertainty on its half-life (0.26 %, Bé et al., 2011) is an impediment to precision activity assays. We have performed two series of measurements

Determination of photon emission probabilities for the main gamma-rays of 223Ra in equilibrium with its progeny

March 11, 2015
Author(s)
Leticia S. Pibida, Brian E. Zimmerman, Ryan P. Fitzgerald, Lynne E. King, Jeffrey T. Cessna, Denis E. Bergeron
The currently published 223Ra gamma-ray emission probabilities display a wide variation in the values depending on the source of the data. The National Institute of Standards and Technology performed activity measurements on a 223Ra solution that was used

A review of NIST primary activity standards for 18F: 1982 to 2013

August 27, 2014
Author(s)
Denis E. Bergeron, Jeffrey T. Cessna, Bert M. Coursey, Ryan P. Fitzgerald, Brian E. Zimmerman
The new NIST activity standardization for 18F differs from results obtained between 1998 and 2008 by 4 %. The new results are considered to be very reliable; they are based on a battery of robust primary measurement techniques and bring the NIST standard

The Half-Life of 209Po : Revisited

August 13, 2014
Author(s)
Ronald Colle, Ryan P. Fitzgerald, Lizbeth Laureano-Perez
A substantial 25 % error in the then known and accepted (102  5) year half-life of 209Po was reported on in 2007. This error was detected from decay data from two separate primary standardizations of a 209Po solution standard, which were performed

A New NIST Primary Standardization of 18F

February 1, 2014
Author(s)
Ryan P. Fitzgerald, Brian E. Zimmerman, Denis E. Bergeron, Jeffrey T. Cessna, Leticia S. Pibida, Denise S. Moreira
A new primary standardization of 18F by NIST is reported. The standard is based on live-timed beta- gamma anticoincidence counting with confirmatory measurements by three other methods: (i) liquid scintillation (LS) counting using CIEMAT/NIST 3H efficiency