Technical Aspects of the Dissemination of the Air-Kerma Standard from Cs137 Gamma-Ray Beams in the United States

Published

October 20, 2008

Author(s)

Ronaldo Minniti

Abstract

The national standard for air kerma from gamma-ray beams is maintained in the US by the National Institute of Standards and Technology (NIST), the primary standard dosimetry laboratory in the US. The standard is disseminated throughout the US by a well established network of calibration facilities. The main tool used at both NIST and at these calibration facilities for disseminating the national standard are cesium irradiators. The output of these cesium irradiators is well known at each one of the calibration facilities and is therefore used for calibrating radiation detection equipment in terms of the radiation quantity air kerma. This ensures the accuracy of measurements performed with radiation detection equipment used in numerous types of applications throughout the country. In this paper a brief description of the standards program at NIST will be presented including the dissemination of the national standard for air kerma from gamma-ray beams throughout the US. Technical aspects about the operation of the NIST facilities will be described

Proceedings Title

12th International Radiation Protection Association Congress

Conference Dates

October 20-24, 2008

Conference Location

Buenos Aires, AR

Pub Type

Conferences

Keywords

air-kerma, calibration, cesium, gamma-ray, ionization chamber, national standard, radiation detection

Citation

Minniti, R. (2008), Technical Aspects of the Dissemination of the Air-Kerma Standard from Cs137 Gamma-Ray Beams in the United States, 12th International Radiation Protection Association Congress, Buenos Aires, AR (Accessed April 19, 2024)