The influence of the type of filling gas on the response of ionisation chambers to a mixed high-energy radiation field

Radiation protection dosimetry in radiation fields behind the shielding of high-energy accelerators such as CERN is a challenging task and the quantitative understanding of the detector response used for dosimetry is essential. Measurements with ionisation chambers are a standard method to determine absorbed dose (in the detector material). For applications in mixed radiation fields, ionisation chambers are often also calibrated in terms of ambient dose equivalent at conventional reference radiation fields. The response of a given ionisation chamber to the various particle types of a complex high-energy radiation field in terms of ambient dose equivalent depends of course on the materials used for the construction and the chamber gas used. This paper will present results of computational studies simulating the exposure of high-pressure ionisation chambers filled with different types of gases to the radiation field at CERN's CERN-EU high-energy reference field facility. At this facility complex high-energy radiation fields, similar to those produced by cosmic rays at flight altitudes, are produced. The particle fluence and spectra calculated with FLUKA Monte Carlo simulations have been benchmarked in several measurements. The results can be used to optimise the response of ionisation chambers for the measurement of ambient dose equivalent in high-energy mixed radiation fields.     

Response of alanine and radio-photo-luminescence dosemeters to mixed high-energy radiation fields

Alanine and Radio-Photo-Luminescence (RPL) dosemeters are passive dosemeters used to monitor absorbed dose in all kind of radiation fields. However, up to now both dosemeter types are calibrated to photon sources only. In order to study the response of RPL and alanine dosemeters to mixed high-energy particle fields like those occurring at CERN's accelerators, an irradiation campaign at the CERN-EC High-Energy Reference field Facility (CERF-field) was performed. In this facility a copper target is irradiated by hadrons with a momentum of 120 GeV/c. Dosemeters were exposed to various mixed radiation fields by placing them at various positions on the surface of the target. In addition to the experiment FLUKA Monte Carlo simulations were carried out, which provide information concerning the energy deposition at the dosemeter locations. This paper compares the measurements with the simulation results and discusses the radiation field compositions present at the various dosemeter positions on the target.     

Response of neutron detectors to high-energy mixed radiation fields

Radiation protection around CERN's high-energy accelerators represents a major challenge due to the presence of complex, mixed radiation fields. Behind thick shielding neutrons dominate and their energy ranges from fractions of eV to about 1 GeV. In this work the response of various portable detectors sensitive to neutrons was studied at CERN's High-Energy Reference Field Facility (CERF). The measurements were carried out with conventional rem counters, which usually cover neutron energies up to 20 MeV, the Thermo WENDI-2, which is specified to measure neutrons up to several GeV, and a tissue-equivalent proportional counter. The experimentally determined neutron dose equivalent results were compared with Monte Carlo (MC) simulations. Based on these studies field calibration factors can be determined, which result in a more reliable estimate of H(*)(10) in an unknown, but presumably similar high-energy field around an accelerator than a calibration factor determined in a radiation field of a reference neutron source.     

Characterisation of ionisation chambers for a mixed radiation field and investigation of their suitability as radiation monitors for the LHC

Monitoring of the radiation environment is one of the key tasks in operating a high-energy accelerator such as the Large Hadron Collider (LHC). The radiation fields consist of neutrons, charged hadrons as well as photons and electrons with energy spectra extending from those of thermal neutrons up to several hundreds of GeV. The requirements for measuring the dose equivalent in such a field are different from standard uses and it is thus necessary to investigate the response of monitoring devices thoroughly before the implementation of a monitoring system can be conducted. For the LHC, it is currently foreseen to install argon- and hydrogen-filled high-pressure ionisation chambers as radiation monitors of mixed fields. So far their response to these fields was poorly understood and, therefore, further investigation was necessary to prove that they can serve their function well enough. In this study, ionisation chambers of type IG5 (Centronic Ltd) were characterised by simulating their response functions by means of detailed FLUKA calculations as well as by calibration measurements for photons and neutrons at fixed energies. The latter results were used to obtain a better understanding and validation of the FLUKA simulations. Tests were also conducted at the CERF facility at CERN in order to compare the results with simulations of the response in a mixed radiation field. It is demonstrated that these detectors can be characterised sufficiently enough to serve their function as radiation monitors for the LHC.     

Dose equivalent measurements in a strongly pulsed high-energy radiation field

The stray radiation field outside the shielding of high-energy accelerators comprises neutrons, photons and charged particles with a wide range of energies. Often, accelerators operate by accelerating and ejecting short pulses of particles, creating an analogue, pulsed radiation field. The pulses can be as short as 10 micros with high instantaneous fluence rates and dose rates. Measurements of average dose equivalent (rate) for radiation protection purposes in these fields present a challenge for instrumentation. The performance of three instruments (i.e. a recombination chamber, the Sievert Instrument and a HANDI-TEPC) measuring total dose equivalent is compared in a high-energy reference radiation field (CERF) and a strongly pulsed, high-energy radiation field at the CERN proton synchrotron (PS).     

Simulation and measurements of the response of an air ionisation chamber exposed to a mixed high-energy radiation field

CERN's radiation protection group operates a network of simple and robust ionisation chambers that are installed inside CERN's accelerator tunnels. These ionisation chambers are used for the remote reading of ambient dose rate equivalents inside the machines during beam-off periods. This Radiation Protection Monitor for dose rates due to Induced Radioactivity ('PMI', trade name: PTW, Type 34031) is a non-confined air ionisation plastic chamber which is operated under atmospheric pressure. Besides its current field of operation it is planned to extend the use of this detector in the Large Hadron Collider to measure radiation under beam operation conditions to obtain an indication of the machine performance. Until now, studies of the PMI detector have been limited to the response to photons. In order to evaluate its response to other radiation components, this chamber type was tested at CERF, the high-energy reference field facility at CERN. Six PMI detectors were installed around a copper target being irradiated by a mixed hadron beam with a momentum of 120 GeV c(-1). Each of the chosen detector positions was defined by a different radiation field, varying in type and energy of the incident particles. For all positions, detailed measurements and FLUKA simulations of the detector response were performed. This paper presents the promising comparison between the measurements and simulations and analyses the influence of the different particle types on the resulting detector response.     

Measurements of radiation fields around high-energy proton accelerators

Monitoring of ionising radiation around high-energy particle accelerators is a difficult task due to the complexity of the radiation field, which is made up of neutrons, charged hadrons, muons, photons and electrons, with energy spectra extending over a wide energy range. The dose-equivalent outside a thick shield is mainly owing to neutrons, with some contribution from photons and, to a minor extent, the other particles. Neutron dosimetry and spectrometry are thus of primary importance to correctly evaluate the exposure of personnel. This paper reviews the relevant techniques and instrumentation employed for monitoring radiation fields around high-energy proton accelerators, with particular emphasis on the recent development to increase the response of neutron measuring devices > 20 MeV. Rem-counters, pressurised ionisation chambers, superheated emulsions, tissue-equivalent proportional counters and Bonner sphere spectrometers are discussed.     

Workplace characterisation in mixed neutron-gamma fields, specific requirements and available methods at high-energy accelerators

A good knowledge of the radiation field present outside the shielding of high-energy particle accelerators is very important to be able to select the type of detectors (active and/or passive) to be employed for area monitoring and the type of personal dosemeter required for estimating the doses received by individuals. Around high-energy electron and proton accelerators the radiation field is usually dominated by neutrons and photons, with minor contributions from other charged particles. Under certain circumstances, muon radiation in the forward beam direction may also be present. Neutron dosimetry and spectrometry are of primary importance to characterise the radiation field and thus to correctly evaluate personnel exposure. Starting from the beam parameters important for radiation monitoring, the paper first briefly reviews the stray radiation fields encountered around high-energy accelerators and then addresses the relevant techniques employed for their monitoring. Recent developments to increase the response of neutron measuring devices beyond 10-20 MeV are illustrated. Instruments should be correctly calibrated either in reference monoenergetic radiation fields or in a field similar to the field in which they are used (workplace calibration). The importance of the instrument calibration is discussed and available neutron calibration facilities are briefly reviewed.     

Validating a MCNPX model of Mg(Ar) and TE(TE) ionisation chambers exposed to 60CO gamma rays

For an accurate determination of the absorbed doses in complex radiation fields (e.g. mixed neutron-gamma fields), a better interpretation of the response of ionisation chambers is required. This study investigates a model of the ionisation chambers using a different approach, analysing the collected charge per minute as a response of the detector instead of the dose. The MCNPX Monte Carlo code is used. In this paper, the model is validated using a well-known irradiation field only: a (60)Co source. The detailed MCNPX models of a Mg(Ar) and TE(TE) ionisation chamber is investigated comparing the measured charge per minute obtained free-in-air and in a water phantom with the simulated results. The difference between the calculations and the measurements for the TE(TE) chamber is within +/-2% whereas for the Mg(Ar) chamber is around +7%. The systematic discrepancy in the case of Mg(Ar) chamber is expected to be caused by an overestimation of the sensitive volume.     

A comparison of different recombination methods in mixed radiation fields at high energy accelerators

Recombination chambers and different recombination methods have been used for dosimetry of mixed radiation fields at high-energy accelerators for over 40 years. This paper gives a short overview of 11 selected recombination methods used for the determination of H*(10) in mixed radiation fields at high-energy accelerators. A new correction factor is proposed, mainly in order to take into account the dependence of the chamber sensitivity on radiation quality. This factor depends only on the measurable index of radiation quality and can be determined for a particular chamber during the calibration in a reference field of neutron radiation. A comparison of the results obtained at high-energy accelerators showed that all the methods gave the same values of H(10), within a specified accuracy of about 20%, so all of them are suitable for monitoring complex mixed radiation fields at workplaces.     

Study of the dosimetric characteristics of cosmic radiation at civil aviation altitudes

The dependence of the doses on solar activity for intermediate levels of the solar modulation parameter has been studied by means of simulations carried out by the Monte Carlo transport code FLUKA. The vertical cut-off rigidities investigated lie between 0.4 and 6.1 GV. The calculated results show that the linear dependence proposed in a previous work, for the effective dose rate as a function of the solar modulation parameter, can be considered as an acceptable approximation. In addition, some dosimetric characteristics of cosmic radiation and some properties of the dosemeters in use for monitoring in the cosmic ray environment have been analysed with a view to simplifying measurements. The depth-dose curves in the ICRU sphere and the response of a tissue-equivalent ionisation chamber have been determined by the FLUKA code for a number of cosmic ray spectra On the basis of the calculated results, it is concluded that a value of the depth. d, which would make the ambient dose equivalent a conservative predictor of the effective dose, cannot be specified for cosmic radiation. However, the operational quantity can be useful in order to verify the predictions of Monte Carlo calculations. It is demonstrated that a crude approximation of the ambient dose equivalent could be obtained by multiplying by 2 the absorbed dose measured by a tissue-equivalent ionisation chamber with wall thickness of 10 mm.     

FLUKA simulation of TEPC response to cosmic radiation

The aircrew exposure to cosmic radiation can be assessed by calculation with codes validated by measurements. However, the relationship between doses in the free atmosphere, as calculated by the codes and from results of measurements performed within the aircraft, is still unclear. The response of a tissue-equivalent proportional counter (TEPC) has already been simulated successfully by the Monte Carlo transport code FLUKA. Absorbed dose rate and ambient dose equivalent rate distributions as functions of lineal energy have been simulated for several reference sources and mixed radiation fields. The agreement between simulation and measurements has been well demonstrated. In order to evaluate the influence of aircraft structures on aircrew exposure assessment, the response of TEPC in the free atmosphere and on-board is now simulated. The calculated results are discussed and compared with other calculations and measurements.     

Dose build up correction for radiation monitors in high-energy bremsstrahlung photon radiation fields

Conventional radiation monitors have been found to underestimate the personal dose equivalent in the high-energy bremsstrahlung photon radiation fields encountered near electron storage rings. Depth-dose measurements in a water phantom were carried out with a radiation survey meter in the bremsstrahlung photon radiation fields from a 450 MeV electron storage ring to find out the magnitude of the underestimation. Dose equivalent indicated by the survey meter was found to build up with increase in thickness of water placed in front of the meter up to certain depth and then reduce with further increase in thickness. A dose equivalent build up factor was estimated from the measurements. An absorbed dose build up factor in a water phantom was also estimated from calculations performed using the Monte Carlo codes, EGS-4 and EGSnrc. The calculations are found to be in very good agreement with the measurements. The studies indicate inadequacy of commercially available radiation monitors for radiation monitoring within shielded enclosures and in streaming high-energy photon radiation fields from electron storage rings, and the need for proper correction for use in such radiation fields.     

Neutron dose measurements with the GSI ball at high-energy accelerators

A moderator-type neutron monitor containing pairs of TLD 600/700 elements (Harshaw) modified with the addition of a lead layer (GSI ball) for the measurement of the ambient dose equivalent from neutrons at medium- and high-energy accelerators, is introduced in this work. Measurements were performed with the Gesellschaft für Schwerionenforschung (GSI) ball as well as with conventional polyethylene (PE) spheres at the high-energy accelerator SPS at European Organization for Nuclear Research [CERN (CERF)] and in Cave A of the heavy-ion synchrotron SIS at GSI. The measured dose values are compared with dose values derived from calculated neutron spectra folded with dose conversion coefficients. The estimated reading of the spheres calculated by means of the response functions and the neutron spectra is also included in the comparison. The analysis of the measurements shows that the PE/Pb sphere gives an improved estimate on the ambient dose equivalent of the neutron radiation transmitted through shielding of medium- and high-energy accelerators.     

A mobile TEPC-based system to measure the contributions to H*(10) at flight altitudes

A very promising method to measure the ambient dose equivalent H*(10) at flight altitudes is to use Tissue Equivalent Proportional Counters (TEPC). The measured quantity is the lineal energy, y, which can be converted into equivalent dose as a good estimate of H*(10). According to the lineal energy transfer (LET) spectra one may even extract information about the composition of the radiation field. A new system was developed by adding a surrounding coincidence detector (CACS: Coincidence/Anti-Coincidence Shield) that allows one to identify the primary particle, which deposits energy in the TEPC, as neutral or charged. The entire system was calibrated in the neutron and high-energy photon reference fields at PTB. One of the results of these measurements is, the use of low- and high-LET calibration factors when performing measurements in mixed radiation fields. The TEPC/CACS system is now operated on-board aircrafts as a fixed or mobile dosimetry system.     

Measurement and simulation of lineal energy distribution at the CERN high energy facility with a tissue equivalent proportional counter

The response of a tissue equivalent proportional counter (TEPC) in a mixed radiation field with a neutron energy distribution similar to the radiation field at commercial flight altitudes has been studied. The measurements have been done at the CERN-EU High-Energy Reference Field (CERF) facility where a well-characterised radiation field is available for intercomparison. The TEPC instrument used by the ARC Seibersdorf Research is filled with pure propane gas at low pressure and can be used to determine the lineal energy distribution of the energy deposition in a mass of gas equivalent to a 2 mum diameter volume of unit density tissue, of similar size to the nuclei of biological cells. The linearity of the detector response was checked both in term of dose and dose rate. The effect of dead-time has been corrected. The influence of the detector exposure location and orientation in the radiation field on the dose distribution was also studied as a function of the total dose. The microdosimetric distribution of the absorbed dose as a function of the lineal energy has been obtained and compared with the same distribution simulated with the FLUKA Monte Carlo transport code. The dose equivalent was calculated by folding this distribution with the quality factor as a function of linear energy transfer. The comparison between the measured and simulated distributions show that they are in good agreement. As a result of this study the detector is well characterised, thanks also to the numerical simulations the instrument response is well understood, and it's currently being used onboard the aircrafts to evaluate the dose to aircraft crew caused by cosmic radiation.     

Experimental and computational determination of neutron dose equivalent around radiotherapy accelerators

An experimental and computational investigation of the neutron dose equivalent in the treatment room and maze of various radiotherapy accelerators in Canada was completed. A bubble detector was selected for the bulk of the measurements due to its relative insensitivity to gamma radiation. The rooms and accelerator heads were modelled using the MCNP4B Monte Carlo radiation transport code, modified with a photoneutron patch. The results of the investigation showed generally good agreement between the experiments. Monte Carlo and analytical approximations to the neutron dose equivalent, and suggest that if the analytical approximations are used carefully they may be substituted for more costly experimental or Monte Carlo determinations.     

High-energy neutron dosimetry with superheated drop detectors

A systematic analysis of the response of dichlorodifluoromethane superheated drop detectors was performed in the 46-133 MeV energy range. Experiments with quasi-monoenergetic neutron beams were performed at the Université Catholique de Leuvain-la-Neuve, Belgium and the Svedberg Laboratory, Sweden, while tests in a broad field were performed at CERN. To determine the response of the detectors to the high-energy beams, the spectra of incident neutrons were folded over functions modelled after the cross sections for the production of heavy ions from the detector elements. The cross sections for fluorine and chlorine were produced in this work by means of the Monte Carlo high-energy transport code HADRON based on the cascade exciton model of nuclear interactions. The new response data permit the interpretation of measurements at high-energy accelerators and on high-altitude commercial flights, where a 30-50% under-response had been consistently recorded with respect to neutron dose equivalent. The introduction of a 1 cm lead shell around the detectors effectively compensates most of the response defect.     

Determination of dose-build-up thickness for absorbed dose measurement in high energy electron-photon radiation at electron storage rings

Radiation field during accidental electron beam loss near electron storage rings comprises of high-energy electrons and bremsstrahlung photons. Due to high-energy nature of the radiation, the absorbed dose is expected to build up with depth of the body of an exposed worker and hence absorbed dose measurements in 30 cm water/tissue equivalent phantom is essential. Carrying out the measurements with in such phantoms is not practically feasible for routine applications and hence the use of an equivalent solid material around the dosemeters would be convenient. Monte Carlo calculations have been carried out in order to determine the dose-build-up thickness required in copper and lead, corresponding to the maximum absorbed within 30 cm depth of water in such radiation fields. Equivalent build-up thickness calculated for a case was verified by measurement using an ion chamber detector. The results are found to be in agreement within +/-20%.