Instrumentation Research and Development in DOE Health Physics Programs

Planning and control of exposure to ionizing radiation require the use of accurate, reliable instrumentation to establish dose rates, indicate high exposure rate areas, and control the spread of contamination. The Radiological Controls Division of the U. S. Department of Energy (DOE) operates several programs under the technical direction of DOE's lead laboratory in health physics, the Pacific Northwest Laboratory. These programs involve the evaluation and development of instruments to measure dose rates, internal depositions, and airborne and surface contamination. Several important developments, including the total dose meter, the laser-heated dosimeter reader, and a beta survey meter will be described.     

New Health Physics Perspectives Affecting Instrumentation Technology

Measurements obtained from health physics instrumentation are basic to the radiation control process and are used by management to assure that radiation exposures are kept within limits specified by national-international authorities. Because of this inseparable relationship, health physics instrumentation must be keyed on a continuing basis to changes in radiation exposure standards. In the last five years, there have been dramatic changes to the basic radiation protection standards. These changes should be evaluated in the context of the need for corresponding changes in instrumentation technology. At the time these assessments are made, care must be exercised to assure that radiation protection standards are not dictated by inadequate state-of-the-art technology. It is imperative that the development pathway to be followed be properly structured. This is particularly true for "critical" instrumentation standards i.e., those standards directly related to the determination of the radiation status of the worker, public, and their environment.