Title: Performance of some handheld dosimeters used for gamma-ray ambient dose rate measurements

Authors: Darwish Al-Azmi

Addresses: Department of Applied Sciences, College of Technological Studies, Public Authority for Applied Education and Training, Shuwaikh, P.O. Box: 42325, Code 70654, Kuwait

Abstract: A study was carried out on the performance of some handheld dosimeters that are used for measuring ambient gamma dose rates. A CsI scintillation-based and two GM-based dosimeters were used to measure the absorbed dose rates in an indoor environment, inside a lead shield, on different floors of a building, in a desert environment and in a boat on the Arabian Gulf. The study showed that while some instruments provide measurements of ambient gamma dose rates, which include contributions from both terrestrial and cosmic radiation components, others show the terrestrial/indoor gamma dose rate only. Tests also showed that some dosimeters may fail to operate in the very low background radiation environments unless a radioactive source is used for the start-up.

Keywords: ambient dose rate; terrestrial radiation dose; cosmic radiation dose; GM dosimeter; scintillation dosimeter; background radiation; low radiation; handheld dosimeters; gamma rays; dose rate measurements.

DOI: 10.1504/IJLR.2013.055597

International Journal of Low Radiation, 2013 Vol.9 No.2, pp.95 - 109

Received: 15 Oct 2012
Accepted: 16 Apr 2013
Published online: 13 Sep 2014 *

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