Uncertainty evaluation in activity measurements using ionization chambers. (June 2015)

• Record Type: Journal Article
• Authors: Amiot, M N; Chisté, V; Fitzgerald, R; Juget, F; Michotte, C; Pearce, A; Ratel, G; Zimmerman, B E
• Is Part Of: Metrologia. Volume 52:Number 3(2015:Jun.)
• Page Start: S108
• Page End: S122
• Publication Date: 2015-06
• Subjects: Weights and measures -- Periodicals; Weights and Measures -- Periodicals; 530.805
• DOI: 10.1088/0026-1394/52/3/S108
• Languages: English
• ISSNs: 0026-1394

Abstract

<abstract> <title>Summary</title> <p>Pressurized re-entrant (or 4<italic>π</italic>) ionization chambers (ICs) connected to current-measuring electronics are used for activity measurements of photon emitting radionuclides and some beta emitters in the fields of metrology and nuclear medicine. As a secondary method, these instruments need to be calibrated with appropriate activity standards from primary or direct standardization. The use of these instruments over 50 years has been well described in numerous publications, such as the Monographie BIPM-4 and the special issue of <italic>Metrologia</italic> on radionuclide metrology (Ratel 2007 <italic>Metrologia</italic><bold>44</bold> S7–16, Schrader1997 <italic>Activity Measurements With Ionization Chambers (Monographie BIPM-4)</italic> Schrader 2007 <italic>Metrologia</italic><bold>44</bold> S53–66, Cox <italic>et al</italic> 2007 <italic>Measurement Modelling of the International Reference System (SIR) for Gamma-Emitting Radionuclides (Monographie BIPM-7)</italic>). The present work describes the principles of activity measurements, calibrations, and impurity corrections using pressurized ionization chambers in the first part and the uncertainty analysis illustrated with example uncertainty budgets from routine source-calibration as well as from an international reference system (SIR) measurement in the second part.</p> </abstract>