Quantitative investigation of gamma radiation in accelerator produced ISO neutron fields.

ABSTRACT

In standard monoenergetic ISO neutron fields, the neutron yield of neutron-producing reactions was measured in combination with the prompt photon yield, including photon energies up to 10 MeV, for the purpose of comparing the two yields. Separating the photons produced by the target (direct photons) from those generated by secondary neutron reactions was achieved using the time-of-flight method. Photon and neutron ambient dose equivalent values were calculated from measured spectral energy distributions. Quasi monoenergetic neutron fields are needed to systematically test the response of measuring instruments to neutron radiation. For this reason, ISO has defined a number of reference neutron radiation fields covering a wide energy range up to 19 MeV. Because neutron detectors may also be affected by photon radiation, the photon fluence in the ISO neutron fields has to be known. This work focuses on quasi monoenergetic accelerator-produced neutron fields in the energy range of 24 keV to 19 MeV.