• Journal of Radiation Protection and Research
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• v.43 no.3
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• pp.85-96
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• 2018

Background: A variety of inorganic scintillators have been developed and improved for use in radiation detection and measurement, and in situ gamma-ray spectrometry in the environment remains an important area in nuclear safety. In order to verify the feasibility of promising scintillators in an actual environment, a performance test is necessary to identify gamma-ray peaks and calculate the radioactivity from their net count rates in peaks. Materials and Methods: Among commercially available scintillators, $LaBr_3(Ce)$ scintillators have so far shown the highest energy resolution when detecting and identifying gamma-rays. However, the intrinsic background of this scintillator type affects efficient application to the environment with a relatively low count rate. An algorithm to subtract the intrinsic background was consequently developed, and the in situ calibration factor at 1 m above ground level was calculated from Monte Carlo simulation in order to determine the radioactivity from the measured net count rate. Results and Discussion: The radioactivity of six natural radionuclides in the environment was evaluated from in situ gamma-ray spectrometry using an $LaBr_3(Ce)$ detector. The results were then compared with those of a portable high purity Ge (HPGe) detector with in situ object counting system (ISOCS) software at the same sites. In addition, the radioactive cesium in the ground of Jeju Island, South Korea, was determined with the same assumption of the source distribution between measurements using two detectors. Conclusion: Good agreement between both detectors was achieved in the in situ gamma-ray spectrometry of natural as well as artificial radionuclides in the ground. This means that an $LaBr_3(Ce)$ detector can produce reliable and stable results of radioactivity in the ground from the measured energy spectrum of incident gamma-rays at 1 m above the ground.

• Journal of Radiation Protection and Research
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• v.43 no.2
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• pp.75-84
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• 2018

Background: Gamma-ray spectrometry helps in radiation shielding problems and different applications of radioisotopes. Experimental arrangements including broad beam geometries are widely used. The aim is to investigate and evaluate the ${\gamma}-ray$ spectra via attenuation by environmental materials. Materials and Methods: The photo peak to nominated parts in the ${\gamma}-ray$ spectra and the attenuation coefficients ${\mu}_b/{\rho}$ from broad beam geometries are measured for the materials water, soil, sand and cement at the energies 0.662, 1.25, and 1.332 MeV with a $3{^{\prime}^{\prime}}{\times}3{^{\prime}^{\prime}}$ NaI(Tl) detector. Results and Discussion: The ${\gamma}-ray$ spectra vary according to changes in the effective atomic number $Z_{eff}$ of the attenuator, the photon energy and the solid angle. The peak to total ratios are the most sensitive parts to variations in the experimental conditions and overturn in the region 0.663 MeV to 1.332 MeV. This is indicated as inversion trend. The results are discussed in view of $Z_{eff}$ and the experimental conditions. The intensity build-up is larger at the lower energy and larger scattering angles in agreement with Klein-Nishina formula and other results. The build-up factor B is$${\sim_=}$$1 at high ${\gamma}-energies$ and small scattering angles. Conclusion: The sensitivity to material characteristics decrease gradually from peak: to total, to Compton valley, to Compton plateau ratios. Rigorous collimation is necessary at small energies. Cement, of the largest $Z_{eff}$, is characterized by the maximum broad beam mass attenuation coefficients ${\mu}_b/{\rho}$. The obtained results provide information to decide for the suitable experimental set-up based on aim of the work.

• Journal of Radiation Protection and Research
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• v.30 no.4
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• pp.167-174
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• 2005

The concentrations of natural and artificial radionuclides in soil and gamma ray dose rate in air at 233 locations in Korea have been determined. The national mean concentrations of $^{232}Th,\;^{226}Ra,\;^{40}K,\;^{137}Cs\;and\;^{90}Sr$ in soil were $60{\pm}31,\;33{\pm}14,\;673{\pm}238,\;35{\pm}9.3\;and\;5.0{\pm}3.4\;Bq\;kg^{-1}$, respectively. The mean gamma-ray dose rate at 1 m above the ground was $7918\;nGy\;h^{-1}$. $^{137}Cs$ concentration had highly significant correlation with organic matter content and cation exchange capacity. $^{90}Sr$ concentration had slightly coherent with pH. The results have been compared with other global radioactivity and radiation measurements.

• Journal of Radiation Protection and Research
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• v.36 no.4
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• pp.174-182
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• 2011

With the reactor operation conditions - 4.3 wt% $^{235}U$ initial enrichment, burn-up 55,000 MWd/MTU, average power 34 MW/MTU for three periods burned time for 539.2 days per period and cooling time for 100 hours after shut down, to set up the condition to determine the minimum height (depth) of spent fuel storage pool to shut off the radiation out of the spent fuel storage pool and to store spent fuels safely, the dose rate on the specific position directed to the surface of spent fuel storage pool induced by the neutron and gamma-ray from spent fuels are evaluated. The length of spent fuel is 381 cm, and as the result of evaluation on each position from the top of spent fuel to the surface of spent fuel storage pool, it is difficult for neutrons from spent fuels to pass through the water layer of maximum 219 cm (600 cm from the floor of spent fuel storage pool) and 419 cm (800 cm from the floor of spent fuel storage pool) for gamma-ray. Therefore, neutron and gamma-ray from spent fuels can pass through below 419 cm (800 cm from the floor) water layer directed to the surface of spent fuel storage pool.

• Journal of Radiation Protection and Research
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• v.16 no.2
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• pp.1-6
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• 1991

The $HgI_2$ single crystal which can be used for the ${\gamma}-ray$ detector at room temperature was grown by Temperature Oscillation Method. The low temperature photoluminescence, specific resistivity and trap concentration of $HgI_2$ single crystal were investigated. Three main luminescence bands were observed at 2.30eV, 2.20eV and 2.00eV at 20K, related to the excitons, I-vacancies and impurities, respectively. The specific resistivity and trap concentration of $HgI_2$ single crystal were $10^{11}{\Omega}\;cm\;and\;1.8{\times}10^{14}/cm^3$ at room temperature, respectively. Also the radiation detecting system was deviced by $HgI_2$ ${\gamma}-ray$ detector, one chip microprocessor, LCD module and personal computer. The prepared $HgI_2$ ${\gamma}-ray$ detector showed a good linearity of ${\gamma}-radiation$ dose for standard ${\gamma}-ray$.

• Journal of Radiation Protection and Research
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• v.9 no.1
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• pp.11-18
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• 1984

A Standard gamma-ray ionization chamber system was developed with a well type ionization chamber and micro current measuring circuit. Micro current was measured by the automatic Townsend balance with stepwise compensation method. For gamma emitting nuclides such as $^{241}Am,\;^{133}Ba,\;^{60}Co,\;^{134}Cs,\;^{137}Cs,\;and\;^{22}Na$ relative calibration factors to $^{226}Ra$ reference source were calculated and detection .efficiency curve was determined as a fudnction of gamma energy.

• The Transactions of The Korean Institute of Electrical Engineers
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• v.62 no.10
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• pp.1421-1424
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• 2013

The electronic equipment which is exposed to high level pulsed radiation is damaged by Upset, Latchup, and Burnout. Those damages come from the instantaneous photocurrent from electron-hole pairs generated in itself. Such damages appear as losses of a power in military weapon system or as a blackout in aerospace equipment and eventually caused in gross loss of national power. In this paper, we have implemented a RDC(Radiation detection and control module) as a part of the radiation protection technology of the electronic equipment or devices from the pulsed gamma radiation. The RDC, which is composed of pulsed gamma-ray detection sensor, signal processors, and pulse generator, is designed to protect the an important electronic circuits from the a pulse radiation. To verify the functionality of the RDC, LM118s, which had damaged by the pulse radiation, were tested. The test results showed that the test sample applied with the RDC was worked well in spite of the irradiation of a pulse radiation. Through the experiments we could confirm that the radiation protection technology implemented with the RDC had the functionality of radiation protection for the electronic devices.

• Journal of Radiation Protection and Research
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• v.42 no.1
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• pp.26-32
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• 2017

Background: Ionizing radiation is known to be harmful to human health. The shielding of ionizing radiation depends on the attenuation which can be achieved by three main rules, i.e. time, distance and absorbing material. Materials and Methods: The mass attenuation coefficient, linear attenuation coefficient, Half Value Layer (HVL) and Tenth Value Layer (TVL) of X-rays (32 keV, 74 keV) and gamma rays (662 keV) are measured in Barium compounds. Results and Discussion: The measured values agree well with the theory. The effective atomic numbers ($Z_{eff}$) and electron density (Ne) of Barium compounds have been computed in the wide energy region 1 keV to 100 GeV using an accurate database of photon-interaction cross sections and the WinXCom program. Conclusion: The mass attenuation coefficient and linear attenuation coefficient for $BaCO_3$ is higher than the $BaCl_2$, $Ba(No_3)_2$ and BaSO4. HVL, TVL and mean free path are lower for $BaCO_3$ than the $BaCl_2$, $Ba(No_3)_2$ and $BaSO_4$. Among the studied barium compounds, $BaCO_3$ is best material for x-ray and gamma shielding.

• Journal of Radiation Protection and Research
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• v.34 no.4
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• pp.170-175
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• 2009

For the emergency radiation monitoring using gamma spectrometry, we should sufficiently survey the background spectra as environmental samples with systematic nuclide identification method. In this study, we obtained the gamma ray energy spectrum using a HPGe gamma spectrometry system from an air sample. And we identified nuclide of the gamma ray energy peaks in the spectrum using two methods -1) Half life calculation and 2) survey for cascade coincidence summing peaks using nuclear data. As the results, we produced the nuclide identification results for the air sample.

• Nuclear Engineering and Technology
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• v.54 no.8
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• pp.3051-3058
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• 2022

In the present work, untreated Iraqi sand with grain sizes varied between 100 and 200 ㎛ was used to produce a colored glass sample that has shielding features against the low gamma-ray energy. Therefore, a weight of 70-60 wt % sand was mixed with 9-14 wt% B₂O₃, 8-10 wt% Na₂O, 4-6 wt% of CaO, 3-6 wt% Al₂O₃, in addition to 0.3% of Co₂O₃. After melting and annealing the glass sample, the X-ray diffraction spectrometry was applied to affirm the amorphous phase of the fabricated glass samples. Moreover, the X-ray dispersive energy spectrometry was used to measure the chemical composition, and the MH-300A densimeter was applied to measure the fabricated sample's density. The Makishima-Makinzie model was applied to predict the mechanical properties of the fabricated glass. Besides, the Monte Carlo simulation was used to estimate the fabricated glass sample's radiation shielding capacity in the low-energy region between 22.1 and 160.6 keV. Therefore, the simulated linear attenuation coefficient changed between 10.725 and 0.484 cm^-1, raising the gamma-ray energy between 22.1 and 160.6 keV. Also, other shielding parameters such as a half-value layer, pure lead equivalent thickness, and buildup factors were calculated.