Measurement of indoor natural neutron spectrum with a Bonner sphere spectrometer
HU Qingdong1, ZENG Zhi1, MA Hao1, CHENG Jianping1, LI Junli1, ZHANG Hui1, WANG Xin1, WU Zhen1,2
1. Key Laboratory of Particle and Radiation Imaging of the Ministry of Education, Department of Engineering Physics, Tsinghua University, Beijing 100084, China;
2. Nuctech Company Limited, Beijing 100084, China
Abstract:A Bonner sphere spectrometer was used to measure indoor natural neutron spectra in Beijing with the neutron energy spectrum obtained using an unfolding procedure with a genetic algorithm. The spectra and fluence-to-dose conversion coefficients gave a neutron flux of 2.83×10-3 cm-2·s-1 and a neutron ambient dose equivalent of (1.5±0.1) nSv/h for neutron energy below 20 MeV. The total neutron flux was 3.54×10-3 cm-2·s-1 and the total neutron ambient dose equivalent was (2.1±0.1) nSv/h which are comparable with the dose of (2.3±0.2) nSv/h measured by a 3He neutron monitor. The results are consistent with other measurements at similar latitudes, which verifies the reliability of this instrument and the indoor neutron dose equivalent in Beijing.
[1]技安室环境辐射组. 低空宇宙辐射剂量的测量及其随海拔高度变化的经验规律 [J]. 辐射防护, 1984 (01): 7-17.RP Group. Cosmic ray measurement in the lower atmosphere and empirical formulars for the dependence of dose on altitude [J]. Radiation Protection, 1984 (01): 7-17. (in Chinese)
[2]Thomas D J, Alevra A V. Bonner sphere spectrometers-A critical review [J]. Nuclear Instruments and Methods in Physics Research Section A: Accelerators, Spectrometers, Detectors and Associated Equipment, 2002, 476(1): 12-20.
[3]Leuthold G, Mares V, Rühm W, et al. Long-term measurements of cosmic ray neutrons by means of a Bonner spectrometer at mountain altitudes-First results [J]. Radiation Protection Dosimetry, 2007, 126(1-4): 506-511.
[4]Rühm W, Mares V, Pioch C, et al. Measurements of secondary neutrons from cosmic radiation with a Bonner sphere spectrometer at 79N [J]. Radiation and Environmental Biophysics, 2009, 48(2): 125-133.
[5]Gordon M S, Goldhagen P, Rodbell K P, et al. Measurement of the flux and energy spectrum of cosmic-ray induced neutrons on the ground [J]. IEEE Transactions on Nuclear Science, 2004, 51(6): 3427-3434.
[6]WANG Xin, ZHANG Hui, WU Zhen, et al. Development of spectrum unfolding code for multi-sphere neutron spectrometer using genetic algorithms [J]. Nuclear Science and Techniques, 2014, 25(S1): 10503-S010503.
[7]Simmer G, Mares V, Weitzenegger E, et al. Iterative unfolding for Bonner sphere spectrometers using the MSANDB code-Sensitivity analysis and dose calculation [J]. Radiation Measurements, 2010, 45(1): 1-9.
[8]Savitskaya E N, Sannikov A V. High energy neutron and proton kerma factors for different elements [J]. Radiation Protection Dosimetry, 1995, 60(2): 135-146.
[9]Sheu R J, Jiang S H. Cosmic-ray-induced neutron spectra and effective dose rates near air/ground and air/water interfaces in Taiwan [J]. Health Physics, 2003, 84(1): 92-99.
[10]李建平, 常崴克, 解延风, 等. 天然中子本底剂量水平的测定 [J]. 高能物理与核物理, 1982, 6(6): 665-670.LI Jianping, CHANG Waike, JIE Yanfeng et al. Measurement of natural background neutron [J]. High Energy Physics and Nuclear Physics, 1982, 6(6): 665-670. (in Chinese)
[11]Miyajima M, Hiramaya H, Hozumi K, et al. Measurement of stray neutron doses around KEK PS facility (1) . (2013-12-01), http://inspirehep.net/record/ 122590?ln=zh_CN.
[12]Nakamura T, Nunomiya T, Abe S, et al. Sequential measurements of cosmic-ray neutron spectrum and dose rate at sea level in Sendai, Japan [J]. Journal of Nuclear Science and Technology, 2005, 42(10): 843-853.