Gammy-Ray Spectrometry is a key technique in the study of radioactive decay. It measures the rate and extent of radioactivity from a variety of sources, both natural and artificial, including cosmic ray sources, nuclear reactors, high-energy physics experiments, and more. The resulting data can be essential to environmental monitoring and to a range of experimental sciences.
For years, Practical Gamma-Ray Spectrometry has served as the classic introduction to this area for current or aspiring practitioners. A comprehensive but accessible treatment of the subject, with a thorough discussion of all major classes of detectors and their associated electronic systems, it contains everything a researcher needs to make optimal gamma-ray measurements. Now fully updated to reflect the latest technology and experimental data, it is a must-own for researchers looking to incorporate gamma-ray spectrometry into their scientific practice.
Readers of the third edition of Practical Gamma-Ray Spectrometry will also find: - Fault-finding guide for rapid and effective problem resolution - Workshop-style approach emphasizing the fundamentals of laboratory practice - New sections dealing with novel developments in nuclear structure research, measuring effects of pollution and climate change, new semiconductor detectors, and more
Practical Gamma-Ray Spectrometry is ideal for PhD students and practicing gamma-ray spectroscopists, including researchers working on radiation, energy and environmental monitoring professionals, and researchers working in physics, archaeometry, and related subjects.
Table of Contents
Preface to the Third Edition xix
Preface to the Second Edition xxi
Preface to the First Edition xxiii
Internet Resources Within the Book xxv
About the Website xxvii
1 Radioactive Decay and the Origin of Gamma and X-Radiation 1
2 Interactions of Gamma Radiation with Matter 33
3 Semiconductor Detectors for Gamma-Ray Spectrometry 52
4 Electronics for Gamma-Ray Spectrometry 79
5 Statistics of Counting 128
6 Resolution: Origins and Control 167
7 Spectrometer Calibration 182
8 True Coincidence Summing 214
9 Computer Analysis of Gamma-Ray Spectra 236
10 Scintillation Spectrometry 265
11 Low Count-Rate Systems 286
12 High Count-Rate Systems 321
13 Ensuring Quality in Gamma-Ray Spectrometry 341
14 Gamma Spectrometry of Naturally Occurring Radioactive Materials (NORM) 364
15 Applications 382
16 Choosing and Setting Up a Detector, and Checking Its Specifications 410
17 Troubleshooting 434
Appendix A Sources of Information 449
Appendix B Gamma- and X-Ray Standards for Detector Calibration 455
Appendix C X-Rays Routinely Found in Gamma Spectra 465
Appendix D Gamma-Ray Energies in the Detector Background and the Environment 467
Appendix E Chemical Names, Symbols and Relative Atomic Masses of the Elements 471
Glossary 479
Index 497
