title: Passive in-flight neutron spectrometry by means of bonner spheres.
abstract: The spectral distribution of the neutron fluence rate was determined on-board a series of eight trans-atlantic flights between Cologne (Germany) and Washington, DC (USA), using a passive Bonner Sphere spectrometer based on thermoluminescence detectors. Contrary to the commonly applied active systems, the passive instrument facilitates a complete discrimination of gamma ray and charged particle-induced events in the detector count rate. The system was calibrated in the CERN-EU High-Energy Reference Field (CERF). The measured spectra are compared with FLUKA Monte Carlo simulations and show excellent agreement.
authors.affiliation: Atomic Institute of the Austrian Universities, Stadionallee 2, A-1020 Vienna, Austria. mhajek@ati.ac.at
authors.forename: M
authors.initials: M
authors.lastname: Hajek
authors.forename: T
authors.initials: T
authors.lastname: Berger
authors.forename: N
authors.initials: N
authors.lastname: Vana
mesh_terms: D000401:Aircraft / Q000295:instrumentation*; D000465:Algorithms; D001822:Body Burden; D004781:Environmental Exposure / Q000032:analysis; D004867:Equipment Design; D019544:Equipment Failure Analysis / Q000379:methods; D006801:Humans; D018499:Linear Energy Transfer; D009502:Neutrons; D016273:Occupational Exposure / Q000032:analysis*; D011829:Radiation Dosage; D011835:Radiation Protection / Q000295:instrumentation* / Q000379:methods; D011868:Radioisotopes / Q000032:analysis*; D012062:Relative Biological Effectiveness; D015203:Reproducibility of Results; D012542:Scattering, Radiation; D012680:Sensitivity and Specificity; D013057:Spectrum Analysis / Q000295:instrumentation* / Q000379:methods; D013819:Thermoluminescent Dosimetry / Q000295:instrumentation* / Q000379:methods; D014159:Transducers
chemical_list: D011868:Radioisotopes