title: A comparison of Australian and Canadian calibration coefficients for air kerma and absorbed dose to water for 60Co gamma radiation.
abstract: Australian and Canadian calibration coefficients for air kerma and absorbed dose to water for 60Co gamma radiation have been compared using transfer standard ionization chambers of types NE 2561 and NE 2611A. Whilst the primary standards of air kerma are similar, both being thick-walled graphite cavity chambers but employing different methods to evaluate the Awall correction, the primary standards of absorbed dose to water are quite different. The Australian standard is based on measurements made with a graphite calorimeter, whereas the Canadian standard uses a sealed water calorimeter. The comparison result, expressed as a ratio of calibration coefficients R=N(ARPANSA)/N(NRC), is 1.0006 with a combined standard uncertainty of 0.35% for the air kerma standards and 1.0052 with a combined standard uncertainty of 0.47% for the absorbed dose to water standards. This demonstrates the agreement of the Australian and Canadian radiation dosimetry standards. The results are also consistent with independent comparisons of each laboratory with the BIPM reference standards. A 'trilateral' analysis confirms the present determination of the relationship between the standards, within the 0.09% random component of the combined standard uncertainty for the three comparisons.
authors.affiliation: Ionizing Radiation Standards Group, Institute for National Measurement Standards, National Research Council, Ottawa, Canada.
authors.forename: K R
authors.initials: KR
authors.lastname: Shortt
authors.forename: R B
authors.initials: RB
authors.lastname: Huntley
authors.forename: L H
authors.initials: LH
authors.lastname: Kotler
authors.forename: J F
authors.initials: JF
authors.lastname: Boas
authors.forename: D V
authors.initials: DV
authors.lastname: Webb
mesh_terms: D000042:Absorption; D000388:Air; D001315:Australia; D002138:Calibration / Q000592:standards*; D002170:Canada; D003037:Cobalt Radioisotopes / Q000032:analysis* / Q000592:standards*; D005720:Gamma Rays; D017408:Guidelines as Topic; D011829:Radiation Dosage; D011874:Radiometry / Q000592:standards*; D012016:Reference Values; D015203:Reproducibility of Results; D012542:Scattering, Radiation; D012680:Sensitivity and Specificity; D014867:Water / Q000737:chemistry*
chemical_list: D003037:Cobalt Radioisotopes; D014867:Water