title: Intercomparison exercise within a distributed-dosimetry network.
abstract: The results of an intercomparison exercise within the US Navy dosimetric network (USN-DN) are presented and discussed. The USN-DN uses a commercially available LiF:Mg,Cu,P thermoluminescent dosemeter (TLD) model Harshaw 8840/8841 and TLD reader model Harshaw 8800 manufactured by Thermo Fisher Scientific. The USN-DN consists of a single calibration facility and 16 satellite dosimetry reading facilities throughout the world with ∼ 40 model 8800 TLD readers and in excess of 350 000 TLD cards in circulation. The Naval Dosimetry Center (NDC) is the primary calibration site responsible for the distribution and calibration of all TLD cards and their associated holders. In turn, each satellite facility is assigned a subpopulation of cards, which are utilised for servicing their local customers. Consistency of the NDC calibration of 150 dosemeters (calibrated at NDC) and 27 locally calibrated remote readers was evaluated in the framework of this intercomparison. Accuracy of TLDs' calibration, performed at the NDC, was found to be <3 % throughout the entire network. Accuracy of the readers' calibration, performed with the NDC issued calibration dosemeters at remote sites, was found to be better than 4 % for most readers. The worst performance was found for reader Channel 3, which is calibrated using the thinnest chip of the Harshaw 8840/8841 dosemeter. The loss of sensitivity of this chip may be caused by time-temperature profile that has been designed for all four chips without consideration of chip thickness.
authors.affiliation: Naval Dosimetry Center, Bethesda, MD 20899, USA. aromanyukha@usuhs.mil
authors.forename: A
authors.initials: A
authors.lastname: Romanyukha
authors.forename: S P
authors.initials: SP
authors.lastname: Voss
authors.forename: L A
authors.initials: LA
authors.lastname: Benevides
mesh_terms: D000465:Algorithms; D002138:Calibration; D004867:Equipment Design; D006801:Humans; D015588:Observer Variation; D011829:Radiation Dosage; D011835:Radiation Protection / Q000295:instrumentation / Q000379:methods*; D011874:Radiometry; D015203:Reproducibility of Results; D013696:Temperature; D013819:Thermoluminescent Dosimetry / Q000295:instrumentation / Q000379:methods*; D013997:Time Factors; D014481:United States