title: The use of solid angle for alpha detector efficiency in 226Ra analyses of soil samples.
abstract: In the frame of proficiency tests organized by IAEA and IRMM, the specific activity concentration of radium-226 in soil has been measured. The BaSO(4) co-precipitation technique has been used. Normally, in this method, the detector efficiency of the alpha spectrometer is determined using a (226)Ra source with known activity. As an alternative to using a (226)Ra standard, we calculated the detector efficiency from the relative solid angle subtended by the detector on the soil samples. The accuracy of this method depends on the uncertainty of geometrical properties and the distribution of activity within the source. An uncertainty budget is provided. The method was applied successfully in the intercomparisons.
authors.affiliation: Turkish Atomic Energy Authority, Sarayköy Nuclear Research and Training Saray Mah., Atom Cad. No. 27, 06983 Kazan, Ankara, Turkey. abdullah.dirican@taek.gov.tr
authors.forename: A
authors.initials: A
authors.lastname: Dirican
authors.forename: P E
authors.initials: PE
authors.lastname: Erden
authors.forename: M
authors.initials: M
authors.lastname: Seferinoğlu
authors.forename: S
authors.initials: S
authors.lastname: Pommé
mesh_terms: D000465:Algorithms; D000512:Alpha Particles; D011829:Radiation Dosage; D011834:Radiation Monitoring / Q000379:methods*; D011883:Radium / Q000032:analysis*; D012990:Soil Pollutants, Radioactive / Q000032:analysis*
chemical_list: D012990:Soil Pollutants, Radioactive; D011883:Radium