Practical Applications of Radioactivity and Nuclear Radiations

by Gerhart Lowenthal, Peter Airey

Overview

This book shows how to use radioisotopes and the emitted ionizing radiations effectively and safely. It describes decay and stability criteria, necessary precautions to ensure radiation protection and the detection of alpha, beta and gamma rays including spectrometry. Chapters cover calorimetry, liquid scintillation counting, how to use secondary standard instruments, high resolution detectors and how to calculate counting results estimating uncertainties and allowing for the statistics of radionuclide decays. Other subjects examined include industrial and scientific applications of alpha, beta, and gamma rays, neutrons and high energy radiations.

Product Details

ISBN-13:	9780521553056
Publisher:	Cambridge University Press
Publication date:	08/09/2001
Pages:	366
Product dimensions:	6.69(w) x 9.61(h) x 0.83(d)

About the Author

Dr Lowenthal was the leader of a small Group at the AAEC which established the Australian Standards of Radioactivity. He was invited in the mid-1970s to represent Australia on the Consultative Committee for Standards for the Measurement of Ionising Radiations of the International Committee for Weights and Measures, Paris. He has published some 15 research papers with other members of his Group in refereed scientific journals. He was for six years honorary Australasian Editor of the International Journal of Applied Radiation and Isotopes. He is currently an honorary consultant for Nuclear Medicine and is also a Visiting Fellow within the School of Mechanical Engineering at the University of New South Wales. For his contributions to radionuclide metrology he was named Chevalier de l'Ordre National du Mérite by the President of France in 1994 and was named by the Governor-General, a Member of the General Division of the Order of Australia in 1999.

Dr Airey is a physical chemist, who has been extensively involved in research into the applications of radioactivity and radiation to industry and the environment. He was appointed to the International Atomic Energy Agency, Vienna, Austria where he coordinated a range of programs involving these applications in Asia and the Pacific. He is the Australian National Counterpart for the IAEA radiotracer program. He is also responsible for coordinating an international OECD/NEA project concerned with the evaluation of uranium deposits as natural analogues of radioactive waste repositories. From 1992 to 1999 he was ANSTO's representative on the independent Safety Review Committee. Dr Airey is a past president of the Australian Nuclear Association and has published over sixty research papers and technical reports.

Table of Contents

1. Atoms, nuclides and radionuclides; 2. Units and standards for radioactivity and radiation dosimetry and rules for radiation protection; 3. Properties of radiations emitted from radionuclides; 4. Nuclear radiations from a user's perspective; 5. Ionising radiation detectors; 6. Radioactivity and countrate measurements and the presentation of results; 7. Industrial applications of radioisotopes and radiation; 8. Application of tracer technology to industry and the environment; 9. Radionuclides to protect the environment.

Editorial Reviews

'One can hope that this book contributes to a wider understanding and acceptance of radioactivity and nuclear radiations and convinces sceptics with an anti-nuclear attitude of the useful aspects of radioactivity and ionising radiation.' K. Debertin, Applied Radiation and Isotopes

From the Publisher