Measurement of NORM samples with CeBr₃ detectors

Area of Science:

• Nuclear instrumentation
• Environmental radioactivity analysis
• Materials science

Background:

• Naturally Occurring Radioactive Material (NORM) analysis requires sensitive and reliable detection methods.
• Traditional detectors like Sodium Iodide Thallium-doped (NaI(Tl)) and High-Purity Germanium (HPGe) have limitations in field applications.
• Lanthanum halide detectors can suffer from radioactive contamination.

Purpose of the Study:

• To evaluate the performance of Cerium bromide (CeBr3) detectors for NORM sample analysis.
• To compare CeBr3 detector capabilities with conventional High-Purity Germanium (HPGe) gamma-ray spectrometer systems.
• To assess the suitability of CeBr3 detectors for field measurements.

Main Methods:

• Laboratory measurements of three reference materials using CeBr3 detectors.
• Comparative analysis with measurements obtained from a conventional HPGe gamma-ray spectrometer.
• Presentation and discussion of gamma-ray spectra from both measurement systems.

Main Results:

• CeBr3 detectors demonstrate suitability for field measurements due to ambient temperature operation.
• CeBr3 detectors exhibit better energy resolution than NaI(Tl) detectors for energies above 100 keV.
• CeBr3 detectors avoid the radioactive contamination issues associated with lanthanum halide detectors.

Conclusions:

• CeBr3 detectors are a viable and advantageous alternative for NORM analysis, especially in field settings.
• The performance of CeBr3 detectors is comparable to HPGe systems for specific applications.
• CeBr3 detectors offer a practical solution for enhanced radioactivity measurements.