PROCEDURES TO MEASURE MEAN AMBIENT DOSE EQUIVALENT RATES USING ELECTRET ION CHAMBERS.

Area of Science:

• Radiation Detection and Measurement
• Environmental Dosimetry
• Nuclear Instrumentation

Background:

• Electret ion chambers (EICs) are utilized for measuring ambient dose equivalent rates.
• Accurate calibration is crucial for reliable environmental radiation monitoring.
• Existing networks often rely on Reuter-Stokes ionization chambers.

Purpose of the Study:

• To investigate the capabilities of EICs for measuring mean ambient dose equivalent rates.
• To compare laboratory and field calibration factors for EICs.
• To assess the influence of cosmic radiation and intrinsic voltage loss on long-term measurements.

Main Methods:

• Laboratory calibration of EICs using gamma photon sources at varying energies and angles.
• Field deployment of EICs in the Greek Early Warning System Network for extended periods.
• In situ gamma spectrometry with portable germanium detectors and soil sample analysis for comparison.

Main Results:

• Calibration factors determined in the laboratory showed very good agreement with those deduced from field measurements.
• EICs demonstrated reliable performance in measuring ambient gamma dose equivalent rates over extended periods.
• The study estimated the impact of cosmic radiation and intrinsic voltage loss on EIC measurements.

Conclusions:

• EICs are validated as effective instruments for measuring ambient dose equivalent rates.
• Laboratory calibration provides accurate field calibration factors for EICs.
• EICs are suitable for long-term environmental gamma radiation monitoring applications.