Measurements in pulsed neutron fields

Dosimetry in pulsed and mixed radiation fields represents an important challenge in radiation measurements, because in several accelerator technologies, the acceleration occurs in bunches of particles with short time duration, producing intense radiation pulses spaced by a relatively long time of beam off. The stray mixed radiation field generated around these installations maintains the same time structure as the primary beam and causes a problem in workplace fields' monitoring. Active neutron detectors normally used in steady neutron fields, specifically REM-counters and Bonner sphere spectrometers, can suffer pulsed fields because of the high dead time losses during the bursts and are often inadequate for pulsed field monitoring. This work reviews the efforts of European Radiation Dosimetry Group (EURADOS), and in particular of the Working Group 11 'High Energy Radiation Fields', to define the problem, characterize instrumentation and to propose solutions to the issue of pulsed and mixed radiation fields. Despite the EURADOS initiative, several open issues still remain. A metrological traceability for pulsed neutron fields is missing. There is still room for the optimization and better characterization of available instruments. Initiatives of education and training are required.