RE: Gamma Spec

["Wes Van Pelt" <vanpeltw@idt.net>]

Question for gamma spec SMEs (which I am not):

You count a sample on a HPGe for a certain amount of time, but it doesn't
meet a specific radionuclide LLD.  You calculate the new time where the LLD
will be met.  Can you, instead of recounting the sample for the entire
duration of thenew calculated count time, start the count on top of the
original spectrum and just count for the difference in time between the
original count time and thecalculated new time?

dpharrison@aep.com

Radsafers,
As long as the background has not changed, and the sample has not changed
(as for example significant decay of radionuclides in the sample), you
should be able to add the two spectra to give a total spectrum. You can then
do the normal statistical evaluations on the final spectrum.

Wes (NJ)

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