Re: GM response to neutrons?

[Ted de Castro <tdc@XRAYTED.COM>]

I have heard that a GM can sense neutrons.  But I have yet to find a

pure neutron field to test that in.



In any event - AmBe sources are copious photon emitters and no doubt

that is the vast majority of what your GMs were detecting.



That's one reason why PuBe sources are technically better sources for

neutron calibrations because they have far less gamma "contamination". 

But the ANSI 323 committee has caved in to anti Pu histeria and removed

Pu-anything from its list of recommended neutron sources even while

allowing Cf - which violates its own general source selection criteria.



Another sad case of politics over science.



> Kai Kaletsch wrote:

> 

> Friends,

> 

> could someone educate me about the response of GM tube based

> instruments to neutrons?

> 

> I remember playing with Am/Be neutron generators and using a GM based

> meter to confirm that the source actually got back in the holder. (And

> the regulators where OK with us only having GM based detectors on hand

> to locate a possibly lost source. [They did want the operators to be

> badged with neutron dosimeters.])

> 

> So, the question is: Was the detector seeing some interaction of the

> neutrons, or was it only seeing Am gamma?

> 

> Thanks in advance,

> Kai

> http://www.eic.nu

> http://www.gammawatch.com/

>

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