H-3 Bremsstrahlung - Re: G. Kramer

[WOODM@crl.aecl.ca]

Measured H-3 bremsstrahlung ?

Shure we have Gary !

This is one of Ric Surette's favorite subjects (Ref. 
Surette, R.A. A novel tritium process monitor that uses an X-ray detector, 
Nuclear Instr. & Methods A 337 (1994) 588-593).  

We can measure tritium contaminated (highly contaminated) stainless steel with 
a thin window pancake detector.  Infact, we show this in our annual tritium safe
handling course.  However, at levels of H-3 contamination that
most RSOs are likely to run into an open window GF proportional counter, or 
swipe-LSC is required to detect the tritium directly.  The bremsstrahlung yield
from tritium interacting with an absorber is of the order 10E4 bremsstrahlung 
X-rays per tritium betas decay. 

Mike Wood
Radiation Biology and Health Physics Branch
Chalk River Laboratories
WOODM@CRL.AECL.CA

All standard disclaimers apply.