Re: Flash X-rays

[kemp@smtpgw1.plk.af.mil]

     Ken,
     
     I use a Flash X-ray machine that is in the 3 MeV range with a pulse 
     duration of 20 nsec.  Yes sheilding is very much required on these 
     machines.  The charging potential on our machine is 30KV and the total 
     dose would be approximately 4700 R or 2.35 E11 R/sec (with a 20 nsec 
     pulse duration).  
     
     Please feel free to contact me at kemp@plk.af.mil
     
     Bill Kemp
     RSO for Phillips Lab/VT
      


______________________________ Reply Separator _________________________________
Subject: Flash X-rays
Author:  radsafe@romulus.ehs.uiuc.edu at smtpgw1
Date:    6/11/96 12:17 PM


I received a request for information about radiation protection requirements 
for use with 'flash' x-rays. The gentleman who called said this would use 
x-ray plses in the MeV range with a duration of less than a microsec per 
pulse but with enough intensity to produce an exposure of normal density. My 
reaction was that the requirements would depend on the total radiation 
exposure (or workload) similar to a normal x-ray device. He said he 
remembered vaguely from some previous work that such short pulses somehow 
reduced the need for shielding, perhaps by producing less damage in the cell. 
     
Does anyone have any experience with flash x-rays or know of any special 
protection requirements?
     
Thank you for your help.
     
Ken
     
Ken Douglass, Ph.D.
Interim Radiation Safety Officer
West Virginia University Hospitals, Inc. 
West Virginia University
P.O.Box 8150
Morgantown WV 26506
kendoug@wvnvm.wvnet.edu