Re: Americium/Beryllium Source

["Charles Meyer" <cmeyer@brc1.tdh.state.tx.us>]

Date:          Thu, 18 Jul 96 08:43:08 -0500
Reply-to:      radsafe@romulus.ehs.uiuc.edu
From:          mcnaught@Lanl.GOV (Mike McNaughton)
To:            Multiple recipients of list <radsafe@romulus.ehs.uiuc.edu>
Subject:       Re: Americium/Beryllium Source

I have read in several places that RaBe sources produce more neutrons and
also many more gammas than (say) PuBe sources.  Do you understand why?
In my understanding, the alpha from Ra is similar to the alpha from Pu, and
the Be is the same, so why is there a difference?

Thanks, mike

Stay safe, mike (mcnaught@LANL.GOV)

Mike,

Radium soon attains equilibrium with its progeny inside the capsule,  
five(for all practical purposes) additional alphas from various 
progeny are emitted for each alpha emitted by radium.  Perhaps that 
can explain the additional neutron output from radium.

Russ

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               Russ Meyer                            
               Internet: cmeyer@brc1.tdh.state.tx.us 
               tel: 512/834-6688                                                    
               fax: 512/834-6654
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