Re: Wanted: Help interpreting photon spectrum

[Bob Hearn <rah@america.net>]

Energy in keV	Photon emission rate (approx.)
>
>802.96 +/- 0.25		Po-210
>80.17 +/- 0.02		Au/Hg x-rays
>77.87 +/- 0.02		Au/Hg x-rays
>68.80 +/- 0.02		Au/Hg x-rays
>46.52 +/- 0.02		Pb-210 

The lead and polonium are from the Ra-226 decay chain. The x-rays are 
probably from flourescence (although I do not see obvious evidence for this
from your 
indicated rates) or decay from activation of the gold (not neutron).
Probably not wire 
used for activation flux measurements, and other components would be 
expected if it were used as an electrode for radon progeny collection. 
Perhaps a component of a radium or radon-related device?

Good luck!

Bob Hearn
rah@america.net



At 06:02 PM 5/18/98 -0500, Edwards, Richard W wrote:
>Could someone with a more useful gamma catalog than I have help me with
>this?
>
>I recently ran a photon spectrum on some gold wire that had been hiding
>away for a number of years. The history on this is irretrievable since
>the person who was responsible for this retired a number of years ago
>and has since passed away.
>
>Here's what I have. The photon emission rates are highly suspect since I
>suspect that there is a significant amount of self-shielding,
>particularly at the lower energies.
>
>Energy in keV	Photon emission rate (approx.)
>
>802.96 +/- 0.25		17 photons/sec
>80.17 +/- 0.02		>480 photons/sec
>77.87 +/- 0.02		>1500 photons/sec
>68.80 +/- 0.02		>4200 photons/sec
>46.52 +/- 0.02		>1000 photon/sec
>
>The age of the source and the 803 keV lines are the real kickers for me.
>I can't figure out a nuclide or combination of nuclides that would
>produce a spectrum like this without having a lot of other peaks
>present. Even a 50,000 second count doesn't reveal anything other than
>this and sum peaks of the x-ray emissions.
>
>Rick Edwards, Analyst
>richard.w.edwards@boeing.com
>
>