Re: Conversion: millirad/hr to uR/hr

["Tord P. Walderhaug" <tordw@mail.hrp.no>]

Charles Willis,

Yes I know about the energy behaviour of the rad/R relationship for 
tissue at low energies. Our environment concist of gamma radiation 
above 0.1 MeV, with an average of I suppose around 0.5 MeV, so we use 
the simple conversion 1 R ~ 10 mSv  (1 R ~ 1 rem) extensively with 
our old instrumentation which displays R or mR.

But that was not what I was inquiring, but rather the validation 
of new radiation survey meters to display the measurement as 
effective dose (mSv or  uSv). Wouldn't it been more correct to 
display it as air kerma, since effective dose at least assumes 
some additional information about the relationship between the 
radiation field and the human body.

I have heard that the reason for displaying effective dose instead of 
air kerma is to keep the above very simple conversion with SI units. 
It would be very interesting to know if someone have an opinion of 
this.

Thanks

Tord P. Walderhaug

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Tord P. Walderhaug
Institutt for energiteknikk
OECD Halden Reactor Project
P.O. Box 173
N-1751 Halden
Norway

Email: tordw@hrp.no
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