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Gamma ray spectroscopy has all sorts of fun applications. I wanted to build one to characterize radiation in food and other objects. Geiger counters are typic
by 01100011 3y ago
Gamma ray spectroscopy has all sorts of fun applications. I wanted to build one to characterize radiation in food and other objects. Geiger counters are typically not sensitive enough to detect trace quantities of contaminants as they do not produce significant radiation above normal background. You are also unable to measure energies and identify radionuclides. It takes a fair amount of shielding if you want to make accurate measurements though since there is so much background noise in the typical environment.
I'm curious if you can also detect matter which has been activated from the high energy gamma rays. Photon activation begins around 6.2 MeV and really gets going above 10MeV. The gamma rays have sufficient energy to activate the nuclei of stable isotopes, causing them to become unstable, potentially decay and produce secondary radiation.
I was really hoping to put together a setup, but some jerk picked the lock on my storage unit and took all of my radioactive samples and measurement tools. FYI, the typical 'high security' circular locks are easily picked now and with most storage facilities allowing anyone with a storage unit unchecked access to your lock, it's very easy for the thief to go unnoticed.
- PaulHoule 3y agoThe gamma ray spec is a spectrometer and not just a detector that gives the exact energy of a radioactive decay so it can tell you what exact isotopes are present.
- gnufx 3y agoThe energy resolution of scintillation counters like those is rubbish, and spectroscopic results obtained with them can be misleading as a result. We initially used NaI just to surround high resolution Ge detectors to reject Compton scattering events which deposit only part of the gamma energy in the Ge. However, the lumps of hyper-pure Ge you need to do high resolution spectroscopy are expensive and need to be cooled with liquid nitrogen.
- deepfriedchokes 3y agoDo you have any lock recommendations? My storage unit was broken into a year ago and I replaced the locks with those circular ones you’re referring to!
- scarytom 3y agoABUS with the plus core are pretty good according to the lock picking lawyer. https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=cm8p4CmeOfk https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=cm8p4CmeOfk
- isoos 3y agoDo you have any further notes on the design and required accessories?
- 01100011 3y agohttps://physicsopenlab.org/2016/01/26/diy-gamma-spectrometry/ https://physicsopenlab.org/2016/01/26/diy-gamma-spectrometry... https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=K16uPl6_S7A https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=K16uPl6_S7A