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Lesson #1 Introduction
Required reading: Chapter
1 of text
Go over syllabus
and send me your name and e-mail address.
Topics of interest to shielding
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Radiation transport problems not covered by reactor analysis and criticality
safety
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From book:
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How radiation is created
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How it migrates from its source
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How it interacts with matter
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How it creates microscopic changes in the medium it traverses
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How these changes affect the medium
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In practice:
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Shield design
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Isotope production
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Medical applications
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Industrial uses of radiation (including food irradiation)
Dangers of radiation
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Ionizing - Electrons, protons, alpha particles
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Direct damage: Cell damage, creation of free radicals
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Non-ionizing - Neutrons, photons (gamma rays, x-rays)
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Indirect damage: Creation of ionizing particles
Particle penetration properties
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Ionizing:
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Generally low penetration.(Exceptions: cosmic radiation, solar radiation,
accelerators)
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Sometimes transport is calculated, sometimes not (i.e., particle assumed
to deposit energy where created)
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Non-ionizing:
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Highly penetrating.
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Transport must be accounted for.
Role of computers vs. Hand calculations
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Hand calculations
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Simplified geometry (usually line-of-sight, single material)
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Simplified energy treatment
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Computer calculation
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Detailed geometry and energy treatment
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Solve Boltzmann Transport Equation (BTE)
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Detailed data required: Source of much error > 20 MeV
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Expensive, time-consuming (analyst and computer)
Organizations of interest
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RSICC - Radiation Safety Information Computational Center
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NNDC - National Nuclear Data Center
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IAEA - International Atomic Energy Agency
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NCRP - National Council on Radiation Protection and Measurements
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ICRP - International Commission on Radiological Protection
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EPA - Environmental Protection Agency
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NE406 Radiation Protection and Shielding