?Abstract– Skyshine, the radiation scattered in the air above a high-activity gamma-ray source, can produce interference with radiation portal monitor (RPM) systems at distances up to even many hundred meters. Pacific Northwest National Laboratory (PNNL) has been engaged in a campaign of measurements, design work and modeling that explore methods of mitigating the effects of skyshine on outdoor measurements with sensitive instruments. An overview of our work with shielding of skyshine is being reported by us in another paper at this conference. This paper will concentrate on two topics: measurements and modeling with Monte Carlo transport calculations to characterize skyshine from an iridium-192 source, and testing of a prototype louver system, designed and fabricated at PNNL, as a shielding approach to limit the impact of skyshine interference on RPM systems.
Revised: December 17, 2012 |
Published: December 21, 2009
Citation
Kernan W.J., E.K. Mace, E.R. Siciliano, K.E. Conlin, E.L. Flumerfelt, R.T. Kouzes, and M.L. Woodring. 2009.Modeling and Measurements for Mitigating Interface from Skyshine. In IEEE Nuclear Science Symposium Conference Record (NSS/MIC 2009), October 24-November 1, 2009, Orlando, Florida, 976 - 980. Piscataway, New Jersey:IEEE.PNNL-SA-69151.doi:10.1109/NSSMIC.2009.5402445