The acquisition of time-stamped list (TLIST) data provides additional information useful to gamma-spectrometry analysis. A novel technique is described that uses non-linear least-squares fitting and the Levenberg-Marquardt algorithm to simultaneously determine parent-daughter atoms from time sequence measurements of only the daughter radionuclide. This has been demonstrated for the radioactive decay of short-lived radon progeny (214Pb/214Bi, 212Pb/212Bi) described using the Bateman first-order differential equation. The calculated atoms are in excellent agreement with measured atoms, with a difference of 1.3 – 4.8% for parent atoms and 2.4% - 10.4% for daughter atoms. Measurements are also reported with reduced uncertainty. The technique has potential to redefine gamma-spectrometry analysis.
Revised: June 29, 2017 |
Published: May 6, 2017
Citation
Burnett J.L., R.E. Britton, D.G. Abrecht, and A. Davies. 2017.Time sequence determination of parent-daughter radionuclides using gamma-spectrometry.Journal of Radioanalytical and Nuclear Chemistry 313, no. 1:191-196.PNNL-SA-124452.doi:10.1007/s10967-017-5271-5