Research
Ongoing research underpins all the work of the Neutron Metrology section at NPL. Many projects are undertaken within the confines of NPL, but a significant number are carried out in collaboration with organisations such as other National Measurement Institutes and Laboratories, Universities, Regulatory Bodies, Hospitals and Industry.
Current studies include such diverse topics as:
- investigations into the properties of neutron-producing targets for the Van de Graaff accelerator
- continuing characterisation of the simulated reactor workplace field
- measurement programmes for improving the dosimetry of solar particle events for the aviation industry
- radiation transport calculations for optimising detector design and refining numerous correction factors applicable to the various standards used and services on offer.
Listed below are links to a selection of key research areas under way in the Neutron Metrology section.
Neutron Metrology research
- Collaborative work in the Neutron metrology area is undertaken with a number of organisations.
- The manganese bath is the primary standard for neutron emission rate at NPL.
- The primary objective of this work is to ensure the continued availability of national standards of neutron fluence and dose equivalent quantities.
- NPL has a suite of neutron spectrometers that are used for characterising workplace fields in the nuclear industry or anywhere neutrons are a hazard. The devices are also used to derive knowledge about the spectra of standard neutron fields used for calibration and type testing.
- NPL can undertake on-site spectrometry measurements which, in addition to providing information for radiation protection applications, can also be used, for example, to determine the neutron output from a range of devices.