[en] Xenon-127 was standardized by internal gas counting using three proportional counters in a differential arrangement to eliminate edge effects. The detection efficiency of the proportional counters was calculated by considering the cascade of events following the electron capture and associated gamma transitions. Activity per unit volume was measured with 0.7% relative standard uncertainty. Gamma-ray spectrometry was performed and absolute photon emission intensities were derived. This study shows that ¹²⁷Xe could be a surrogate for ¹³³Xe for the calibration of remote radio–xenon monitoring stations. - Highlights: • ¹²⁷Xe standardized by internal gas counting using three proportional counters. • Activity per unit volume measured with 0.7% relative uncertainty. • Photon emission intensities derived using gamma-ray spectrometry. • ¹²⁷Xe could be ¹³³Xe surrogate to calibrate remote radio–xenon monitoring stations

[en] ETNA (Efficiency Transfer for Nuclide Activity measurements) is a new computer program providing both detector efficiency transfer for various types of sources for coaxial source-detector geometries and coincidence summing corrections. This program, available for use on PCs, has a direct link to the computerised database NUCLEIDE in order to automatically import the necessary radionuclide decay data. The specific features and facilities are outlined and examples are given

[en] Accurate processing of low-energy X-ray spectra requires detailed knowledge of the detector response function. This has been determined for a high-purity germanium (HPGe) detector by using monochromatized synchrotron radiation in the 1-20 keV energy range. Due to the high peak-to-background ratio, the spectra reveal shapes that were hidden using previous detectors. In addition to escape peaks, features caused by electron interactions characterize the background shape: escape of photoelectrons and Auger electrons from the active part of the crystal and penetration of the electrode ones into the detector. The tunable incident radiation makes it possible to examine and identify these different features by fine scanning at the binding energies of the detector materials

[en] COLEGRAM is a freely available spectrometry software dedicated to the study of ionizing radiation spectra. It can handle alpha, beta, gamma and X-ray spectra, proposing twenty-eight specific peak shapes in order to fit complex spectra using the non-linear least-squares fitting method. Different optimization cost functions can be used to perform the mathematical adjustment, which is guided by a user-friendly interface. COLEGRAM is also able to perform batch processing on a large number of spectra copying fitted peak information, based on a predefined model. General characteristics of the code and typical application examples are given to illustrate its potential.

[en] This work presents the different measurement possibilities of the SOLEX facility for the characterization of an energy-dispersive detector. We first describe the SOLEX apparatus, its energy range and the internal proportional counter used for absolute flux measurement then we give an example of an energy-dispersive detector characterization.

[en] This work presents new measurements of mass attenuation coefficients in the range 3.8≤E≤11keV, K-absorption jump-ratios, K_α and K_β fluorescence yields for Ti, V, Fe, Co, Ni, Cu and Zn. We use the experimental facility SOLEX, a tunable monochromatic X-ray source combined with an energy-dispersive high-purity germanium detector. The results are compared with theoretical values as well as with other experimental data and show a relatively good agreement. However, the derived K-jump-ratios appear larger than those widely used in the XCOM database. The K_α and K_β fluorescence yields and the corresponding relative emission rates K_β/K_α are also derived, which was made possible by the use of energy-dispersive detectors with good spectral resolution.

[en] Highlights: • Efficiency calibration of four HPGe detectors using standard radioactive sources. • Accurate processing of the full-energy peaks and Monte Carlo simulation. • Absolute photon emission intensities derived for Ba-133. • Absolute K X-ray emission measured for Sr-85, Y-88, Cd-109, Eu-152 and Ho-166 m. - Abstract: The efficiency calibration for different high-purity germanium detectors in the low-energy range was established by the conventional method, using standard radioactive sources. The peak shapes were carefully analysed taking account of natural linewidth, full-energy width at half maximum and scattering. Complementary information was obtained by Monte Carlo simulation using the PENELOPE code, after optimization of the geometrical parameters. This was used to measure photon emission intensities of some low-energy emitting radionuclides, including ¹³³Ba, and compared to the tabulated values.

[en] Highlights: • ¹⁰³Pd chloride solution standardized by liquid scintillation using the TDCR method. • Absolute photon emission intensities obtained by gamma-ray spectrometry. • Different detectors and measuring conditions to cross-reference the results. • Most intense photon emission intensities obtained with about 1% relative combined standard uncertainty. Palladium-103 decays through electron capture to excited levels of ¹⁰³Rh, and especially to the 39.748-keV metastable state. A high activity palladium chloride solution was standardized by liquid scintillation, using the Triple-to-Double Coincidence Ratio method. The absolute photon emission intensities were determined by gamma-ray spectrometry using point sources prepared with the standard solution. Different detectors and measuring conditions were used to cross-reference the results. The most intense photon emission intensities are derived with about 1% relative combined standard uncertainty.

[en] Quantitative solid sources are used widely in the field of radionuclide metrology. With the aim to improve the detection efficiency for electrons and x-rays, a comparative study between two source drying techniques has been undertaken at LNE-Laboratoire National Henri Becquerel (LNE-LNHB, France). In this paper, freeze-drying using commercial equipment is compared with a system of drying using hot jets of nitrogen developed at Institute for Reference Materials and Measurements (IRMM, Belgium). In order to characterize the influence of self-absorption, the detection efficiencies for ⁵¹Cr sources have been measured by coincidence counting and photon spectrometry

[en] The 2011 Decay Data Evaluation Project (DDEP) evaluation for ¹⁴⁷Nd includes recommended absolute emission intensities for the two main gamma-rays at 91.105 (2) keV and 531.016 (22) keV of 0.284 (18) and 0.127 (9) respectively, i.e. with uncertainties of 6.3% and 7.1%. These large uncertainties stem from inconsistencies in the published data and are unfit for modern purposes, since the production of ¹⁴⁷Nd is used as an important neutron flux dosimeter. The LNE-LNHB has undertaken new absolute gamma-ray emission intensity measurements. The results of these measurements will be presented, along with a full uncertainty budget, and their effect on the recommended data uncertainties will be discussed. (authors)