Comparison of a laboratory spectrum of Eu-152 with results of simulation using the MCNP code

Abstract

Detectors used for gamma spectrometry must be calibrated for each geometry considered in environmental radioactivity laboratories. This calibration is performed using a standard solution containing gamma emitter sources. Nevertheless, the efficiency curves obtained are periodically checked using a source such as 152Eu emitting many gamma rays that cover a wide energy range (20–1500 keV). 152Eu presents a problem because it has a lot of peaks affected by True Coincidence Summing (TCS). Two experimental measures have been performed placing the source (a Marinelli beaker) at 0 and 10 cm from the detector. Both spectra are simulated by the MCNP 4C code, where the TCS is not reproduced. Therefore, the comparison between experimental and simulated peak net areas permits one to choose the most convenient peaks to check the efficiency curves of the detector.