Dose Equivalent Measurements Around GeV Accelerators

Abstract

The assessment of dose equivalent in stray radiation fields around high energy proton accelerators is a challenging task, both from the theoretical and the practical point of view. Calculations of the composition of the stray field are possible starting out from the interaction of the primary beam in a target and transporting the subsequent hadron cascade through a bulk shield, generally made up of an iron/concrete sandwich. The measurement techniques so far used to assess dose equivalent in such radiation fields are complicated. Three possible approaches are described. They have also been the basis of intercomparisons made in the past. The proportional counter technique is considered to be one method allowing an insight into the distribution of radiation qualities. When this is coupled with more detailed particle and energy spectrometry to define the incoming field, a better understanding of the whole problem will be reached.