Energy spectra of electrons and positrons produced in semi-infinite and infinite water phantoms irradiated by photons with energies up to 1 GeV.

Abstract

Previous Monte Carlo calculations for the energy spectra of electrons produced in water irradiated by photons are extended to 1 GeV. All of the physical processes believed to be important in the transport of electrons and positrons above 100 keV and photons starting with the ejection of L photoelectrons are considered. The results are presented in tabular form and can be conveniently used to compute kerma in water. The contributions of several physical processes, such as Compton scattering and pair-production to electron spectra, are separately tabulated. The results are compared with those of Todo et al. (1982) for the single interactions of monoenergetic photons. It is found that the inclusion of processes such as multiple Compton scattering, bremsstrahlung production, positron annihilation in flight, Møhiller and Bhabha scattering from electrons and Molière multiple scattering from atomic nuclei make a considerable difference in the inferred electron spectrum in water.