Gamma Equivalent Ionizing Radiation Source

The gamma equivalent (gamma activity) of a source of ionizing radiation is the amount of radioactive substance contained in the source, expressed in milligrams of radium. This concept is used to measure the level of radiation produced by a source of ionizing radiation.

Gamma radiation is a type of ionizing radiation that occurs when radioactive elements decay. Gamma rays are highly penetrating and can harm human health if exposed to them for a long time.

To measure gamma radiation, special devices are used - dosimeters. They record the number of gamma rays hitting the sensor and display the result in millisieverts (mSv).

The gamma-equivalence of an ionizing radiation source is measured in milligrams of radium equivalents (MER). Radium is a radioactive element that was widely used in the past to produce ionizing radiation sources for medical purposes.

For example, to measure the gamma equivalence of a source of ionizing radiation, a gamma spectrometer is used. It records the gamma radiation spectrum of the source and determines its gamma activity in the MER.

It is important to note that the level of radiation depends not only on the number of gamma-emitting particles, but also on the distance between the source and the person. Therefore, when working with sources of ionizing radiation, it is necessary to follow safety rules and use protective equipment.

The gamma equivalent of an ionizing radiation source is a safety characteristic that allows the determination of a subdivision determined by the presence of contamination or propagated radiation. This radiation value is independent of the source area and provides a constant g-mma equivalent age, regardless of the separation of the maximum distance at which the corresponding exposure is expected. It is expressed in milligrams of radia equivalent (mzv). This term was adopted in relation to underground sources of environmental pollution and, by analogy with the general radiological terms “gamma radiation” and “beta radiation”, was specified for terrestrial sources. To obtain a gamma-equivalent source, a certain value of radioactivity will be required for the radionuclide that most strongly irradiates the population through the air or is distributed in the vicinity of the source due to