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Product category: Spectroscopy
News Release from: Berkeley Nucleonics | Subject: Sam 940
Edited by the Laboratorytalk Editorial Team on 15 May 2008

Identifying radiation at or below
background level

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Berkeley Nucleonics (BNC) has updated the Sam 940 to effectively detect and identify radiation at only 5-10% of the background radiation level

Since the QCC allows subtraction of the background in real time (one second down to 100 ms) the Sam 940 systems are more appropriately specified for short acquisitions down to on e second or less For the RIIDs a 2x2inch NaI detector will allow the user to ID the presence of Cs137 at <1urem/hr/sec

The 3x3 inch NaI detector is capable of identifying Cs137 at 500nrem/hr/sec.

This does not imply that an acquisition of 30 seconds or more is not necessary.

Stabilisation is performed with K40.

Unlike Cs137, K40 is Norm and needs no special documentation or DOT approval.

It also does not interfere with the detection of Cs137 or cause anomalies that can produce false positives.

The background subtraction of K40 is clean and unambiguous.

The end result of QCC allows radionuclides to be found at dose rates far below background levels (500nrem/hr down to 100nrem/hr in real time depending on the size of the detector).

Since the inverse square law and background radiation can be detrimental in many applications BNC has been able to obtain excellent results with this technique.

To address the complexity and benefits of using the Sam handheld isotope identifier instruments, BNC's team of health physicists and first responder trainers offer a variety of support services.

From classroom exercises to onsite field testing, Berkeley Nucleonics has built an enhanced support architecture to give you application-specific solutions.

BNC offers onsite and regional training programmes, custom application development, and a robust reachback programme that supports a range of radiation detection.

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