ABSTRACT
In this paper we present the impact of variability, a surface source parameter, on the efficiency evaluation of surface contamination monitors. This study was based on two source uniformity correction methodologies and data from real surface source distributions. Surface source intensity distribution has been changed by rearranging the cells (portions of the active area of each LARS) while keeping the same source uniformity value. Instrument efficiencies have been calculated for different sets of uniformities and variabilities. This study led to emphasize the importance of variability, a differential source intensity distribution parameter, over the uniformity, an integral source intensity distribution parameter, and reinforced the importance of the source uniformity correction procedure on the course of surface contamination monitor calibration.
ABSTRACT
Based on uniformity measurements of large-area reference sources used in calibration procedures of surface contamination monitors, an investigation was carried out to obtain a method that estimates the bias originated from surface source intensity distribution deviation from the ideal uniform distribution and corrects it. It relies on correcting the estimated instrument efficiency by applying correction factors driven from the uniformity distribution profiles of the sources used in calibration procedure. Simulations of the monitor calibration procedure are run for 2 distinct surface source distributions: the real and the ideally uniform distributions. Correction factors are driven from counting rate estimates obtained from each source representation. In order to evaluate adequacy of this proposition it was validated against a method proposed by the NPL in the Good Practices Guide No.14.
