Neutron Survey Meter Calibration With a sup (239) PuBe Source: A Computer Assisted Approach to Calibration Factor Determination

When using a sup (239) PuBe source to calibrate portable neutron survey equipment, the health physicist must consider two potential sources of error: 1) the increase in neutron yield due to the ingrowth of sup (241) Am from the decay of sup (241 Pu and 2) the strong influence of scattered neutrons on instrument response. A computer program was developed to correct for these two problems and determine an instrument calibration factor.