Radiation quality of californium-252

J. F. Dicello, W. Gross, U. Kraljevic

Research output: Contribution to journalArticlepeer-review

12 Scopus citations

Abstract

The radiation quality of 252Cf has been determined in a tissue-equivalent phantom for simulated sample sizes of 1 and 2 μm. The measurements were made with a 2.54 cm spherical proportional counter of tissue-equivalent plastic with a source-to-counter distance of 7.8 cm. Event spectra have been obtained for lineal energy densities between 0.04 and 10 3 keV μm-1. The distributions in both lineal energy density and LET are presented. The dose mean of the distribution in lineal energy density is 38 keV μm-1 for the 1 μm site and 34 keV μm-1 for the 2 μm site. Correspondingly, the dose mean values of the distribution in LET are 34 and 30 keV μm-1 respectively. A mean quality factor of about six for 252Cf is obtained for the geometry used here. The absorbed dose rate per unit source mass was found to be 11 rad s-1 g-1, in substantial agreement with most previous measurements, and the ratio of absorbed dose due to protons and other heavy particles to that of electrons is approximately 0.9.

Original languageEnglish (US)
Article number301
Pages (from-to)345-355
Number of pages11
JournalPhysics in medicine and biology
Volume17
Issue number3
DOIs
StatePublished - 1972
Externally publishedYes

ASJC Scopus subject areas

  • Radiological and Ultrasound Technology
  • Radiology Nuclear Medicine and imaging

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