Activities of Euratom in the field of in-pile dosimetry

In October 1960 EURATOM set up a Dosimetry Working Group to facilitate the exchange of information between the countries of the European Community in the subject of in-pile dosimetry, and for standardization in this field. The activities of the working group are described in two papers. The Laboratories of Euratom Central Bureau for Nuclear Measurements (ECBNM), Geel, Belgium, contribute directly to the standardization effort in the following ways: (a) Fabrication and distribution of pure cobalt detectors (foils and wires), corresponding to the specifications laid down by the working group in a standard sheet on thermal flux integration. Studies of flux perturbation have been performed; (b) Fabrication and distribution of Co-60 sources for calibration of counting equipment used for thermal flux integration; (c) e-measurement of the Co-59 thermal-neutron activation cross-section is under way; (d) Improvement of absolute counting methods for radionuclides of interest in neutron flux and spectra measurements; (e) study, in collaboration with CEN, Grenoble and CEN, Mol, on the use of small quartz crystals as fast-neutron flux monitors is in progress; (f) Data on most of the neutron-induced threshold reactions, used in in pile measurements, have been compiled, critically reviewed and graphically represented. Those compilations are kept up to date by issuing new graphs when new data become available; (g) Measurements of cross-sections of neutron-induced threshold reactions have been performed and others are in progress