The provision of national standards of absorbed dose for radiation processing. The role of NPL in the United Kingdom

The system of national and international standardization is examined, particularly with respect to the problems of standardizing high absorbed dose measurements required in processing with photons from cobalt-60 and electrons. The need for development of primary standards specifically dedicated to this application versus the possibility of extrapolation from standards in use at lower dose levels is considered together with means for dissemination and intercomparison. The present status of standards at NPL and the future programme are outlined. (author)