Measurement of activity of surfaces contaminated by beta-emitting nuclides and 55Fe

The responses of a variety of different types of surface contamination monitoring probes to both small area and distributed sources of the β-emitting nuclides, 90Sr/90Y, 204Tl, 147Pm, 14C and 63Ni, have been measured. The responses to the low-energy X-ray emitting electron-capture nuclide, 55Fe, have also been measured. A figure of merit for the comparison of different types of probe has been derived and applied to the measured responses. The responses of a beryllium-window sodium iodide scintillation probe to 55Fe with integral and differential bias is described in detail; calculated responses to the electron-capture nuclides, 109Cd and 125I, are also included in this report. (author)