Tutorials
Relative Efficiency Analysis
Relative efficiency analyis allows you to determine enrichments and relative activities of nuclides in a spectrum, without knowing the detector response function, shielding, geometry, or distances. This presentation provides an overview of one of InterSpecs relative efficiency tools.
InterSpec familiarization Apr 2022
- Part 1: Initial Familiarization (1 hour)
- Presentation: InterSpec_familiarization.pdf.
- Example spectrum file: example_problem_1.n42.
- DRFs of commonly encountered detectors (for InterSpec v1.0.9): common_drfs.tsv.
- Part 2: 3 More In-depth usage (3 hours)
- Presentation: InterSpec_more_in_depth_use.pdf.
- Example spectra files:
- Trinitite: Spectra provided by Dave Mercer of Los Alamos National Laboratory - they are sample “B” in the paper at https://arxiv.org/abs/2103.06240
- trinitite_sample_b.n42
- trinitite_sample_b_background.n42
- My results fitting peaks: Trinitite_Sample_B_peaks_fit.n42
- Energy calibration practice: th232_energy_cal_practice.n42
- Uranium enrichment uranium_40%_HPGe_15cm_peaks_fit.n42
- Surface contamination: Eu152_surface_contamination_uDetective.n42
- Trinitite: Spectra provided by Dave Mercer of Los Alamos National Laboratory - they are sample “B” in the paper at https://arxiv.org/abs/2103.06240
Soil Contamination and Trace Sources
- 20211117_IAEA_HPGe_InterSpec_SAND2021-14557TR.pdf.
The content in this PDF was presented as part of a IAEA webinar that can be watched here (requires IAEA NUCLEUS account).
Introduction To Spectroscopy with InterSpec
- 20210315_spectroscopy_intro_InterSpec.pptx.
- spectrum_files.zip.
- For a video of this presentation, see the Nuclear Science and Security Consortium website or on YouTube.
Overview Course Sep 2020
See:
Data files:
- All files spectrum_files.zip
An overview of using InterSpec for Analysis (Oct 2018)
See brief_ana_overview_InterSpec_Oct2018.pdf.
Data files:
Making a Detector Response Function
Tutorial on making a detector response function in InterSpec: detector_characterization_brief_20190619.pdf.
Further information (also available within InterSpec in its help system) is in make_drf_help_20190619.pdf
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Example data for HPGe: drf_cal_data_HPGe.zip. See source_info.txt for source and detector information.
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Example data for NaI: drf_cal_data_3x3_NaI.zip. See source_info.txt for source and detector info.
Example Problems
- Determine nuclide, and distance a source is inside a cargo container in a high scatter environment
- Problem Setup: cargo_container_question.pdf
- Problem Solution: cargo_container_solution.pdf
- Spectrum file with data: cargo_container_3x3NaI.n42
- Determine nuclide, activity, and depth of a buried source from a single HPGe measurement
- Problem Setup: buried_source_question.pdf
- Problem Solution: buried_source_solution.pdf
- Spectrum file with data: buried_source_40%_HPGe.n42
- Determine Uranium enrichment and mass
- Problem Setup: uranium_problem_one_question.pdf
- Problem Solution: uranium_problem_one_solution.pdf
- Spectrum file with data: uranium_40%_HPGe_15cm.n42
Other useful resources
- FRMAC Gamma Spectroscopist Knowledge Guide.: an freely available, extensive, and excellent, guide to gamma spectroscopy; available here (osti.gov) and here (nnss.gov)
- High Resolution Gamma-Ray Spectrometry Analyses For Normal Operations and Radiological Incident Response: available here (epa.gov)
- The Passive Nondestructive Assay of Nuclear Materials: freely available, extensive, and deep gamma spectroscopy and theory guide, available here (lanl.gov). Its 2007 addendum, available here (lanl.gov), contains a plethora of additional information and analysis techniques.
- IAEA Nuclear Security Detection Sciences and Technology Webinars, which include a couple presentation on using InterSpec, with some further videos here (requires IAEA NUCLEUS account to access).
- Draft specification for representing spectra in a QR code or URI: spectrum_in_a_qr_code_uur_latest.pdf (implemented in InterSpec as of v1.0.11), and a quick overview: 20230829_spectra_in_a_QR-code_SAND2023-08778O.pdf.