Syllabus
1. Laws of nuclear decay, particle types, “Table of Nuclides”, natural and main artificial radionuclides, radioactive equilibrium, decay series, units, activity / concentration relation, hygienic work with radiation and radioactive materials. (Exercise: properties of alpha, beta and gamma radiation, shielding and reflection of radiation)2. Interaction of radiation with matter, linear attenuation coefficient, particle detection and types of detectors, sensitivity, dead time of detector, radiometric apparatus as a modular system, low-pass methods, determination uncertainties, (exercise: energy calibration of laboratory gamma spectrometer)3. Laboratory methods for determination of radionuclides in geological samples (rocks, minerals, water, air): alpha and gamma spectrometry, beta methods, liquid scintillation, emanometry. Standardization, matrix and other effects, measurement geometry, determination of popular radionuclides for dating methods. (Exercise: determination of beta detector sensitivity to radiation 234mPa)4. Field methods of applied geophysics: gamma spectrometry: popular geometry (ground, aerial and autogama survey, logging), instrument calibration, calibration base, emanometry. (Exercise: With field gamma spectrometer around the faculty.)5. Neutron Activation Analysis (NAA): neutron sources, NAA distribution by neutron energy (reactor NAA with thermal, epithermal, fast neutrons), irradiation time (short term NAA, long term NAA) and sample processing method (INAA - instrumental NAA, RNAA - radiochemical NAA)6. Gamma (photon) activation analysis (GAA): sources of high energy photons, GAA distribution by incident photon energy, reactions (g, n), (g, g ´), (g, p). Activated analysis by charged particles7. Practical use of NAA and GAA in geological and geochemical research: sensitivity of determination of individual elements according to rock type, sample preparation for INAA and examples of its processing in RNAA, concrete examples of application of methods.8. Other nuclear analytical methods: activation analysis with detection of spot gamma radiation (PGAA), delayed neutrons, detection of fission debris traces, PIXE, PIGE, RBS. X-ray fluorescence method (XRF). Mössbauer spectroscopy.9. Excursion I: workplace of microtron MT-25 ÚJF AVČR, v.v.i. (Prague)10. Excursion II: Institute of Nuclear Sciences of the ASCR, v.v.i. in Řež (department of nuclear spectroscopy, accelerator Tandetron, cyclotron) and Research Center Řež s.r.o. (LVR-15 reactor) Passing the exam is required. Furthermore, successful solving of credit tasks.
Annotation
Review and history of radionuclide methods in geoscience. Physical principles of radionuclide methods.
Measurement of nuclear radiation. Field methods of nuclear geophysics (radioactivity of rocks, natural radiation measuring methods, induced radiation measuring methods).
Review of laboratory radionuclide methods. Application of radionuclide methods to living environment.
Neutron activation analysis (NAA), gamma activation analysis (GAA), charged particles activation analysis (CPAA), other nuclear analytical methods. Application of radioanalytical methods to geology.