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NKS-B GammaWorkshops: Nordic workshops for users of gamma spectrometry

GammaWorkshops 2012 - September 11-12, Hótel Örk, Hveragerði, Iceland

A follow-up on issues identified at the two NKS GammaSem seminars, held in 2009 and 2010; and the GammaWorkshop held at Risø National Laboratory for Sustainable Energy, Roskilde, in 2011

The previous workshop and seminars have aimed at focus on topics of relevance for the participants, including methods for corrections and calibrations in gamma spectrometry. The feedback has been positive, last year one of the participants in the workshop commented that it had been the "most interesting and useful workshop ever attended".

The accident at the Fukushima NPP highlighted many challenges in modern gamma spectrometry, such as dealing with complex spectra not encountered on a routine basis, application of appropriate corrections (such as true coincidence summing), estimation of ground contamination and radionuclide concentrations in soils in general. The previous workshop in 2011 highlighted some of the challenges of sampling and measuring soil cores. This time there will be presentations on gamma spectrometric in-situ measurements as an alternative to soil core measurements. This can be important, especially for assessing contamination of large areas.

The form of the GammaWorkshops is to enable the users to address the problems in gamma spectrometry they find most pressing, through lectures and practical exercises in addition to sharing their experience with others in a similar position. The main topics are:

1. Lessons learned from Fukushima including work on real spectra
2. In-situ gamma spectrometry, theory and practice
3. Alternative types of detectors
4. Background components in gamma spectra
5. User experience with new techniques

Lecturers at the seminar will be Dr. Sandor Tarjan, Dr. Tim Vidmar, Dr. Andrew Tyler, Dr. Gerhard Fritz, Dr. Annika Tovedal and members of the GammaWorkshops working group.

The programme is being prepared by a working group consisting of: Elisabeth Strålberg (IFE), Sigurður Emil Pálsson (IRSA), Henrik Ramebäck (FOI), Sven P. Nielsen (DTU/Risø) and Seppo Klemola (STUK). Information on agenda and links to technical background material will be updated on this GammaWiki web site: https://www.gr.is/wiki/GammaWiki/

Location of GammaWorkshop 2012

Flight tickets: Book early as prices can rise considerably in autumn!

Transport to hotel/workshop and visit to Hellisheiði geothermal power plant (soon the world's largest)

The day before the workshop starts (on 10 September) there will be provided bus transport from Keflavík airport and Reykjavík to Hotel Örk, stopping at Hellisheiði Geothermal Power Plant, Iceland's largest geothermal power plant, soon to be the world's largest.

More information on:

• The Geothermal Energy Exhibition that will be visited
• The Power Plant (from Wikipedia)
• Scientific and engineering aspects of the geothermal power plant

After the workshop bus transport will be provided to Reykjavik, participants will have to do their own bookings for hotels in Reykjavík (try e.g. the search engine www.dohop.com)

Hotel Örk

The workshop this year will be held at Hotel Örk, Hveragerði, Iceland. It is located at the outskirts of the small town of Hveragerði, well known for being geothermally very active (in some areas you need to watch out when you walk, there are areas where the ground is really steaming).

The workshop rate for 2 nights is ISK 15.800 per night for a single room (this corresponds to ca. 100 € on 21 June 2012, please check exchange rates which can change).

Please note that this is the TOTAL price for room with breakfast AND for use of conference facilities, lunch, morning and afternoon refreshments (sandwiches, cakes and fruits), coffee and tea which will be available at all times. Extra price for a 'superior' room is ISK 4000 per night. For an accompanying person sharing a room with a participant (but not taking part in the workshop) the added price is also ISK 4000 per night.

If you want to arrive earlier or leave later, the price for a single room for each night before or after the seminar is ISK 9900. This includes breakfast, but of course no lunch or other morning or afternoon refreshments. The hotel is within the southern lowland area and offers various possibilities for sightseeing, horse riding etc.

The workshop dinner Tuesday evening is arranged by the NKS-B GammaWorkshops.

Included in the room rate is access to all facilities at the hotel such as (geothermal) swimming pool, sauna, hot pools, golf course, billiard etc.

Weather update: The autumn has arrived and the only thing that is predictable about the weather is that it is unpredictable. Please remember warm clothing (if you want to wander outdoors), we could get temperatures down to zero. But I recommend remembering also the geothermally heated warm swimming pool the hotel has.

Information about the hotel and surroundings can be found here:

• Town of Hveragerði
• Hotel Örk

Preliminary bus shedule - Keflavik airport - Reykjavik - Geothermal plant - Hotel Örk

Please note that the given times are only for guidance. There might be delays beyond our control (e.g. flight delays) and if things go smoothly we might speed up with respect to plan

• 16:15: Departure from Keflavik airport
• 17:00: Departure from Geislavarnir ríkisins (Icelandic Radiation Safety Authority), Raudararstig 10, Reykjavik
• 17:45: Arrival at Hellisheiðarvirkjun geothermal plant and introduction to the CarbFix project
• 19:30: Arrival at Hotel Örk, where it will be possible to have a light buffet dinner (at own expense)

Preliminary agenda (content is valid, timing and titles may change)

Participants are encouraged to bring their own computers, with the software they use for gamma spectrometry. In some of the sessions data for demonstration and practice will be distributed, in some software will be distributed as well.

Day 0: Monday, September 10th

For flights scheduled to arrive at the international airport in Keflavík 15:00 - 16:00 (as all currently scheduled afternoon from Scandinavia) there will be a special workshop bus at the air terminal that will take the participants to Hotel Örk, Hveragerði, where the seminar will be held.

The bus will also stop at Geislavarnir (the Icelandic Radiation Safety Authority) in Reykjavik (Rauðararstígur 10), which is close to the main bus terminal at Hlemmur. If you want to join the bus in Reykjavík, please be there no later than 16:30.

• Please send information on to us on your flight details (flight number and arrival time) if you have not already done so.

On way to Hveragerði we will stop at a geothermal plant, soon to become the world's largest.

The workshop will not arrange for dinner Monday evening, but dinner and other food can be obtained at the hotel and other places in the town of Hveragerði.

Day 1: Tuesday, September 11th

Please note that the schedule might be updated, e.g. depending on wishes for parallel rather than combined sessions.

08:30-10:15 Dr. Sandor Tarjan, Comparison of three gamma-ray spectrum evaluation software on the samples originating from Fukushima (short coffee break included) Lecture file: https://www.gr.is/nks-b/gw-2012/comparison_of_3_software_for_analysing_gamma_spectra.pdf

Software: Gamma Vision, Genie 2k, Winner 6.0

• Isotope identification
• Working libraries for goal oriented isotope identification

1. Possible data sources
2. Editable and non-editable libraries

• Efficiency calibration and transfer of the efficiencies, LABSOCS
• Corrections

1. Self-attenuation correction of the samples
2. Correction of the true coincidence summing effect
3. Decay corrections for simultaneous presence of mother and progenies
4. Spectral interferences

10:30-11:30: Exercise on real spectra (different study cases) Tasks by Dr. Tarjan:

1. Task 1: https://www.gr.is/nks-b/gw-2012/task01.zip
2. Task 2: https://www.gr.is/nks-b/gw-2012/task02.zip
3. Task 3: https://www.gr.is/nks-b/gw-2012/task03.zip
4. Task 4: https://www.gr.is/nks-b/gw-2012/task04.zip
5. Task 5: https://www.gr.is/nks-b/gw-2012/task05.zip

Parallel sessions:

1. Dr. Tim Vidmar and Genie users
2. Dr. Sandor Tarjan and GammaVision users

11:30-12:30: Lunch

12:30-13:15: Exercise cont.

13:30-14:45: Dr. Andrew Tyler In-situ gamma spectrometry, incl. demonstrations – part 1. Lecture file: https://www.gr.is/nks-b/gw-2012/Tyler_In-Situ_Workshop1.pdf

Part 1: In-situ gamma spectrometry: Calibration

• Overview – environmental controls
• Simple Empirical Calibration

1. Demonstration of validity
2. Conversion to Air Kerma

• Accounting for source burial

1. Discussion & Demonstration

• Empirical vs Monte Carlo simulation

15:00-15:30: Dr. Sandor Tarjan One possibility for method validation of the in-situ gamma-ray spectrometry for flat geometry - A presentation based on real experiments Lecture file "New Techniques for Preparing Reference Materials": https://www.gr.is/nks-b/gw-2012/New_Techniques_for_Preparing_Reference_Materials.pdf

15:30-16:15: Dr. Gerhard Fritz Implementation of cascade summing corrections in Genie 2000. Lecture file: https://www.gr.is/nks-b/gw-2012/TCS.pdf

Workshop dinner at Hótel Örk

Day 2: Wednesday, September 12th

08:30-09:15: Dr. Andrew Tyler In-situ gamma spectrometry, incl. demonstrations – part 2

• Going beyond the full energy peak

1. Spectral sensitivity (Discussion)
2. Examples of application

09:30-10:15: Dr. Sven P. Nielsen QA, what is needed in an accredited laboratory? Validation of detection limits. Lecture file: https://www.gr.is/nks-b/gw-2012/Gamma_QA_DL.pdf

10:30-11:30: Dr. Annika Tovedal and Dr. Henrik Ramebäck Background components. Lecture file: https://www.gr.is/nks-b/gw-2012/NKS_Iceland_2012_GammaBackground.pdf

11:30-12:30: Lunch

12:30-13:00: Dr. Seppo Klemola New developments – introduction. Lecture file: https://www.gr.is/nks-b/gw-2012/New_developments_in_gamma-ray_spectrometry_Klemola.pdf

13:00-13:30: Dr. Henrik Ramebäck Other types of detectors (LaBr, NaI…), comparisons for practical use, for identification not activity determination. Lecture file: https://www.gr.is/nks-b/gw-2012/LowRes_NKS_GW_Iceland_2012.pdf

13:45-14:30: Dr. Sven P. Nielsen User experience with new techniques (electric cooling, integrated electronic systems, safe working environment).

14:45-15:30: Open discussion, including feedback survey

15:30: Workshop closure

16:00: Bus to Reykjavík

** Please note that it is possible to travel between Reykjavík and Hotel Örk using public transport, e.g. the Reykjavík busses. The seminar bus service is only for convenience, the participants are of course free to arrive and depart at any time that suits them.

Registration for workshop and accommodation, deadline extended!

In order to facilitate planning, we would appreciate if those interested in participating would fill out and return the enclosed registration form as soon as possible.

There are already pre-booked rooms for the workshop at the hotel. While these rooms last, those who send in their registrations using the form below need to take no further action, you will get a confirmation from us and information on payment to the hotel. Please register at your earliest convenience, we cannot guarantee that rooms will be available for late registrants.

Deadline for registration has been extended to Monday 3 September 2012 (at 10:00 UTC)

Registration form

For registration please download and fill out the following registration form and then send it to gamma@gr.is.

Registration form

This registration form is an Excel file that needs to be downloaded to your computer and sent by e-mail after being filled out. It is NOT possible to upload the filled-out form to the GammaWiki web site. An Excel file is used in order to make the subsequent processing of information faster and more reliable. If you have problems with this file format, please contact us at gamma@gr.is.

Please submit your registration as early as possible. If you need more information on the contents of the workshop, please contact one of the contact persons: Elisabeth Strålberg (elisas@ife.no) and Sigurður Emil Pálsson (sep@gr.is). For information on practical arrangements in Iceland, please contact gamma@gr.is.

GammaSem: Nordic seminars for users of gamma spectrometry

GammaWiki is a product of the NKS-B GammaSem activity

Programmes of previous seminars and workshops:

• Risø, Denmark, 2011
• Hveragerði, Iceland, 2012

Reports from the GammaSem seminars in 2009 and 2010 are available from the NKS web site, www.nks.org

• Elisabeth Strålberg (ed.) et al: GammaSem Proceedings - A Nordic seminar for users of gamma spectrometry - Kjeller 28-29 September 2010 - NKS-224
• Paula Nunez (ed.) et al: GammaSem Proceedings - A Nordic seminar for users of gamma spectrometry - Oslo 15-16 September 2009 - NKS-212

Useful resources on the Web

Useful resources on the Web

References

Wiki info

Editing GammaWiki (only for co-ordinators of GammaWorkshops work groups)