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

A series of linked workshops on gamma spectrometry, 11-12 of September 2012, 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 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), estimatation of ground contamination and radionucide 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. 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

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 seminar 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.

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.

Information about the hotel and surroundings can be found here:

• Town of Hveragerði
• Hotel Örk

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 15:00 - 15:30 (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. If requested when registering, the bus will also stop in Reykjavík (e.g. to pick up those who might have arrived earlier). Please indicate in your registration whether you want to make use of this bus service and whether it should be from the airport or Reykjavík.

Preliminarily it is planned to stop at a geothermal plant on way to Hveragerði.

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

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)

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

11:30-11:30: Exercise on real spectra (different study cases)

Parallell 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

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

15:30-16:00: Dr. Tim Vidmar A "quick and dirty" tool for calculating the in-situ efficiency curve for a HPGe or a NaI detector based on measurement on the detector axis only (at a distance of 1 m)

Day 2: Wednesday, September 12th

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

09:30-10:15: Dr. Sven P. Nielsen QA, what is needed in an accredited laboratory? Validation of detection limits

10:30-11:30: Dr. Annika Tovedal and Dr. Henrik Ramebäck Background components

11:30-12:30: Lunch

12:30-13:00: Dr. Seppo Klemola New developments – introduction

13:00-13:30: Dr. Henrik Ramebäck Other types of detectors (LaBr, NaI…), comparisons for practical use, for identification not activity determination

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 accomodation

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.

Registation 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 practcal 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

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)