Detector Characterization Report, Response Related to Linear Movement and Radiation Levels for an Oak Ridge National Laboratory (ORNL)-Developed Ion Chamber and a Commercial Ion Chamber

Recent activities regarding the safeguarding of radioactive material have indicated there is a need to use radiation sensors to monitor intentional or unintentional material movement. Existing radiation detection systems were not typically designed for this type of operation since most of their use accounted for monitoring material while the material is stationary. To ensure that a radiation monitoring system is capable of detecting the movement of radioactive material, a series of tests were needed. These tests would need to be performed in known radiological conditions, under controlled environmental conditions, and at known movement speeds. The Radiation Effects Facility (REF), located at the Radiation Calibration Laboratory, provided the necessary capabilities to perform these tests. This report provides a compilation of the results from a characterization of two different sensors--a simple, air ionization chamber-based sensor developed at ORNL that consists of an ion chamber connected to a separate amplifier, and an Eberline model RO-7-LD. The RO-7-LD is also an air ionization chamber-based sensor, but the electronics are in the same physical package.