This course focuses on nuclear instrumentation and radiation detectors, and on biological and material radiation protection through shielding. Specific topics include a study of radiation, and radiation detection devices to include: ionization chambers, proportional counters, Geiger-Mueller counters, scintillation detectors, semiconductor diode detectors, germanium and sodium iodide gamma-ray detectors, and neutron detectors. Radiation shielding, as a force protection measure, includes the design, analysis, and confirmation of radiation shields using point kernel, removal diffusion, and Monte Carlo computational methods which includes a design project using Monte Carlo N-Particle (MCNP) code. Emphasis is placed on practical application of the radiation detection instruments and the associated acquisition software.
