A NEW METHOD FOR EVALUATING ANNUAL ALPHA-DOSE AND BETA-DOSE RATES IN DIFFERENT CERAMIC SAMPLES BY USING SOLID-STATE NUCLEAR TRACK DETECTORS

Uranium and thorium contents in different ceramic samples have been ev aluated by using CR-39 and LR-115 type II solid state nuclear track de tectors (SSNTDs) and calculating the probabilities for alpha-particles to reach and be registered on the SSNTD films. A new method has been developed based on calculating the stopping powers of the studied mate rials for the alpha-and beta-particles emitted by the nuclei of the ur anium and thorium series for evaluating annual alpha-and beta-dose rat es in the considered ceramic samples. beta-Dose rates due to potassium 40 (K-40) have been evaluated for the studied materials. alpha-Dose r ates of the considered ceramic samples have been compared with data ob tained by using Bell's method. (C) 1997 Elsevier Science Ltd.