A MULTIPURPOSE SPHERICAL NEUTRON COUNTER

We have developed a unique neutron counter applicable to measurements of fluence, energy distribution and the dose equivalent of neutrons wi th very wide energy range, and to estimations of incident direction of neutron beams. This 4 pi sensitive neutron counter consists of a sphe rical polyethylene moderator and three charge-division-type Position-S ensitive Proportional Counters (PSPCs) inserted into the moderator ort hogonally with each other. The three PSPCs give thermal neutron distri butions in the spherical moderator that bring us the above information . The characteristics of this neutron counter have been studied with M onte Carlo simulations and with experiments using monoenergetic neutro ns.