PHOTOELECTRIC CROSS-SECTIONS DERIVED FROM MEASURED TOTAL ATTENUATION COEFFICIENT OF PHOTONS NEAR ABSORPTION EDGES OF HEAVIER ATOMS

A complete analysis of the estimated photoelectric cross-sections from the measured total photon attenuation coefficients of several atoms ( 41 less than or equal to Z less than or equal to 92) at two photon ene rgies, 43 and 59.5 keV, has been presented. These energies fail close to K-absorption edges of some of the elements studied. In this paper, we examine the role of using coherent scattering cross-sections derive d from various sources such as the state-of-the-art precise theoretica l calculations, commonly used form factor approximations and form fact ors with anomalous corrections in estimating the photoelectric cross-s ection. Comparison of theoretical and other available experimental res ults are also made with our measured and estimated values. It has been found that an overall change of 5% in the total mass attenuation is e xpected while using the precise coherent scattering cross-sections. (C ) 1997 Elsevier Science Ltd.