GAMMA RAY SPECTROSCOPY AT WIT • Dr. Claire Keary | WIT

Claire Keary obtained a BSc (Hons) in Experimental Physics from NUI Galway. On graduation, she joined Waterford Institute of Technology as a physics lecturer where she also completed her doctorate in the area of polymer science in 1997. Claire then undertook postdoctoral research at the University of Southern California, Los Angeles. She returned to WIT in 1999 where her responsibilities encompass the design, development and delivery of course work across a range of disciplines and departments within WIT. Claire is joint course leader on the BSc (Hons) in Physics for Modern Technology.

Her current research interests are in the area of gamma ray spectroscopy and environmental radiation monitoring. She has an on-going collaboration with the EPA’s Office of Radiation Protection and Environmental Monitoring (ORM).

Gamma radiation is electromagnetic radiation of very high energy and short wavelength. Gamma rays are emitted by radioactive elements, in nuclear reactions, by energetic celestial bodies such as black holes and neutron stars, and in high energy events such as nuclear explosions and supernovae (the death of stars). They interact with matter through a number of different mechanisms namely the photoelectric effect, Compton scattering and pair production. Each radioactive nucleus emits gamma rays of unique energy that can be used to detect their presence. Accurate measurement of gamma ray energy can be carried out using gamma ray spectroscopy. This technique can also accurately quantify the activity of radioactive samples.

This talk will give an overview of the interactions of gamma radiation with matter and the technique of gamma ray spectroscopy with emphasis on the high purity germanium (HPGe) spectrometer system at WIT. The application of gamma ray spectroscopy to environmental radiation monitoring and WIT’s contribution to a national monitoring network will also be presented.
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FRONTIERS OF PHYSICS 2019 TEACHERS’ CONFERENCE
WIT
28 September 2019
Camera : Marek Bogacki
Produced by DOCUMENTAVI MMXIX