Accelerating K (0)

Combining the powers of a fast pneumatic transport system and the Automatic Activation Analyzer (AAA) of the Atominstitut in Vienna with the newest version of the IAEA k(0)-Software, the application of the k(0)-method to the determination of short-lived radionuclides becomes easily possible. By calculating Asp-values with the IAEA software, the often expensive and time-consuming measurement of Asp-values using certified reference materials is reduced to quality control checks. Measurements clearly show that the two approaches are equivalent, especially since both take self-absorption and neutron self-shielding into account. In this way it is possible to expand the library of the AAA with many hitherto unobtainable Asp-values. At the same time, using highly accurate Asp-values already measured for many short-lived radionuclides, k(0)-values for those can be produced with a simple procedure.