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Frequently Asked Questions
A radiation and a contamination monitor are different because of the type of detector they have and the measuring units they use. A radiation monitor measures the ambiental radiation level, mainly gamma or X-Rays, whose unit more used is the International System unit, Sievert per hour. However, a contamination monitor detects and measures radioactivity levels (alpha, beta, gamma) on surfaces. It can be due to radioactive particles in liquids, sand, dust, etc.
One of the characteristics of the radiation is its energy of emission. The more usual detectors can detect radiation in a energy range from 20-50 KeV to 1.3-2 MeV. Cs-137 is mainly a gamma radiation emitter with an energy of 662 KeV, it is said, more or less half value of energy range in this type of detectors. Therefore, Cs-137 is internationaly adopted as reference to adjust and calibrate this kind of instruments. Other used isotope for more energy ranges is Co-60.
It indicates the type of measure the monitor can do. In this case, the monitor measures Ambient Equivalent Dose, whose International System unit is the Sievert. It is for that, LAMSE randiation monitors are adjusted and calibrated in H*(10) and shows the measuremnts in this unit, µSv or mSv (or in rate dose: µSv/h or mSv/h)
A radiameter measures the dose rate, mainly in µSv/h, that is, the current intensity of the radiation field. A dosemeter measures the accumulated dose that the instrument has received in a space of time. There are instruments that are capable to measure in both modes such as Eris1R, for example.
