Methods of Monitoring and Metrology

Course guarantor:

Petr Průša

Lecturer:

Pavel Novotný

Tutor:

Pavel Novotný

Supervisor:

Department of Dosimetry and Application of Ionizing Radiation

Synopsis:

The course introduces students to the metrology, including its legislative framework. Fundamental and general concepts of the field (calibration, verification, legally controlled measuring instruments, measuring standards, measurement accuracy) are explained. Further, the methods of atomic and nuclear physics quantities determination (activity, source emission, radiation exposure, absorbed dose) are discussed in detail.

Requirements:

Credit is conditional on completing homework assignments, which consist of multiple-choice tests and computational problems. The assignments are given throughout the semester and must be submitted by the specified deadlines. Unsatisfactory solutions may be revised and resubmitted.

The exam is oral. Each student draws a pair of questions from a list that is available in advance and covers the course material.

Syllabus of lectures:

1. Fundamentals of metrology

2. Introduction to legal metrology, act and decrees, measurement standards, legally controlled measuring instruments, metrological traceability chain

3. International System of Units, quantities and units of atomic and nuclear physics

4. Data evaluation, measurement accuracy, measurement errors and uncertainties

5. Applications of proportional counter in radionuclide metrology, sample preparation for absolute measurement

6. Coincidence method for determination of activity

7. Internal counting, liquid scintillators, TDCR

8. Electrostatic and calorimetric method of activity measurement

9. Secondary standardization of activity, gamma spectrometry, ionization chambers in current mode

10. Neutron metrology, manganese bath method

11. Radiation exposure standardization, free-air ionization chamber

12. Dose and kerma standardization, calorimetric method, cavity ionization chamber

13. Small current measurement, electrometers, compensation method of measurement

Syllabus of tutorials:

1. Measurement uncertainties

2. Verification and calibration of measuring instruments

3. Manganese bath

4. Detection limits

Study Objective:

Knowledge:

Fundamental concepts and legislative framework of metrology, quantities and units used in ionizing radiation metrology, primary and secondary methods of standardization.

Abilities:

Measured data processing, evaluation of measurement uncertainties, calibration of a measuring instrument.

Study materials:

Key references:

[1] L'Annunziata , M. F. (ed.). Handbook of radioactivity analysis. 3rd ed. Oxford: Elsevier, 2012. ISBN 978-0-12-384873-4.

[2] Act No. 505/1990 Coll. on Metrology and related MPO decrees as later amended.

Recommended references:

[3] Howarth P. (ed.). Metrology  in short. Online. 3rd ed. EURAMET, 2008. Available from https://www.euramet.org/publications-media-centre/documents/metrology-in-short.

Note:

Further information:

https://moodle-vyuka.cvut.cz/course/view.php?id=14059

Time-table for winter semester 2025/2026:

Time-table is not available yet

Time-table for summer semester 2025/2026:

Time-table is not available yet

The course is a part of the following study plans:

• Vyřazování jaderných zařízení z provozu (compulsory course in the program)