Accelerator
Accelerators
A particle accelerator is a device that uses electromagnetic fields to accelerate charged particles to high speeds and energies. These devices are essential tools in various fields, including fundamental physics research, medical therapy, isotope production, and industrial applications.
Health physicists play a crucial role in ensuring the safe operation of particle accelerators. The acceleration process and the subsequent interactions of high-energy particles with matter can generate various types of radiation, posing potential health risks. Health physicists are responsible for monitoring radiation levels, developing radiation safety protocols, and ensuring compliance with safety regulations to protect personnel and the surrounding environment
US Particle Accelerator School
The US Particle Accelerator School (USPAS) is a graduate-level program that provides training in the science and technology of charged particle accelerators. It offers courses that are not typically available in standard university curricula, allowing students to gain competency in a short period. The USPAS holds sessions twice a year, each lasting two weeks, at locations near accelerator labs and facilities. Students can earn credit from sponsoring universities by completing course requirements. The USPAS also offers a Master's of Science Degree in collaboration with Indiana University Bloomington. Their website, U.S. Particle Accelerator School , contains a wealth of resources and course materials, some of which are summarized and linked below.
Induced Radioactivity at Accelerators
- This chapter describes the production of induced radioactivity at accelerators. The discussion begins with a review of the basic principles of the production of radioactivity. It proceeds with a discussion of the activation of accelerator components including some generalizations that may be used for practical health physics applications. Production and propagation of accelerator-produced radioactivity in environmental media such as air, soil, rock, and water also is addressed and introductory material connecting meteorology and hydrogeology with the transport of this radioactivity is included. The use of induced radioactivity in radiation measurements at accelerators concludes this chapter.
Accelerator Radiation Physics for Personnel and Environmental Protection
- Fermilab's publication on "Accelerator Radiation Physics for Personnel and Environmental Protection" serves as a comprehensive guide to radiation safety at accelerator facilities. The guide begins with a review of basic radiation physics concepts and units, including relativistic effects relevant to high-energy accelerators. It then delves into the different types of radiation fields produced at accelerators, including prompt radiation fields (bremsstrahlung, neutrons) and induced radioactivity. The publication also provides detailed information on shielding techniques and materials, including specialized topics like synchrotron radiation and radiation transport through labyrinths. It emphasizes practical applications with examples and case studies, making it a valuable resource for those involved in radiation protection at accelerators. Overall, the publication is an indispensable tool for radiation protection professionals, accelerator physicists, and engineers, providing a thorough overview of the topic with both theoretical and practical guidance.
Cyclotrons
A cyclotron is a type of particle accelerator that uses a constant magnetic field and a constant-frequency electric field to accelerate charged particles. The particles are injected into the center of a vacuum chamber, where they are subjected to a magnetic field that causes them to move in a circular path. The electric field is applied across two D-shaped electrodes, called "dees", which are located in the vacuum chamber. The electric field accelerates the particles as they pass between the dees. As the particles gain energy, the radius of their circular path increases until they reach the outer edge of the vacuum chamber, where they are extracted.
Cyclotrons are typically used to accelerate heavy charged particles (ions) to energies of a few MeV to several hundred MeV. They are used in a variety of applications, including medical research, nuclear physics research, and industrial processes.
In the context of the Fermilab publication, cyclotrons are discussed as one of the types of accelerators that can be used to produce induced radioactivity. The above publications also discuss the radiation protection issues associated with cyclotrons, such as the production of neutrons and other secondary particles.
Activation
Activation is an important consideration for accelerator facilites. It occurs when a stable material is exposed to radiation, causing some of its atoms to undergo a nuclear reaction become radioactive isotopes. These activated materials then emit their own radiation, posing potential hazards to workers and the environment. See the page on Activation for more detailed descriptions and calculations.