A FIBER OPTIC DOSIMETER FOR MEASUREMENT OF NUCLEAR WEAPONS EFFECTS

FILMS OF RADIOCHROMIC DOSIMETRY MATERIAL COUPLED WITH FILTERS PROVIDE BOTH DOSE AND SPECTRAL INFORMATION ON NUCLEAR TESTS, A SUBSTANTIAL MONITORING CAPABILITY. THE DIAGNOSTIC DEVICES, HOWEVER, OCCUPY SUBSTANTIAL VOLUME; THE MATERIALS BLEACH DUE TO RADIATION DAMAGE AND ARE PRONE TO DYE MIGRATION. ALL CONSTITUTE SIGNIFICANT LIMITATIONS. A FIBER OPTIC DOSIMETER IS PROPOSED FOR UNDERGROUND NUCLEAR TESTS AND IN NUCLEAR WEAPON SIMULATION ENVIRONMENTS. THE DEVICE WILL OCCUPY AN EXTREMELY SMALL VOLUME OF TEST SPACE. MORE STABLE RADIOCHROMIC DYES ARE PROPOSED FOR INCORPORATION INTO THE OPTIC SENSOR. THE DIAGNOSTIC DEVICE WILL ALSO PROVIDE AN ACTIVE MEASUREMENT CAPABILITY. SPECIAL PHOTOCHROMIC DYE STRUCTURES WILL BE SYNTHESIZED. HOST POLYMERS, FOR THE PHOTOCHROMIC DYES, WILL BE PREPARED. DOSIMETRY MATERIALS, IN THIN FILM FORM, WILL BE SUBJECTED TO RADIATION EXPOSURE. ABSORPTION SPECTRUM, PRODUCT AGING AND COLORATION STABILITY MEASUREMENTS WILL ESTABLISH THE FEASIBILITY OF THE DEVICE CONCEPT. THE PRINCIPAL INVESTIGATOR IS THE DEVELOPER OF THE DOSIMETRY MATERIALS NOW EMPLOYED AT NTS. HE IS PRESENTLY INVESTIGATING FIBER OPTIC SENSORS FOR A VARIETY OF ENVIRONMENTS. THE PROPOSED PROGRAM BUILDS ON BOTH THESE AREAS OF EXPERTISE.