Carrier gas attenuation in gamma assay of radioactive xenon samples

Abstract

Gamma attenuation attributable to xenon and carbon dioxide carrier gas in radioactive xenon assay samples has been calculated using Monte Carlo n-Particle (MCNP) transport code for the 0.65 mL flame sealed ampoule (bean), and 15 mL and 50 mL Schlenk tube geometries. The attenuation was correlated as a % loss per standard mL of carrier gas. High Purity Ge gamma spectroscopy experiments were performed to measure against the MCNP results. The experimental results from the 133Xe in xenon carrier gas in a bean geometry showed 0.97 ± 0.4% loss per standard mL xenon, which was in agreement with the MCNP predictions.