Abstract
Neutron activation analysis, especially in its \(k_0\) standardization is fairly robust down to the level of accuracy of a few percent, but further improvement is riddled with difficulties, i.e. multiple physical effects having opposite influences and introducing bias and uncertainty in the measured results. It is the aim of this paper to give a comprehensive review of the physical models in \(k_0\)-NAA, by providing exact definitions of the physical quantities, detailing the procedures used for the determination of the physical constants and by discussing the approximations and sources of uncertainty therein. Furthermore, indications are given on how accurately known \(k_0\)-NAA constants can be of value for other applications, namely the measurement and validation of nuclear cross sections.
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Notes
In energy bin (group) representation, \(K=\phi _{1\,{\mathrm{{eV}}}} / \ln (E_2 / E_1)\), where \(\phi _{1\,{\mathrm{{eV}}}}\) is the group flux in the energy bin around 1 eV and \(E_1\) and \(E_2\) are the corresponding energy bin boundaries.
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Acknowledgments
This work was partly supported by the International Atomic Energy Agency (IAEA) through the Co-ordinated Research Project (CRP) on Reference Database for Neutron Activation Analysis.
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Trkov, A., Radulović, V. Nuclear reactions and physical models for neutron activation analysis. J Radioanal Nucl Chem 304, 763–778 (2015). https://doi.org/10.1007/s10967-014-3892-5
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DOI: https://doi.org/10.1007/s10967-014-3892-5