Development, testing, and application of a beta radiation point source dose distribution function

Present calculational techniques to determine beta radiation dose rates from sources of known characteristics in various source-receptor geometries are confined to desk-top type dose estimations of doses in infinite homogeneous media or relatively complicated methods to be applied to cases where activity is on or in other material separated from the dose medium of concern. This dissertation has concentrated on the development, testing, and applications of a new point source dose distribution function for assessing dose from beta-emitting radionuclides when beta radiation is transported through multiple media; both theoretical analyses and experimental measurements have been carried out. Measurements have been made using P-32, TI-204, and Pm-147 beta-emitting sources, and fabricated metallic particles of Co-60 with known thickness of material absorbers (including mica, mylar, polyethylene, aluminum foil, carbon, and polystyrene foam) between the respective source and an air extrapolation ionization chamber. Results of the measurements have been used to modify the analytical equation of the point source dose rate function, as necessary, to account for discrepancies between results predicted by the function and results from measurements.