The New World Luminescence Portable Gamma Spectrometer Calibration Initiative!

On the weekend of October 19th, 2019 luminescence specialists representing seven North American research institutions met at the Calibration Facility at Grand Junction Airport, Colorado to calibrate their portable gamma spectrometers and perform inter-lab comparisons of their measurements. This meeting was the first of a series that will occur annually to ensure portable gamma spectrometers are calibrated to standard.

Portable gamma spectrometers can be used in the field to measure the gamma radiation of sediments/rocks from which luminescence samples have been collected. These in situ measurements are considered especially important at sites where the gamma radiation dose field is heterogeneous. Heterogeneities in the gamma dose field will occur if sampled sediments are variable in their granulometry, organic matter/water content, and/or are proximal to sedimentary units of different composition.

This year’s participants included: Shannon Mahan (USGS), Tammy Rittenour & Michelle Nelson (Utah State University), Christopher Garcia (East Carolina University), Sebastien Huot (Illinois Geological Survey), Christina Neudorf (Desert Research Institute & University of the Fraser Valley) and David Sammeth (New Mexico Highlands University).