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Large sample neutron activation analysis of irregular-shaped pottery artifacts

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Abstract

The large sample neutron activation analysis (LSNAA) method developed at NCSR “Demokritos” for large and irregular-shaped objects was applied for the analysis of a Peruvian pottery artifact with the shape of an animal. The correction factors required for neutron self-shielding and gamma-ray self-attenuation within the sample material were derived through Monte Carlo simulations using the MCNP code, based on an accurate model obtained by computerized tomography X-ray scanning. The LSNAA results were compared with those from conventional instrumental neutron activation analysis (INAA) and a very good agreement was observed.

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Acknowledgments

This work was supported by the International Atomic Energy Agency under Coordinated Research Project Agreement CRP-14565.

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Authors and Affiliations

  1. Institute of Nuclear & Radiological Sciences, Technology, Energy & Safety, NCSR ‘Demokritos’, Aghia Paraskevi, 15310, Athens, Greece

    T. Vasilopoulou & I. E. Stamatelatos

  2. Division de Tecnicas Analıticas Nucleares, Instituto Peruano de Energía Nuclear, Av. Canada 1470, Lima 41, Peru

    E. H. Montoya & P. S. Bedregal

  3. Medical Physics Department, Regional Anticancer-Oncologic Hospital of Athens `Saint Savas’, Athens, Greece

    I. Tsalafoutas

  4. Reactor Institute Delft, Delft University of Technology, 2629JB, Delft, The Netherlands

    P. Bode

Authors
  1. T. Vasilopoulou
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  2. I. E. Stamatelatos
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  3. E. H. Montoya
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  4. P. S. Bedregal
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  5. I. Tsalafoutas
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  6. P. Bode
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Correspondence to T. Vasilopoulou.

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Vasilopoulou, T., Stamatelatos, I.E., Montoya, E.H. et al. Large sample neutron activation analysis of irregular-shaped pottery artifacts. J Radioanal Nucl Chem 303, 853–858 (2015). https://doi.org/10.1007/s10967-014-3307-7

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  • DOI: https://doi.org/10.1007/s10967-014-3307-7

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