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Radiation Protection: Support of the Navy Dosimetry Program

Summary

The U.S. Navy uses thermoluminescent dosimeters (TLDs) to monitor personnel for radiation exposure.

Description

Photo of DT702
Credit: Ronaldo Minniti/NIST

Since 2010, the U.S. Navy has adopted a personal dosimeter designated as the model DT-702/PD, which was demonstrated to have an improved accuracy, energy discrimination and a lower detection limit than prior Navy designated models such as the DT-5XX/PD and DT-6XX/PD series. This dosimeter is used to monitor Navy personnel for potential exposure to radiation. NIST helped characterize this new dosimeter prior to its deployment, and the results of this characterization have been published in the Radiation Protection Dosimetry Journal (T. J. St. John et al, Radiation Protection Dosimetry (2006), Vol. 120, No. 1–4, pp. 273–2). The newer technology combines the use of filters and four thermoluminescent elements enclosed in a rectangular shaped holder. The quantity of interest used for monitoring occupational exposure is personal dose equivalent. NIST provides support to the U.S. Navy quality assurance program by irradiation and characterization of TLDs in the NIST reference standard Cs-137 gamma-ray and Cf-252 neutron beams.

Created April 20, 2011, Updated April 27, 2021