An Absorbed-Dose/Dose-Rate Dependence for the Alanine-EPR Dosimetry System and Its Implications in High-Dose Ionizing Radiation Metrology

NIST developed the alanine dosimetry system in the early 1990s to replace radiochromic dye film dosimeters. Later in the decade the alanine system was firmly established as a transfer service for high-dose radiation dosimetry and an integral part of the internal calibration scheme supporting these services. Over the course of the last decade, routine monitoring of the system revealed a small but significant observation that, after examination, led to the characterization of a previously unknown absorbed-dose-dependent, dose-rate effect for the alanine system. Though the potential impact of this effect is anticipated to be extremely limited for NIST’s customer-based transfer dosimetry service, much greater implications may be realized for international measurement comparisons between National Measurement Institutes.