Dose equivalent measurements in a strongly pulsed high-energy radiation field

The stray radiation field outside the shielding of high-energy accelerators comprises neutrons, photons and charged particles with a wide range of energies. Often, accelerators operate by accelerating and ejecting short pulses of particles, creating an analogue, pulsed radiation field. The pulses can be as short as 10 μs with high instantaneous fluence rates and dose rates. Measurements of average dose equivalent (rate) for radiation protection purposes in these fields present a challenge for instrumentation. The performance of three instruments (i.e. a recombination chamber, the Sievert Instrument and a HANDI-TEPC) measuring total dose equivalent is compared in a high-energy reference radiation field (CERF) and a strongly pulsed, high-energy radiation field at the CERN proton synchrotron (PS).