Gamma spectrometry for the masses - it's here. Now!

What is in this radioactive rock Hank?

So you found a interesting rock (or mineral) and it turn outs to be radioactive. Geiger-Muller counter beeps, display shows some number, may even tell how long you can keep it safely in hand. But there is no way to tell, with GM, what exactly is in your possession, which radionuclide is present in that mineral, that makes all the fuss.

Geiger meter register only "counts", electrical discharge inside it's sensing element (tube filed with low pressure argon/neon gas). This event, avalanche of electrons in ionized gas, can't tell anything about exact particle that caused it, nor it's energy. GM meters being simple in nature only knows "it happen again, I will tick!". What's in that rock that caused it? Uranium, Thorium or else?

There is solution and answer to that question. Meet the gamma spectroscopy, ultimate tool in identifying radionuclides.Usually at the heart of this method is scintillation crystal, artificially made material that emit light, when struck with radiation. Different particle energy causing different amount of light to be generated.

Every radioactive element have unique set of skills, it will emit particles with unique energy levels.Simple act of measuring how much crystal shines and when, allows us to find it and identify what kind of element we are dealing with.

In recent years gamma spectroscopy gear became more and more available, both commercial and fully DIY solutions was made.Be sure to check incoming articles to find more info about this fascinating topic.

Testing on production..

is easy as 1-2-8