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Measurement of Neutron Dose in Biological Experiments

Abstract

ZIMMER1 has attempted an exact comparison of the absorbed neutron and gamma-ray energy required to produce an equal increase in the mutation rate in Drosophila sperm. In all other cases2 neutron intensities have been measured in arbitrary units. In our own case3 the unit dose was that amount of radiation which produced 1 E.S.U./c.c. of ionization in a graphite chamber having an air volume in the form of a disk 2 cm. diameter and 0·25 cm. deep. Taking as the unit of energy the increment of energy per unit volume of water subjected to 1 roentgen of gamma-radiation, we have now estimated the factor by means of which our arbitrary unit may be converted into energy absorbed per unit mass of tissue in three ways:

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References

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GRAY, L., READ, J. Measurement of Neutron Dose in Biological Experiments. Nature 144, 439–440 (1939). https://doi.org/10.1038/144439a0

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