Unification of Nuclear Spectrometry Applications: Integrated Techniques as a New Tool for Material Research

Combining information available from the nuclear spectrometry measurements allows comprehensive characterisation of the materials and helps the analytical laboratories to improve the quality of the services provided. The proposed CRP will assist Member States in improvement and enhancing utilization of the nuclear spectrometries through development of integrated/unified instruments and analytical methodologies for better characterisation of materials. Typically, multiple nuclear analytical techniques, such as XRF, PIXE, PIGE, RBS, etc, are required to provide complementary information to solve the problem at hand. Currently, most of these separate observational data sets are treated as independent quantities, and analysed as such. Different assumptions, and physical models used in the various analytical techniques can produce not readily comparable outputs, inhibiting the ready pooling of data. Consequently, large amounts of valuable information about the material under investigation are not readily accessible, or captured. The manipulation of all information together will greatly enhance the quantity and quality of information obtained. Through the CRP the nuclear spectrometric techniques will be utilised in a complementary way, and new special applications will be implemented in support of environmental pollution monitoring, industry, study of cultural heritage, human health, agriculture etc. The results will be distributed to all countries having interest in integration and unification of nuclear spectrometric techniques for comprehensive characterisation of materials in support of new developments and applications.