This International Standard’s purpose is to specify the performance, general features, mechanical properties, environmental conditions, testing procedures, and documentation for installed monitors utilized in detecting gamma and neutron radiation emitters within objects, containers, or vehicles.
The standard is intended for installed monitors that are designed to identify special nuclear and other radioactive materials through the gamma and/or neutron radiation they emit. These monitors are employed to oversee vehicles, cargo containers, individuals, or packages, and are commonly situated at national and international borders, though they can be deployed anywhere monitoring of such materials is required. This standard does not cover hand-held monitors.
Details on the detection of special nuclear material (SNM) are provided in Annex A.
The standard equips the buyer with the information necessary to assess the monitor’s performance in detecting the presence of radioactive sources. However, it does not supply the data required to evaluate the monitor’s ability to measure the quantity of radioactive material.
In the context of this standard, “radioactive material” encompasses both special nuclear and radioactive material, unless otherwise stated. This material can be transported via vehicle, carried by an individual, or concealed within a cargo container or a package that is conveyed by a belt, such as international mail parcels.
Adherence to the requirements of this standard does not assure the consistent discovery of radioactive sources. Moreover, the selection of the monitoring location and the configuration of the system at each site must be optimized to achieve optimal performance, although this aspect is not within the scope of this standard.
