The Scintillix gamma spectrometry system is intended for use as an educational tool at secondary schools, universities and hobbycist groups as well as for the use by general public interested in monitoring and evaluating surrounding gamma radiation.
Gamma spectrometry is a method of detection and identification of radionuclides emitting gamma radiation. Method works at principle of absorption of gamma quanta in thallium doped sodium iodide - NaI(Tl) - crystal producing light flashes which intensity is proportional to the energy of gamma quanta absorbed in the material. Light flashes are detected with photomultiplier tube and processed with adjacent electronics.
20th century brought to our daily lives great power of nucleus, but from the very beginning we are facing also the dark side of the nuclear energy.
Over the past 70 years, we have witnessed abuse of nuclear power in war effort, have experienced many nuclear accidents, where the last two, in Chernobyl and Fukushima, are among the most serious in the history of humanity. Not much people know about more than 2000 nuclear tests which have been done in atmosphere and underground, about Mayak uranium and plutonium processing plant, about insane Gnome project and many smaller nuclear accidents which happen each year over the world. Another threat is the use of nuclear material for terroristic attacks and its illegal trafficking.
Except the general interest, this all is the reason to have independent possibility of radioactivity measurement in everyday life. If we look at the recent history, governments often try to conceal the misuse and accidents in nuclear facilities, distort information and keep the public in ignorance as can be seen in case of last nuclear disaster in Japan - Fukushima.
So be the first who will inform about suspect levels of radioactivity in your surrounding ...
“The unleashed power of the atom has changed everything except our thinking. Thus, we are drifting toward catastrophe beyond conception. We shall require a substantially new manner of thinking if mankind is to survive.”
― Albert Einstein