Radiation Damage from Gamma Rays and Sources of Gamma Rays

This consultant is an expert in gamma rays.

Radioactivity is usually classified into at least four categories of high energy fundamental particles: neutrons, alpha particles, beta particles, and gamma rays. Other particles are emitted by radioactive isotopes. Some are relatively harmless such as neutrinos while others are not such as positrons. Neutrons, beta particles, and alpha particles all cause their own brand of health problems. But, we will focus here on gamma rays.

Since gamma rays are actually high energy photons, we will begin with a short digression on photon properties. We will proceed to the definition of activity of unstable isotopes and discuss how activity is related to radiation damage. Sources of radiation such as disintegration, transmutation, fission, and fusion will be discussed.

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