The objective of this work is to simulate the spectral gamma-ray response of NaI(Tl) scintillation detectors for airborne gamma-ray spectrometry (AGRS) using the state-of-the-art multi-purpose Monte Carlo code FLUKA. The study is based on a commercial airborne gamma-ray spectrometry detector system with four individual NaI(Tl) scintillation crystals and a total volume of 16.8 L.
To validate the developed model, radiation measurements were conducted using ⁵⁷Co, ⁶⁰Co, ⁸⁸Y, ¹⁰⁹Cd, ¹³³Ba, ¹³⁷Cs and ¹⁵²Eu calibration point sources with known activities and source-detector geometries under laboratory conditions. In addition, empirical calibration and resolution functions were derived from these measurements combined with additional radiation measurements adopting natural uranium, thorium and potassium volume sources.
The simulation results show superior accuracy and precision compared to previous AGRS simulation models with a median relative spectral error < 10 % for most of the radiation sources. Moreover, the implementation of a lower level discriminator model and detailed modelling of the laboratory result in a significant improvement in model accuracy for spectral energies < 100 keV compared to previous studies. Yet thorough statistical analysis incorporating statistical and systematic uncertainty estimates revealed statistically significant deviations between the simulated and measured spectra in the spectral region around the Compton edge, which could be attributed to the scintillator non-proportionality.
These findings imply that the linear energy deposition model applied in this and previously developed AGRS simulation models should be revised and considered to be replaced by more accurate non-proportional models.