"The Role of Approximations and Empiricism in Predicting Parameters of Radiological Importance at Accelerator Facilities: G. William Morgan Lecture"

G. R. Stevenson

Modern computer technology has enabled the creation of programs that simulate the transport of radiation of a nearly infinite number of particle types in a nearly infinite number of geometrical configurations, thus enabling one to predict (sometimes with a nearly infinite degree of accuracy) the doses to operators, users, and maintenance personnel; to components; and to the environment, where these doses are due to the operation of particle accelerators. However these programs require significant knowledge, experience, investment of time, and dedication on the part of the user, even if the hardware required to run these programs is available in the office of most health physicists. In many situations, predictions of sufficient accuracy can be obtained by using simple approximations or empirical formulae to describe the real physical situation.