Bremsstrahlung of Electrons in Water in Contact with Materials Containing Radioactive Impurities

Abstract

Changes in the intensity of electron bremsstrahlung radiation when samples of metallic tungsten and optical glass containing radioactive impurities are immersed in water were experimentally studied. The bremsstrahlung intensity measurements were performed on a gamma-ray spectrometer. The results of experimental measurements performed on a pure tungsten sample are also presented for comparison. It has been shown that when materials with a radioactive impurity subject to β⁻-decay come into contact with water, X-ray radiation with an energy of 5.67 keV is generated. However, similar interactions involving materials with radioactive impurities undergoing α-decay do not generate bremsstrahlung radiation.