The agenda was adopted (Appendix 1).

Participants of the Meeting identified themselves. 18 specialists out of 6 countries have participated (The list is given in Appendix 2). The Rapporteur pointed out that specialists from Kyrgyzia and Lithuania have interested in the Meeting but they could not participate due to objective circumstances.

The Minute was confirmed.

Prof. Yu.Bregadze reported in his presentation (appendix 2) the COOMET activity in the Ionizing radiation and Radioactivity subject field during the period between the meetings.

The Rappoteur noted that the Working group activity had been increasing during the lust year. Therefore, the Secretary of the Working group for more effective co-ordination is needed. In accordance with Rappoteur’s proposal, Dr. S.Korostin was elected as the Secretary of the Working group.

• Sergey V. Korostin – Ph.D., Senior Researcher of VNIIFTRI (Russia).

In accordance with the agenda all contact persons reported the main fields of IR activity in their countries. It was possible to conclude that the most of the NMIs not only work in order to reproducibility and tracebility of the physical units, but also to creation and accreditation of laboratories for radiation control (LRC) (eg. Belarus, Russia, Ukraine). For example, Dr. V.Milevski reported that approximately 2000 LRC had been accredited in Belarus. A great attention was paid to contribution of Dr.H.Klein about IR activity in PTB, which is one of the world leaders in metrology. Dr.J.Zeman reported that SMU was going to be accredited in accordance with ISO/IEC 17025. He also said SMU was building cyclotron center. Dr.I.Kharitonov reported the main results of VNIIM activity for the last year. He detailed works for upgrading of National Primary Activity Standard. Dr. E.Grigorev reported that VNIIFTRI had taken part in key comparison BIPM RI(I)-K4 (absorbed dose Co-60 radiation to water). He also described VNIIFTRI activity to radiation control (including LRC accreditation). Mr. A.Bartosh reported that Republic of Moldova has not had metrology system in the IR field now. He also asked for help in its restoration.

Decisions:

1. To take the information into account.
2. To propose the COOMET project for reviewing of the presents state of the IR metrology in Republic of Moldova and discuss the detail during the proper agenda item.

Dr. Kharitonov reported the main directions of the CCRI activity. He also said the decisions which were made in the last CCRI Meeting (May 2001). Dr. I.Kharitonov stressed the importance of the key comparisons in MRA framework.

Dr. S.Korostin reported the present state of fulfillment of MRA and participation of the countries - COOMET members in it. Dr. H.Klein spoke about the Calibration Measurement Capabilities of EUROMET laboratories.

175/RU/99 “A status of a measurement standard base in the field of ionizing radiation and radioactivity for the countries – members of COOMET”. (S.Korostin).
The last Meeting decided that calibration measurement capabilities data (cmc) of the National metrology institutes (NMIs) for including in to the Appendix C have to be prepared in the framework of 175/Ru/99 project. In accordance with the decision, the proper work has been made during last year (described in Appendix 2). In result of the first experience Dr. S.Korostin suggested for the discussion procedure for COOMET reviewing of CMC in IR subject field.

Decisions:

Dr. E.Grigorev reported that no one NMI interested in the participation in the project. Russia created documents in accordance with the project.

Decisions:

1. Coordinator of the project should write short report and the Secretary should send it to the Contact persons.
2. After this the project should be closed.

169/UA/98 – Rn-222 volume activity in air measurement means comparison (V.Sklyarov).
Mr. V.Evseev reported the next information:

- theoretical and experimental researches of the impulse ionizing chamber were made this year (the chamber is the part of transportable standard);

- the a -spectrometer was elaborated, made and adjusted.

Making of the ionizing chamber were stopped for finical problems.

However, in the first half of 2002 all works should be finished and the transportable standard will be made. In the second half of 2002 comparison of KHGNIIM and VNIIFRTI standards will be provided.

During the discussion VNIIM and, especially, SMU interested in the project.

Decisions:

1. The project should be prolonged.
2. Coordinator should prepare the report on the present state of the project and plan of future activity. This information should be spread among the contact persons.
3. The SMU should be included for discussion of the program of future activity.

In framework of the project found of reference sources (secondary standards of activity) of the next radionuclides: Cs-137, Eu-152, K-40, Th-232, Ra-226, Sr/Y-90. The specific activity of the suggested sources should be in the range 0.5 – 400 Bq/g; 0.25 – 2 g/cm² density should be in the range 0.25 – 2 u g/cm³; uncertainty - 3 –5 % (k=2). These sources can be used as reference materials for radiation control of environment, food, building materials etc. Proper units will be trace to the found from Russian National standards (VNIIM).

Discussion clarified the next problems:

On the other hand, the next problem was also discussed:

A lot of NMIs have numbers of activity reference materials manufactured by different producers. Sometimes discrepancy of the results of measurements based on different numbers have been taken place.

Decisions:

1. The suggested project interesting for many NMIs;
2. E.Grigorev should correct the project accounting comments made during the discussion.
3. The corrected project should be sent all contact persons and future discussion should be made via e-mail.

The modern level of nuclear instruments causes creation of wide range of the ionizing radiation spectrometers operating with personal computers. At the same time, a lot of software for the spectrometers providing activity measurements in artificial and natural samples. The spectrometers with the software are widely used in the radiation environmental monitoring. However, although of the software products by different producers are based on similar general principia, their particular algorithms used different models for uncertainty determination. The experience has been showing that this difference causes dispersion of the measurements results.

The main aim of the suggested project is software comparison with help of radionuclide sources and VNIIFTRI spectrometers.

Dr. Yu.Permyakov suggested several ways of decisions of the problem:

• direct comparison with one spectrometer;
• elaborating the test-spectra and its sending to participants of the comparison via e-mail;
• elaborating the test-spectra with time digital recording technique.

Decisions:

To legalize the project in accordance with COOMET procedure (WG Secretary).

Comparison will be performed through the SMU ionization chamber standard. Calibration factors of circulating ionization chamber shell be evaluated for absorbed dose of high energy electrons and photons in water. The energy range of electrons and photons is from 6 MeV to 20 MeV. Comparison is done preferably for energy 12 MeV.

Discussion demonstrated that some of NMIs have taken part in BIPM key comparison, so the proposed project could be COOMET key comparison.

Decisions:

1. To legalize the project in accordance with COOMET procedure (WG Secretary).
2. To investigate possibility to make the project as COOMET key comparison (WG Secretary).

Rapporteur and Secretary of the working group suggested to discuss the project having the main purpose to create recommendation on restoration of the IR standards of Moldova. The suggestion was based on information reported by Dr.A.Bartosh during the contact persons contribution. The working group of the experts has to be done in the framework of the project. The experts should review the present state of the IR metrology in Moldova. In the end of the project the experts should write the official report and recommendation for particular consistence of the metrology system of Moldova. Rapporture Prof. Yu.Bregadze was proposed as coordinator of the project.

Decisions:

1. To legalize the project in accordance with COOMET procedure (WG Secretary ).
2. To confirm Prof. Yu.Bregadze as coordinator of the project.
3. A.Bartosh should prepare the preliminary report on the present state of the standards of Republic of Moldova.
4. Yu.Bregadze should suggest list of the experts and plan of their work.

Mr. A.Bartosh suggested to hold the next meeting of the Working group of the COOMET contact persons in the subject field “Ionizing Radiation and Radioactivity” at the Kishinev (Moldova) in September or October 2002. Specific dates of the next meeting will be agreed later on. The participants of this meeting took the suggestion with a great satisfaction.

Visits to laboratories of Institute of radiation physical and chemical problems under Academy of Science of the Republic of Belarus, laboratories of Research Institute of oncology and radiology in medicine and BelGIM laboratories.

Appendix 1.

Appendix 2.

• 171/Ru/99 “Means and methods of testing medical X-ray diagnostics apparatus parameters”;
• 169/Ua/98 “Volume activity of Rn-222 in air measurement means comparison”;
• 175/Ru/99 “ A status of a measurement standards in the field of ionizing radiation and radioactivity for the countries – members of COOMET”.

A great work of preparing of calibration measurement capabilities (cmc) data of the National metrology institutes (NMIs) for including in to the Appendix C has been made during last year. I would like to remind that last Meeting decided that in the this work should be made framework of project 175/Ru/99 project.

In accordance with the working plan of the project COOMET representatives (Rapporteur Yu.Bregadze and S.Korostin) took part in the Meeting of RMO representatives in the field of Ionizing Radiation for co-ordination of the form of the files for Appendix C (BIPM, Paris, September 2000). I would like to note that Dr. Klein took part in the Meeting as well (however, as EUROMET RMO representative). Because of creation of cmc files is absolutely new form of COOMET activity (at least in the reported field), it was made decision that at the early stage only Russian NMI (VNIIM and VNIIFTRI) had to prepare their cmc. It was caused by two reasons: Russia signed the agreement and, on the other hand, Russia has the widest range of cmc. Created files of cmc were mutually reviewed by the working group consisted of specialists of VNIIM and VNIIFTRI. Then the cmc files were under COOMET reviewing. Specialists from Byeloruss (BelGIM), Germany (PTB) and Slovakia (SMU) were involved in this process. Now the cmc are under inter-regional reviewing.

Also the working group made reviewing of SADCMET (Southern African Development Community Cooperation in Measurement Tracebility) cmc files, which were received from JCRB. The report contained the results was send to JCRB. Now reviewing of IAEA cmc is finished.

Obtained experience permits us to help in cmc files creation (by means of advising) and arrange reviewing for all countries – COOMET members (including those which are not sign MRA). Moreover, in accordance with 11 COOMET Committee Meeting decision, all countries should prepare their cmc. The problem of participation of countries – COOMET members in MRA is the second main aim of our Meeting.3

I am glad to see that number of participants of the WG Meeting is increased. Representatives of 6 from 12 COOMET countries are taking part. Two countries (Kyrgyzstan and Lithuania) are interesting in participation in COOMET IR activity, but they can not send specialist to the Meeting due to objective problems.

In conclusion I would like also to note that we have increase participation in COOMET general activity. The Rapporteur representative (S.Korostin) took part in the 11 COOMET Committee Meeting (Kishinev, April 2001), collaboration with COOMET Vice-President responsible for cmc (V.Belotserkovski), analysis of International documents is being made for creations of proposal for increasing of COOMET activity efficiency.