A simple method for a determination

The a term is a primary parameter that is used to indicate the deviation of the epithermal neutron distribution in the k₀-standardization method of neutron activation analysis, k₀-NAA. The calculation of a using a mathematical procedure is a challenge for some researchers. The calculation of a by the "bare-triple monitor" method is possible using the dedicated commercial software KAYZERO^®/SOLCOI^®. However, when this software is not available in the laboratory it is possible to carry out the calculation of a applying a simple iterative linear regression using any spreadsheets. This approach is described in this paper. The experimental data used in the example were obtained by the irradiation of a set of suitable monitors in the NAA #1 irradiation channel of the HANARO research reactor (KAERI, Korea). The results obtained by this iterative linear regression method agree well with the results calculated by the validated mathematical method.