Investigations of a recombination chamber as a mixed field dosimeter in comparison with a tissue-equivalent proportional counter at CERF

A comparison of two types of dose equivalent meters, a recombination chamber REM-2 and a tissue-equivalent proportional counter (TEPC) Homburg Area Neutron DosImeter (HANDI), were carried out at the CERN-EC high-energy reference field facility, CERF, in October 2001. Here, the mixed high-energy radiation field in commercial flight altitudes can be simulated with dose rates up to 2 orders of magnitude higher. The total absorbed dose and the dose equivalent have been measured at different radiation field intensities. Of particular interest for measuring in the CERF field is the assessment of the low LET-component, i.e. the γ and muon components of the field, which are not taken into account by existing Monte Carlo simulations modeling the radiation field. The new results for the estimation of the low LET-component are compared with previous ones delivered by REM-2 at CERF. The results show good agreement between the REM-2 chamber and the HANDI.