This is the web site of the k0-international scientific committee

K0-USERS Workshops

Because of the fact that this method is very efficient and practical a large group of users, spread over the whole world, is nowadays using this powerful method. In 1992 the first International k0-Users Workshop was organized by Prof. Frans De Corte in Gent Belgium and this was continued until this moment at a regular interval of 4 years. At the first workshop the k0 International Scientific Committee was grounded.

The k0-International Scientific Committee was originally mainly involved in the accepting and reviewing of the papers presented at, and the organization of the workshops. However after the retirement of Prof. Frans De Corte in 2007 there was a need, which was officially postulated during the 5th k0-Users Workshop, for an organ that could take over his coordination tasks.


The most logical institution was found to be the k0-International Scientific Committee. Taking this new task seriously the k0-ISC founded a k0-Nuclear Data Sub Committee responsible for the continuation of the coordination of all new developments in method and data. In order to share all knowledge a new website was built as a continuation of the first webpages. The purpose is to give information and to allow k0-users to contact members of the k0-ISC.

K0-ISC

K0-Neutron activation History

The k0 method for neutron activation analysis was developed in the seventies and early eighties by Prof. Frans De Corte (University of Gent, Belgium) and Dr. Andras Simonits (KFKI-AEKI, Budapest, Hungary) and many co-workers. This physical-mathematical description of Neutron Activation Analysis comprises: a description of the neutron flux in many different neutron reactors, the cross-section for neutron capture for many natural occurring isotopes, a description of decay-correction during irradiation, cooling and counting, a description of the counting efficiency of gamma ray detectors as well a of the losses caused by true coincidence and many other physical processes that occur in NAA.... The centre of this k0-method is the k0-factor, which comprises all relevant physical constants for the gamma-ray of the radionuclide that is used for analysis,  related to the constants of the 411 keV line of comparator nuclide (Au-198).

These constants, the k0-factors, specific for each gamma line used are then experimentally determined. All data (e.g. k0-factors) and mathematical descriptions were always determined and tested in/on more than one lab, reactor, detector and so on .. to ensure applicability in all imaginable situations. This work was mainly coordinated by Prof. De Corte.