The 9th International k0-Users' Workshop will be hosted by ANSTO in Sydney, Australia. This will be the first time the workshop has been held in the Asia-Pacific region and only the second time in it will have been held in the southern hemisphere.
The k0-Users' Workshop
Users' workshops have occurred since 1992 approximately every four years. The format has generally comprised conference-style presentations covering all aspects of k0-based neutron activation analysis (NAA) and often featured a technical tour of the hosts' scientific facilities.
What is k0?
The k0 method of standardisation is an advanced form of NAA that allows for the use of single-element standards, among other optimisations. It was developed in the seventies and early eighties by Prof Frans Fe Corte of Belgium and Dr Andras Simonits and Hungary. Today this method is used worldwide by dozens of NAA laboratories.
Training course
In addition to the usual conference-style presentations, the 9th edition will incorporate for the first time a practical training course titled "Introduction to k0-NAA for users of relative-method NAA." As the title implies it is aimed at established practitioners of NAA who wish to learn how to extend their capabilities by implementing the k0-method in their facilities. The course will cover the required equipment, reactor and detector calibration methodologies, using the two most commonly used software packages, k0-IAEA and Kayzero for Windows.
The workshop is expected to include a tour of the NAA and other facilities at ANSTO.
