Moisture gradient and mass attenuation coefficient of mulberry and babul wood using gamma ray spectroscopy

Abstract

The present study deals with the measurement of the moisture content and moisture gradient by calculating the mass attenuation coefficient of mulberry and babul wood using gamma source (137Cs) of energy 662 keV. Measurements were performed using a NaI (Tl) scintillation detector having energy resolution 7 – 9%. The intensity of the incident and emergent radiations was measured, when each of these wood samples were placed between the scintillation detector and gamma source. The mass attenuation coefficient was maximum for oven dry state and the least for fully moist wood. Density measured using radiation method agrees well with that from conventional method. The moisture gradient was found to decrease exponentially along the radial direction of the wood.