dosisrate

Dosisrate, or dose rate, is the rate at which ionizing radiation delivers a dose to an object or person. It is expressed as dose per unit time, most commonly in sieverts per hour (Sv/h) or grays per hour (Gy/h). In practical contexts, especially for ambient exposure, micro-sieverts per hour (μSv/h) or millisieverts per hour (mSv/h) are often used to describe instantaneous exposure rates.

Dose rate is related to the absorbed dose and to the biological effects of radiation. The absorbed dose, measured in grays (Gy), represents energy deposited per unit mass, while the effective or equivalent dose, measured in sieverts (Sv), accounts for biological effect via weighting factors. Dose rate can refer to the instantaneous rate of absorbed dose or, in radiation protection, to the rate of equivalent or ambient dose.

Measurement of dose rate is performed with dosimeters and detectors such as ionization chambers, Geiger-Müller counters, or scintillation devices. In workplaces and facilities, active dosimeters provide continuous monitoring of dose rate, while passive dosimeters record accumulated dose over a period.

Applications of dose-rate information include environmental monitoring, medical imaging and radiotherapy, nuclear industry operations, and space or aviation exposure assessment. Background environmental dose rates at ground level typically range from about 0.05 to 0.2 μSv/h, with higher values in areas of higher natural radioactivity, altitude, or near radiation sources.

Regulatory and safety context often expresses dose rate in terms of protection limits and shielding needs. Occupational exposure limits are commonly around 20 mSv per year averaged over five years (with no more than 50 mSv in a single year), while public exposure is limited to about 1 mSv per year. Dose-rate data guide shielding design, work planning, and emergency response.