Upgrading from GammaVision 4.1

Upgrading from Version 4.1

The major enhancements brought to GammaVision-32 V4.1 are:

New ROI-32 Analysis Engine
For the user who needs to mark specific Regions-of-Interest for nuclides within their library, we now have an analysis engine designed to do just that. Designed for the highly technically qualified user, this engine should be used with caution. The user manual gives specific cautions and guidelines for using this engine. For those that do choose the ROI-32 engine, they can analyze Live spectra or Archived spectra.
Improvement to the Total Uncertainty Calculation
Previous versions of GammaVision included options for calculating Total Uncertainty (TPU). However, the user was limited on the type of distribution he could apply to the specific uncertainty terms. With the latest version of GammaVision-32, the user can define their uncertainty terms, and decide how to propagate the terms. The user has the option of treating their additional uncertainty as a uniform (rectangular distribution), or a normal distribution. The software will apply the correct mathematical propagation of the Total Uncertainty.
Two New “Hot Buttons” Added to the Toolbar
The Sample Type Settings button will immediately open the dialog that controls the current analysis settings for the detector or buffer selected. This duplicates the Analyze/Settings/Sample type (three mouse clicks) operation on the main tool bar.
The Analyze Spectrum button will immediately analyze the spectrum selected. This duplicates the Analyze/Entire Spectrum in Memory (two mouse clicks) operation on the main tool bar.
Create PBC Function Added to Peak Background Correction Menu
This allows the user to more quickly create and save a background file. In older versions of GammaVision, this function required multiple steps and was prone to user error. Now, the user utilizes the Browse and Save functions to easily associate the Background spectra to a file.
Enhanced User Manual
Table to assist user in selection of the proper Analysis Engine
Clearly defined explanations of the MDA options
Thorough explanation of the various ZDT modes
Detailed explanation of the QA parameters that are monitored
A New Multi-Detector Interface
With the new GammaVision, your entire laboratory can be visible within the GammaVision program interface. The new Mutiple Detector Interface in GammaVision allows viewing up to 8 Detector and 8 Buffer windows simultaneously for a total of 16 interactive windows. Controlling multiple detectors, visually comparing spectra, and viewing multiple MCB properties is now easier than ever!
Simple Simultaneous Acquisition Control
The new interface not only allows viewing and comparing of spectrum windows, but also for maximizing sample throughput in your lab. You can begin acquisitions of multiple samples or select one detector at a time. Synchronizing data acquisition on multiple detectors simultaneously is now a snap! Acquisition options allow for automatic acquisition for a group or single detector. The analyst can be prompted for acquisition options when acquisition is stopped and started, or the preferred option can be predefined. The new features are sure to improve the performance of your lab…..and FAST!
Display Analysis Results
Spectral displays are now more powerful than ever with peak nuclide identification, absolute and relative residuals, and a variety of flexible display properties for every aspect of the spectrum display. It has never been easier and faster to identify a full-energy peak than with the new Analysis Results Display!
The New Winplots
The new GammaVision improves not only your ability to quickly and easily identify and highlight energy peaks on screen, but also to create quickly a precise spectral report for the region of the spectrum that you need…and that is just the beginning with the new Winplots! Notable feature enhancements to the Winplots spectral reporting tool include: fill properties for identified, unidentified, multiplet, and composite peaks; spectrum display in points, line, or filled formats; peak information pop-ups; and manual or automatic scaling of all axes. These features are available within GammaVision and WinPlots.
These new features allow you to define precisely the region of the spectrum that you require — easily and quickly!
Interactive Manual Calibration
When the time comes to import a spectrum for another format or you need to fine tune the energy calibration of your spectrum, you need to get it done without delay. The newly enhanced calibration features in GammaVision include a Manual Energy Calibration dialog that offers greater flexibility in fine tuning calibrations and ensuring compatibility with other spectrum formats. The Channel and FWHM associated with each energy peak can now be manually defined to match data pairs from other system spectra and precisely duplicate their calibrations. Calibrations performed using the interactive and automatic methods offered in earlier versions of GammaVision can also be adjusted easily to meet specific needs.
Fully-Embedded DataMaster Option
When you need to analyze spectra from various data formats, you need to do quickly and easily — with as few steps as possible. The new GammaVision includes an option for a fully-embedded application that makes reading and writing in numerous spectral formats a snap!
DataMaster is a powerful spectrum conversion utility that is supported as an Add-In for GammaVision. This program allows superior flexibility in converting between a wide variety of spectrum formats for use in GammaVision and other software products. Switching between different formats is now as simple as opening or saving a file!
True Coincidence Correction to Reduce Effects of Cascade Summing
GammaVision includes a new algorithm for correction of cascade summing (or True Coincidence Summing) gamma rays such as those from Co-60, Cs-134, Eu-152, and hundreds of other isotopes. Cascade summing results in loss of counts from photo peaks which ultimately causes the under-reporting of activities for the affected nuclides.
ZDT™ Analysis with Uncertainty Calculation
When used with the ORTEC DSPEC -PLUS MCB, loss free counting correction using ORTEC's Zero Dead Time algorithm can be enabled to correct every channel of the spectrometer for counting losses due to system dead time. This method is especially suited to applications such as the analysis of rapidly decaying samples as in Neutron Activation Analysis or "hot spots" as in real time monitoring of effluents. GammaVision-32 also includes, for the first time anywhere, the correct propagation of the counting uncertainties in the ZDT-corrected spectrum (patent applied for).
Calibration Wizard
A new calibration wizard walks the operator through all steps to perform: Energy, Efficiency, and True Coincidence Correction calibrations. The fully automated wizard reduces the chances of data input errors during the calibration process.
New Analysis Engine Optimized for Environmental Sample Counting
A new analysis engine, ENV32, has been added which enhances GammaVision-32’s capabilities in analyzing complex environmental samples. ENV32 allows the user to select a large library with many potential nuclides and then uses a Mariscotti-type peak search to identify, quantify, and report activities for radioisotopes in the library. The new engine also includes directed fit capabilities for singlets and multiplets.
Presets for Counting
Users with DSPEC-PLUS MCBs can now take advantage of Multi-Nuclide MDA preset count conditions in addition to all the other available presets.
Enhanced Support for Nuclide Navigator III
Users of Nuclide Navigator III (Model C53-B32) chart of the nuclides software can now directly use Nuclide Navigator libraries, in Microsoft Access format, in GammaVision. You can also select the Nuclide Navigator or GammaVision editor as the library editor.
Enhanced Source Certificate File Editor
A fully graphical interface for creating and editing certificate files for calibration sources.
Built-in Support for Future Hardware
New technology has been added so that GammaVision-32 will automatically support new hardware (including the saving of hardware parameters in the SPC file) without any change to GammaVision itself. ORTEC’s unique, seamless integration of hardware with the user interface remains fully intact.
Expanded Dictionary of GammaVision Job Commands
These commands have been added or enhanced in the Job File facility, to increase the degree of automation achievable:
SAVE command includes an optional numeric identifier for support of MCBs that have multiple spectrum capability (such as the DSPEC-PLUS in ZDT Modes). Allows the operator to write JOB files to save the spectrum in each of the memories automatically.
SAVE_CALIBRATION command added which allows the JOB file to save the current energy and efficiency calibration to a new calibration file (*.CLB).
Direct Save/Recall of *.SPE File Format
GammaVision-32 can save and recall spectral data in the ASCII SPE format direct from the File menu (no translation into CHN or SPC formats required).
Improvements to the Analysis Engines for Small Peaks
The peak analysis process uses the peak amplitude to reduce the peak-analysis-width-region in order to reduce the peak area uncertainty.
The directed fit process for small peaks has been improved.
The peak rejection flags (for bad shape) can be ignored. Small peaks can often have bad shape because of statistical fluctuations in the low counts per channel.
New Analysis Engine Optimized for Nuclear Power Plant Sample Counting
A new analysis engine, NPP32, has been added which specifically addresses the needs of analyzing samples in nuclear power plants. NPP32 was designed with the input from key nuclear power counting room customers. In addition to a revised decision tree used for determining the presence or absence of a nuclide, a more detailed output report gives the users and reviewers better information about how GammaVision qualifies the data.
MCB Hardware Support
Fully Integrated Support for all ORTEC MCBs including the DSPEC-PLUS, TRUMP-PCI, LANL M³CA, and Rossendorf MiniMCA-166.
Control of Peak Stripping
Full user control of peak stripping with manual or automatic options, to insure proper multinuclide interference corrections.
Presets for Counting User presets for counting to specified MDA, specified statistical measures, live time, real time, peak region of interest, and region of interest integral.
User-Defined Criteria for Peak and Nuclide Acceptance Testing Including counting uncertainty, key line matching, and abundance fraction testing for greater nuclide matching assurance.
Peak and Nuclide Flagging For user control of averaging, activity reporting, and MDA reporting.
On-Screen Updates Real-time on-screen Live updates of selected peak information during acquisition, especially useful during setup or calibrations.
Support for Right-Click Mouse Operations In the spectrum display window of GammaVision-32, right-clicking with the mouse will bring up a quick-start menu allowing the operator to Start/Stop/Clear the data acquisition, Zoom In/Out, Set/Clear an ROI, Get Peak Information, or View the MCB Properties page. This feature offers quick access to these often-used commands for the ultimate in convenience.
Toolbar Buttons For control of routine MCB and software functions. Simplifies user interaction with the hardware and software.
View GammaVision-32 Files with Windows Explorer Full integration of GammaVision-32 files into Windows Explorer for simple file and program access using Windows file associations for Spectrum files (CHN, SPC, and AN1 extensions), JOB files (JOB extension), and Library files (LIB extension). This allows the user to double-click the names for the files in Windows Explorer (or My Computer) and have the spectrum, JOB file editor, or library editor displayed automatically.
Input Count Rate Meter Enabling the new Input Count Rate Meter will display the actual number of events detected at the input to the spectrometers supporting this feature (such as the DSPEC-PLUS and MiniMCA-166 ) .