| A Cherenkov detector made with high purity synthetic fused silica (HPFS) will experience light signal losses if exposed to ionizing radiation. This experiment quantifies these losses with a precision. 0.5 % in five HPFS samples. The doses range from ⇠5 to ⇠177 Mrad ±8% in a 5 ⇥ 5 ⇥ 10 mm 3 section of the samples. Our results show quantifiable di↵erencesin losses between the samples as a function of dose. The Heraeus Spectrosil 2000 H2 dopedbrand showed the least loss, while the Heraeus Spectrosil 2000 standard is the worst, showing the most damage. These light losses are due to the generation of absorption centers. Although hundreds of studies have characterized many centers, there is still uncertainty about the location of some, such as the peroxy radical center (POR). This study also argues for a possible bulk absorption peak of the peroxy radical absorption center at ⇠ 5.3 eV. Key Words: high purity synthetic fused silica; radiation; optical absorption; peroxy radical center; Cherenkov detector; nanoDot OSLD. |