Providing solid angle formalism for skyshine calculations

We detail, derive and correct the technical use of the solid angle variable identified in formal guidance that relates skyshine calculations to dose‐equivalent rate. We further recommend it for use with all National Council on Radiation Protection and Measurements (NCRP), Institute of Physics and Engineering in Medicine (IPEM) and similar reports documented. In general, for beams of identical width which have different resulting areas, within ± 1.0 % maximum deviation the analytical pyramidal solution is 1.27 times greater than a misapplied analytical conical solution through all field sizes up to 40 × 40   c m 2 . Therefore, we recommend determining the exact results with the analytical pyramidal solution for square beams and the analytical conical solution for circular beams. PACS number(s): 87.52.‐g, 87.52.Df, 87.52.Tr, 87.53.‐j, 87.53.Bn, 87.53.Dq, 87.66.‐a, 89., 89.60.+x