LRAD surface monitors. [Long-Range Alpha-Detection (LRAD)]
- Los Alamos National Lab., NM (United States)
- Los Alamos National Lab., NM (United States) George Washington Univ., Washington, DC (United States)
- Los Alamos National Lab., NM (United States) Colorado Univ., Boulder, CO (United States)
The long-range alpha-detection (LRAD) technique depends on the detection of ion pairs generated by alpha particles losing energy in air, rather than on detection of the alpha particles themselves. Typical alpha particles generated by uranium or plutonium travel < 3 cm in air. In contrast, the ions have been successfully detected many inches or feet away from the contamination. Since LRAD detection systems are sensitive to all ions simultaneously, large LRAD surface monitors can be used to collect all of the ions from a large area. The LRAD surface monitors are designed around the fan-less LRAD detector. In this case, a five-sided box with an open bottom is placed on the soil surface. Ions generated by alpha decays on the soil surface are collected on a charged copper plate within the box. These ions create a small current from the plate to ground, which is monitored with a sensitive electrometer. The current measured is proportional to the number of ions in the box, which is, in turn, proportional to the amount of alpha contamination on the surface of the soil. This report includes the design, construction, and testing of two types of soil surface monitors.
- Research Organization:
- Los Alamos National Lab., NM (United States)
- Sponsoring Organization:
- USDOE; USDOE, Washington, DC (United States)
- DOE Contract Number:
- W-7405-ENG-36
- OSTI ID:
- 6664814
- Report Number(s):
- LA-12524-MS; ON: DE93009218
- Country of Publication:
- United States
- Language:
- English
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Long-range alpha detection applied to soil surface monitoring
Long-range alpha detection applied to soil surface monitoring
Related Subjects
61 RADIATION PROTECTION AND DOSIMETRY
11 NUCLEAR FUEL CYCLE AND FUEL MATERIALS
FLOORS
ALPHA DETECTION
RADIATION MONITORING
RADIATION MONITORS
PERFORMANCE
SOILS
FEED MATERIALS PRODUCTION CENTER
REMEDIAL ACTION
SITE CHARACTERIZATION
SURFACES
CHARGED PARTICLE DETECTION
DETECTION
FEED MATERIALS PLANTS
INDUSTRIAL PLANTS
MEASURING INSTRUMENTS
MONITORING
MONITORS
NATIONAL ORGANIZATIONS
NUCLEAR FACILITIES
RADIATION DETECTION
US AEC
US DOE
US ERDA
US ORGANIZATIONS
440101* - Radiation Instrumentation- General Detectors or Monitors & Radiometric Instruments
560101 - Biomedical Sciences
Applied Studies- Radiation Effects- Dosimetry & Monitoring- (1992-)
054000 - Nuclear Fuels- Health & Safety