U.S. Department of EnergyOffice of Scientific and Technical Information
Long-range alpha detection
Abstract
The detection and measurement of alpha contamination is not an easy task. An alpha particle`s characteristic high charge and large mass make it highly interactive with surrounding matter. The particle is often absorbed before its presence can be sensed with a detector. Los Alamos National Laboratory has studied this problem and has developed an improved process to detect alpha-emitting contaminants. The process is called long-range alpha detection (LRAD). The LRAD process focuses on the collection and measurement of ions created as a result of an alpha particle`s interaction with air. With only about 35 eV necessary to create an ion pair, a typical 5-MeV alpha particle, upon emission from its maternal nucleus, creates about 150,000 pairs of charged particles. In air these charged particles take several seconds to locate a mate and become electrically neutral. During this time, ions can be pulled away from the source, collected, and measured. Ions can be motivated to a collection device by using an electric field or by moving the air mass in which the ions are located. The collected charges create a small but discrete current that can give some useful information about the alpha-emitting source. In this article, two commercially available applicationsmore »
- Authors:
- Publication Date:
- OSTI Identifier:
- 302293
- Resource Type:
- Journal Article
- Journal Name:
- Health Physics
- Additional Journal Information:
- Journal Volume: 75; Journal Issue: 6; Other Information: PBD: Dec 1998
- Country of Publication:
- United States
- Language:
- English
- Subject:
- 44 INSTRUMENTATION, INCLUDING NUCLEAR AND PARTICLE DETECTORS; RADIATION MONITORING; ALPHA PARTICLES; RADIATION DETECTORS; TECHNOLOGY ASSESSMENT
Citation Formats
Kasper, K. Long-range alpha detection. United States: N. p., 1998.
Web.
Kasper, K. Long-range alpha detection. United States.
Kasper, K. 1998.
"Long-range alpha detection". United States.
@article{osti_302293,
title = {Long-range alpha detection},
author = {Kasper, K},
abstractNote = {The detection and measurement of alpha contamination is not an easy task. An alpha particle`s characteristic high charge and large mass make it highly interactive with surrounding matter. The particle is often absorbed before its presence can be sensed with a detector. Los Alamos National Laboratory has studied this problem and has developed an improved process to detect alpha-emitting contaminants. The process is called long-range alpha detection (LRAD). The LRAD process focuses on the collection and measurement of ions created as a result of an alpha particle`s interaction with air. With only about 35 eV necessary to create an ion pair, a typical 5-MeV alpha particle, upon emission from its maternal nucleus, creates about 150,000 pairs of charged particles. In air these charged particles take several seconds to locate a mate and become electrically neutral. During this time, ions can be pulled away from the source, collected, and measured. Ions can be motivated to a collection device by using an electric field or by moving the air mass in which the ions are located. The collected charges create a small but discrete current that can give some useful information about the alpha-emitting source. In this article, two commercially available applications of the LRADS technology will be discussed. One of these, a device used primarily for pipe monitoring, is from BNFL Instruments, Inc. The other is a monitoring box of sorts from Eberline that will produce an alpha measurement on anything that is placed in the box.},
doi = {},
url = {https://www.osti.gov/biblio/302293},
journal = {Health Physics},
number = 6,
volume = 75,
place = {United States},
year = {Tue Dec 01 00:00:00 EST 1998},
month = {Tue Dec 01 00:00:00 EST 1998}
}
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