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Title: A portable swipe monitor for alpha contamination

Journal Article · · IEEE Transactions on Nuclear Science
DOI:https://doi.org/10.1109/23.682443· OSTI ID:624182
;  [1];  [2]
  1. Los Alamos National Lab., NM (United States)
  2. National Center for Genome Resources, Santa Fe, NM (United States)

A portable swipe monitor has been developed at Los Alamos National Laboratory for the state of New Mexico. The monitor is intended for use at New Mexico ports of entry to detect removable alpha contamination on shipments bound for the proposed Waste Isolation Pilot Plant (WIPP). This detector uses Long-Range Alpha Detection (LRAD) technology, which monitors ionization created by alpha interactions with ambient air, and includes built-in background subtraction of external radiation fields and radon. In sensitivity to alpha contamination is on the order of a few tens of dpm, and it has excellent linearity throughout its entire range of over 200,000 counts per minute of alpha activity. Designed to be used primarily in the field, the monitor is battery-powered and can operate continuously for up to five hours.

OSTI ID:
624182
Report Number(s):
CONF-971147-; ISSN 0018-9499; TRN: 98:006435
Journal Information:
IEEE Transactions on Nuclear Science, Vol. 45, Issue 3Pt1; Conference: Institute of Electrical and Electronic Engineers (IEEE) nuclear science symposium and medical imaging conference, Albuquerque, NM (United States), 11-13 Nov 1997; Other Information: PBD: Jun 1998
Country of Publication:
United States
Language:
English