ALPHA-PARTICLE IONIZATION IN POLYATOMIC GASES AND THE ENERGY DEPENDENCE OF W.

Journal Article · Mon May 15 04:00:00 EDT 1961 · Physical Review (U.S.) Superseded in part by Phys. Rev. A, Phys. Rev. B: Solid State, Phys. Rev. C, and Phys. Rev. D

DOI:https://doi.org/10.1103/PhysRev.122.1195· OSTI ID:4007963

Jesse, W P

A series of measurements by three different methods is carried out to determine the variation of W, the average energy to make an ion pair in the gases N/sub 2/ and C/sub 2/H/sub 4/ as a function of the energy of the ionizing alpha particle. In one method, the ionization ratios are determined in the two gases for single alpha particles from two collimated polonium sources, the particles from one source belng reduced in energy by passage through a succession of interchangeable mlca windows. The corresponding energy ratios are determined by auxiliary measurements in pure argon, the W values in argon being assumed constant. W values for alphas of lnitial energy up to 9 Mev are also obtained by a comparison in C/sub 2/H/sub 4/ and N/sub 2/ of the relative ionization from single alpha particles from (Po/sup 210/ + U/sup 212/) and P/sup 210/ + Po/sup 212/) sources. These experiments lndicate a continuous decrease in W values in C/ sub 2/H/sub 4/ and N/sub 2/ wlth lncreasing alpha energy over a range from 1 to 9 Mev. The differential w (defined as the ratio of energy increment deg E to ionization increment deg I at any point on the alpha path) also decreases similarly and seems to approach but never quite reach, within the limits of alpha energy so far investigated, the corresponding W value for beta particles. No explanation of this contlnuous decrease with energy of the W values can at present be advanced. (auth)

• Research Organization: St. Procopius Coll., Lisle, Ill.
• NSA Number: NSA-15-018683
• OSTI ID: 4007963
• Journal Information: Physical Review (U.S.) Superseded in part by Phys. Rev. A, Phys. Rev. B: Solid State, Phys. Rev. C, and Phys. Rev. D, Journal Name: Physical Review (U.S.) Superseded in part by Phys. Rev. A, Phys. Rev. B: Solid State, Phys. Rev. C, and Phys. Rev. D Vol. Vol: 122; ISSN PHRVA
• Country of Publication: Country unknown/Code not available
• Language: English

Related Subjects

ALPHA PARTICLES
ENERGY
ENERGY RANGE
ETHYLENE
GASES
IONIZATION
IONS
MEASURED VALUES
MEV RANGE
NITROGEN
PAIR PRODUCTION
PHYSICS
VARIATIONS