Two new portable survey instruments: the field phoswich detector and the Wee Pee Pee

Conference · Sun Jan 01 04:00:00 EST 1978

OSTI ID:5050974

Umbarger, C J; Wolf, M A

As part of a continuing program to upgrade the health physics survey instrumentation at Los Alamos, we have recently developed two new portable instruments. The first is a fully portable phoswich detector for low energy photons from small amounts of plutonium and americium in the field. The instrument has a background that is 2 to 3 times lower than an equivalent thin NaI detector. The instrument features an aural popper, analogue rate meter, and timer/scaler with liquid crystal display. The second instrument, called the ''Wee Pee Wee,'' is an alpha air proportional probe with complete electronics and readout package mounted on the probe itself. The entire package has a mass of 0.66 kg (1.45 lb) and is carried and operated in one hand. For monitoring shoes and other places where it is difficult to read the count-rate meter, the meter is made detachable for clipping to a shirt pocket, etc. An audio popper, range scales to 100 K cpm, and visual checks for high voltage and battery levels are also included.

• Research Organization: Los Alamos Scientific Lab., N.Mex. (USA)
• DOE Contract Number: W-7405-ENG-36
• OSTI ID: 5050974
• Report Number(s): LA-UR-78-48; CONF-780110-9
• Country of Publication: United States
• Language: English

Related Subjects

440101* -- Radiation Instrumentation-- General Detectors or Monitors & Radiometric Instruments
46 INSTRUMENTATION RELATED TO NUCLEAR SCIENCE AND TECHNOLOGY
ALKALI METAL COMPOUNDS
ALPHA DETECTION
CESIUM COMPOUNDS
CESIUM IODIDES
CHARGED PARTICLE DETECTION
DESIGN
ELECTRONIC CIRCUITS
HALIDES
HALOGEN COMPOUNDS
INORGANIC PHOSPHORS
IODIDES
IODINE COMPOUNDS
MEASURING INSTRUMENTS
PERFORMANCE
PHOSPHORS
PROPORTIONAL COUNTERS
RADIATION DETECTION
RADIATION DETECTORS
RADIATION MONITORS
SCINTILLATION COUNTERS
SODIUM COMPOUNDS
SODIUM IODIDES
SOLID SCINTILLATION DETECTORS
X-RAY DETECTION