Background-subtract adjustment for plutonium continuous alpha air monitors using /sup 252/Cf
We investigated a method to make optimum adjustments to the electronic background-subtract circuit of a continuous air monitor (CAM) by using a californium source instead of a background air sample. We observed spectra of detected alpha particles emitted by radon-thoron daughters and a californium source on a multichannel analyzer connected to a CAM to determine their effect on the behavior of the subtract circuit. The californium source alpha energy spectrum simulates the spectra of /sup 218/Po and /sup 212/Bi, the radon-thoron daughters most likely to cause spurious CAM alarms. This simulation was the basis for deriving an empirical method using californium to adjust the background-subtract circuit.
- Research Organization:
- Los Alamos National Lab., NM (USA)
- DOE Contract Number:
- W-7405-ENG-36
- OSTI ID:
- 5653576
- Report Number(s):
- LA-9642; ON: DE84002287
- Country of Publication:
- United States
- Language:
- English
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Related Subjects
46 INSTRUMENTATION RELATED TO NUCLEAR SCIENCE AND TECHNOLOGY
500300 -- Environment
Atmospheric-- Radioactive Materials Monitoring & Transport-- (-1989)
54 ENVIRONMENTAL SCIENCES
ACTINIDE ISOTOPES
ACTINIDE NUCLEI
ACTINIDES
ALPHA DECAY RADIOISOTOPES
ALPHA DETECTION
CALIBRATION
CALIFORNIUM 252
CALIFORNIUM ISOTOPES
CHARGED PARTICLE DETECTION
DAUGHTER PRODUCTS
DETECTION
ELEMENTS
EVEN-EVEN NUCLEI
FLUIDS
GASES
HEAVY NUCLEI
ISOTOPES
MEASURING INSTRUMENTS
METALS
MONITORS
NONMETALS
NUCLEI
PLUTONIUM
RADIATION DETECTION
RADIATION MONITORS
RADIOISOTOPES
RADON
RARE GASES
TRANSURANIUM ELEMENTS
YEARS LIVING RADIOISOTOPES