Method and apparatus for detecting dilute concentrations of radioactive xenon in samples of xenon extracted from the atmosphere
Abstract
A method and apparatus for measuring the concentrations of radioxenon isotopes in a gaseous sample wherein the sample cell is surrounded by N sub-detectors that are sensitive to both electrons and to photons from radioxenon decays. Signal processing electronics are provided that can detect events within the sub-detectors, measure their energies, determine whether they arise from electrons or photons, and detect coincidences between events within the same or different sub-detectors. The energies of detected two or three event coincidences are recorded as points in associated two or three-dimensional histograms. Counts within regions of interest in the histograms are then used to compute estimates of the radioxenon isotope concentrations. The method achieves lower backgrounds and lower minimum detectable concentrations by using smaller detector crystals, eliminating interference between double and triple coincidence decay branches, and segregating double coincidences within the same sub-detector from those occurring between different sub-detectors.
- Inventors:
- Issue Date:
- Research Org.:
- XIA LLC, Hayward, CA (United States)
- Sponsoring Org.:
- USDOE
- OSTI Identifier:
- 1415445
- Patent Number(s):
- 9857480
- Application Number:
- 15/094,793
- Assignee:
- XIA LLC (Hayward, CA)
- Patent Classifications (CPCs):
-
G - PHYSICS G01 - MEASURING G01T - MEASUREMENT OF NUCLEAR OR X-RADIATION
- DOE Contract Number:
- SC0011301
- Resource Type:
- Patent
- Resource Relation:
- Patent File Date: 2016 Apr 08
- Country of Publication:
- United States
- Language:
- English
- Subject:
- 46 INSTRUMENTATION RELATED TO NUCLEAR SCIENCE AND TECHNOLOGY; 07 ISOTOPE AND RADIATION SOURCES
Citation Formats
Warburton, William K., and Hennig, Wolfgang G. Method and apparatus for detecting dilute concentrations of radioactive xenon in samples of xenon extracted from the atmosphere. United States: N. p., 2018.
Web.
Warburton, William K., & Hennig, Wolfgang G. Method and apparatus for detecting dilute concentrations of radioactive xenon in samples of xenon extracted from the atmosphere. United States.
Warburton, William K., and Hennig, Wolfgang G. Tue .
"Method and apparatus for detecting dilute concentrations of radioactive xenon in samples of xenon extracted from the atmosphere". United States. https://www.osti.gov/servlets/purl/1415445.
@article{osti_1415445,
title = {Method and apparatus for detecting dilute concentrations of radioactive xenon in samples of xenon extracted from the atmosphere},
author = {Warburton, William K. and Hennig, Wolfgang G.},
abstractNote = {A method and apparatus for measuring the concentrations of radioxenon isotopes in a gaseous sample wherein the sample cell is surrounded by N sub-detectors that are sensitive to both electrons and to photons from radioxenon decays. Signal processing electronics are provided that can detect events within the sub-detectors, measure their energies, determine whether they arise from electrons or photons, and detect coincidences between events within the same or different sub-detectors. The energies of detected two or three event coincidences are recorded as points in associated two or three-dimensional histograms. Counts within regions of interest in the histograms are then used to compute estimates of the radioxenon isotope concentrations. The method achieves lower backgrounds and lower minimum detectable concentrations by using smaller detector crystals, eliminating interference between double and triple coincidence decay branches, and segregating double coincidences within the same sub-detector from those occurring between different sub-detectors.},
doi = {},
journal = {},
number = ,
volume = ,
place = {United States},
year = {2018},
month = {1}
}
Works referenced in this record:
Measurements of ambient radioxenon levels using the automated radioxenon sampler/analyzer (ARSA)
journal, January 2001
- McIntyre, J. I.; Abel, K. H.; Bowyer, T. W.
- Journal of Radioanalytical and Nuclear Chemistry, Vol. 248, Issue 3, p. 629-635
Deconvolution of three-dimensional beta-gamma coincidence spectra from xenon sampling and measurement units
journal, January 2005
- Foltz Biegalski, K. M.; Biegalski, S. R.
- Journal of Radioanalytical and Nuclear Chemistry, Vol. 263, Issue 1, p. 259-265