title: Long-range alpha detector.
abstract: Historically, alpha-particle detectors have been limited by the very short range of alpha particles in air. This results in a number of problems inherent to alpha contamination detectors, such as relatively poor sensitivity, geometry limitations, and inefficient monitoring techniques. In this paper, we document tests of a new long-range alpha detector. The charges generated by the interaction of alpha particles with air can be transported over significant distances (several meters) in a moving current of air generated by a small fan. An ion chamber located in front of the fan measures the current carried by the moving ions and, hence, detects the alpha decays.
authors.affiliation: Los Alamos Laboratory, NM 87645.
authors.forename: D W
authors.initials: DW
authors.lastname: MacArthur
authors.forename: K S
authors.initials: KS
authors.lastname: Allander
authors.forename: J A
authors.initials: JA
authors.lastname: Bounds
authors.forename: K B
authors.initials: KB
authors.lastname: Butterfield
authors.forename: J L
authors.initials: JL
authors.lastname: McAtee
mesh_terms: D000512:Alpha Particles; D004784:Environmental Monitoring; D011834:Radiation Monitoring; D011874:Radiometry / Q000295:instrumentation* / Q000379:methods