title: A new method of imaging particle tracks in solid state nuclear track detectors.
abstract: Solid state nuclear track detectors are used to determine the concentration of alpha particles in the environment. The standard method for assessing exposed detectors involves 2D image analysis. However 3D imaging has the potential to provide additional information relating to angle as well as to differentiate clustered hit sequences and possibly energy of alpha particles but this could be time consuming. Here we describe a new method for rapid high-resolution 3D imaging of solid state nuclear track detectors. A 'LEXT' OLS3100 confocal laser scanning microscope (Olympus Corporation, Tokyo, Japan) was used in confocal mode to successfully obtain 3D image data on four CR-39 plastic detectors. Three-dimensional visualization and image analysis enabled characterization of track features. This method may provide a means of rapid and detailed 3D analysis of solid state nuclear track detectors.
authors.affiliation: Faculty of Computing, Information Systems & Maths, Kingston University, Surrey KT12EE, UK. D.Wertheim@kingston.ac.uk
authors.forename: D
authors.initials: D
authors.lastname: Wertheim
authors.forename: G
authors.initials: G
authors.lastname: Gillmore
authors.forename: L
authors.initials: L
authors.lastname: Brown
authors.forename: N
authors.initials: N
authors.lastname: Petford
mesh_terms: D000512:Alpha Particles; D002274:Carcinogens, Environmental / Q000009:adverse effects / Q000737:chemistry; D006801:Humans; D007091:Image Processing, Computer-Assisted; D008175:Lung Neoplasms / Q000209:etiology; D018613:Microscopy, Confocal / Q000379:methods; D011092:Polyethylene Glycols / Q000737:chemistry; D011834:Radiation Monitoring / Q000295:instrumentation / Q000379:methods; D011874:Radiometry / Q000295:instrumentation / Q000379:methods*; D011886:Radon / Q000009:adverse effects / Q000737:chemistry; D012680:Sensitivity and Specificity
chemical_list: D002274:Carcinogens, Environmental; C028827:CR 39; D011092:Polyethylene Glycols; D011886:Radon