CHARGING OF ALPHA-ACTIVE DROPS IN WEAKLY IONIZED HIGHLY RADIOACTIVE AEROSOLS

A mathematical model is developed that describes the charging of highl y radioactive drops of an aqueous aerosol in a weakly ionized aerosol medium. The radioactivity of the aerosol particles is due to alpha-act ive impurities. Formulas determining the ionic fluxes toward the alpha -active drop in weakly ionized air are obtained. The theory takes into account the additional ionization of air by radiation emitted from ra dioactive particles and the selective absorption of oppositely charged ions by aerosol drops, which is caused by the electric potential jump at the water-air interface.