ALPHA-CONTAMINATION MONITORING OF SURFACES, OBJECTS, AND ENCLOSED AREAS

The usefulness of traditional alpha detectors for contamination monito ring is limited by the size and sensitivity of the detectors and by th e short range of alpha particles in air. The long-range alpha detector (LRAD) detects the ions produced by the alpha particles passing throu gh air, rather than the alpha particles themselves, limiting LRAD dete ction by the range of the ions (tens of meters), rather than the range of the alpha particles (a few centimeters). Since the LRAD collects a ll ions simultaneously, an LRAD monitor will be sensitive to all of th e sources of contamination contained within it. The electronic noise w ithin the LRAD can be reduced so that better sensitivity than traditio nal detectors is also possible. These advantages are used in the objec t, pipe and duct, floor, and soil surface monitors addressed in this p aper. We discuss the design of these monitors as well as field test re sults.