DEVELOPMENT OF COMMERCIALLY AVAILABLE INSTRUMENTATION FOR MONITORING INDOOR RADON PROGENY

RADON DAUGHTERS IN INDOOR AIR REPRESENT A GREATER RADIOLO LOGICAL HAZARD TO THE POPULATION THAN ANY OTHER NATURALLY OCCURRING OR MAN-MADE RADIATION SOURCE. A SYSTEM TO DETECT THE ALPHA PARTICLES EMITTED BY THESE RADIOLOGICALLY ACTIVE RADON DAUGHTERS IS PROPOSED. A KEY ELEMENT OF THIS WORK IS TO PROVIDE A SUITABLE CALIBRATION BETWEEN DETECTED ALPH A ENERGY AND INDOOR RADIOLOGICAL HAZARD. THE INSTRUMENTATIONDESIGN AND DEVELOPMENT EFFORT WILL BE DIRECTED SO AS TO IN INSURE THAT THE PREDICTED ACCURACY WILL BE ACHIEVED. THE ULTIMATE GOAL OF THIS PROPOSAL IS TO DEVELOP COMMERCIALLY AVAILABLE AND EASILY USED INSTRUMENTATION FOR THE MONITORINGOF INDOOR WORKING LEVELS OF RADON. THE SCOPE OF PHASE I IS TO ESTABLISH "BREADBOARD" AND WORKING PROTOTYPES TO PROVE THE DETECTOR THEORY AND DEFINE INTENSIFIER REQUIREMENTS. SEVERAL INSTRUMENTS WOULD BE PRODUCED IN PHASE II AND FIELD TESTING OF BOTH THE INSTRUMENTATION AND THE DERIVED CAL CALIBRATION ALGORITHMS WOULD BE UNDERTAKEN. THE ENTIRE PROJECT ENVISIONS TWO INSTURMENTS, THE FIRST DESIGNED FOR FOR EASE OF OPERATION BY GOVERNMENTAL AND INSTITUTIONAL U USERS, AND THE SECOND INTENDED FOR PERMANENT INSTALLATION INHIGH RISK STRUCTURES AND DWELLINGS.