Development and application of nuclear track-detectors

A report of the Nuclear Research Institute of Debrecen on its activities in the field of nuclear track-detectors is given. Until 1975 the investigated topics were as follows: 1950-1960: nuclear emulsions and autoradiographic methods; 1960-1969: development of plastic track-detectors, elaboration of the ''track-diameter'' and ''recoil-track'' methods (the latter is being widely used in neutron dosimetry); 1970-1974: the mechanism of the formation of chemically corroded track-cavities, theoretical problems of track-geometry, environmental factors influencing the sensitivity of track-detectors. Since 1975 the Institute has been dealing with practical applications such as measurement of radon-anomalies in order to explore deep uranium reserves, neutron dosimetry of the new nuclear reactor, while its theoretical work included track-corrosion in electric field and track-colouring technics. (L.E.)