Statistical discrimination based monitor for radioactive gases and vapor

The statistical discrimination method is based on the dependence of the resulting k-factor on the relative values of the ionization current components in a mixed nuclear radiation field. Although the functionality of the schemes using the statistical discrimination method for measuring different radioactive gases and vapors is different, the basic structures are quite similar. They all contain a gas flowing ionization chamber (with a sampling pump), a preamplifier, a data acquisition system and a personal computer. As a consequence, a multifunctional monitor for radioactive gases and vapors has been taken into consideration. A specially designed software allows for tuning the monitor on different gases (vapors) and on the associated radiation field (i.e. natural radiation background or gamma-ray field). Some performances of the monitor concerning the radon and tritium volume activity measurements and relatively strong gamma-ray fields are presented. (authors)