July 30, 2019
Report

Ultra-Sensitive Measurements of Large-Volume Radioxenon Samples Using an Ultra-Low-Background Proportional Counter (ULBPC): Final Report

Abstract

This project investigated the feasibility of analyzing radioxenon samples in much larger quantities than currently used by the International Monitoring System (IMS). There is interest within the PTS and the international community in the ability to obtain xenon samples using the output of industrial oxygen plants, which could provide samples that are larger by three orders of magnitude, or more, than those currently provided by IMS stations. Such samples would best be analyzed using internal-source gas proportional counters, though the details of that approach and its sensitivity and limits were previously not examined. This report details the outcomes of a task designed to 1) analyze xenon radioisotope data collected previously via internal-source gas proportional counting and 2) collect additional gas proportional counter measurements to determine feasible gas blends for large volume xenon.

Revised: October 21, 2019 | Published: July 30, 2019

Citation

Aalseth C.E., B.G. Fulsom, K.S. Thommasson, E.R. Edwards, E.K. Mace, M.P. Foxe, and A. Seifert. 2019. Ultra-Sensitive Measurements of Large-Volume Radioxenon Samples Using an Ultra-Low-Background Proportional Counter (ULBPC): Final Report Richland, WA: Pacific Northwest National Laboratory.