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Estimation of Gas Purity in a CO2-Filled Proportional Counter by Rise-Time Analysis

Published online by Cambridge University Press:  18 July 2016

Adam Michczyński
Affiliation:
Radiocarbon Laboratory, Institute of Physics, Silesian Technical University, Bolesława Krzywoustego 2, PL-44-100 Gliwice, Poland
Anna Pazdur
Affiliation:
Radiocarbon Laboratory, Institute of Physics, Silesian Technical University, Bolesława Krzywoustego 2, PL-44-100 Gliwice, Poland
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Abstract

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Since 1994, a new data-acquisition system with rise-time (RT) based background reduction has been in operation at the Gliwice Radiocarbon Laboratory. During long-term stability tests, we observed large shifts in the RT spectra obtained during various measurement series. These shifts caused important changes in the count rate measured with RT reduction. As a result, we have ascertained that the shifts are the consequence of variable concentration of electronegative impurities. A correction method was considered, using average RT of pulses obtained in coincidence with the muon events, so-called ARTL (average rise time of L pulses), for estimation of the RT of the spectrum's shift. However, radiocarbon dates calculated based on count rates with RT discrimination, which were corrected using this method, are not more precise than traditional 14C dates. Nevertheless, the value of the average coincidence pulse RT is a good indication of sample gas purity.

Type
Part 1: Methods
Copyright
Copyright © The American Journal of Science 

References

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