METHOD DETECTING LOW FLUXES OF IONIZING RADIATIONS Russian patent published in 1999 - IPC

FIELD: detection of low fluxes of ionizing radiation from mobile and immobile, open and closed beta-, gamma- and neutron sources with use of ionization counters ( proportional or Geiger counters ) or scintillation detectors. SUBSTANCE: threshold q₀ is determined before start of test of objects in correspondence with probability of false operations specified by operator by tables for normal distribution, then average rate b of background counting for time t_b and average rate n of counting of additive mixture of signal and background obtained for time t_n of object presence in field of vision of detector. Later parameter η is found by processing of measurement results by formula which are compared with threshold q₀ to make decision on result of detection. If η > q₀ then decision on detection is taken, otherwise decision on failure to detect is taken. EFFECT: minimal detected signal decreased to level close to theoretical limit, achievement of greatest probability of detection with preset probability of false alarm. 1 tbl