Radiation Detection Algorithm for a Portable Survey Instrument

Los Alamos has developed two detector probes, one for gammas and the other for alphas, that can be connected to any device, such as a terminal or computer, capable of sending and receiving serial ASCII data. We were faced with the problem of developing computer programs that would allow the probes to be used in either a survey or a measurement mode and give good statistical response in either. To test different algorithms using various parameters, we coded the algorithms in the Pascal programming language and ran them on a personal computer. The advantage of programs employing the algorithms we have developed is that they are both fast and accurate, but not at the same time. The probes, using these programs, are able to find then measure a source.