PAPERSA Radon Background-subtraction Algorithm for Electronic Personal DosimetersFabian, R.; Bell, J.; Brandl, A.1Author Information 1Colorado State University, Fort Collins, CO. The authors declare no conflicts of interest. For correspondence contact: A. Brandl, Colorado State University, 1618 Campus Delivery, Fort Collins, CO 80523, or email at alexander.brandl@colostate.edu. (Manuscript accepted 22 August 2019) Health Physics: August 2020 - Volume 119 - Issue 2 - p 216-221 doi: 10.1097/HP.0000000000001178 Buy Metrics Abstract Many first responders are outfitted with electronic personal dosimeters to recognize and be alerted to radiological hazards during their response operations. These dosimeters provide invaluable measurement data for force protection, allowing the first responder to assess a response situation and take protective measures for themselves and other individuals involved based on instrument readings of dose rate or cumulative dose. However, capabilities of common electronic personal dosimeters to identify and distinguish various contributions to the instrument reading, in particular from natural radiological sources, are rather limited. An algorithm has been developed for two-channel electronic personal dosimeters that quantifies the signal contribution from radon progeny and allows for background subtraction from radon and radon progeny in the instrument reading. This algorithm will be particularly useful in operational scenarios where first responders may be subject to rapidly changing levels of natural background radiation, which could mimic the presence of anthropogenic sources of ionizing radiation. Copyright © 2020 Health Physics Society
