Geiger-Muller counter

A "two-piece" bench type Geiger–Müller counter with end-window detector.

The device

The Geiger counter is an instrument used for measuring ionizing radiation used widely in such applications as radiation dosimetry, radiological protection, experimental physics and the nuclear industry.

It detects ionizing radiation such as alpha particles, beta particles and gamma rays using the ionization effect produced in a Geiger–Müller tube; which gives its name to the instrument. In wide and prominent use as a hand-held radiation survey instrument, it is perhaps one of the world's best-known radiation detection instruments.

A Geiger counter consists of a Geiger-Müller tube, the sensing element which detects the radiation, and the processing electronics, which displays the result. The Geiger-Müller tube is filled with an inert gas such as helium, neon, or argon at low pressure, to which a high voltage is applied.

How it works

The original detection principle was discovered in 1908, but it was not until the development of the Geiger-Müller tube in 1928 that the Geiger-Müller counter became a practical instrument. Since then it has been very popular due to its robust sensing element and relatively low cost. However, there are limitations in measuring high radiation rates and the energy of incident radiation.

Usages

The Geiger counter is an instrument used for measuring ionizing radiation used widely in such applications as radiation dosimetry, radiological protection, experimental physics and the nuclear industry.

most Civil Defense devices were actually ion-chamber radiological survey meters capable of measuring only high levels of radiation that would be present after a major nuclear event.

Most of the Geiger and ion-chamber survey meters were issued by governmental Civil Defense organizations in several countries from the 1950s in the midst of the Cold War in an effort to help prepare citizens for a nuclear attack.

Many of these same instruments are still in use today by some states, Texas amongst them, under the jurisdiction of the Texas Bureau of Radiation Control. They are regularly maintained, calibrated and deployed to fire depts and other emergency services.

Also see

1. Nukes
2. EMP
3. Atomic warfare information notes.
4. Atomic accidents and disasters
5. Atomic\nuclear war
6. Science
7. Leningrad Nuclear Power Plant accidents
8. UK OTL atomic reactors in 1962
9. POMCUS sites
10. Mushroom cloud
11. 1960 Bomarc Missile accident
12. Nuclear fallout
13. Atomic accidents and disasters
14. Atomic\nuclear power stations
15. Mushroom cloud
16. Atomic arsenals
17. Bomb blast effects
18. Atomic\nuclear war
19. Atomic accidents and disasters
20. The Campaign for Nuclear Disarmament (CND)
21. Atomic War
22. Atomic warfare information notes.
23. A nuclear\atomic holocaust or nuclear apocalypse
24. Nukes
25. Explosive blast\yield
26. Atomic arsenals
27. Bomb blast effects
28. Atomic\nuclear war
29. Atomic accidents and disasters
30. Atomic\nuclear power stations
31. Geiger-Muller counter
32. "Poland is 'toast'!"
33. Nuclear fallout
34. Atomic videos
35. Nuclear fallout
36. Atomic accidents and disasters
37. Atomic\nuclear power stations
38. Mushroom cloud
39. Atomic arsenals
40. Bomb blast effects
41. Atomic\nuclear war
42. Atomic accidents and disasters
43. The Campaign for Nuclear Disarmament (CND)
44. Atomic War
45. Atomic warfare information notes.
46. A nuclear\atomic holocaust or nuclear apocalypse
47. Nukes
48. Explosive blast\yield
49. Atomic arsenals
50. Bomb blast effects
51. Atomic\nuclear war
52. Atomic accidents and disasters
53. Atomic\nuclear power stations
54. Geiger-Muller counter
55. "Poland is 'toast'!"
56. Nuclear fallout
57. Atomic videos

Links

1. https://www.cpp.edu/~pbsiegel/bio431/texnotes/chapter4.pdf
2. https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Geiger_counter
3. http://www.national-radiation-instrument-catalog.com/
4. http://www.hse.gov.uk/pubns/irp7.pdf
5. https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Civil_Defense_Geiger_counters
6. https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Townsend_discharge
7. https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Geiger%E2%80%93M%C3%BCller_tube
8. https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Gaseous_ionization_detectors
9. https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Ionization_chamber