rot y

:

portional to the logarithm of input current over a range in excess of six

decades, Since the units were to be self-cantained and to operate unattended
at remote locations they were powered by batteries, Wariations in operating characteristics due to gradual decrease of battery voltage were

accounted for by prcviding for periodic self-calibration, This was achieved
by injecting known currents into the circuit at four-hour intervals by a cam-

operated switch on the clock-driven recording milliameters,

The units operated satisfactorily for approximately five days which was
the maximum length of time the clock motors operated.
The low currents to be measured together with the high values of resistance in the circuit necessitated exclusion of all water vapor, This was
achieved by containing the electronics in an air-tight housing pressurized
slightly with dry nitrogen gas,
!

5 IONIZATION CHAMBER
i

The limiting sensitivity of the electrometer, 19712 amperes, together
with the requirement that the apparatus possess a sensitivity to garama
radiation ot 5 mr/br, dictated that the ionization chamber have a sensitiv~
ity of about 10°? ampere/r/hr. Since nc commercial ionization chambers
of this sensitivity were available it was necessary to develop one with the

appropriate characteristics. The resulting chamber was a high Pressure,
multielectrode Argon chamber with a sensitivity of approximately 2 x 107

amp/r/hr,

Figs, 2 and 3 show, respectively, an exploded view of the

chamber, and a view of the assembled chamber together with the electrometer housing.

6 PROTECTIVE HOUSING
The electrometer, ionization chamber, recording miliiameter and

bitteries were contained in rugged aluminum boxes which could be handled

by two men and could withstand exposure to any weather which might be

encountered at those locations wh:sre no protective shelter was available,

Aluminum radiation shields placed over the boxes precluded any "greenhouse" effect from occurring, An undue temperature rige in the boxes could

have undesirable effects; a high temperature could create irreversible changes
in values of the components in the electrometer leading to instability or undue

drift, seriously decreasing the life of the batteries and an increase in the
ionization chamber pressure beyond the limit of the protective pressure seal,
Figure 4 shows the interior of the housing containing all equipment.

Figure 5 is a view of the apparatus completely enclosed,

Provision was made to allow operation with the ionization chambers at

a location remote from the electrometer. proper and manyof the units on

Eniwetok were so employed with the electrometers ingide blockhouses and

the chambers inside protective canisters located outside.
7 CALIBRATION

Calibration of the ionization chambers waa carried out by comparison

Select target paragraph3