Analysis of Ionization Distributions in a Low-Pressure Cloud Chamber

On the possibility of obtaining non-diffused proximity functions from cloud-chamber data: I. Fourier deconvolution

“…To a large extent the cloud chamber is an ideal microdosimetric device: by measuring the positions of ionising events in charged-particle tracks one can generate-with a flexibility matched only by Monte Carlo simulations-any microdosimetric quantity of interest, ranging from lineal energy spectra (in volumes of practically arbitrary shape and size) to proximity functions, that is, distributions of distances between energy transfer points in the track. Cloud-chamber data analysed in such ways have been indeed reported for a variety of radiations (Budd and Marshall 1983, Marshall er a1 1985, Budd et a1 1983, Budd and Marshall 1980).…”

“…Recent publications from the Harwell grolup (Budd and Marshall 1983, Marshall et a1 1985, Budd et a1 1983, Budd and Marshall 1980) report one-dimensional root mean square diffusion distances of 4 nm and 3.5 nm in water vapour and tissueequivalent gas mixture, respectively. The spatial resolution in the proximity functions (or'interdroplet distance distributions, as they are called in these papers) is 0.5 nm in unit density (1 g water.…”