The АРИКС-01 Automatic Facility for Measuring Concentrations of Radioactive Xenon Isotopes in the Atmosphere

A complex of equipment was designed for taking xenon samples from the ambient air, measuring concentrations of radioactive xenon isotopes (131mXe, 133mXe, 133Xe, and 135Xe), and transmitting results in the automatic mode. Xenon is extracted from the air stream using low-temperature adsorption on activated charcoal. Radiochemical purification of the adsorbed xenon is based on thermal desorption in a helium stream and the passage of gases liberated by the adsorber through a system of traps. The radionuclide concentrations in xenon samples are determined using the β-γ coincidence method. When processing air samples of volume 12 m3 and measuring their spectra over 10 h, the minimum detectable concentration of the prevailing radionuclide (133Xe) in the air is no greater than 0.5 mBq/m3. The complex is designed for radiation monitoring under the Comprehensive Test Ban Treaty.