A personal neutron monitoring system based on CR-39 recoil proton track detectors: assessment of Hp(10) using image...

At the Individual Monitoring Service (IMS) of the ENEA Institute for Radiation Protection (IRP), the Hp(10) fast neutron dosemeter consists of a CR-39 (PADC, poly allyl diglycol carbonate) recoil protons track detector. The tracks across the detector surface are magnified through a chemical etching procedure and counted by a semi-automated system which consists of a microscope, a camera and a PC. A new analysis system, based on the National Instruments vision tools, was developed. The track area distribution for each reading field is recorded and numerical algorithms were developed in order to correct the energy dependence of the response and to recognise the tracks due to the background. This improves the dose evaluation system in terms of accuracy and discrimination or the background.