Particle size analysis of radioactive aerosols formed by irradiation of argon using 65 MeV quasi-monoenergetic neutrons

The size distributions of 38Cl and 39Cl aerosols formed from the irradiation of argon gas containing di-octyl phthalate (DOP) aerosols by 65 MeV quasi-monoenergetic neutrons were measured to study the formation mechanism of radioactive aerosols in high-energy radiation fields. Both the number size distribution and the activity-weighted size distribution were measured using an electrical low-pressure impactor. It was found that the 38Cl and 39Cl aerosols are formed by attachment of the radioactive atoms generated by the neutron-induced reaction to the DOP aerosol particles.