RaDeCC : Radium Delayed Coincidence Counter System

The Radium Delayed Coincidence Counter (RaDeCC) is an alpha scintillation counter used to measure radium isotopes in environmental samples. It distinguishes decay events of short-lived radium daughter products based on their contrasting half-lives. The system was pioneered by Giffin et al. in 1963 and later adapted for radium measurements by Moore and Arnold in 1996.

RaDeCC is particularly useful for determining the presence of radium isotopes such as 223Ra and 224Ra n seawater, groundwater, and other natural water samples. The method involves passing water samples through a column containing manganese dioxide-impregnated acrylic fiber to collect radium isotopes. The collected samples are then analyzed using the RaDeCC system to measure radium activities. This system has been widely applied in oceanographic studies to trace submarine groundwater discharges into the ocean and study coastal mixing processes. It provides a reliable and efficient way to measure radium isotopes without requiring modifications to the counting equipment or waiting for radioactive equilibrium.