Self-heating electrometer for high pressure ion chamber for verification of temperature compensation

An environmental radiation monitor including:

• a power supply;
• a high pressure ionization chamber electrically connected to the power supply, wherein the high pressure ionization chamber is configured to produce a current signal;
• and
• an electrometer electrically connected with the high pressure ionization chamber, wherein the electrometer includes:
• an electrical amplifier receiving the current signal, wherein the electrical amplifier is configured to convert the current signal to a voltage signal,
• a compensation circuit electrically connected to the electrical amplifier, wherein the compensation circuit is configured to modify the voltage signal, and
• a heat producing device, wherein the heat producing device is configured to induce a temperature change of the electrical amplifier and the compensation circuit.

A method of conducting a temperature compensation test cycle for an environmental radiation monitor including:

• providing an environmental radiation monitor including a power supply, a high pressure ionization chamber electrically connected to the power supply, wherein the high pressure ionization chamber is configured to produce a current signal, an electrometer electrically connected with the high pressure ionization chamber, wherein the electrometer includes an electrical amplifier receiving the current signal, wherein the electrical amplifier is configured to convert the current signal to a voltage signal, a compensation circuit electrically connected to the electrical amplifier, wherein the compensation circuit is configured to modify the voltage signal, and a heat producing device, wherein the heat producing device is configured to induce a temperature change of the electrical amplifier and the compensation circuit.
• measuring the voltage signal at a first time;
• activating the heat producing device, wherein the heat producing device induces a temperature change of the electrical amplifier and the compensation circuit;
• measuring the voltage signal at a second time;
• and
• comparing the measured value of the voltage signal at the first time to the value of the voltage signal at the second time, wherein the comparison indicates the accuracy of an electrometer temperature compensation.