Chicago University Report CP-2026

ABSTRACT. When solutions of high specific alpha activity are to be assayed for product, it is often difficult to obtain reproducible results by diluting the solution sufficiently to remove a small volume from which a sample can be prepared and counted at 52% geometry. In order to assay such a solution, most reproducible results have been obtained with minimum effort in sample preparation by making use of low geometry chambers. Two types of low geometry chambers are described: 1) The air-screen type which reduces the geometry simply by placing screens of various transparencies above the sample; and 2) The vacuum low geometry chamber which accomplishes geometry reduction by increasing the distance between sample and collecting electrode thus decreasing the solid angle subtended by the sample and aperture through which the particles pass into the ionization chamber. This type chamber was developed concurrently by this group and the instrument group of Chemistry Section C-I at the Metallurgical Laboratory. Because the geometry of the air-screen type chamber is quite critical to sample spreading and be- cause 12 mm sample plates are required, it has found very little use. On the other hand, the vacuum chamber, because it is noncritical to sample spreading and especially noncritical to sample thickness, has found widespread use in product chemistry studies and high alpha activity experiments. Photographs and drawings are included

Responses of red deer (Cervus elaphus) to regular disturbance by hill walkers

Disturbance to wildlife from human recreational activities is increasing as remote areas become accessible to greater numbers of people. We used Global Positioning System tracking collars to monitor the movements of red deer (Cervus elaphus) stags (n = 8) in a herd whose feeding grounds lie close to a popular walking track in the Highlands of Scotland. The track is used by around 20,000 walkers per year and is busiest in summer and at weekends. In a 2-year study, the locations of collared deer were recorded at 2-h intervals on typically busy days (Sundays: mean number of walkers = 204) and quiet days (Wednesdays: mean number of walkers = 49) during May and June. The deer were consistently further from the track on Sundays than Wednesdays (371 vs 286 m) and moved greater distances between fixes (365 vs 308 m). The amount of time spent (percentage of total fixes) in the small area of grassland closest to the track was lower on Sundays than Wednesdays (6% vs 13%). Although 97% of walkers use the track during the day (between 0800 and 2000 h), there was no evidence of compensatory use of grassland at night, when the deer moved to higher ground dominated by heather moorland. The results demonstrate that animals which appear to be habituated to regular disturbance within their home territory may nevertheless alter their behaviour and potentially diet composition, as a result of that disturbance