Automatic Data Acquisition and Reduction for Elemental Analysis of Aerosol Samples

A PDF 15/40 computer wich ADC and CAMAC interfaces is used to control data collection apparatus, acquire data, and reduce data to determine the elemental composition of aerosol samples. The background is subtracted from each energy spectrum, peak centers are located automatically using a Gaussian correlation technique, peak multiplets are resolved with Gaussian fits, peak energies are compared with entries in a table of x-ray lines for possible identification, multiple identification of peaks and line interferences are resolved, and the elemental amounts are determined from the areas of the Gaussian fits.