Proportional counter with automatic gain control

Abstract

In aid of solar X-ray experiment aboard the earth satellite ESRO-II a proportional counter was developed, at the Utrecht Space Research Laboratory, of which the gas gain can be monitored. There are different factors that can influence the gas gain of a proportional counter, of these the gas pressure and supply voltage are the most important. This paper describes the electronic circuitry that makes use of this monitor voltage to control the high voltage supply of the proportional counter so that a constant output pulse height distribution of the X-ray detector can be achieved.