Beta attenuation monitoring

Beta Attenuation Monitoring (BAM) is a method used to measure particulate matter concentration in the air. It relies on the principle of beta radiation attenuation, where a source of beta particles (usually from a radioactive material) emits radiation that passes through an ambient air sample containing particulate matter. As these beta particles encounter particles in the air, they lose energy or are absorbed, leading to a reduction in the intensity of the beta radiation that reaches a detector.