Re: Ionization at 80 eV? (Yes)

["Dale E. Boyce" <dale@radpro.uchicago.edu>]

It is not so simple.  An 80 ev photon  or electron can easily ionize
something, but it is the electric field not so much the potential
that is important.

Think about it.  Gm tubes typically have 900 volts between the anode and
cathode.  Proportional detectors I have used needed up to 4000 volts.
Both of these need ionizing radiation to trigger an event.  The _field_
is insufficient to ionize even though the potential is there.

Dale Boyce
dale@radpro.uchicago.edu