An Analytical Approach to Environmental Radiation Measurements

Peak counting rates of a Ge (Li) detector for r-rays of interest and exposure rates at 1 m above the ground have been calculated using the soil and air concentration profiles of naturally occurring radionuclides at Tsukuba (Yatabe City, Tsukuba District, Ibaraki Prefecture). Decrease in the peak counting rate for 609 keY 214 Bi r-ray above the ground, which was due to diffusion loss of 222 Rn under the ground, was evaluated to be about 44% of the peak counting rate calculated assuming uniform distribution of 222 Rn under the ground, and decrease in the exposure rate was evaluated to be about 13% of the total exposure rate calculated assuming uniform distribution. Field measurement of r-rays from sources in the soil and air was also made with the Ge (Li) detector at Tsukuba. The calculated peak counting rates where the diffusion loss of 222 Rn was involved agreed with those observed in situ. During the observation the calculated peak counting rate for the 609 keY r-ray from airborne 214 Bi ranged 3-19% of that from uniformly distributed 214 Bi source under ground, and the calculated exposure rate from the airborne 222 Rn daughters ranged 1-9% of the total exposure rate.

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Considerations in Measuring Trace Radionuclides in Soil Samples by L X-Ray Detection

Strauss

Sherman

Swanson

et al. 1978

IEEE Trans. Nucl. Sci.

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Several aspects pertaining to the measurements of trace radionuclides (such as plutonlum) In soil samples by L x-ray detection have been considered. A 3 x 3 multiplexed array of edge-mounted SI detectors with a total detection area of SO cm 2 and FWHM resolution of 300 eV at 17 keV has been conceived. The fractional transmission-weighted solid angle for a distributed, self-absorbing source was calculated to be 0.2S, which Is one half the value of that for a lossless sheet source. To determine the minimum detectable activity, Intensities of 59 L x-ray lines from the decay chains of 238u and 232th have been calculated. A total of 130 x rays ranging from 9-20 keV emanate from soil per 100 alpha decays each of 232th and 238u, compared with 4.6 for 23»Pu. The minimum Pu activity detectable with the Si array in such contaminants as worldwide fallout, weapons material, and Rocky Flats soil Is expected to approach 1 pCi in 1 g of soil. This concentration is comparable to the natural activity in soil. The minimum Pu activity detectable with Mai detectors is 100 times higher.

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An Analytical Approach to Environmental Radiation Measurements

Cited by 4 publications

References 1 publication

Dosimetry for Radiological Protection at High-Energy Particle Accelerators

Dosimetry for Radiological Protection at High-Energy Particle Accelerators

Detailed Evaluation of Natural Gamma-Radiation Field due to Uranium (²³⁸U) Series

Considerations in Measuring Trace Radionuclides in Soil Samples by L X-Ray Detection

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An Analytical Approach to Environmental Radiation Measurements

Cited by 4 publications

References 1 publication

Dosimetry for Radiological Protection at High-Energy Particle Accelerators

Dosimetry for Radiological Protection at High-Energy Particle Accelerators

Detailed Evaluation of Natural Gamma-Radiation Field due to Uranium (238U) Series

Considerations in Measuring Trace Radionuclides in Soil Samples by L X-Ray Detection

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Product

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Detailed Evaluation of Natural Gamma-Radiation Field due to Uranium (²³⁸U) Series