Introduction to the Special Issue on Experiments Involving the Outdoor Energetic Release of Radioactive Materials

Erhardt, Lorne

doi:10.1097/hp.0000000000000480

Cited by 2 publications

(1 citation statement)

References 13 publications

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“…In 2012, a series of experiments was conducted at the Defence Research and Development Canada's Suffield Research Centre (DRDC-Suffield Research Centre) in order to study the effects of the detonation of a radiological dispersal device (RDD) using a conventional explosive and the radioactive isotope 140 La (Erhardt 2016). Three RDD detonations took place, two in the spring of 2012 and one in the fall.…”

Section: Introductionmentioning

confidence: 99%

Aerial Mobile Radiation Survey Following Detonation of a Radiological Dispersal Device

et al. 2016

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A series of experiments was conducted in 2012 at the Defence Research and Development Canada's Suffield Research Centre in Alberta, Canada, during which three radiological dispersal devices were detonated. The detonations released radioactive (140)La into the air, which was then carried by winds and detectable over distances of up to 2 km. The Nuclear Emergency Response group of Natural Resources Canada conducted airborne radiometric surveys shortly following the explosions to map the pattern of radioactivity deposited on the ground. The survey instrument suite was based on large volume NaI(Tl) scintillation gamma radiation detectors, which were situated in a basket mounted exterior to the helicopter and oriented end-to-end to maximize the sensitivity. A standard geophysical data treatment was used to subtract backgrounds and to correct the data to produce counts due to (140)La at the nominal altitude. Sensitivity conversion factors obtained from Monte Carlo simulations were then applied to express the measurements in terms of surface activity concentration in kBq m(-2). Integrated over the survey area, the results indicate that only 20 to 25% of the bomb's original inventory of radioactive material is deposited within a 1.5-km radius of ground zero. These results can be accommodated with a simple model for the RDD behavior and atmospheric dispersion.

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Section: Introductionmentioning

confidence: 99%

Aerial Mobile Radiation Survey Following Detonation of a Radiological Dispersal Device

et al. 2016

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Gamma-Ray Dose From an Overhead Plume

McNaughton

Gillis²,

Ruedig³

et al. 2017

Health Physics

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Standard plume models can underestimate the gamma-ray dose when most of the radioactive material is above the heads of the receptors. Typically, a model is used to calculate the air concentration at the height of the receptor, and the dose is calculated by multiplying the air concentration by a concentration-to-dose conversion factor. Models indicate that if the plume is emitted from a stack during stable atmospheric conditions, the lower edges of the plume may not reach the ground, in which case both the ground-level concentration and the dose are usually reported as zero. However, in such cases, the dose from overhead gamma-emitting radionuclides may be substantial. Such underestimates could impact decision making in emergency situations. The Monte Carlo N-Particle code, MCNP, was used to calculate the overhead shine dose and to compare with standard plume models. At long distances and during unstable atmospheric conditions, the MCNP results agree with the standard models. At short distances, where many models calculate zero, the true dose (as modeled by MCNP) can be estimated with simple equations.

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Introduction to the Special Issue on Experiments Involving the Outdoor Energetic Release of Radioactive Materials

Cited by 2 publications

References 13 publications

Aerial Mobile Radiation Survey Following Detonation of a Radiological Dispersal Device

Aerial Mobile Radiation Survey Following Detonation of a Radiological Dispersal Device

Gamma-Ray Dose From an Overhead Plume

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