Application of airborne gamma spectrometric survey data to estimating terrestrial gamma-ray dose rates: an example in California.

We examined the applicability of radioelement data from the National Aerial Radiometric Reconnaissance, an element of the National Uranium Resource Evaluation, to estimate terrestrial gamma-ray absorbed dose rates, by comparing dose rates calculated from aeroradiometric surveys of uranium, thorium, and potassium concentrations with dose rates calculated from a radiogeologic data base and the distribution of lithologies in California. Gamma-ray dose rates increase generally from north to south following lithological trends, with low values of 25-30 nGy h-1 in the northernmost 1 x 2 degrees quadrangles between 41 and 42 degrees N to high values of 75-100 nGy h-1 in southeastern California. Lithologic-based estimates of mean dose rates in the quadrangles generally match those from aeroradiometric data, with statewide means of 63 and 60 nGy h-1, respectively. These are intermediate between a population-weighted global average of 51 nGy h-1 reported in 1982 by UNSCEAR and a weighted continental average of 70 nGy h-1, based on the global distribution of rock types. The concurrence of lithologically and aeroradiometrically determined dose rates in California, with its varied geology and topography encompassing settings representative of the continents, indicates that the National Aerial Radiometric Reconnaissance data are applicable to estimates of terrestrial absorbed dose rates from natural gamma emitters.