Carborne gamma-ray spectrometry. Calibration and applications.

Calibration of carborne gamma-ray spectrometry systems for (137)Cs is carried out with a source successively placed at 791 positions within an area of 34 m x 62 m. A computer model supplements the measurements. Hereby a sensitivity map for a surface contamination is generated as well as line and area sensitivities. Another model converts surface sensitivity to sensitivity for a deep contamination. Use of the sensitivity map for a non-homogeneous distribution of (137)Cs is demonstrated. Applications of line sensitivities for special tasks are discussed.

Experiences with area specific spectrum stripping of NaI(Tl) gamma spectra.

Processing of airborne and carborne gamma-ray spectra (AGS and CGS) often includes the stripping (elimination) of the signals from natural radioactivity. Hereby the net result becomes the signals from man-made radioactivity or other radiation anomalies. The parameters needed for spectrum stripping are dependent on detector size and quality as well as on the energy windows. In addition they depend on the environmental geometry including the vehicle carrying the detector. For AGS the altitude also influences the parameters. In general the stripping parameters are determined from tedious laboratory or field measurements with known sources of natural radioactivity. Stripping parameters may, however, often be calculated from the actual survey data or from data from a similar area. Both post-processing and real-time processing are possible. The technique is useful for gamma source search, for detection of radiation anomalies and for mapping of contamination levels. The use of the technique is illustrated with field exercise data.

Early detection of radioactive fallout by gamma spectrometry.

Radioactive fallout should be detected as early as possible. A new and efficient method for detection of low-level irradiation from manmade radioactivity is developed. Radiation abnormalities are detectable down to air kerma rates of 0.5 to 1.0 nGy h(-1) for 137Cs and even lower for 131I. For multi-gamma energy radioactivity the detection level is 2.6-3.5 nGy h(-1). A standard NaI detector and a 512-channel analyser are used together with noise adjusted singular value decomposition (NASVD). Statistical noise is removed and the measured spectra are reproduced using spectral components produced by NASVD. Stripping is not used and false alarms due to washout of atmospheric radon progeny are almost eliminated. Detection levels and the criteria for setting warning and alarm levels are discussed. The method may also be useful in other situations, for example where low-level signals from radioactive sources need to be detected.

A new technique for processing airborne gamma ray spectrometry data for mapping low level contaminations.

A new technique for processing airborne gamma ray spectrometry data has been developed. It is based on the noise adjusted singular value decomposition method introduced by Hovgaard in 1997. The new technique opens for mapping of very low contamination levels. It is tested with data from Latvia where the remaining contamination from the 1986 Chernobyl accident together with fallout from the atmospheric nuclear weapon tests includes 137Cs at levels often well below 1 kBq/m2 equivalent surface contamination. The limiting factors for obtaining reliable results are radon in the air, spectrum stability and accurate altitude measurements.