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.

A fence line noble gas monitoring system for nuclear power plants.

A noble gas monitoring system has been installed at Ontario Power Generation's Pickering Nuclear Generating Station (PNGS) near Toronto, Canada. This monitoring system allows a direct measure of air kerma from external radiation instead of calculating this based on plant emission data and meteorological models. This has resulted in a reduction in the reported effective dose from external radiation by a factor of at least ten. The system consists of nine self-contained units, each with a 7.6 cm x 7.6 cm (3 inch x 3 inch) NaI(TI) detector that is calibrated for air kerma. The 512-channel gamma ray spectral information is downloaded daily from each unit to a central computer where the data are stored and processed. A spectral stripping procedure is used to remove natural background variations from the spectral windows used to monitor xenon-133 (133Xe), xenon-135 (135Xe), argon-41 (41Ar), and skyshine radiation from the use of radiography sources. Typical monthly minimum detection limits in air kerma are 0.3 nGy for 133Xe, 0.7 nGy for 35Xe, 3 nGy for 41Ar and 2 nGy for skyshine radiation. Based on 9 months of continuous operation, the annualised air kerma due to 133Xe, 135Xe and 41Ar and skyshine radiation were 7 nGy, 8 nGy, 26 nGy and 107 nGy respectively.

Calibration of a 7.6 cm x 7.6 cm (3 inch x 3 inch) sodium iodide gamma ray spectrometer for air kerma rate.

An experimental procedure is described for converting a gamma ray spectral measurement from a 7.6 cm x 7.6 cm (3 inch x 3 inch) sodium iodide (NaI) detector to air kerma rate. The calibration procedure involves measuring the energy deposited in the detector using 10 radioactive sources of known activity covering an energy range from 60 keV to 1,836 keV. For each of the 10 sources, gamma ray spectra were measured with the source at different angles to the detector axis. The total energy deposited in the detector for the ten sources was confirmed by Monte Carlo calculations. The spectra measured at different angles were combined to produce a spectrum that would represent a homogeneous semi-infinite source of radiation. The resultant spectrum was then subdivided into 10 energy regions. Based on the known air kerma rates due to the sources, a calibration coefficient was calculated for each of the 10 energy regions. These calibration coefficients could then be used to convert the energy deposited in the 10 regions of an unknown spectrum to air kerma rate. The calibration procedure was confirmed by comparing the results from the detector with those from calibrated collimated beams of 137Cs and 60Co. A comparison of measurements using a calibrated pressurised ionisation chamber with those from a similar Nal spectrometer in Finland provided additional confirmation of the calibration procedure.

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.