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Characterization of dose rate instruments for environmental radiation monitoring

  • F. Wissmann , A. Rupp and U. Stöhlker
Published/Copyright: May 20, 2013
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Abstract

Any dose rate instrument used to monitor environmental radiation must be characterized with respect to its response to secondary cosmic radiation and terrestrial radiation. This requires calibrations using different photon radiation fields, the measurement of the instruments internal background and the exposure to secondary cosmic radiation. The methods developed within the cooperation between BfS and PTB are explained in detail by an intercomparison of instruments which are part of the German early warning network IMIS and a high-pressure ionization chamber which was used as the reference instrument. The measurements were performed at the PTB facilities for the dosimetry of environmental radiation. It is shown how the ambient dose equivalent rate of the terrestrial radiation is determined and how the sensitivity of an instrument to a radioactive cloud passing by can be investigated.

Kurzfassung

Jedes Ortsdosisleistungsmessgerät, das zur Überwachung der Umgebungsstrahlung eingesetzt wird, muss bezüglich des Ansprechvermögens gegenüber der sekundären kosmischen Strahlung und der terrestrischen Strahlung charakterisiert werden. Dies erfordert Kalibriermessungen in verschiedenen Photonenstrahlungsfeldern, die Messung des internen Untergrundes der Geräte und die Exposition mit sekundärer kosmischer Strahlung. Die innerhalb einer Kooperation von BfS und PTB entwickelten Methoden werden im Detail an Hand eines Vergleichs von Messgeräten, die Teil des deutschen Frühwarnsystems IMIS sind, und einer Hochdruckionisationskammer als Referenzinstrument beschrieben. Die Messungen wurden auf den Messplätzen für Umgebungsdosimetrie der PTB durchgeführt. Es wird gezeigt wie die Ortsdosisleistung der terrestrischen Strahlung bestimmt wird und wie die Sensitivität eines Messgerätes bezüglich einer vorbeiziehenden radioaktiven Wolke untersucht werden kann.

References

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Received: 2007-5-21
Published Online: 2013-05-20
Published in Print: 2007-08-01

© 2007, Carl Hanser Verlag, München

Articles in the same Issue

  1. Contents/Inhalt
  2. Contents
  3. Summaries/Kurzfassungen
  4. Summaries
  5. Editorial
  6. Environmental monitoring in the case of a radiological event
  7. Technical Contributions/Fachbeiträge
  8. The revised program for measurements in intense operation mode according to AVV-IMIS
  9. Early emergency response by means of dispersion forecasting – emergency management of the Deutscher Wetterdienst in the context of national and international agreements
  10. Improvement, extension and integration of operational Decision Support Systems for nuclear emergency management (DSSNET)
  11. European approach to nuclear and radiological emergency management and rehabilitation strategies (EURANOS)
  12. Bilateral information and data exchange in case of nuclear emergencies in the German-Dutch border region
  13. Implementation of decision support systems in Austria
  14. Source term assessment as a basis for protective measures for the population in case of a nuclear accident in a nuclear power plant with radiological consequences
  15. Characterization of dose rate instruments for environmental radiation monitoring
  16. Rapid determination of strontium radionuclides in plants, fodder and foodstuffs
  17. Longitudinal dispersion of radioactive substances in Federal waterways
  18. Fast online system for forecasting environmental impact during an incident
  19. Harnessing monitoring measurements in urban environments for decision making after nuclear accidents
  20. Correction of deposition predictions with data assimilation
  21. Potentials and limits of electronic situation displays
  22. Requirements of emergency control managements on data and information for assessment of the radiological situation in case of a severe accident in a nuclear power plant
  23. deNIS IIplus – computer-assisted crisis management system
  24. Iodine Prophylaxis following nuclear accidents – a concept how to distribute potassium-iodide tablets out of the central stocks in the event of an accident
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