Meteorological influences on the results of area dose rate measurements
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H. Dombrowski
Abstract
The area dose rate (ADR) of the natural radiation is subject to strong fluctuations caused by meteorological influences. Rain in particular can strongly increase the local dose rate values on the earth's surface for a short time because radon progenies can be washed out of the atmosphere and accumulated on the Earth's surface. The Physikalisch-Technische Bundesanstalt (PTB) has reference measuring facilities at its disposal which allow permanent measurement of the individual components of natural ambient radiation. Results of long-term measurements and their correlation to weather data, seasonal fluctuations, but also to solar activity, are presented. In addition to the quantification of the radiation level caused by photons, the contributions of the charged components of cosmic radiation (myons and electrons) as well as neutron radiation were measured. The terrestrial component of natural ambient radiation results from the radionuclides in the soil and in the air. In order to determine which nuclides cause the corresponding dose rate, the in-situ-gamma spectrometry method is especially suited. Measurements of the variation of the nuclide-specific photon flux as a function of the precipitation prove that the activity concentrations of radon progenies have an important influence on the local dose rate.
Kurzfassung
Die Ortsdosisleistung (ODL) der natürlichen Umgebungsstrahlung unterliegt starken Schwankungen, die durch meteorologische Einflüsse verursacht werden. Insbesondere durch Regen können sich die ODL-Werte an der Erdoberfläche kurzfristig stark erhöhen, weil Radonfolgeprodukte aus der Atmosphäre ausgewaschen und an der Erdoberfläche angereichert werden können. Die Physikalisch-Technische Bundesanstalt (PTB) verfügt über Referenzmessplätze, die die dauerhafte Messung der einzelnen Komponenten der natürlichen Umgebungsstrahlung erlauben. Resultate von Langzeitmessungen und deren Korrelation mit Wetterdaten, jahreszeitlichen Schwankungen, aber auch mit der solaren Aktivität werden vorgestellt. Zusätzlich zur Quantifizierung der Strahlenexposition durch Photonen wurden auch die Beiträge der geladenen Komponente der Höhenstrahlung (Myonen und Elektronen) sowie der Neutronenstrahlung ermittelt. Die terrestrische Komponente der natürlichen Umgebungsstrahlung resultiert aus den Radionukliden im Boden und in der Luft. Um festzustellen, welche Nuklide die entsprechende Strahlenexposition hervorrufen, ist die Methode der In-Situ-Gamma-Spektrometrie besonders geeignet. Messungen der Änderung der nuklidspezifischen Photonenflüsse in Abhängigkeit vom Niederschlag zeigen, dass die Aktivitätskonzentration von Radonfolgeprodukten einen entscheidenden Einfluss auf die lokale ODL haben.
References
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© 2008, Carl Hanser Verlag, München
Artikel in diesem Heft
- Contents/Inhalt
- Contents
- Summaries/Kurzfassungen
- Summaries
- Technical Contributions/Fachbeiträge
- Radiation protection aspects in natural radioactivity
- Notifiable work activities in water supply facilities – execution experience from Bavaria
- Phenomenological model of TENORM formation in industrial processes
- Consideration of statistical uncertainties for the determination of representative values of the specific activity of wastes
- Radiological evaluation of mine water discharges from hard coal mining in the Fossa Eugeniana Area, Germany
- Development of an object-specific remediation solution for the waste rock dumps at the formerly abandoned Wismut sites
- Meteorological influences on the results of area dose rate measurements
- Optimization of the selection of analysis methods for the determination of naturally occurring radionuclides
- On the determination of the ingestion dose in drinking and mineral water
- Radon in Austria: metrology and practice
- Prediction of indoor radon in Germany on a regional scale
- Workplaces with natural radionuclides – investigation results from Bavaria
Artikel in diesem Heft
- Contents/Inhalt
- Contents
- Summaries/Kurzfassungen
- Summaries
- Technical Contributions/Fachbeiträge
- Radiation protection aspects in natural radioactivity
- Notifiable work activities in water supply facilities – execution experience from Bavaria
- Phenomenological model of TENORM formation in industrial processes
- Consideration of statistical uncertainties for the determination of representative values of the specific activity of wastes
- Radiological evaluation of mine water discharges from hard coal mining in the Fossa Eugeniana Area, Germany
- Development of an object-specific remediation solution for the waste rock dumps at the formerly abandoned Wismut sites
- Meteorological influences on the results of area dose rate measurements
- Optimization of the selection of analysis methods for the determination of naturally occurring radionuclides
- On the determination of the ingestion dose in drinking and mineral water
- Radon in Austria: metrology and practice
- Prediction of indoor radon in Germany on a regional scale
- Workplaces with natural radionuclides – investigation results from Bavaria
