Hot particle detection using uncertainties in activity measurements of soil.
The uncertainty in gamma spectroscopic activity measurements is investigated for soil containing hot particles. A radioactivity inhomogeneity uncertainty needs to be taken into account, which depends on the density of hot particles in the sample geometry, the distribution of their activities, and the specific source-detector geometry. The maximum activity error due to hot particles in our sampled Chernobyl soil with a 137Cs activity of 100 kBq kg(-1) soil was 6% for our source detector geometry. The methodology presented might have a practical application in nuclear power plants to detect hot particles in a large quantity of dust or dirt. The number of hot particles present can be estimated if the activity of all particles is assumed to be similar. With this assumption 100 g of the investigated soil sample would contain about 500 hot particles with an approximate activity of 20 Bq each.
Nageldinger
G
G
Kingston University, Applied Physics, Kingston upon Thames, Surrey.
Flowers
A
A
Henry
B
B
Postaük
J
J
D003198:Computer Simulation; D005720:Gamma Rays; D009010:Monte Carlo Method; D011834:Radiation Monitoring / Q000379:methods*; D012990:Soil Pollutants, Radioactive / Q000032:analysis*
D012990:Soil Pollutants, Radioactive