Contribution of 137Cs to the total absorbed gamma dose rate in air in a Greek forest ecosystem: measurements and Monte Carlo computations.
The absorbed gamma dose rate in air 1 m above soil due to natural gamma emitters and 137Cs from the Chernobyl accident was determined inside a Quercus conferta Kit ecosystem in Northern Greece by combination of Monte Carlo simulations with the MCNP code and in-situ gamma spectrometry measurements. The total absorbed gamma dose rate in air is about 64 nGy h(-1), where 40% of this value is due to 137Cs and 60% to natural gamma emitters. The Monte Carlo simulations indicated that the gamma absorbed dose rate in air due to 137Cs is mainly due (70%) to unscattered radiation and to a lesser extent (30%) to the scattered radiation. The results obtained with the Monte Carlo simulations for the unscattered radiation were in very good agreement with the experimental values deduced by in-situ gamma spectrometry measurements. From the combination of the Monte Carlo simulations and in-situ gamma spectrometry measurements a conversion factor C = 1 nGy h(-1)/kBq m(-2) was deduced for 137Cs. This factor must be used with caution and only for forest sites similar to the one used for this work.
Clouvas
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A
Department of Electrical and Computer Engineering, Aristotle University of Thessaloniki, Greece.
Xanthos
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S
Antonopoulos-Domis
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Alifragis
D A
DA
D000398:Air Pollution, Radioactive / Q000032:analysis*; D002588:Cesium Radioisotopes / Q000032:analysis*; D017753:Ecosystem; D005720:Gamma Rays; D006115:Greece; D015233:Models, Statistical; D009010:Monte Carlo Method; D011210:Power Plants; D011834:Radiation Monitoring / Q000379:methods*; D011847:Radioactive Fallout / Q000032:analysis*; D018788:Radioactive Hazard Release; D012990:Soil Pollutants, Radioactive / Q000032:analysis; D014197:Trees; D014455:Ukraine
D002588:Cesium Radioisotopes; D011847:Radioactive Fallout; D012990:Soil Pollutants, Radioactive