In situ gamma-spectrometry several years after deposition of radiocesium. II. Peak-to-valley method.
A new method is introduced for deriving radiocesium soil contaminations and kerma rates in air from in situ gamma-ray spectrometric measurements. The approach makes use of additional information about gamma-ray attenuation given by the peak-to-valley ratio, which is the ratio of the count rates for primary and forward scattered photons. In situ measurements are evaluated by comparing the experimental data with the results of Monte Carlo simulations of photon transport and detector response. The influence of photons emitted by natural radionuclides on the calculation of the peak-to-valley ratio is carefully analysed. The new method has been applied to several post-Chernobyl measurements and the results agreed well with those of soil sampling.
GSF - National Research Center for Environment and Health, Institute of Radiation Protection, Neuherberg, Germany. gering@gsf.de
F
F
Gering
U
U
Hillmann
P
P
Jacob
G
G
Fehrenbacher
D002588:Cesium Radioisotopes / Q000032:analysis*; D005858:Germany; D015233:Models, Statistical; D009010:Monte Carlo Method; D009688:Nuclear Reactors; D017785:Photons; D011197:Potassium Radioisotopes / Q000032:analysis; D011210:Power Plants; D018788:Radioactive Hazard Release; D011868:Radioisotopes / Q000032:analysis; D012990:Soil Pollutants, Radioactive / Q000032:analysis*; D013051:Spectrometry, Gamma / Q000379:methods*; D013910:Thorium / Q000032:analysis; D013997:Time Factors; D014455:Ukraine; D014501:Uranium / Q000032:analysis
D002588:Cesium Radioisotopes; D011197:Potassium Radioisotopes; D011868:Radioisotopes; D012990:Soil Pollutants, Radioactive; D014501:Uranium; D013910:Thorium