title: The Slanic-Prahova (ROMANIA) underground low-background radiation laboratory.
abstract: A low-background radiation laboratory was constructed and fully commissioned in 2006 in the former Unirea (Slanic-Prahova) salt mine at 208 m below surface (estimated to 560 m water equivalent). Preliminary measurements showed a global reduction of the absorbed dose due to natural factors of about 39 times compared to level on the surface, reaching inside the mine 1.17+/-0.14 nGy/h. The total gamma background spectrum between 40 KeV and 3 MeV was 100 times smaller at laboratory level with respect to the same spectrum recorder at surface, in open field. All these experimental facts recommend the Slanic-Prahova low-background radiation laboratory, at present time fully operational, as very suitable for various measurements needing a low background.
authors.affiliation: Horia Hulubei National Institute of Physics and Nuclear Engineering, P.O. Box MG-06, 077125 Magurele (Ilfov), Romania.
authors.forename: R
authors.initials: R
authors.lastname: Margineanu
authors.forename: C
authors.initials: C
authors.lastname: Simion
authors.forename: S
authors.initials: S
authors.lastname: Bercea
authors.forename: O G
authors.initials: OG
authors.lastname: Duliu
authors.forename: D
authors.initials: D
authors.lastname: Gheorghiu
authors.forename: A
authors.initials: A
authors.lastname: Stochioiu
authors.forename: M
authors.initials: M
authors.lastname: Matei
mesh_terms: D001417:Background Radiation; D004867:Equipment Design; D019544:Equipment Failure Analysis; D007753:Laboratories; D011835:Radiation Protection / Q000295:instrumentation*; D011874:Radiometry / Q000295:instrumentation*; D012383:Romania; D013051:Spectrometry, Gamma / Q000295:instrumentation*