title: Measurements of background radiation levels around Indian station Bharati, during 33rd Indian Scientific Expedition to Antarctica.
abstract: A comprehensive measurement of radioactivity concentrations of the primordial radionuclides238U,232Th and40K and their decay products in the soil samples collected from the sites of Indian research stations, Bharati and Maitri, at Antarctica was carried out using gamma spectrometric method. The activity concentrations in the soil samples of Bharati site were observed to be few times higher than of Maitri site. The major contributor to radioactivity content in the soil at Bharati site is232Th radionuclide in higher concentration. The gamma radiation levels based on the measured radioactivity of soil samples were calculated using the equation given in UNSCEAR 2000. The calculated radiation levels were compared with the measured values and found to correlate reasonably well. The study could be useful for the scientists working at Antarctica especially those at Indian station to take decision to avoid areas with higher radioactivity before erecting any facility for long term experiment or use.
authors.affiliation: Radiological Physics & Advisory Division, Bhabha Atomic Research Centre, Mumbai, India. Electronic address: akbakshi@barc.gov.in.
authors.forename: A K
authors.initials: AK
authors.lastname: Bakshi
authors.affiliation: Radiological Physics & Advisory Division, Bhabha Atomic Research Centre, Mumbai, India.
authors.forename: Rama
authors.initials: R
authors.lastname: Prajith
authors.affiliation: Health Physics Division, Bhabha Atomic Research Centre, Mumbai, 400085, India.
authors.forename: S
authors.initials: S
authors.lastname: Chinnaesakki
authors.affiliation: Radiological Physics & Advisory Division, Bhabha Atomic Research Centre, Mumbai, India.
authors.forename: Rupali
authors.initials: R
authors.lastname: Pal
authors.affiliation: Radiological Physics & Advisory Division, Bhabha Atomic Research Centre, Mumbai, India.
authors.forename: Deepa
authors.initials: D
authors.lastname: Sathian
authors.affiliation: Indian Institute of Geomagnetism, Panvel, Navi Mumbai, Maharashtra, India.
authors.forename: Ajay
authors.initials: A
authors.lastname: Dhar
authors.affiliation: Radiological Physics & Advisory Division, Bhabha Atomic Research Centre, Mumbai, India.
authors.forename: T Palani
authors.initials: TP
authors.lastname: Selvam
authors.affiliation: Radiological Physics & Advisory Division, Bhabha Atomic Research Centre, Mumbai, India.
authors.forename: B K
authors.initials: BK
authors.lastname: Sapra
authors.affiliation: Radiological Physics & Advisory Division, Bhabha Atomic Research Centre, Mumbai, India.
authors.forename: D
authors.initials: D
authors.lastname: Datta
mesh_terms: D000864:Antarctic Regions; D001417:Background Radiation; D005101:Expeditions; D007194:India; D011834:Radiation Monitoring; D011848:Radioactive Pollutants / Q000032:analysis*; D011851:Radioactivity; D011868:Radioisotopes / Q000032:analysis; D013051:Spectrometry, Gamma
chemical_list: D011848:Radioactive Pollutants; D011868:Radioisotopes
keywords: Antarctica; Gamma radiation level; HPGe; PADC; Radioactivity; TLDs