Radon-222 related influence on ambient gamma dose

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dc.contributor.authorMelintescu, Aen_AU
dc.contributor.authorChambers, SDen_AU
dc.contributor.authorCrawford, Jen_AU
dc.contributor.authorWilliams, AGen_AU
dc.contributor.authorZorila, Ben_AU
dc.contributor.authorGaleriu, Den_AU
dc.date.accessioned2025-02-13T03:13:39Zen_AU
dc.date.available2025-02-13T03:13:39Zen_AU
dc.date.issued2018-09en_AU
dc.date.statistics2025-02-13en_AU
dc.description.abstractAmbient gamma dose, radon, and rainfall have been monitored in southern Bucharest, Romania, from 2010 to 2016. The seasonal cycle of background ambient gamma dose peaked between July and October (100–105 nSv h−1), with minimum values in February (75–80 nSv h−1), the time of maximum snow cover. Based on 10 m a.g.l. radon concentrations, the ambient gamma dose increased by around 1 nSv h−1 for every 5 Bq m−3 increase in radon. Radon variability attributable to diurnal changes in atmospheric mixing contributed less than 15 nSv h−1 to the overall variability in ambient gamma dose, a factor of 4 more than synoptic timescale changes in air mass fetch. By contrast, precipitation-related enhancements of the ambient gamma dose were 15–80 nSv h−1. To facilitate routine analysis, and account in part for occasional equipment failure, an automated method for identifying precipitation spikes in the ambient gamma dose was developed. Lastly, a simple model for predicting rainfall-related enhancement of the ambient gamma dose is tested against rainfall observations from events of contrasting duration and intensity. Results are also compared with those from previously published models of simple and complex formulation. Generally, the model performed very well. When simulations underestimated observations the absolute difference was typically less than the natural variability in ambient gamma dose arising from atmospheric mixing influences. Consequently, combined use of the automated event detection method and the simple model of this study could enable the ambient gamma dose “attention limit” (which indicates a potential radiological emergency) to be reduced from 200 to 400% above background to 25–50%. © 2018 Elsevier Ltd.en_AU
dc.description.sponsorshipThe authors wish to thank to the Romanian Ministry of Education and Research, Contract PN-III-P4-ID-PCE-2016-0218, 191/2017 for the financial support of this study.en_AU
dc.format.mediumPrint-Electronicen_AU
dc.identifier.citationMelintescu, A., Chambers, S. D., Crawford, J., Williams, A. G., Zorila, B., & Galeriu, D. (2018). Radon-222 related influence on ambient gamma dose. Journal of Environmental Radioactivity, 189, 67-78. doi:10.1016/j.jenvrad.2018.03.012en_AU
dc.identifier.issn0265-931Xen_AU
dc.identifier.issn1879-1700en_AU
dc.identifier.journaltitleJournal of Environmental Radioactivityen_AU
dc.identifier.pagination67-78en_AU
dc.identifier.urihttps://doi.org/10.1016/j.jenvrad.2018.03.012en_AU
dc.identifier.urihttps://apo.ansto.gov.au/handle/10238/15981en_AU
dc.identifier.volume189en_AU
dc.languageEnglishen_AU
dc.language.isoenen_AU
dc.publisherElsevieren_AU
dc.subjectGamma detectionen_AU
dc.subjectGamma dosimetryen_AU
dc.subjectDosimetryen_AU
dc.subjectRomaniaen_AU
dc.subjectSeasonal variationsen_AU
dc.subjectRainen_AU
dc.subjectForecastingen_AU
dc.subjectRadon 222en_AU
dc.subjectNuclear facilitiesen_AU
dc.subjectRadiation Accidentsen_AU
dc.subjectPrecipitationen_AU
dc.titleRadon-222 related influence on ambient gamma doseen_AU
dc.typeJournal Articleen_AU
dcterms.dateAccepted2018-03-28en_AU
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