A dip detector for in situ measuring of Cs-137 specific soil activity profiles

• Published in: IEEE transactions on nuclear science Vol. 48; no. 4; pp. 1194 - 1197
• Main Authors: Potapov, V.N., Ivanov, O.P., Chirkin, V.M., Ignatov, S.M.
• Format: Journal Article
• Language: English
• Published: New York IEEE 01-08-2001; The Institute of Electrical and Electronics Engineers, Inc. (IEEE)
• Subjects: Collimators; Contamination; Crystals; Detectors; Dipping; Electronics; Floods; Gamma ray detection; Gamma ray detectors; Inspection; PIN photodiodes; Pollution measurement; Probes; Soil measurements; Spatial resolution; Tasks
• ISSN: 0018-9499; 1558-1578
• DOI: 10.1109/23.958749

A field method for measurement of Cs-137 contamination depth profiles is described. The method is based on the use of a collimated dip detector created as a gamma-ray probe: CsI(Tl) scintillating crystal + PIN photodiode + front-end electronics. The presented method allows determination of specific activity distribution with vertical spatial resolution of 5 cm. Exposure time for one point in the distribution profile is less than 180 s if the level of specific activity is more than 50 Bq/kg. This method may be applied for efficient and quick inspection of a contaminated river's flood planes in areas with leakage of radioactive wastes. Application of the method for such a task gives an effective solution to obtain qualitative and quantitative characteristics of contamination.