Estimation of the induced radioactivity of the ground water system in the neighbourhood of a proposed 300 GeV high energy accelerator situated on a chalk site.

Abstract

Abstract Estimates of radionuclide production in the earth shielding and ground water around a proposed 300 GeV proton synchrotron are reported. At a particular chalk site studied 3H, 7Be and 32P were shown to warrant detailed investigation. Chemical sorption on rock chalk eliminates 7Be and 32P as significant contaminants of the ground water system. In addition, the relatively short residence times of water in regions of high neutron flux density and subsequent dilution in the ground water of the particular site studied ensure that tritium contamination would be inconsequential.