Experience with a prototype of the Test Ban Treaty monitoring system for air-borne radioactivity

Abstract

Monitoring of air-borne radioactivity has been tested on behalf of the Comprehensive Test Ban Treaty Organization. A prototype system was installed at the University of British Columbia, Vancouver, BC in April 1996 and has been operating successfully since then. The air is drawn through a glass-fibre filter for a period of 24 h. A cooling period eliminates products of 222Rn in the uranium series. A germanium detector then counts the γ-rays. Several anthropogenic nuclides such as 123I and 99mTc have been observed from local medical facilities. In addition many natural nuclides have been detected and the most abundant are the products of thoron viz 220Rn, which is in the thorium series. The 239 keV γ-ray from 212Pb has been studied to investigate the reason for significant fluctuations in its intensity. It was found that rain, wind, low temperature and maritime air all decrease the observed activity. A model was created which mimics the variation reasonably well.