Abstract
In the aftermath of a nuclear or radiological accident, an extended mapping of reliable dose rate values is of key importance for any governmental decision and countermeasures. Presently, numerous dosimetry network stations, operated by the national governments of the member states in Europe, provide such dose rate data on an hourly basis. Nevertheless, there are large areas in Europe that are not covered at all by these early warning networks and other areas that show only a low density of governmental network stations. Hence, there may be a significant lack of information in case of a nuclear or radiological emergency. As a consequence of the Fukushima Daiichi nuclear power plant accidents in 2011, a number of non-governmental radiation monitoring networks (NRMN) appeared on the internet, providing dose rate data based on stationary as well as on mobile measurements of ionizing radiation by laypersons. Especially the mobile detectors are able to cover large areas in short time. Therefore, it is of considerable importance to investigate the feasibility of using dose rate data from non-governmental networks as a complementary input to the European Radiological Data Exchange Platform (EURDEP). Within the European Metrology Program for Innovation and Research (EMPIR), the project 16ENV04 “Preparedness” has studied the metrological relevance of such non-governmental dose rate data (also called crowd-sourced radiological monitoring) in the most comprehensive way so far. Sixteen different dose rate detector systems (in general 4 of each type, plus 2 types with 2 detectors, i.e. 68 detectors in total) used in NRMN have been investigated for the reliability of their data and the corresponding networks, and their data provision to the public were analyzed. The most relevant performance parameters of dosimetry systems (detector's inherent background, energy dependence and linearity of the response as well as the response to secondary cosmic radiation, the sensitivity to small increases of the dose rate and finally the stability of the detector's indication at various climatic conditions - temperature and humidity) have been investigated for fourteen representative types of non-governmental dose rate measuring instruments. Results of this comprehensive performance study of the simple, light-weighted and cheap dose rate meters used in NRMN, and conclusions on the feasibility of using their data for governmental monitoring in case of a nuclear or radiological emergency are presented.
Highlights
As a consequence of the Chernobyl nuclear accident in 1986 and based on the Council Decision 87/600/Euratom, the European countries began to expand their radiological early warning networks
The measuring instruments used in the non-governmental networks (MINNs) are typi cally dose rate meters or counters based on Geiger Muller (GM) sensors
The work package “Monitoring of ionizing radiation by non-governmental networks” of the project raises the question whether non-governmental networks may support and complement official dose rate data, like those provided by European Radiological Data Exchange Platform (EURDEP), and evaluates the reliability of such crowd-sourced dose rate data based on a metrological approach
Summary
As a consequence of the Chernobyl nuclear accident in 1986 and based on the Council Decision 87/600/Euratom, the European countries began to expand their radiological early warning networks. The radiological data from the national European networks, especially the comprehensive map of ambient dose rate values, collected by EURDEP are available to the EC Member States and to the general public This information and its reliability are of key importance for any official decision on countermeasures in case of a nuclear or radiological emergency. The project’s main objectives are the development of reliable instrumentation and methods necessary in the field of radiation protection in the aftermath of a nuclear or radiological emergency to quickly provide quantitative data on the ac tivity concentrations and dose rate levels in contaminated areas after a severe release of radioactivity In this context, the work package “Monitoring of ionizing radiation by non-governmental networks” of the project raises the question whether non-governmental networks may support and complement official dose rate data, like those provided by EURDEP, and evaluates the reliability of such crowd-sourced dose rate data based on a metrological approach.
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