Aerial Gamma Research Articles

Design of a statewide radiation survey

The Florida Institute of Phosphate Research (FIPR) recently sponsored a statewide survey to identify all significant land areas in Florida where the state's environmental radiation rule should be applied. Under this rule, newly constructed buildings must be tested for radiation levels unless approved construction techniques are used. Two parallel surveys — a land-based survey and a population-based survey — were designed and conducted to address the objective. Each survey included measurements in more than 3000 residences throughout the state. Other information sources that existed at the outset of the study, such as geologic profiles mapped by previous investigators and terrestrial uranium levels characterized through aerial gamma radiation surveys, were also examined. Initial data analysis efforts focused on determining the extent of evidence of radon potential for each of the 67 counties in the state. Within 18 counties that were determined to have definite evidence of elevated radon potential, more detailed spatial analyses were conducted to identify areas to which the rule should apply. A total of 74 quadrangles delineated by the U.S. Geological Survey, representing about 7% of those constituting the state, were identified as having elevated radon potential and being subject to the rule.

Alaska petroleum reserve data

Five new sets of data on the National Petroleum Reserve in Alaska are available from the National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration. The information was collected by com panies under contract to the U.S. Geological Survey in order to evaluate the petroleum potential of parts of the Petroleum Reserve. The data sets contain new well log data for five wells; velocity surveys for nine wells; palynology and micropaleontologic data for 29 wells; about 2000 line miles of seismic data, both on and offshore; 1195 flight line miles of aerial gamma ray and magnetic information; and several location maps and interpretive reports.