Historical perspectives on environmental radioactivity measurements
This paper reviews the origins of environmental radioactivity measurements, their purposes, and the development of the techniques used. It is useful to classify radioactivity as to its sources and to classify the measurements into two time groups. Four sources of radioactivity exist: (a) the primordial radionuclides, (b) cosmic radiation, (c) cosmogenic radionuclides, and (d) man-made radionuclides. Since the importance of the measurements increased greatly with the development of nuclear weapons, the measurements conveniently divide into those made before and after the first nuclear detonation in 1945. Since the future has to be predicted from the past, the following observations may be made: (1) mass spectrometry and single-atom counting will replace decay counting when the best sensitivity is needed. (2) Lower and lower levels of radioactivity will become both important and possible to measure. (3) Physical and chemical forms of environmental nuclides will be desired in addition to the amount of radioactivity. (4) The energy spectrum of environmental beta and gamma radiation will be desired in addition to the total amount of such radiation.
- Research Organization:
- Argonne National Lab., IL
- OSTI ID:
- 5519957
- Report Number(s):
- CONF-870601-; TRN: 88-010126
- Journal Information:
- Trans. Am. Nucl. Soc.; (United States), Vol. 54; Conference: Annual meeting of the American Nuclear Society, Dallas, TX, USA, 7 Jun 1987
- Country of Publication:
- United States
- Language:
- English
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