Atmospheric Radioxenon Measurements in North Las Vegas, NV
Abstract
PNNL deployed the ARSA radioxenon measurement system in North Las Vegas for two weeks in February and March 2006 for the purpose of measuring the radioxenon background at a level of sensitivity much higher than previously done in the vicinity of the NTS. The measurements establish what might be expected if future measurements are taken at NTS itself. The measurements are also relevant to test site readiness. A second detector, the PEMS, built and operated by DRI, was deployed in conjunction with the ARSA and contained a PIC, aerosol collection filters, and meteorological sensors. Originally, measurements were also to be performed at Mercury, NV on the NTS, but these were canceled due to initial equipment problems with the ARSA detector. Some of the radioxenon measurements detected 133Xe at levels up to 3 mBq/m3. This concentration of radioxenon is consistent with the observation of low levels of radioxenon emanating from distance nuclear reactors. Previous measurements in areas of high nuclear reactor concentration have shown similar results, but the western US, in general, does not have many nuclear reactors. Measurements of the wind direction indicate that the air carrying the radioxenon came from south of the detector and not from the NTS.
- Authors:
- Publication Date:
- Research Org.:
- Pacific Northwest National Lab. (PNNL), Richland, WA (United States)
- Sponsoring Org.:
- USDOE
- OSTI Identifier:
- 890734
- Report Number(s):
- PNNL-15976
NN4001020; TRN: US0604676
- DOE Contract Number:
- AC05-76RL01830
- Resource Type:
- Technical Report
- Country of Publication:
- United States
- Language:
- English
- Subject:
- 54 ENVIRONMENTAL SCIENCES; URBAN AREAS; NEVADA; XENON 133; RADIOECOLOGICAL CONCENTRATION; NEVADA TEST SITE; AEROSOL MONITORING; REACTORS; SENSITIVITY; atmospheric monitoring; radioxenon; nevada
Citation Formats
Milbrath, Brian D, Cooper, Matthew W, Lidey, Lance S, Bowyer, Ted W, Hayes, James C, McIntyre, Justin I, Karr, L, Shafer, D, and Tappen, J. Atmospheric Radioxenon Measurements in North Las Vegas, NV. United States: N. p., 2006.
Web. doi:10.2172/890734.
Milbrath, Brian D, Cooper, Matthew W, Lidey, Lance S, Bowyer, Ted W, Hayes, James C, McIntyre, Justin I, Karr, L, Shafer, D, & Tappen, J. Atmospheric Radioxenon Measurements in North Las Vegas, NV. United States. https://doi.org/10.2172/890734
Milbrath, Brian D, Cooper, Matthew W, Lidey, Lance S, Bowyer, Ted W, Hayes, James C, McIntyre, Justin I, Karr, L, Shafer, D, and Tappen, J. 2006.
"Atmospheric Radioxenon Measurements in North Las Vegas, NV". United States. https://doi.org/10.2172/890734. https://www.osti.gov/servlets/purl/890734.
@article{osti_890734,
title = {Atmospheric Radioxenon Measurements in North Las Vegas, NV},
author = {Milbrath, Brian D and Cooper, Matthew W and Lidey, Lance S and Bowyer, Ted W and Hayes, James C and McIntyre, Justin I and Karr, L and Shafer, D and Tappen, J},
abstractNote = {PNNL deployed the ARSA radioxenon measurement system in North Las Vegas for two weeks in February and March 2006 for the purpose of measuring the radioxenon background at a level of sensitivity much higher than previously done in the vicinity of the NTS. The measurements establish what might be expected if future measurements are taken at NTS itself. The measurements are also relevant to test site readiness. A second detector, the PEMS, built and operated by DRI, was deployed in conjunction with the ARSA and contained a PIC, aerosol collection filters, and meteorological sensors. Originally, measurements were also to be performed at Mercury, NV on the NTS, but these were canceled due to initial equipment problems with the ARSA detector. Some of the radioxenon measurements detected 133Xe at levels up to 3 mBq/m3. This concentration of radioxenon is consistent with the observation of low levels of radioxenon emanating from distance nuclear reactors. Previous measurements in areas of high nuclear reactor concentration have shown similar results, but the western US, in general, does not have many nuclear reactors. Measurements of the wind direction indicate that the air carrying the radioxenon came from south of the detector and not from the NTS.},
doi = {10.2172/890734},
url = {https://www.osti.gov/biblio/890734},
journal = {},
number = ,
volume = ,
place = {United States},
year = {Mon Jul 31 00:00:00 EDT 2006},
month = {Mon Jul 31 00:00:00 EDT 2006}
}