Automation of the radiological survey process: USRADS ultrasonic ranging and data system
The Radiological Survey Activities (RASA) program at Oak Ridge National Laboratory (ORNL) serves as the Inclusion Survey Contractor (ISC) in the Department of Energy's (DOE) Uranium Mill Tailings Remedial Action project (UMTRAP). The ISC is to identify properties in the vicinity of 24 inactive uranium mill sites suspected of having /sup 226/Ra-bearing uranium mill tailings by-product material originating from the processing of uranium ore contamination. Mobile gamma scanning was the primary method used to identify these properties. Once identified, the ISC conducts an inclusion survey. This survey performs sufficient radiological measurements to determine if uranium mill tailing contamination is present, and, if so, if it is in excess of relevant Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) criteria. Radon emanating from /sup 226/Ra is the primary pathway of exposure to human occupants at these sites. EPA criteria focus on controlling /sup 226/Ra concentration in soil. The concentration of /sup 226/Ra in soil can be measured directly by soil sampling and subsequent gamma spectrographic analysis of the sample, or by direct measurement of the gamma exposure rate at the soil surface using portable instrumentation in the field. In both methods, the concentration of /sup 226/Ra is inferred by examining the frequency of gamma emission of /sup 214/Bi, a radioactive decay product in the /sup 238/U decay chain.
- Research Organization:
- Oak Ridge National Lab., TN (USA)
- DOE Contract Number:
- AC05-84OR21400
- OSTI ID:
- 6026568
- Report Number(s):
- CONF-871018-2; ON: DE87010588
- Resource Relation:
- Conference: International decommissioning symposium, Pittsburgh, PA, USA, 4 Oct 1987; Other Information: Portions of this document are illegible in microfiche products
- Country of Publication:
- United States
- Language:
- English
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Related Subjects
11 NUCLEAR FUEL CYCLE AND FUEL MATERIALS
RADIOMETRIC SURVEYS
AUTOMATION
ABANDONED SITES
COMPUTER CALCULATIONS
FEED MATERIALS PLANTS
GAMMA SPECTROSCOPY
MILL TAILINGS
NAI DETECTORS
PORTABLE EQUIPMENT
RADIOECOLOGICAL CONCENTRATION
RADON
REMEDIAL ACTION
ECOLOGICAL CONCENTRATION
ELEMENTS
EQUIPMENT
FLUIDS
GASES
GEOPHYSICAL SURVEYS
INDUSTRIAL PLANTS
MEASURING INSTRUMENTS
NONMETALS
NUCLEAR FACILITIES
RADIATION DETECTORS
RARE GASES
SCINTILLATION COUNTERS
SOLID SCINTILLATION DETECTORS
SOLID WASTES
SPECTROSCOPY
SURVEYS
TAILINGS
WASTES
510300* - Environment
Terrestrial- Radioactive Materials Monitoring & Transport- (-1989)
053000 - Nuclear Fuels- Environmental Aspects
500300 - Environment
Atmospheric- Radioactive Materials Monitoring & Transport- (-1989)
520300 - Environment
Aquatic- Radioactive Materials Monitoring & Transport- (1989)