An aerial radiological survey of the Kennedy Space Center and Cape Canaveral Air Force Station and surrounding area, Titusville, Florida: Date of survey: October 1985

Technical Report · Fri Jan 01 04:00:00 EST 1988

DOI:https://doi.org/10.2172/6683321· OSTI ID:6683321

An aerial radiological survey of the entire Kennedy Space Center (KSC) and Cape Canaveral Air Force Station (CCAFS) was performed during the period 9 through 23 October 1985. This survey was conducted in three parts. First, a low resolution, low sensitivity background survey was performed that encompassed the entire KSC and CCAFS area. Next, two smaller, high resolution, high sensitivity surveys were conducted: the first focused on Launch Complexes 39A and 39B, and the second on the Shuttle Landing Facility. The areas encompassed by the surveys were 200, 5.5, and 8.5 square miles (500, 14, and 22 sq km), respectively. The purpose of these surveys was to provide information useful for an emergency response to a radiological accident. Results of the background survey are presented as isoradiation contour maps of both total exposure rate and man-made gross count superimposed on a mosaic of recent aerial photographs. Results of the two small, detailed surveys are also presented as an isoradiation contour map of exposure rate on the aerial photograph base. These data were evaluated to establish sensitivity limits for mapping the presence of plutonium-238. Natural background exposure rates at the Kennedy Space Center and Cape Canaveral Air Force Station are very low, generally ranging from 4 to 6.5 microroentgens per hour (..mu..R/h) and less than 4 ..mu..R/h in wet areas. However, exposure rates in developed areas were observed to be higher due to the importation of construction materials not characteristic of the area. 8 refs., 3 figs., 4 tabs.

• Research Organization: EG and G Energy Measurements, Inc., Las Vegas, NV (USA)
• DOE Contract Number: AC08-83NV10282
• OSTI ID: 6683321
• Report Number(s): EGG-10282-1103; ON: DE89001862
• Country of Publication: United States
• Language: English

Related Subjects

440101 -- Radiation Instrumentation-- General Detectors or Monitors & Radiometric Instruments
46 INSTRUMENTATION RELATED TO NUCLEAR SCIENCE AND TECHNOLOGY
510101* -- Environment
Terrestrial-- Basic Studies-- Radiometric Techniques-- (-1989)
54 ENVIRONMENTAL SCIENCES
ACTINIDE ISOTOPES
ACTINIDE NUCLEI
AERIAL SURVEYING
ALPHA DECAY RADIOISOTOPES
BACKGROUND RADIATION
CAPE KENNEDY
DATA ANALYSIS
ELECTROMAGNETIC RADIATION
EVEN-EVEN NUCLEI
FEDERAL REGION IV
FLORIDA
GAMMA RADIATION
GEOPHYSICAL SURVEYS
HEAVY NUCLEI
IMAGES
IONIZING RADIATIONS
ISOTOPES
MEASURING INSTRUMENTS
MEASURING METHODS
MISSILE LAUNCHING SITES
NAI DETECTORS
NESDPS Office of Nuclear Energy Space and Defense Power Systems
NORTH AMERICA
NUCLEI
PLUTONIUM 238
PLUTONIUM ISOTOPES
RADIATION DETECTORS
RADIATIONS
RADIOISOTOPES
RADIOMETRIC SURVEYS
REMOTE SENSING
SCINTILLATION COUNTERS
SOLID SCINTILLATION DETECTORS
SURVEYS
USA
YEARS LIVING RADIOISOTOPES