• Journal of Radiation Protection and Research
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• v.42 no.3
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• pp.158-165
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• 2017

Background: Nuclear facilities in South Korea have generally adopted pressurized ion chambers to measure ambient gamma ray exposure rates for monitoring the impact of radiation on the surrounding environment. The rates assessed with pressurized ion chambers do not distinguish between natural and man-made radiation, so a further step is needed to identify the cause of abnormal variation. In contrast, using NaI(Tl) scintillation detectors to detect gamma energy rates can allow an immediate assessment of the cause of variation through an analysis of the energy spectra. Against this backdrop, this study was conducted to propose a more effective way to monitor ambient gamma exposure rates. Materials and Methods: The following methods were used to analyze gamma energy spectra measured from January to November 2016 with NaI detectors installed at the Korea Atomic Energy Research Institute (KAERI) dormitory and Hanbat University. 1) Correlations of the variation of rates measured at the two locations were determined. 2) The dates, intervals, duration, and weather conditions were identified when rates increased by $5nSv{\cdot}h^{-1}$ or more. 3) Differences in the NaI spectra on normal days and days where rates spiked by $5nSv{\cdot}h^{-1}$ or more were studied. 4) An algorithm was derived for automatically calculating the net variation of the rates. Results and Discussion: The rates measured at KAERI and Hanbat University, located 12 kilometers apart, did not show a strong correlation (coefficient of determination = 0.577). Time gaps between spikes in the rates and rainfall were factors that affected the correlation. The weather conditions on days where rates went up by $5nSv{\cdot}h^{-1}$ or more featured rainfall, snowfall, or overcast, as well as an increase in peaks of the gamma rays emitted from the radon decay products of $^{214}Pb$ and $^{214}Bi$ in the spectrum. This study assumed that $^{214}Pb$ and $^{214}Bi$ exist at a radioactive equilibrium, since both have relatively short half-lives of under 30 minutes. Provided that this assumption is true and that the gamma peaks of the 352 keV and 1,764 keV gamma rays emitted from the radionuclides have proportional count rates, no man-made radiation should be present between the two energy levels. This study proved that this assumption was true by demonstrating a linear correlation between the count rates of these two gamma peaks. In conclusion, if the count rates of these two peaks detected in the gamma energy spectrum at a certain time maintain the ratio measured at a normal time, such variation can be confirmed to be caused by natural radiation. Conclusion: This study confirmed that both $^{214}Pb$ and $^{214}Bi$ have relatively short half-lives of under 30 minutes, thereby existing in a radioactive equilibrium in the atmosphere. If the gamma peaks of the 352 keV and 1,764 keV gamma rays emitted from these radionuclides have proportional count rates, no man-made radiation should exist between the two energy levels.

• Journal of Radiation Protection and Research
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• v.31 no.4
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• pp.197-201
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• 2006

Daily and seasonal variations of the ambient gamma ray exposure rates were measured by using a pressurized ion chamber from January 2003 to December 2005 in the CheongJu Regional Radiation Monitoring Post and the patterns of the distributions were studied. The annual average of the daily variation of the exposure rate was $\sim0.17{\mu}R/h$. The exposure rate was found to be maximum during 8:00 am to 9:00 am and minimum during 8:00 pm to 10:00 pm. For the annual data, the exposure rate was the minimum during the month of February. The exposure rate increased from February to mid-October (except during the period from May to July with no change) and decreased from October to February. The seasonal variation was found to be about $1{\mu}R/h$. Most of the measured values (96%) of the exposure rates fell under the normal distribution with a deviation of less than 4.8% and the remaining 4% had large fluctuations caused mainly by the rainfalls.

• Journal of Radiation Protection and Research
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• v.19 no.2
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• pp.121-132
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• 1994

This study concerns about the measurement and the investigation of environmental radiation characteristics which the components and the distribution of exposure rates by terrestrial y-rays in Taegu area. $4^{'}{\phi}{\times}4^{'}$ NaI(T1) scintillation detector with a multichannel analyzer was used in the measurement of y-rays as a part of in-situ spectrometry at twenty eight different locations in this area. The conversion into the exposure rate from the measured ${\gamma}-ray$ spectrum has been carried out leading to a net exposure rate and component ones by $^{40}K,\;^{238}U$ series and $^{232}Th$ series products which are known by the major parts in the terrestrial ${\gamma}-rays$ generally. As a result, the average exposure rate by the terrestrial ${\gamma}-rays$ in Taegu area is $9.4{\mu}R/h$ and the distribution of individual exposure rates shows more or less differences between these locations even after the consideration of diurnal and yearly variations which are always involved in these measurements. The component parts of exposure rates are distributed $^{40}K\;2.9{\sim}4.6{\mu}R/h,\;^{238}U$ series $1.2{\sim}3,\;1{\mu}R/h,\;^{232}Th$ series $2.5{\sim}5.0{\mu}R/h$ over the measured locations.

• Nuclear Engineering and Technology
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• v.13 no.3
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• pp.161-167
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• 1981

For determination of mutation frequency induced by chronic irradiation of low dose gamma rays, Tradescarrfia clone 4430 was exposed to Co-60 ${\gamma}$ rays with different exposure rates from 3.6mR/day to 182R/day in or out of the Gamma Field at Kumkok Experiment Farm of KAERI. Somatic mutations based on pink mutant events of the stamen hair cells were clearly observed by the treatment. The pink mutant events were increased proportionally with increasing exposure rates of gamma ray except for relatively high dose rates of 105 R/day and 182 R/day, indicating saturation effect of mutation. The somatic pink mutations could be fairly detectable even in the low dose rate of 3.6mR/day. Therefore, this stamen hair system of Tradescantia clone 4430 seemed to be an reasonable test system for detecting mutability of low level irradiation. These results imply that artificial mutation induction in the fruit and ornamental trees could be expected in the ${\gamma}$-field.

• Journal of Radiation Protection and Research
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• v.11 no.1
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• pp.3-14
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• 1986

A stud has been carried out for figuring out real photon spectrum from an observed gamma-ray spectrum by means of response matrix method, which is known one of the relatively convenient method for the estimation of exposure rate of a complex gamma ray field in comparison with graphical analysis and least square fitting of the measured spectrum. A 3'${\times}$3' cylindrical Nal(T1) scintillation detector in association with multichannel pulse height analyzer and six reference gamma ray sources covering the photon energy range of 0.05 to 2.0 MeV were used. In dividing the energy region for the construction of response matrix, two different approaches were attempted. One is dividing the entire energy region of interest into 20 bins, one of which corresponds to a width of 0.1 MeV to form $20{\times}20$ matrix, and another is dividing the 2 MeV region into 14 bins to form $14{\times}14$ matrix consists of $0.1(MeV)^{1/2}$ intervals assuming the resolution of the detector is dependent on square root of the incident photon energy. Inversion of thus constructed matrices was performed by a computor(P-E8/32) using the program attached to the end of this paper. The resultant exposure rates obtained by this method were in good agreement, within 10% with those calculated by ordinary formula widely used for a gamma-ray field of known energy and flux. It is concluded that the photen flux obtained by the response matrix constructed under the assumption of $E^{1/2}$ dependence is more realistic than that obtained by the matrix consist of identical energy bins in dosimetrical point of view.

• Korean Journal of Veterinary Research
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• v.12 no.1
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• pp.1-5
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• 1972

In oder to investigate the effects of cobalt-60 gamma ray irradiation on the body gains of rabbits aging approximately 50-day-old rabbits were subjected to single whole-body gamma irradiation externally. The results obtained were as follows: 1. There were significant differences of the body gains between control and treated groups except the 100 rads gamma-rays exposure group. 2. There were no differences in body gains between male and female rabbits. 3. Generally, the relation between gamma irradiated doses and the growth rates of rabbits were inversly proportional. 4. The $LD_{50}$ of the rabbits was 600 rads in case of single external whole-body gamma irradiation.

• Journal of the Korean Society of Industry Convergence
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• v.27 no.2_2
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• pp.437-443
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• 2024

The purpose of radiological Dispersal Device(RDD) is to kill people by explosives and to cause radiation exposure by dispersing radioactive materials. And It is a form of explosive that combines radioactive materials such as Co-60 and Ir-192 with improvised explosives. In this study, we tested and evaluated whether it was possible to read the internal structure of an explosive using X-rays in a radioactive explosive situation. The improvised explosive device was manufactured using 2 lb of model TNT explosives, one practice detonator, one 9V battery, and a timer switch in a leather briefcase measuring 41×35×10 cm³. The radioactive material used was the Co-60 source used in the low-level gamma ray irradiation device operated at the Advanced Radiation Research Institute of the Korea Atomic Energy Research Institute. The radiation dose used was gamma ray energy of 1.17 MeV and 1.33 MeV from a Co-60 source of 2208 Ci. The dose rates are divided into 0.5, 1, 2, and 4 Gy/h, and the exposure time was divided into 1, 3, 5, and 10 minutes. Co-60 source was mixed with the manufactured explosive and X-ray image reading was performed. As a result of the experiment, the X-ray image appeared black in all conditions divided by dose rate and time, and it was impossible to confirm the internal structure of the explosive. This is because γ-rays emitted from radioactive explosives have higher energy and stronger penetrating power than X-rays, so it is believed that imaging using X-rays is limited By blackening the film. The results of this study are expected to be used as basic data for research and development of X-ray imaging that can read the internal structure of explosives in radioactive explosive situations.

• Journal of Radiation Industry
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• v.7 no.2_3
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• pp.135-139
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• 2013

Recently, chronic gamma radiation exposure on biological effects in middle dose-rates have become a serious concern. We investigated the biological effects of middle dose chronic exposure to gamma ray. Fifty male 6-week-old specific free Balb/c mice were randomly divided into five groups (four groups irradiated and one non-irradiated control group). Gamma radiation exposed in Gamma phytotron on Advanced Radiation Technology Institute (Jeongeup, Korea). Irradiation was carried out for 1 or 2 weeks using gamma rays at dose rates of 45 and $50mGy\;h^{-1}$ with total doses 7.56 Gy ($45mGy\;h^{-1}$, 1 week), 8.4 Gy ($50mGy\;h^{-1}$, 1 week), 15.12 Gy ($45mGy\;h^{-1}$, 2 weeks) and 16.8 Gy ($50mGy\;h^{-1}$, 2 weeks). After irradiation, immediately we sacrificed and counted body and organ weights. Moreover we counted spleen cell numbers. Compared with control non-irradiated group, all irradiated groups of body and spleen weights showed significant decreased. However, no significant alteration was observed between same irradiated period groups. In spleen cell numbers, reduced compared to the control group. However, significant alteration was observed between same irradiated period groups ($45mGy\;h^{-1}$, $50mGy\;h^{-1}$). These results demonstrated biological effects according to the radiation dose rate and irradiated period.

• Journal of Radiation Protection and Research
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• v.10 no.2
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• pp.96-108
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• 1985

A study for the assessment of natural environmental radiation exposure at a flat and open field of about $10,000m^2$ in area in CNU Daeduk campus has been carried out by means of gamma-ray scintillation spectrometry and thermoluminescence dosimetry for one year period of time from October 1984. The detectors used were 3'${\phi}{\times}$3' NaI(T1) and two different types of LiF TLD, namely, chip sealed in plastic sheet which tightly pressed on two open holes of a metal plate and Teflon disk. Three 24-hour cycles of in-situ spectrometry, and two 3-month and one 1-month cycles of field TL dosimetry were performed. All the spectra measured were converted into exposure rate by means of G(E) opertaion, and therefrom exposure rate due to terrestrial component of environmental radiation was figured out. Exposure rate determined by the spectrometry was, on average, $(10.54{\pm}2.96){\mu}R/hr$, and the rates of $(12.0{\pm}3.4){\mu}R/hr$ and $(11.0{\pm}3.6){\mu}R/hr$ were obtained from chip and disk TLD, respectively. Fluctuations in diurnal variation of the exposure rate measured by the spectrometry were noticeable sometime even in a single cycle of 24 hours. It is concluded that appropriately combined use of TLD with iu-sitn gamma-ray spectrometry system can give more accurate and precise measure of environmental radiation exposure, and further study for more adequate and sensitive TLD for environmental dosimetry, including improvement and elevation of accuracy in data assessment through inter-laboratory or international intercomparison is necessary.

• Journal of the Korea Academia-Industrial cooperation Society
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• v.19 no.9
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• pp.124-129
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• 2018

This study was conducted to investigate the penetration dose and shielding rates of tungsten shields used in apron material by changing the type of source used in the nuclear medicine department, thickness of shielding material and distance between the source and detector. For the experiment, the source, shield, and detector were arranged in a straight line and measured with an inspector at a height of 100 cm. The highest shielding effect of tungsten was measured for $^{201}Tl$, while $^{123}I$ showed a higher shielding effect than $^{99m}Tc$. For the sources used in the experiment, the penetration dose decreased with distance and the shielding rate was measured with thicker thickness. However, the shielding rate of $^{13}1I$ and $^{18}F$ sources was found to be lower than when there was no shielding at 0.25 mmPb shield. Therefore, even if the radiation shielding effect of tungsten is high, considering the characteristics according to the type of source and the thickness of the shielding material, it may be helpful to reduce the exposure.