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FORUM: Post Your Radiation Monitoring Data Here

Published: December 4th, 2012 at 12:00 am ET
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Previous radiation monitoring thread here: http://enenews.com/forum-post-radiation-monitoring-data-dec-17-2011-present

Published: December 4th, 2012 at 12:00 am ET
By
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3,295 comments

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December 4th, 2012 | Category: Active Discussion Threads
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3,295 comments to FORUM: Post Your Radiation Monitoring Data Here

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  • Craig-123
    May 13, 2013 at 7:51 pm

    Space Weather is currently predicting a 40% chance of an X-class flare and an 80% chance of an M-class flare (on our side of the Sun).


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  • vital1
    May 14, 2013 at 12:04 am

    New here, there is lots of information in these free guides that will help you.

    For those who can't afford the type of test equipment below, "The Food Lab", has a list of the latest international reports of food contamination.

    http://sccc.org.au/archives/2861

    Free Geiger Counter Use Guide.

    http://technologypals.com.au/wp-content/uploads/2012/03/Using-a-Geiger-Counter-to-test-food-for-Radioactive-Contamination.pdf

    DIY Food testing lab Guide

    http://technologypals.com.au/wp-content/uploads/2012/06/How-to-set-up-a-home-or-community-food-testing-lab-for-radioactive-contamination.pdf


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  • Craig-123
    May 15, 2013 at 1:31 am

    As of 05:00 UT/GMT, Space Weather, at:

    > http://www.spaceweather.com/

    –was predicting a 50% chance of more X-class flares (we've had 3 of them in 24 hours) and an 80% chance of M-class flares (all on our side of the Sun, of course). The X class flares are coming from sunspot AR1748, which is turning to face the Earth more directly.

    Let's hope we keep dodging those bullets {{hugs}}. If we can get through this year, we should be "home free" for another 11 year solar cycle –and perhaps much longer, since we seem to be approaching a solar minimum period, which might last decades.

    The hazard that we're sweating out is the prospect of losing large sections of our nation's (and the world's) power grid, a situation which could last for months or even years. This might in turn lead to "station blackouts" at multiple nuclear power plants, if fuel supplies can't be maintained to the diesel-electric emergency power generators.

    If the grids do go down, then instead of toughing it out with those generators, let's hope they get the bright idea of jerry-rigging these NPPs such that they can power themselves –including the spent fuel pool pumps –which, I was shocked to learn, were not designed such that the diesel-electrics could power them. (Of course, the SFPs were supposed to be lightly loaded, temporary storage, but have since been quadruple stacked with spent fuel.)

    I can't imagine why self-power capability wasn't included in the original designs.


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  • vital1
    May 16, 2013 at 7:06 pm

    Crazy Radioactive Stench From Underground Fire At Superfund Landfill in Saint Louis. Potrblog takes readings and video.

    "We took Geiger counter readings from the area surrounding the ongoing underground fire at the West Lake Radioactive Landfill Superfund site. What we discovered was that the greater the stench the greater the amount of airborne radioactivity."

    http://pissinontheroses.blogspot.com/2013/05/crazy-radioactive-stench-from.html


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  • vital1
    May 17, 2013 at 1:32 am

    This is particularly important article in the light of our detections of significant amounts of Beryllium Be-7, in our rain wash out tests here in Australia. In this Dartmouth study they explain why they use Beryllium Be-7 as a tracker, for the hard to detect long lasting radioactive Iodine I-129.

    Extracts from Article:

    “The production rate of these two isotopes in a nuclear reactor occurs at a fixed ratio of 3 parts iodine-131 to one part iodine-129.”

    “Thus, the group’s research turned toward the development of an innovative alternative approach to measuring and tracking the iodine. What became an important off-shoot of their work was the methodology of using the benign radioisotope, beryllium-7, as the tracking indicator. It’s an easily detected natural radionuclide, and is routinely used by the Dartmouth researchers in their environmental analyses.

    The Dartmouth researchers have shown that beryllium-7 follows the same
    transport paths as the iodine isotopes. By ascertaining the ratio of association of the beryllium to the iodine, tracing the beryllium-7 as it moves through the environment then allowed the researchers to track the parallel transport of iodine, and to demonstrate the accumulation of iodine fallout in stream sediments.”


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  • vital1
    May 20, 2013 at 7:00 pm

    Scintillator rain swabs test chart, for the 2nd and 11th May alert level rain event, at Nimbin Australia. It appears to be another very large Radon washout. The levels of Lead Pb-210 and Beryllium Be7 detected in these rain swabs, is much less than the Nimbin late January, and early February 2013 rain swabs.

    http://sccc.org.au/wp-content/uploads/2013/05/Nimbin-rain-swabs-180513-TV38-18c-47659.jpg


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  • norbu norbu
    May 20, 2013 at 9:53 pm

    Some big numbers from the plant.
    160000
    Station ID 6:1181341550 Fukushima Dai-ichi, Fukushima, JP
    CPM: current 160000 Low 158000 High 177000
    Average 165407, Deviation 4209.2
    http://www.netc.com/
    N


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  • norbu norbu
    May 20, 2013 at 9:59 pm

    These numbers are coming from R1
    N


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  • Mark
    May 21, 2013 at 5:23 pm

    Now that I have a better understanding of how some of you are able to report using data ports and computer graphing I am not sure how valid my readings are.

    My method basically involves a timed sample of at least ten minutes and a visual guestimation of an average. In a year and a half of observation I have wrote nothing down. Sampling has been sporadic at best. Not structured, I take readings when I feel like in between dealing with everything else life is throwing at me.
    I guess the above is a disclaimer of a sort. Still something is better then nothing.
    I'm the only Enenews member reporting from the Vancouver area. Previously moitoring near the Fraser river' near sea level I am now further inland monitoring around 670 ft above sea level on the southern edge of the mighty Coast Mountain range. Early this morning I did a ten minute count, placing my SOEKS against the metal bug screen by an open basement window. Unit is basically a couple of feet above ground level,light drizzle due to low cloud cover. I hesitate to even offer an average as for the first few minutes steady readings of .06 and .O7 with a low of .04 all readings with confidence bar showing yellow which means accurate readings. Then bar turned red with a .16 and readings continued in the .15 range with confidence bar returning to yellow. All readings in microSv/hr.

    After the ten minutes were up I closed the window and continued monitoring to get averages of .13


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    • Mark
      May 21, 2013 at 5:40 pm

      What I can say is this is the biggest fluctuation I have observed to date with "real"(confidence bar yellow) readings from .04 to a high of .16 Sorry for the long winded report, just don't know how else to do it accurately. Not sure what if anything this means but generally my .11 average is reported with some confidence. Never do you get .16 with yellow confidence bar or .04's for that matter. Of course all these readings are considered within "normal" values but the fluctuation is not for the area I'm monitoring although the mountenous location is new so maybe thats the way it is up here? Would love some feedback. Cheers everybody.


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      • Craig-123
        May 21, 2013 at 7:28 pm

        There's "radon washout", when wind driven clouds of radon descend to earth with rain. Then there's what's considered (at least in Europe) to be the much more common "radon wash-up" (my term).

        * The foundation/s of a home (or other building) disturbs and loosens the soil, providing paths for radon to escape –before most of it becomes other isotopes –and gets locked into the soil.

        * Rain water percolates down into the ground, and when fissures in rocks absorb it, any radon within is greatly mobilized –out.

        * Since heavy radon gas is much lighter than water, it bubbles up to the surface.

        * If there's no wind, one would expect it to hover close to the ground (and maybe in your basement) –shedding "short lived radon daughters" (SLRDs –more about those later).

        * If there's a mountain of uranium, other mining tailings, or perhaps a landfill of nuke industry wastes (like in the environs of St. Louis) –upwind from you in your area, that might be a factor as well (and worse when it rains).

        * As Radiation Network develops and co-ordinates the CPM/uSv/hr excursions of its stations –with weather patterns, maybe we can identify such problem areas around the nation.

        –more:


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    • It's All Lies It's All Lies
      May 22, 2013 at 6:45 am

      Hey Mark! I think your on the right track with your readings and the 10 minute count is a useful way to measure.

      If I'm honest I didn't write anything down for months and I guessed my averages. I've got a Soeks 2012 version.
      On recommendation from people on the group I'm in (Rad Watch on Facebook) I started writing all the readings down. I then added all the individual readings up and divided by the amount of cycles.

      I fully understand how limited the Soeks is! :(

      Now writing down readings (as primitive as it sounds) I can go back and compare averages and weather conditions. It also gives me a better understanding of my background.

      For example inside it's not a surprise to get 0.20 uSv/hr quite regularly, and for outside to be lower; around 0.14.

      I know how full up this forum gets so feel free to drop me an email on: craigtaylor994@gmail.com

      Also if your interested in posting your readings elsewhere too, have a look on the Radiation Watch group on Facebook. There's ALOT of people from the USA on there. Only a few from the UK :(

      I'm guessing your not already on there? :)

      Anyway I hope that helps and there's some very knowledgeable people on here who I'm sure can help you :D


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  • Craig-123
    May 21, 2013 at 7:37 pm

    "When a [short lived radon daughter = SLRD] is airborne, it has an electrical charge associated with it and it has an higher probability to adhere to other airborne particulates and dust."

    "When the daughters adhere to airborne particulates, it is said to be "attached." An inhaled attached daughter has only about a 3% chance of adhering to the lung lining. An inhaled unattached daughter, on the other hand, has a 50% chance of striking and adhering to the lung wall; increasing the chances of a an alpha particle/cell collision."

    "Ironically, where dust levels are high, the risks from elevated radon are lower than in dust free areas with the same radon level."

    "It is for this reason, home-based air filters may remove the attached SLRD from the breathable air, but ironically increase the risk associated with newly introduced SLRDs (that sounds contradictory at first, but give it some thought)."

    from:
    > http://www.forensic-applications.com/radon/radon.html


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    • Craig-123
      May 21, 2013 at 8:13 pm

      If that authors of this article are correct, it relieves a lot of anxiety about radon in our homes (something I surely grew up breathing). This source does seem rather nuke industry biased (rejects the linear model, suggests 10 Rem/year is not-to-worry). I see some useful information there about radon mitigation. Best do the "chaff from grain" thing.


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      • vital1
        May 22, 2013 at 1:53 am

        Yes, very interesting article. Still doesn't address the possible risks of large Radon washouts events on health, particularly if you were to get wet, or breath in the hot rain water droplets.

        I would suggest that Multi uSv/hr Radon washout detections would increase risk.

        Has anyone seen any studies on this subject?


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  • vital1
    May 21, 2013 at 8:55 pm

    Note: Mullumbimby Geiger Counter reported as being faulty

    Since the Mullumbimby late January and early February 2013 detection reports here in Australia were posted, the owner of the Mullumbimby Gamma Scout Geiger counter, reported his unit had developed a fault. That fault was investigated, and the unit has since been repaired. He now has a Gamma Scout Geiger Counter, and a Theremino Geiger kit set up with multiple SBM-20 Russian tubes. This means he can now cross check between units, to verify each unit is working correctly.

    This brings into question the accuracy of the reported Alert level detections, for late January and early February 2013, at the Mullumbimby Australia location.


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  • eatliesndie eatliesndie
    May 22, 2013 at 2:11 am

    Australia, Nimbin Valley (AEST 3:00pm 22/05/13)
    Very high Radon washout event currently in the Nimbin Valley. About 40 minutes ago, as I was leaving to drive to town for some supplies, I took a rain sample from the bonnet of my car (small sedan) using a cotton swab. When I returned home 25 minutes later I put the swab under my LND 7317 geiger counter and got 3974 counts in the first minute. That's basically 10uSv/h! or 100 times normal background radiation.
    I'm logging it's decay now….

    And here's some info on Radon (Thanks vital1) http://www.forensic-applications.com/radon/radon.html#Radon%20And%20Risk

    P.s. Here's hoping no extra reactor nasties show up in the gamma spectrum.


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    • eatliesndie eatliesndie
      May 23, 2013 at 8:51 am

      ….and here's the chart – http://youtu.be/j18DbxD5Oys
      I live on the rim of a very large caldera and I suspect that the radon responsible for these events is forced out of the ground right here at times of high rainfall, when the fractures in the strata are inundated with water. Often the mountain that is my back yard is under mist and I suspect that mist accumulates radon progeny which is then rained out. Onto my bloody vegetable garden!


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  • Mark
    May 23, 2013 at 2:03 am

    Its all lies, where are you? Craig-123, Even in the mountains I am in a low radon area. From Vancouver out to Hope a distance of 80 miles considered a low radon area. Did three ten minute counts within 1 hour and right now doing another one. Similar results .07 to .12 with lots under .10 so average must be around or under .10 micro Sv/hr. Tonight was an inside count. raining The anomoly count further above was done near an open window. Tonights results are consistent with results I have got all over the Vancouver area. This high elevation on first slope of the coast mountains is rainy and close to the clouds. The clouds gather up the side of the mountains and this is rainiest location in bc. If I get elevated readings not from radon. Despite not having graphing and data ports, the results have been fairly consistant over 1.5 years that I can report confidently the baseline average for vancouver canada to be around .10 or .11 micro Sv/hr.


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    • Craig-123
      May 23, 2013 at 2:58 am

      Not sure I'm parsing your opening question correctly, but here I am back (posting to EneNews) –and I'm monitoring on the coast of Oregon.

      Yes, eatliesndie's 100x background off a wipe after 25 minutes is remarkable (35cpm with a pancake G-M tube about = .10uSv/hr –cs-137 calibrated). I was hoping we'd see more from eatliesndie about it. I have no reason to doubt what eatliesndie reports (nor what that Mr. POTR guy in St. Louis is reading), but I have to wonder where their isotope stuff is actually coming from.

      ** Measuring a wipe is very different than taking an open air background radiation check –and checking the radiation from an air filter is very different again.

      * The wipe is, of course, extremely affected by how much area you wipe, how clean was the car hood/bonnet/whatever in the first place (ie: where've you been driving?), and how early into the rain fall did you wipe? About all one can say about a high wipe reading is "gee whiz!" –me thinks.

      * An air draw (through a filter) is also impacted by factors –such as rate of air draw, volume drawn, how high was the intake off the ground, and did you use a weather head(?) –so as to get air without rain. Classic research has shown that the air itself tends to be cleaner when rain is falling –which makes sense.

      –more:


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      • Craig-123
        May 23, 2013 at 3:22 am

        * As to open air monitoring, rain and shine (and be sure to keep your GC dry), my impression is that a heavy invasion of radon/daughters does budge background up a bit (my GC is inside the house) –not much, but enough to clue me that it's time to draw 10m^3 of outside, 12 foot high air. (Sometimes I draw it from close to the ground.)

        * I've seen some 10x or so air filter radon peaks here (which, of course, has little to do with your actual bodily dose when it's raining, since open-air background levels stay about the same), and I've gotten wipes that have also been that much higher –but never those 100x to 1000x sensational peaks that others report.

        * I've experimented with grounded and negatively charged (with respect to ground) car bodies, metal plates and aerial wires –sometimes wiping them clean before a run, but usually not.

        * Wire wipes and air filters tend to top out –reach an equilibrium between decay and new accumulation –which in turn produces a somewhat different decay rate, but those rates have always been "radon daughter swift" (38 minutes, more or less).

        * I've accumulated scores of air filters here. Not one of them has shown measurable residual radiation (after 2 days or more), by carefully using my Inspector GC in a jig:

        > http://webpages.charter.net/123goto/map.htm#insp

        I hope that monitoring here continues to be a boring job :-)

        Craig


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      • eatliesndie eatliesndie
        May 23, 2013 at 7:59 am

        …finally getting around to it… Yes, 10uSv/h is not the kind of thing I like to find on the bonnet of my car. I'm so not into it. I'm working on posting the decay chart and a pic on my youtube when I'm done wrestling with the not so user friendly software…
        The swab looked pretty clean after taking the swab but, yes the amount of grit on the area wiped usually does make a difference. like has been discussed here previously radon progeny likes to attach.


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    • It's All Lies It's All Lies
      May 23, 2013 at 7:59 pm

      Hi Mark, I'm in the UK, Northampton. It's great you do regular readings and you know your background well!

      I think just keep doing what your doing and any fallout or peaks, you'll probably be able to tell.

      It must be nice in a low radon area. My county is a high risk for radon and the house is always substantially higher than outside. It's not uncommon to see peaks to 0.50 a few times in an hour.
      The average inside is about 0.20. (uSv/hr) That's only the radon daughters I'm detecting! :(

      If you get a chance have a look at the radiation watch group on Facebook. It's a great group to share readings and knowledge, news etc. They post most of the readings on a blog as well now so anyone can see. If your interested in getting on there give me a shout or Maddie on here as well.

      http://savingyourradread.blogspot.co.uk/


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