Airborne radiometric survey of a Chernobyl-contaminated mountain area in Norway – using ground-level measurements for validation. (November 2019)

• Record Type: Journal Article
• Authors: Thørring, Håvard; Baranwal, Vikas C.; Ytre-Eide, Martin A.; Rønning, Jan S.; Mauring, Alexander; Stampolidis, Alexandros; Drefvelin, Jon; Watson, Robin J.; Skuterud, Lavrans
• Is Part Of: Journal of environmental radioactivity. Volume 208/209(2019)
• Publication Date: 2019-11
• Subjects: Aerial radiation monitoring -- Radioactive cesium -- Cesium-137 -- Gamma spectrometry -- Soil sampling -- Deposition mapping; Radioactivity -- Periodicals; Radiation, Background -- Periodicals; Radioecology -- Periodicals; Radioactive pollution -- Periodicals; Environmental Pollutants -- Periodicals; Radioactive Pollutants -- Periodicals; Radioactivity -- Periodicals; Radioécologie -- Périodiques; Pollution radioactive -- Périodiques; Fond de rayonnement -- Périodiques; 539.752
• DOI: 10.1016/j.jenvrad.2019.106004
• Languages: English
• ISSNs: 0265-931X

Abstract

Abstract: An airborne radiometric survey can be an efficient way to investigate contamination of large areas after nuclear accidents. In the current study, a helicopter borne gamma ray spectrometry survey was carried out in a vast mountainous area in Norway, where the contamination from the 1986 Chernobyl accident still affects animal husbandry more than 30 years after the fallout occurred. The 137 Cs activity densities provided by the aerial survey was validated using various independent ground-based measurements – including soil samples and in situ measurements (at 1 m above ground). Despite considerable small-scale heterogeneity, demonstrated by the ground-based measurements, strong correlations were obtained between the results from the aerial survey – after introducing more detailed instrument calibration and spectre analysis – and the ground-level data. Adjusted R 2 values were around 0.9, and linear correlation coefficients close to unity. Graphical abstract: Image 1 Highlights: Detailed Cs-137 map of the most Chernobyl contaminated area in Norway was obtained. Aerial data were validated against 60 independent ground measurements. Strong correlation found between airborne survey results and ground measurements.