[ RadSafe ] Dreaming of a Gamma Dose/Exposure Rate Instrument

[BLHamrick at aol.com]

In my fantasy world, I think that my "dream" instrument would be one  that 
could reliably and efficiently detect nuclear weaponry, at any distance,  with 
any shielding intervening, but I expect that shall remain pure  fantasy.
 
And, with that, I am compelled to quote a passage from "American  Prometheus, 
The Triumph and Tragedy of J. Robert Oppenheimer:"
 
"When he was asked in a closed Senate hearing in 1946 "whether three or  four 
men couldn't smuggle units of an [atomic] bomb into New York and blow up  the 
whole city," he responded pointedly, "Of course it could be done, and people  
could destroy New York."  To the follow- question of a startled senator,  
"What insturment would you use to detect an atomic bomb hidden somewhwer in a  
city"  Oppenheimer quipped, "A screwdriver [to open each and every crate or  
suitcase]."
 
Alas, we haven't come very far, have we?
 
Barbara
 
In a message dated 1/13/2006 9:54:37 A.M. Pacific Standard Time,  
SDRIMA at mactec.com writes:

I have  volunteered to give a presentation at the 2006 HPS Annual Meeting
special  session. The special session is tentatively entitled "Radiation
Measurement  Instruments for HPs - Looking Back at the Past, and Looking
Ahead to the  Future." I've agreed to present on the past, present and
future of gamma  dose/exposure rate instruments. To that end, I ask for
your input. I'd like  your ideas, thoughts, wishes and dreams on what you
would like to see on  future gamma dose/exposure rate instruments. What
features would you like  to see? What would make the instruments you use
even better? If you could  design the perfect instrument, what would it
be  like?