[ RadSafe ] Radium

Fri Nov 16 12:00:58 CST 2007

This is the explanation I've seen for the "Blue Flash" reported by
people who have been present at unanticipated criticality events (people
present at anticipated criticality events generally are present at much
greater distances, with better shielding).  There seems to be universal
agreement that seeing the Blue Flash is bad.

I suspect the easiest test to see if the blue glow is from Cerenkov
radiation originating from the air (or water, it the source is in a
pool) around the source or Cerenkov radiation originating within the eye
is to see if the glow is only near the source.  If you look away from
the source but still see blue, then it is your eyes that are being
ionized by the radiation, and again I think everyone will agree that
this is bad. 

-----Original Message-----
From: radsafe-bounces at radlab.nl [mailto:radsafe-bounces at radlab.nl] On
Behalf Of Syd H. Levine
Sent: Tuesday, November 13, 2007 1:43 PM
To: Bailly, Helen A; Brennan, Mike (DOH); radsafe
Subject: Re: [ RadSafe ] Radium

At high dose rates, I believe early researchers reported a faint blue
glow. 
This has been explained as direct scintillation in the vitreous humor,
and perhaps the crystalline structure of the lens of the eye itself.  If
you see this, you are getting entirely too much exposure, I would think.

The "lights" seen by astronauts have been similarly explained as a
result of some experiments done around accelerators, iirc.

Syd H. Levine
AnaLog Services, Inc.
Phone:  (270) 276-5671
Telefax:  (270) 276-5588
E-mail:  analog at logwell.com
Web URL:  www.logwell.com

----- Original Message -----
From: "Bailly, Helen A" <Helen.Bailly at icp.doe.gov>
To: "Brennan, Mike (DOH)" <Mike.Brennan at DOH.WA.GOV>; "radsafe" 
<radsafe at radlab.nl>
Sent: Monday, November 12, 2007 9:16 AM
Subject: RE: [ RadSafe ] Radium

I am not sure about the faint blue colored luminescence, most of the
radium painted items I've ever seen have had a greenish or yellowish
tint to their luminescence, and as I understand it the luminescence in
most old radium paints actually came from the reaction between the
radium and the zinc in the paint.  This is not to say that that there is
no blue luminescence.

The main reason I reply however, is to caution against believing
everything you read on Wikipedia.  Wikipedia is editable by anyone who
looks at it and there is not a screening or verification process, so if
it is edited by a knowledgeable person, as is often the case you are
good, but there is no way of knowing if that is the case.

Read Wikipedia with a grain of salt.

Life is short - Break the rules!  Forgive quickly!  Kiss slowly!  Love
truly! Laugh uncontrollably!... And never regret anything that made you
smile.

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helen Bailly

Radiation Dosimetry Records Unit

CFA-690

Mail Stop 4147

(208) 526-5261

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-----Original Message-----
From: radsafe-bounces at radlab.nl [mailto:radsafe-bounces at radlab.nl] On
Behalf Of Brennan, Mike (DOH)
Sent: Thursday, November 08, 2007 12:34 PM
To: radsafe
Subject: [ RadSafe ] Radium

The Wikipedia entry on radium says that, "Radium is luminescent (giving

a faint blue color),..."  Does anyone here know if that is true?  I have

been under the impression that the luminescence in radium painted items

was from phosphorescent chemicals in the paint that absorbed energy from

ionizing radiation and re-radiate in the visible spectrum.  There are

other things in the article that I have questions about, too, but I

should be able to answer them with references I have here.

What do people here think of Wikipedia?  I have found it to be a useful

source for many topics, though I've also seen content that seems to have

an agenda, or that is "everyone knows" type stuff that is wrong.

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