[ RadSafe ] Fwd: Fwd: [New post] Raised radiation level found inMissouri Snow

[Chris Alston]

Folks

What is happening to the radon source term, given the cold and
snowpack?  I can remember, many years ago, when I was green as a
grasshopper, doing verification of remedial action for depleted U on a
property (a large lawn or backyard, from which we had stripped the
sod) with a FIDLER, during an afternoon when it was warm, sunny, and
breezy.  I went back to finish work the next morning, when it was
cold, damp, and heavily foggy (the airport was socked-in).  The whole
area was "hot" again.  Baffled, I walkie-talkied my boss.  He laughed,
and explained, basically, that due to the low-pressure, more *natural*
radon was emanating from the soil, and it was not moving much, due to
the cold, so the daughters were ingrowing.  In effect, our carefully
determined gamma background for the area was out the window.

Cheers
cja
---------- Forwarded message ----------
From: Brennan, Mike  (DOH) <Mike.Brennan at doh.wa.gov>
Date: Tue, Jan 7, 2014 at 11:59 AM
Subject: Re: [ RadSafe ] Fwd: [New post] Raised radiation level found
inMissouri Snow
To: "The International Radiation Protection (Health Physics)
MailingList" <radsafe at health.phys.iit.edu>
I don't know the answer to this offhand, but how does the response of
a GM tube change with temperature?  The reason I ask is that it is
currently COLD in much of the Midwest, and it wouldn't surprise me if
things are different at -20C.