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RE: Franz - RE: X-ray of packages and containers
With all due respect, Dr. Schoenhofer--
There is currently on the market a scanning detector for contraband that claims
"about the same energy emission that everyone receives every five minutes from
naturally occurring background radiation."
The detection capabilities result from a technology known as x-ray
back-scattering where low-energy x-rays are reflected from near the surface of
the body.
http://www.2feelsafer.com/handsoffdetectors.html
Jean C. Moore
jean.moore@redstone.army.mil
-----Original Message-----
From: Franz Schoenhofer [mailto:franz.schoenhofer@CHELLO.AT]
Sent: Thursday, September 27, 2001 6:20 AM
To: David_S_Hyder@RL.GOV; magna1@jps.net; radsafe@list.vanderbilt.edu
Subject: Re: Franz - RE: X-ray of packages and containers
Private:
Franz Schoenhofer
Habicherg. 31/7
A-1160 Vienna, AUSTRIA
Phone: -43 699 11681319
e-mail: franz.schoenhofer@chello.at
Office:
MR Dr. Franz Schoenhofer
Federal Ministry for Agriculture, Forestry, Environment and Water Management
Dep. I/8U, Radiation Protection
Radetzkystr. 2
A-1031 Vienna, AUSTRIA
phone: +43-1-71100-4458
fax: +43-1-7122331
e-mail: franz.schoenhofer@bmu.gv.at
-----Ursprüngliche Nachricht-----
Von: David_S_Hyder@RL.GOV <David_S_Hyder@RL.GOV>
An: magna1@jps.net <magna1@jps.net>; radsafe@list.vanderbilt.edu
<radsafe@list.vanderbilt.edu>
Datum: Donnerstag, 27. September 2001 18:01
Betreff: Franz - RE: X-ray of packages and containers
Franz,
You wrote:
"We have the ALARA principle and at least in
Europe we have a legislation, which prohibits the deliberate use of ionizing
radiation on humans for other purposes than medical ones."
The forwarded e-mail to this list yesterday was of an image from Calais.
The last time I looked at a map, France was in Europe. Would you please
explain the "medical application" being used here. Seems to be a security
issue in Europe too.
------------------------------------------
The answer is very easy. Calais is in Europe. The picture forwarded is not
(!!!) an x-ray or gamma-ray picture, but taken by recordig infrared
radiation ("warmth") which is emitted from warm material and of course also
bodies. Or did anybody see a skeleton? Remember the famous first pictures of
the skeleton of a hand taken by Roentgen.
I am more than surprised, that obviously nobody has recognized that. (But I
have not read most of todays postings yet.) Why didn't all those radiation
experts on RADSAFE think just a little moment, how big and powerful an X-ray
machine would have to be to be able to make an x-ray picture of this size?
And the dozens of square meters of x-ray sensitive film and even more the
machine to develop it?
Next item: Gamma rays. What kind of sources are used? Industrial gamma
radiography sources? Iridium? Cobalt? If so, they would have to have a
really enormous activity to produce such big pictures on the dozens of
square meters of film....... (see above). What about shielding of these
super-sources? What about shielding the surroundings of the area where the
trains, lorries etc. are examined? What about the doses to a possible hidden
person?
This is so absurd, that I am not only surprised, but also disappointed, that
RADSAFErs obviously took these silly messages from mass media serious.
Franz
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