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Re: Geographical distribution of gamma radiation
All,
During the 1975 - 1979 period, data on background soil concentrations
(Ra-226, U-238, and Th-232) and gamma-ray measurements in micro-R/hr were
obtained for a number of areas within 33 states. At that time, members of
my Group at ORNL were performing surveys for DOE during the early phases of
both FUSRAP and the uranium mill-tailings remedial action program. Since we
were traversing the U.S. with a mobile facility, we decided to collect
samples and make gamma-ray measurements at the same place at a height of
one meter. Although these locations were in the vicinity of major highways,
we tried very hard to find areas that had not been impacted by highway
construction, farming, or residential/commercial activity. A report,
ORNL/TM-7343 was published in November 1981 (authors were: T.E. Myrick,
B.A. Berven, and F.F. Haywood). It may still be available from ORNL. A
condensed version was published as a note in Health Physics (September
1983). The report includes state maps where the data were collected.
Therefore it should not be any problem to determine the county.
Fred Haywood
______________________________
Fred Haywood
Principal Scientist
URS
1093 Commerce Park Drive, Ste. 100
Oak Ridge, TN 37830
Direct 865.220.8102
Fax 865.483.9061
fred_haywood@urscorp.com
Kai Kaletsch
<eic@shaw.ca> To: radsafe@list.vanderbilt.edu
Sent by: cc: BERNARD L COHEN <blc+@PITT.EDU>
owner-radsafe@list.van Subject: Geographical distribution of gamma radiation
derbilt.edu
01/14/03 01:07 PM
Please respond to Kai
Kaletsch
Friends,
Does anyone know where one can get data on gamma radiation in a form so
that
the county is readily identifiable. The data seems to exist at a high
enough
resolution ( see http://energy.cr.usgs.gov/radon/usagamma.gif ), but it
would be a lot of work to assign gamma radiation values to counties by just
using the map.
Thanks in advance,
Kai
----- Original Message -----
From: "BERNARD L COHEN" <blc+@pitt.edu>
To: "Kai Kaletsch" <eic@shaw.ca>
Cc: <radsafe@list.vanderbilt.edu>
Sent: Tuesday, January 14, 2003 9:03 AM
Subject: Re: Apparent anti-correlations between geographic radiation and c
ancer are no...
>
> On Mon, 13 Jan 2003, Kai Kaletsch wrote:
>
> > From: "BERNARD L COHEN"
> >
> > > --There are no data on gamma radiation for counties or even for
> > > states, so I can't do this directly.
> >
> > How about http://energy.cr.usgs.gov/radon/usagamma.gif ?
>
> --Do you know how that map can be converted into data for each
> county?
>
> >
> > > But radon is surely more important in
> > > the link to lung cancer than is gamma radiation.
> >
> > In the absence of other data, I would agree with you. There are however
some
> > (case-control) data sets out there that would be fairly difficult to
> > reconcile with a large beneficial radon effect.
>
> --Depending on your definition of "large", I question this. My
> data should not be interpreted as risk vs dose to individuals, as that is
> what is meant by "the ecological fallacy". I have always insisted that my
> data be used only as a test of the linear--no threshold theory. However,
> even if my data are interpreted as risk vs dose to individuals, I have
> shown that they are not in conflict with case control studies.
>
> On the other hand, I am not
> > aware of any credible data set that is inconsistent with a beneficial
effect
> > of gamma radiation at background levels.
> >
> > > Also, gamma radiation should be positively
> > > correlated with radon levels, not negatively correlated as would be
> > > necessary to change our conclusions.
> >
> > Only if you assume that gamma radiation at BG levels is bad for you,
which
> > is not my assumption. A large beneficial effect of gamma radiation,
which
> > should be positively correlated to radon, would change your
conclusions.
>
> --I understand your point on this. If you can help me find gamma
> ray background for counties, I will investigate this.
>
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