Re: Nova - Dirty Bombs - London Scenario question

[Stewart Farber <farbersa@optonline.net>]

Hi:

ERRATA to my earlier post on the above:



Need to correct the second sentence [copied below] from my post on the above 

subject. In tossing my notes on the rough calculation, noticed that it should 

read: 



"If the terrorists spent 1 hour at say 1 foot from this unshielded source [??? a 

wag assumption] in fabricating the bomb and transporting it they would receive 

about 7,000 R whole body."



Sorry for the error in making a quick post. At 2 feet the approximate dose would 

be 4 times lower or about 1,750 R whole body.



How long it would take [and at what average distance from the source] for someone 

to fabricate a dirty bomb, move it from the point of fabrication to a vehicle, 

and deliver it is anyone's guess. I thankfully have no experience making bombs or 

removing 2000 Ci Cs-137 sources from their shields and handling them. There are 

endless possibilities on how it might be done. With some planning, some handling 

tools, and some shielding,   the dose could be reduced sharply from what one 

would calculate for am assumed total of 1 hour at 1 foot unshielded.



Stewart Farber

==========

2/26/03 2:19:16 PM, Stewart Farber <farbersa@optonline.net> wrote:

>

>The scenario NOVA dramatized last night involved a whole lot more Cs-137, or a 

>source with 74,000 GBq of Cs-137 [2000 Ci] as I recall them mentioning. For a 

>point source of Cs-137 this equates to about 6.6E6 R/hr at 1 cm. If the 

>terrorists spent 1 hour at say 2 feet from this unshielded source [??? a wag 

>assumption] in fabricating the bomb and transporting it they would receive about 

>7,000 R whole body. 

>







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