Re: Measurement of radioactivity of soil

[Bernard L Cohen <blc+@pitt.edu>]

A Martinelli beaker with a 3" x 3" NaI scintillation crystal works very 
well. As I remember, counting times were about 30 minutes, but what is 
the hurray? Martinelli beakers which fit nicely over the crystal are 
commercially available at a modest price (or at least they were 10 years 
ago), and they are reusable indefinitely.

Bernard L. Cohen
Physics Dept.
University of Pittsburgh
Pittsburgh, PA 15260
Tel: (412)624-9245
Fax: (412)624-9163
e-mail: blc+@pitt.edu


On Fri, 14 Jun 1996, DR MW CHARLES wrote:

> I have an MSc student who wants to carry out a small project to 
> relate radon levels in soil (previously measured by another student)
> to the uranium and thorium content of soil samples from a number of
> sites in the UK.  In particular we want to investigate the dependence 
> of radioactivity in soil to soil particle size.  Our initial thoughts were to use 
> GeLi gamma spectrometry.  I would value some references to previous 
> studies and in particular some guidance on preparation of samples, calibration
> methods and required counting times.
> Dr Monty Charles, Reader in Radiation Physics
> School of Physics & Space Research
> University of Birmingham
> Edgbaston
> Birmingham B15 2TT
> England
> TEL +44  0121 414 3483
> FAX +44  0121 414 4725