Environ./.01 urem /h measurements- Summary

[Slaback@micf.nist.gov]

Thanks for your replies.
Most wish me luck, with very low probability
for success.

Several pointed out the problem of background variability.
I hope to get around this by doing measurements over
a relatively short period, e.g., 1-2 hours, during
reactor startup and shutdown.
In fact, past experience with active env. monitoring
has demonstrated very rapidly changing short-term transients
in the envir. dose rate so that it would require rather
stable atmospheric conditions to even have a hope at getting
good data that reflects the source term.  The alternative 
is a bigger source term, but our regulators frown on doing that.

T. de Castro is using oversize GM tubes, but even these would
not do the job.  At 6000 cpm at background (10 urem/h), .01
would be only 6 cpm.  A little statistics math will show that
it would take quite a bit of this to see a statistically
real signal.

Several also pointed out electronic noise limitations (for
current mode devices).  This is one area where technology
has been getting better.

Several pointed out the triviality of the dose implication
of 0.01 umre/h rates.  I am interested in the 
correlation to calculated dispersion dose rates, not the
total dose implication.  Hence the need for sensitivity.

Many expressed extreme interest if I succeed.  Maybe this
should be encouragement for a developer.  In any case I
will post any successful, or semi-successful, results.
Silence will have its obvious meaning.

A little risk adds spice to life.
slaback@MICF.NIST.gov