[Triumf-seminars] TRIUMF Seminar today at 14:00

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Date/Time: Thu 2006-08-17 at 14:00

Location:  Auditorium          

Speaker:   Trevor Stocki (Health Canada)

Title:     Atmospheric Radionuclide Monitoring at Health Canada for the Comprehensive Nuclear Test Ban Treaty and the Well Being of Canadians

Abstract: Since January 1959, Health Canada has been active in the measurement of radioactive fallout on air filters, to ensure the health and well being of Canadians.  This work has evolved to include an active role in achieving a comprehensive ban on the testing of nuclear weapons.  Compliance verification of the Comprehensive Nuclear-Test-Ban Treaty (CTBT) employs radioactive aerosol and noble gas monitoring, in particular radioxenon. Health Canada has operated CTBT test monitoring stations for particulate in Vancouver since April, 1996 and for particulate and noble gas in Ottawa since November, 2001.  The noble gas station measures the concentration activity of radioxenon through the use of a SPALAX (Système de Prélèvement d'air Automatique en Ligne avec l'Analyse des radioXénons).
      Ottawa has a complex radioxenon environment due to the proximity of nuclear power reactors, research reactors, and medical isotope facilities. This complex environment provides an ideal testing ground for radioxenon detection, which in turn provides an excellent area to develop and research a CTBT event classification methodology. In addition to the CTBT mandate, a real-time radiation monitoring network of Canadian nuclear facilities and major population centres is being implemented for response to a terrorist attack.  This network consists of NaI(Tl) detectors which face skyward to measure gamma radiation from airborne radioactivity, in particular radioactive noble gases.  These detectors are set up to measure air KERMA rate.
      With stations from both networks co-located in Ottawa, it has provided the unique opportunity to intercompare them.  Monte Carlo simulations of the air KERMA rate at the centre of a radioactive cloud have been run to better understand the intercomparison. The combination of these two networks is an excellent scientific tool for the testing of meteorological models which would be employed in the event of an incident.

Stimulants available 15 minutes before the talk.

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