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Automated radioxenon monitoring for the comprehensive nuclear-test-ban treaty in two distinctive locations: Ottawa and Tahiti

2004; Elsevier BV; Volume: 80; Issue: 3 Linguagem: Inglês

10.1016/j.jenvrad.2004.10.005

1879-1700

Trevor J. Stocki, X. Blanchard, Réal D’Amours, R. Kurt Ungar, J.-P. Fontaine, M. Sohier, M. Bean, T. Taffary, Jacinthe Racine, B. L. Tracy, G. Brachet, M. Jean, D. Meyerhof,

Nuclear and radioactivity studies

In preparation for verification of the Comprehensive Nuclear-Test-Ban-Treaty, automated radioxenon monitoring is performed in two distinctive environments: Ottawa and Tahiti. These sites are monitored with SPALAX (Système de Prélèvement d'air Automatique en Ligne avec l'Analyse des radioXénons) technology, which automatically extracts radioxenon from the atmosphere and measures the activity concentrations of 131m,133m,133,135Xe. The resulting isotopic concentrations can be useful to discern nuclear explosions from nuclear industry xenon emissions. Ambient radon background, which may adversely impact analyser sensitivity, is discussed. Upper concentration limits are reported for the apparently radioxenon free Tahiti environment. Ottawa has a complex radioxenon background due to proximity to nuclear reactors and medical isotope facilities. Meteorological models suggest that, depending on the wind direction, the radioxenon detected in Ottawa can be characteristic of the normal radioxenon background in the Eastern United States, Europe, and Japan or distinctive due to medical isotope production.