There a number of different websites that monitor radioactivity at various locations in the U.S. and around the world in real-time. There was an explosion of new websites after the Fukushima disaster but some of them have already disappeared. Here is a list of some of the monitoring websites that are currently active. (Several of these have been detailed in previous posts on this blog.)
Over two hundred radioactive isotopes are manufactured for use in medicine and industry. Radioisotopes can be used to analyze materials, trace flows and treat commodities. Here is a list of commonly used radioisotopes.
Americium-241 has a half-life of 432 years. It is used in backscatter gauges, smoke detectors, in measuring ash content of coal, in measuring toxic lead in dried paint, in measuring thickness in rolling processes for paper and steel.
Over two hundred radioactive isotopes are manufactured for use in medicine and industry. Radioisotopes can be used to analyze materials, trace flows and treat commodities.
The critical component in a Geiger counter is the Geiger-Müller tube. It is a gas metal or conductive material lined tube that registers a voltage spike when a radioactive particle penetrates the tube and ionizes the gas inside. There are many companies that sell kits for the electronics of a Geiger counter. However, they leave it to the builder to purchase the Geiger-Muller tube separately. Geiger-Muller tubes come in a wide variety of designs at different prices.
Inexpensive Geiger counters can be purchased for around $200. If you would rather build your own Geiger counter, there are a number of sources for instruction and kits.
The following list covers radioisotopes created in nuclear reactors by neutron flux for nuclear medicine.
Bismuth-213 has a half life of 46 minutes. It is used for Targeted Alpha Therapy.
The Washington State government has established rules for dealing with radioactive materials. These rules are in the Washington Administrative Code (WAS) which contains regulations issued by the Executive Branch of the Washington State government as instructed by enabling statutes. In general states must conform to national standards laid down by the United States Nuclear Regulatory Commission (NRC) which licenses companies to handle radioactive materials.
There is a Google interactive map for monitoring the release radioactivity from accidents at nuclear power plants and other nuclear faclities.
The United States Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) has a radiation monitoring website called RadNet. From the homepage:
The United States Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) has a radiation monitoring website called RadNet. From the homepage:
The United States Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) has a radiation monitoring website called RadNet. From the homepage:
The menu at the top of the GeigerGraph for Networks includes menus for files, user setup, view, network and help.
GeigerGraph for Networks is a program created by a company called Mineralab. It is distributed through a subsidiary called GeigerCounters.com. GeigerGraph is used to create a network of automatic monitoring stations on a volunteer basis for reading and uploading counts per minutes Geiger counter readings. The main focus is on the continental United States but there are additional monitoring maps for Alaska and Hawaii, Europe, Japan and Australia.
Continuing concern over radiation exposure sparked by the Fukushima disaster has led to a number of programs to monitor radiation across the United States. One of these programs is called the Radiation Network at www.radiationnetwork.com. The home page displays a map of the continental United States.
Let us start from the assumption that you now have a hand-held Geiger counter and you want to make readings. Here are some tips:
Background Level
In order to accurately measure radiation with a Geiger counter, we must start with the normal background radiation. Background radiation comes from both natural and man-made radioactivity. Previous posts have detailed various sources from both of these types. The actual regular background radiation varies from place to place on the surface of the Earth. It also varies with time depending on the weather, the seasons and human activities.
There are many manufacturers who market many different models of Geiger Counters. Websites have been created that bring together selections of different models with comparisons of features.
There are a number of considerations that should be taken into account when purchasing a Geiger counter. Increased public concerns about radiation exposure, especially since Fukushima, have resulted in an explosion of inexpensive hand-held Geiger counters being brought onto the market. There are many manufacturers and models. If you going to buy a Geiger counter, here is a list of things to watch out for.
