Conference Events
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SPERA 2010 ENVIRONMENTAL GAMMA SURVEY METER INTERCOMPARISON FIELD TRIP Date: 30 August 2010 Location: Thunderbird Park, Mt Tamborine, Gold Coast Hinterland. Queensland Overview Environmental survey instrumentation varies considerably in type and mode of operation. Local experience has shown that different detector types (scintillation, GM, ionisation chamber etc.) have varying levels of sensitivity and energy response, ultimately impacting on measurement of both cosmic and terrestrial radiation components. These effects potentially impact on data portability, and therefore consistency in reporting, between health physicists acting in consultancy, surveillance and regulatory roles. Do you really know the characteristics of your environmental survey instruments; minimum detection levels, cosmic / terrestrial response? As part of SPERA 2010 conference activity program, the organising committee will be hosting an environmental gamma survey meter intercomparison exercise. The field trip into the Gold Coast hinterland will be a full day program and take place on Monday 30 August 2010, the day before the conference begins. The intercomparison exercise will be open for a maximum of 10 participants, and each participant will be able to bring up to 2 survey instruments, preferably of different types, for comparison. Data collected from the field trip and preliminary interpretation of results will be presented in a special session towards the end of the SPERA2010 conference program. It is expected that the results will provide useful insight on the measurement of environmental gamma radiation under field conditions and instrumentation constraints. Location Thunderbird Park, Mount Tamborine. Thunderbird Park is an amazing wildlife and geological rich area stretching over 112 hectares on Tamborine Mountain in the Gold Coast Hinterland. Translucent rock pools, inspiring landscapes and lush rainforests all add to the atmosphere of Thunderbird Park. Additionally, the park contains one of the largest deposits of ‘thundereggs’ in the world. The mineral rich seam that runs through Mount Tamborine was discovered at Thunderbird Park in 1967. Today, the ground at 300m by 50m open-cut mine has an endless supply of beautiful thundereggs. Thundereggs (lithophysae) are nodules that occur in rhyolite–perlite lava flows and domes. The thundereggs form when gas bubbles in the viscous, silica rich lava cools and are subsequently filled by silica mineralisation.A preliminary radiological survey and surface sampling program indicates surface gamma radiation levels, at 1 m above the ground surface, of between 150 nGy.h-1 and 300 nGy.h-1. Soil activity concentrations indicate elevated concentrations of natural uranium, thorium and potassium-40. It is considered that local rhyolite flows (required for thunderegg formation) and tuffs are associated with the elevated radioactivity in the area. Massive outcrops of rhyolite in the Mine site have been noted to have higher gamma radiation emissions.This environment proves an interesting area for our intercomparison exercise. Link to Thunderbird Park website: http://www.thunderbirdpark.com/ Cost Participation in the field trip will cost $150 per person. This fee includes:
* Pick up and return minibus transfers from the Crown Plaza Hotel, Surfers Paradise, Gold Coast (SPERA2010 conference venue). Intercomparison Exercise The number of participants is limited to 10 persons only, early lodgement of expression of interest to the Intercomparison Organiser is recommended. Each participant will be limited to providing 2 survey instruments, preferably of different types. Each participant should provide to the Intercomparison Organiser a copy of the instrument operator’s manual, specifications and a recent calibration certificate (if available) at least 4 weeks prior to the conference to allow for development of data capture forms. Each participant will be provided with a site map, information, procedure to be followed, and conduct measurements:
* to estimate cosmic response of their instrument/s using a lead terrestrial shadow shield (provided by Intercomparison Organisers) ** NOTE ** ENCLOSED FOOTWEAR MUST BE WORN ON THE MINE-SITE Register your Expression of Interest To register you interest in participating in this exercise, please contact the Intercomparison Organisers;
Drew Watson
or
Puspendra Chauhan Placements will be on a first in, first served basis, but the expression of interest list will be held open in case of cancellations. The Intercomparison Organsiers will advise the outcomes of all expressions of interest as soon as all places have been filled. | |
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