Time for some people to break out the AFDBs
From the
WA State Department of Health:
Aerial Radiological Survey for King and Pierce Counties
Frequently Asked Questions
A helicopter flying over some urban areas of King and Pierce counties will gather radiological readings July 11-28, 2011. The U.S. Department of Energy's Remote Sensing Laboratory Aerial Measurement System will collect baseline levels of radioactive materials. The helicopter's equipment can detect the presence of radioactive materials that emit gamma radiation such as cesium and radioactive iodine. The baseline would be used in the event of a radiation emergency to compare radioactive contamination to the normal levels found during this study. The Washington State Department of Health Office of Radiation Protection is overseeing the project, which is funded by the U.S. Department of Homeland Security.
The helicopter will fly a grid pattern spaced about 600 feet apart at an altitude of 300 feet, flying at 70 mph. The results will be provided to local agencies from the surveyed area by year-end. Some of the data may be withheld for national security purposes. The state Department of Health has been planning this project since 2009.
Makes sense to me -- the major Gamma emitters (and they don't mention Neutrons and I bet they are looking for these too) are the fissile materials and their byproducts so getting a baseline on these is a good thing. Makes it easy to unobtrusively spot check a container coming into port.
But I bet that seeing a helo come zooming past only to return a couple hundred feet away, lather, rinse, repeat will cause some people to reach for their AFDBs.
More on AFDBs
here
Posted by DaveH at July 9, 2011 10:42 PM