[Outline]
Fieldwork will be conducted in which multiple types of radiation detectors are used to measure environmental air dose and radiation levels of soils in Fukushima Prefecture, to give students hands-on experience of measuring environmental impact caused by large-scale nuclear accidents. Additionally, plant leaf samples and other environmental samples will be collected, isotope identification will be conducted using them, and the spatial distribution of radionuclides will be measured. Additionally, students will have their levels of internal exposure measured with a whole-body counter.
[Aim]
To obtain skills for radiation detection and analysis of radioactivity, and to understand radiation levels after a severe accident of nuclear power plant
To obtain skills for using a wide range of radiation detectors in order to play an active part in nuclear industries
Radiation survey meter, Radiation spectrometer, Imaging plate, Whole-body counter
Specialist skills | Intercultural skills | ✔ Communication skills | ✔ Critical thinking skills | ✔ Practical and/or problem-solving skills |
After lectures on the use a wide range of radiation detectors, field work will be performed. Then, retrieved samples will be analyzed.
Course schedule | Required learning | |
---|---|---|
Class 1 | How to use radiation survey meters | Characteristics of the survey meters |
Class 2 | How to use radiation spectrometers | Characteristics of the spectrometer |
Class 3 | How to use an imaging plate | Characteristics of the imaging plate |
Class 4 | How to use a whole-body counter | Characteristics of the whole-body counter |
Class 5 | Field work | Spatial distribution of radiation dose |
Class 6 | Field work | Collection of soil samples |
Class 7 | Field work | Collection of plant leaf samples |
Class 8 | Sensitivity calibration of the whole-body counter | Absolute sensitivity calibration of the whole-body counter |
Class 9 | Measurement of radioactivity in the body | Measurement of radioactivity in the body by the whole-body counter |
Class 10 | Evaluation of internal exposure | Evaluation of internal exposure dose by the measured radioactivity in the body |
Class 11 | Sensitivity calibration of the gamma-ray spectrometer | Absolute sensitivity calibration of the gamma-ray spectrometer for radioactivity measurement of the soil samples |
Class 12 | Prepararion of soil samples | Preparation of homogenized and pelletized soil samples |
Class 13 | Preparation of plant samples | Preparation of plant leaf samples |
Class 14 | Analysis of radioactivities and nuclides of retrieved samples | How to identify radioactive nuclides and determine their radioactivities |
Class 15 | Analysis of two-dimensional distribution of radioactivities in retrieved samples | Radioactive-nuclide movement mechanism |
None
Instruction manuals for all detectors will be distributed in the class.
Lab reports
None