Express method of gamma-ray analysis of the soil blocks which have been sampled without a disturbance of the turf layer

TL;DR

This paper introduces a gamma-ray analysis method for soil blocks sampled non-invasively after nuclear accidents, enabling rapid, preparation-free assessment of non-uniform soil activity distributions.

Contribution

It presents a novel gamma-analysis technique for undisturbed soil samples, including calibration procedures for non-homogeneous activity measurement post-Chernobyl.

Findings

Method allows analysis without sample preparation.

Calibration for non-uniform activity distribution is established.

Applicable for rapid assessment after nuclear incidents.

Abstract

This paper presents method of gamma-analysis of the soil patterns sampled soon after of nuclear accident. The method does not require of sample preparation and intends for analysis of the soil samples with a non-homogeneous distribution of activity at the depth. Technique of calibration of the detector efficiency is considered, that have been used when soil blocks sampling by means of the non-disturbance method (by rings) after Chernobyl accident were measured.