Experimental Evaluation of the Fallout-Radiation Protection Provided by Selected Structures in the Los Angeles Area

Abstract

An experimental study designed to provide a basis for estimating protection against fallout radiation was conducted on four diversified structures in the Los Angeles, Calif., area. This study was sponsored by the Civil Effects Test Operations (CETO), Division of Biology and Medicine, U. S. Atomic Energy Commission. The four buildings studied were (1) the Laboratory of Nuclear Medicine and Radiation Biology at the University of California at Los Angeles (UCLA); (2) a family fallout shelter; (3) the communications section of the Los Angeles Police Department building; and (4) a typical classroom located at North Hollywood High School. A fallout radiation field was simulated by the Mobile Radiological Measuring Unit. The unit employed a single radioactive Co(exp 60) source, which was pumped at a uniform speed through a long length of tubing evenly distributed over the area of interest. Measurements of the radiation levels at selected points inside the structures were made with highly sensitive ionization- chamber detectors. Protection factors ranged from 10 to 2000 in the UCLA building, up to 10,000 in the family fallout shelter, from 50 to 150 in the communications section of the police building, and from less than 10 to approximately 20 in the high school classroom.

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Document Details

Document Type
Technical Report
Publication Date
Feb 26, 1963
Accession Number
ADA438313

Entities

People

  • Z. G. Burson

Organizations

  • EG&G

Tags

Communities of Interest

  • Biomedical
  • Weapons Technologies

DTIC Thesaurus Topics

  • Civil Defense
  • Construction
  • Detectors
  • Dose Rate
  • Dosimeters
  • Fallout Shelters
  • Gamma Rays
  • Health Physics
  • Ionization
  • Ionization Chambers
  • Measurement
  • Mechanical Equipment
  • Nuclear Energy
  • Nuclear Medicine
  • Radiation
  • Radiation Dosage
  • Radiation Protection

Readers

  • Nuclear Civil Defense.
  • Nuclear and Radiation Engineering.
  • Technical Research and Report Writing.