E&S:Lecture 15

• 1. type of particle detector that measures ionizing radiation. T
• -detect the emission of nuclear radiation: alpha particles, beta particles or gamma rays.

1.Particles or electromagnetic waves that are energetic enough to detach electrons from atoms or molecules

• High doses: Radiation poisioning
• Low does: DNA damage, cancer

C/kg

J/kg

4-5 Sv or 400-500 Rems

• 1.Pressurized water reactor near Harrisburg,PA
• 2. Cooling water shut off, and hot core became high and dry
• 3. hot uranium fuel reacted with zirconium, rupture fuel rods, melting the core

• 1.explosion that blew 5% of the reactors fuel into the atmosphere
• 2. 30 operators and firefighters were killed by radiation within three months. 237 people suffered acute raduation sickness
• 3. a 30 km human exclusion zone remains around the reactor

• 1. Japan Power plant
• 2. After 9.0 earthquake, tsunami disabled the plants emergency diesel generators
• 3.Hydrogen explosion

• 1. Deep hole burial
• 2. Island disposal
• 3. Space disposal

The minimum mass of fissile material necessary to sustain a nuclear chain reaction

1.Conventional explosives with added radioactive material