Gamma background measurements in the Gran Sasso National Laboratory

Dariusz Malczewski; Jan Kisiel; Jerzy Dorda

doi:10.1007/s10967-012-1990-9

Gamma background measurements in the Gran Sasso National Laboratory

J Radioanal Nucl Chem. 2013;295(1):749-754. doi: 10.1007/s10967-012-1990-9. Epub 2012 Jul 25.

Authors

Dariusz Malczewski¹, Jan Kisiel², Jerzy Dorda²

Affiliations

¹ Faculty of Earth Sciences, University of Silesia, Bedzinska 60, 41-200 Sosnowiec, Poland.
² Institute of Physics, University of Silesia, Uniwersytecka 4, 40-007 Katowice, Poland.

Abstract

In situ gamma-ray measurements were taken at eight locations in the Gran Sasso National Laboratory (Italy). Count rates for gamma radiation within the energy range of 7-2,734 keV varied from 8 to 60 γ s^-1. The arithmetic mean was 49 γ s^-1 for measurements taken without a collimator. The average gamma flux inside the Lab was 0.25 γ cm^-2 s^-1. The sedimentary rocks surrounding the Lab are characterized by low activity concentrations of uranium and thorium, equal to 1.7 and 1.4 Bq kg^-1, respectively.

Keywords: Gamma background; Gamma fluxes; Gamma-ray spectrometry; Underground laboratory.