Remote detection and analysis of radioactive contamination during land remediation using innovative algorithms
This collaborative project was led by researchers at NASU and ANAMAD Ltd and utilised project space within NNUF-EXACT with supporting expertise provided by staff from both EXACT and supporting facility, GAU-Radioanalytical.
The Institute of Environmental Geochemistry of the National Academy of Sciences (NASU) of Ukraine in Kyiv and ANAMAD Ltd (Sussex UK) - Direct Access Project funded by Sellafield Game Changers (contact info@anamad.co.uk)
The project team set up a series of experimental trials to evaluate the application of a novel portable detector and signal processing system (developed by NASU) as a tool to remotely detect and analyse radioactive contamination during land remediation at the Sellafield site. This system was originally developed to monitor radioactivity in the Chernobyl Exclusion Zone and has undergone field trials in Ukraine. The lab-based trials undertaken in the EXACT facility aimed to test the ability of the innovative signal processing algorithms in detecting and discriminating multiple sources of radiation under differing levels of attenuation. These experiments were designed to simulate complex sub-surface contamination plumes and objects that are difficult to quantify using traditional detection methods.
The efforts of the researchers involved in continuing with this project despite the difficult circumstances in Ukraine were recognised in this article on the Sellafield Game Changers website.
How did EXACT support this project?
- Provision of active sources for evaluation of system performance in easily-accessible project space
- Hosted video-linked meetings to allow for remote guidance by the team in Ukraine
- Expertise in gamma spectrometry and technology validation
- Conventional gamma spectrometry provided by GAU-Radioanalytical to benchmark data acquired