Innovative Integration of GPS, Radiological Measuring Equipment, and GIS to Conduct Radiological Walkover Survey

Celeste Barry, Jeff Sims, and Carl Efird

Abstract:	For over a decade beginning in the mid 1940’s the world’s first nuclear reactor and pilot research facility operated at a site within the Palos Forest Preserve approximately 20 miles southwest of downtown Chicago. The site presently contains remnants of the former research buildings and test reactors. A new application integrating global positioning system (GPS) technology with radiation measuring instrumentation was utilized by Bechtel National, Inc. (BNI) in the spring of 1994 to conduct a radiological walkover survey of this site. The GPS is a satellite navigation network developed and maintained by the U.S. Department of Defense (DOD) that provides the ability to obtain coordinates for any point on the earth’s surface. For this application, real- time differential GPS data, having accuracies less than 1 m, were collected and stored for future analysis. The integrated mapping and radiation survey system (MARSS) developed by J.S. Bland Associates, Inc. (JSB) coupled GPS position data with radiological measurements to accurately and systematically record locations of surface radiation measurements. Accurate location was a critical factor for identifying areas requiring further remediation and for use in a geographic information system (GIS) system. At the end of each day of the survey a combined position and radiation data file was downloaded to an onsite field computer. Goldensoftware’s SURFER” was used to produce daily track maps showing the ranges of radiation readings in relation to location. These track maps were used by the field crew to verify grid coverage and refine the survey at points of interest. At the completion of the survey, color-coded ranges of detected surface radiation levels were displayed on a combined map of all the individual grid track maps. The outstanding benefit of using this state-of-the-art, automated, system was the ability to collect and store accurate data as a combined data file for future GIS analysis. The MARSS system allowed for increased data collection efficiency and precision, while greatly reducing overall resource requirements. Ultimately crews were able to map approximately 23 acres, in less than 15 working days, recording over 150,000 radiological data points, each complete with time and location.
Published in:	Proceedings of the 7th International Technical Meeting of the Satellite Division of The Institute of Navigation (ION GPS 1994) September 20 - 23, 1994 Salt Palace Convention Center Salt Lake City, UT
Pages:	71 - 77
Cite this article:	Barry, Celeste, Sims, Jeff, Efird, Carl, "Innovative Integration of GPS, Radiological Measuring Equipment, and GIS to Conduct Radiological Walkover Survey," Proceedings of the 7th International Technical Meeting of the Satellite Division of The Institute of Navigation (ION GPS 1994), Salt Lake City, UT, September 1994, pp. 71-77.
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