Sources of Irradiation and Environment

Garant předmětu:

Václav Štěpán

Lecturer:

Tomáš Čechák, Ondřej Kořistka, Ladislav Musílek, Václav Štěpán, Lenka Thinová, Tomáš Urban

Tutor:

Ondřej Kořistka, Václav Štěpán, Lenka Thinová

Supervisor:

Department of Dosimetry and Application of Ionizing Radiation

Synopsis:

The subject provides an overview of the usage of ionizing radiation from its discovery and first applications to modern methods. It allows the student to acquire the basic knowledge about ionizing radiation usage. The subject deals with the fundamental issues related to ionizing radiation and the safety of dealing with the sources of IR. The course includes practical exercises with processing the data and subsequent presentation of the results.

Requirements:

Syllabus of lectures:

1.Introduction: Key concepts from dosimetry and physics of ionizing radiation (IR).

2.W. Röntgen, H. Becquerel, M. Curie - Discoveries and first research in the field of ionizing radiation.

3.Discovery and study of cosmic radiation, balloon flights, observatories and measurements.

4.Radon: cohort epidemiological studies, radon in dwellings and at workplaces, Radon program.

5.Uranium industry: first use, mining development, processing and enrichment, fuel production.

6.Nuclear weapons. Manhattan project, dropping bombs, cold war, testing - aerial and underground tests. CTBTO.

7.Nuclear power: first reactors and subsequent development, future directions: small reactors, thermonuclear fusion.

8.Nuclear accidents. Chernobyl and Fukushima.

9.Other accidents: Three Mile Island, Goyana and unreasonable use of radiation sources. Impacts to the environment.

10.Development of the use of IR in medicine I: radon water, radionuclide irradiators, accelerators.

11.Development of use of IR in medicine II: Modern methods used in radiotherapy and radiodiagnostics.

12.Development of industrial and other IR applications: (radium girls, food irradiation, ...).

13.Final lesson – final discussion, students´ questions.

Syllabus of tutorials:

1.Introduction of fundamental detection methods, basics of safety work with sources of IR.

2.Detection of various types of IR. Spectrometric vs. non-spectrometric measurements, fundamentals of dosimetry.

3.Excursion: Methods of cosmic radiation measurement 1.

4.Excursion: Methods of cosmic radiation measurement 2.

5.In situ measurement: detection techniques examples - terrestrial radiation, soil radon 1.

6.In situ measurement: detection techniques examples - terrestrial radiation, soil radon 2.

7.Exercise 1: emergency preparedness, finding of the source of IR.

8.Exercise 2: emergency preparedness, finding of the source of IR.

9.Excursion: Medical facility (radiotherapy department).

10.Excursion: Medical facility (radiodiagnostic department).

11.Practical training: industrial applications.

12.Presentation of mini-projects 1.

13.Presentation of mini-projects 2.

Study Objective:

Study materials:

Key References:

1.UNSCEAR 2017 REPORT Sources, Effects and Risks of Ionizing Radiation, 2017

2.IAEA 2014 Radiation Protection and Safety of Radiation Sources: International Basic Safety Standards

Recommended References:

3.J. E. Turner: Atoms, Radiation and Radiation Protection, Wiley-VCH Verlag GmbH&Co, KgaA, 2009

4.R. Cothern, J. Smith: Environmental Radon, 1987 ISBN 978-1-4899-0473-7

Note:

Time-table for winter semester 2023/2024:

Time-table is not available yet

Time-table for summer semester 2023/2024:

Time-table is not available yet

The course is a part of the following study plans:

• Jaderné inženýrství - Aplikovaná fyzika ionizujícího záření (elective course)
• jaderné inženýrství - Radioaktivita v životním prostředí (elective course)
• Vyřazování jaderných zařízení z provozu (compulsory course in the program)