Understanding Radioactive Aerosols and Their Measurement

2001
ISBN: 978-0-7923-7068-0
Verlag: Springer Netherlands

Buch, Englisch, Band 19, 331 Seiten, Format (B × H): 160 mm x 241 mm, Gewicht: 1450 g

Reihe: Environmental Science and Technology Library

This book is intended as an introduction to radioactivity and aerosols for the scientifically literate reader who has had no previous exposure to either of these subjects. Although its main focus is radioactive aerosols, on the road to this subject I provide short, somewhat independent introductions to both radioactivity and aerosols, with some emphasis on experimental aspects. The audience I have in mind is upper-level undergraduates or beginning graduate students with a minimum background of introductory college courses in physics, chemistry, and calculus. This book may also be useful to "crossover" professional- professionals in other fields of science and engineering, for example biology or geoscience, who would like a step-by-step introduction to this subject matter from the physical science perspective. In writing this book I have been sensitive to requests and suggestions from students who need some background in this subject matter but will probably not specialize in it. These students are bright, but busy, and they sometimes feel overwhelmed by the mass of information in advanced, comprehensive texts. No matter how noble the intentions of the authors (or the teachers assigning the books!), these students often do not have time to read such books through cover to cover, and they fmd it difficult to pick out a coherently-connected subset of the material. Furthermore, modern students studying an interdisciplinary subject like radioactive aerosols are likely to be more diversified than ever, in educational background, in interests, and in preparation.

Zielgruppe

Research

Autoren/Hrsg.

Schery, S. D.

Fachgebiete

• Naturwissenschaften Chemie Physikalische Chemie Kolloidchemie
• Geowissenschaften Geologie Meteorologie, Klimatologie
• Technische Wissenschaften Energietechnik | Elektrotechnik Atomenergietechnik
• Geowissenschaften Umweltwissenschaften Klimawandel, Globale Erwärmung
• Geowissenschaften Umweltwissenschaften Angewandte Ökologie
• Technische Wissenschaften Umwelttechnik | Umwelttechnologie Luftreinhaltung

Inhaltsverzeichnis

1 Radioactivity and Aerosols: An Introduction.- 1.1 Introduction.- 1.2 The importance of aerosols in environmental and atmospheric science.- 1.3 Nuclear radiation and decay.- 1.4 Size classification of aerosol particles.- 1.5 Emission sources and chemical properties of aerosol particles.- 1.6 Concentration of radionuclides in the environment.- 1.7 Radioactive aerosols and human health.- 1.8 Supplemental reading.- 1.9 Exercises and problems.- 2 Radioactivity and the Interaction of Nuclear Radiation with Matter.- 2.1 Introduction.- 2.2 Radioactive decay.- 2.3 The interaction of heavy charged particles with matter.- 2.4 The interaction of gamma radiation with matter.- 2.5 Supplemental reading.- 2.6 Exercises and problems.- 3 Measurement of Nuclear Radiation and Radioactivity.- 3.1 Introduction.- 3.2 Use of ionization and atomic excitation to detect nuclear radiation.- 3.3 The Geiger-Mueller detector.- 3.4 Alpha-particle measurement.- 3.5 Gamma-radiation measurement.- 3.6 Supplemental reading.- 3.7 Exercises and problems.- 4 Physical Behavior of Aerosol Particles.- 4.1 Introduction.- 4.2 Motion of aerosol particles relative to the surrounding air mass.- 4.3 Uniform motion and gravitational settling.- 4.4 Diffusion.- 4.5 Refinements to aerosol-particle motion.- 4.6 Recoil and radioactive decay.- 4.7 Aerosol particles in electric fields.- 4.8 Scattering of light by aerosol particles.- 4.9 Supplemental reading.- 4.10 Exercises and problems.- 5 Aerosol Measurement.- 5.1 Introduction.- 5.2 Common techniques of aerosol measurement.- 5.3 Inertial impaction.- 5.4 Filtration.- 5.5 Radioactive aerosols.- 5.6 Examples of radioactive-aerosol measurement.- 5.7 Supplemental reading.- 5.8 Exercises and problems.- 6 Radioactive Aerosols: Atmospheric Sources and Indoor Models.- 6.1 Introduction.- 6.2 Naturally-occurring radioactive aerosols.- 6.3 Anthropogenic radioactive aerosols.- 6.4 Indoor radioactivity.- 6.5 Supplemental reading.- 6.6 Exercises and problems.- 7 Radioactive Aerosols: Tracer Applications and Outdoor Transport.- 7.1 Introduction.- 7.2 Removal of aerosol particles from the atmosphere.- 7.3 Radioactive aerosols as atmospheric tracers.- 7.4 An outdoor box model.- 7.5 The Gaussian plume model.- 7.6 Improvements to the Gaussian plume model.- 7.7 The atmospheric diffusion equation.- 7.8 Supplemental reading.- 7.9 Exercises and problems.- Appendix A — Units of Measurement for Radioactivity and Aerosols.- Appendix B — Explanation of Symbols.- Cited References.