Base Information Q&A SiteJAEA

Radioactivity and Air Dose Rate

(2016)

How are air dose rates in the living environment related to data obtained by monitoring posts and car-borne surveys?

Person-borne surveys have been carried out to investigate the characteristics of air dose rates in living environments. It was found that air dose rates in living environments are on average higher than those on roads, but lower than those in flat areas with soil.

  • In order to clarify the characteristics of air dose rates in living environments, person-borne surveys were carried out in districts of various conditions within 80 km from the Fukushima Daiichi Nuclear Power Station.
  • It was clarified that air dose rates in living environments are on average higher by 10%-20% than those on roads, but lower than those in flatlands without disturbance.
  • It was confirmed that air dose rates in living environments fluctuate even in a small area of 100 m2. 

Fig.1 Person-borne surveys were carried out over a wide area

Comparison between person-borne and car-borne surveys

Fig.2 Comparison between person-borne and car-borne surveys

(Cited from the Report on Investigation of Radiation Distribution:http://fukushima.jaea.go.jp/initiatives/cat03/pdf07/Part1-4.pdf)