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SC 6-5: Radiation Protection and Measurement Issues Related to Cargo Scanning with High-Energy X Rays Produced by Accelerators

The U.S. Domestic Nuclear Detection Office (DNDO) has been charged with evaluating the performance and design requirements for the Cargo Advanced Automated Radiography System (CAARS). CAARS will have the capability to detect material containing elements with high atomic number (Z) in addition to having conventional radiographic imaging capability. Elements with high-Z that CAARS will be designed to detect include special nuclear materials (SNM) and other elements that would be highly effective in shielding SNM or other radioactive materials. CAARS is intended to be an active radiographic system using high-energy x rays to image vehicles and cargo containers.

There are several technical questions that have arisen with respect to protection of people that may inadvertently be exposed to radiation from CAARS. DNDO has asked NCRP to provide advice in the area of radiation protection for such individuals and on the most effective and reliable methods of measuring exposure rates for high-energy CAARS x rays.

The draft commentary includes a recommendation that the maximum dose to an inadvertently exposed individual not exceed 5 mSv based on previous NCRP dose limits for infrequently exposed members of the public. Other recommendations cover training, quality assurance, and personal radiation monitoring for staff working in or near CAARS as well as environmental monitoring. A table of recommended dosimetry systems for use under diverse measurement conditions is included, along with indications of potential problems if the dosimeters are not appropriately used.

A draft of the commentary was reviewed by subject-area experts in early September 2007. The Committee revised the draft commentary based on input from these individuals. The draft commentary was circulated to members of Council for review on September 27, 2007 and posted on the NCRP website for public review and comment. Review comments were due October 19, 2007.

All comments have been addressed by SC 6-5. The draft was approved by the NCRP Board of Directors at a meeting on December 10, 2007 and has been published as NCRP Commentary No. 20.

The membership of SC 6-5 is:

L.A. Braby, Chairman
P.M. Bergstrom
R.R. Brey
C.A. Donahue
M.P. Grissom
T. Jorgensen
R.T. Kouzes
J.C. Liu
M.A.S. Taylor
R.H. Thomas, Advisor
J.E. Gray, NCRP Staff Consultant

SC 6-1 Uncertainties in the Measurement and
Dosimetry of External Radiation Sources >

SC 6-2 Radiation Exposure of the U.S. Population >

SC 6-3 Uncertainties in Internal Radiation Dosimetry >

SC 6-4 Fundamental Principles of Dose Reconstruction >

SC 6-6 on Skin Doses from Dermal Contamination >

SC 6-7 on Evaluation of Inhalation Doses in Scenarios Involving
Resuspension by Nuclear Detonations at the Nevada Test Site >

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Home | Current Program | PAC 6 | SC 6-5

SC 6-5: Radiation Protection and Measurement Issues Related to Cargo Scanning with High-Energy X Rays Produced by Accelerators

NCRP has received funding from the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (http://www.cdc.gov) to prepare a report on "Population Monitoring and Decontamination Following a Nuclear/Radiological Incident"