Oct 16, 2016 23:20
7 yrs ago
1 viewer *
English term
gross beta
English
Science
Nuclear Eng/Sci
In order to monitor the on-site situation, multiple boreholes have been dug in locations between reactors units 1 and 4, storage tank locations and the harbour front. TEPCO has been reporting results for 90Sr, 134Cs, 137Cs, gross beta and tritium levels in groundwater at these locations on a regular basis since 2013. The maximum 137Cs results vary relatively widely with location, from values below 1 Bq/L to 93 kBq/L. There is a similar spread for gross beta (i.e. maximum values of below 20 Bq/L up to 3.1 MBq/L).
I cannot understand what "gross beta" means, especially "gross". Does it mean the total amount of something? And does "beta" mean beta particles or beta ray? Or, these two words mean completely something else?
I cannot understand what "gross beta" means, especially "gross". Does it mean the total amount of something? And does "beta" mean beta particles or beta ray? Or, these two words mean completely something else?
Responses
+2
3 hrs
Selected
an indicator of beta-emitting isotopes
Gross beta activity indicator.
4 KudoZ points awarded for this answer.
Discussion
https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Wave–particle_duality
"gross beta" is the measurement of beta radiation before considering "normal" (ie usually present level) or ambiant level (may be high is measuring close to the accident site, not all what the detector measures comes from the sample, it may also come from the environment)
Many things can give off beta radiation, including the isotopes mentioned in your text - Strontium 90, Cesium 134 and cesium 137. They are just measuring the combined (gross) Beta radiation from all sources.