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2015/06/08 at 3:35 pm
Southern Hemisphere Background Radiation Report For May 2015.
Station location
http://sccc.org.au/monitoring/Australian-Map.jpg
This short animation of Northern, and Southern Hemisphere air circulation, shows why we can get detections so far south.
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=qh011eAYjAA
May 2015 Summary
May 2015 saw a decrease in month average background levels compared to the last three years. When Southern Ocean air reaches this location, we see lower background averages. More Southern Ocean air reaches this location in the cooler months and winter, hence the significant seasonal variation in background levels. This May has seen significant Southern Ocean air flows.
May 2015 monthly average background radiation level was 4% above the pre-Fukushima average.
May day average chart:
http://sccc.org.au/wp-content/uploads/2015/05/Caloundra-local-average-background-radiation-levels-May-2015.jpg
May average for 2014 was 13% above the pre-Fukushima average.
May average for 2013 was 7% above the pre-Fukushima average.
May average for 2012 was 7% above the pre-Fukushima average.
Here is an May 2015 comparison chart between Cairns and Caloundra, from the station operator located near Cairns. Cairns is on the east coast of Australia, and it is much closer to the equator than Caloundra. It is much more likely to get Northern air flows during the cooler months than Caloundra, see location map. In the chart, Cairns is red and Caloundra yellow.
Thanks to the North Queensland monitoring station operator for creating this chart. “The two bumps in the graph were coincidental with winds coming from the inland, from NW, instead of the predominantly SE airflow from the Pacific.”
http://sccc.org.au/wp-content/uploads/2015/06/Cairns-Caloundra-comparison-for-May-2015.jpg
On this page you will find all the month and year average charts, for local background radiation levels from November 2007 to 2015. The most recent data suggests the amount of airborne contamination reaching this location has decreased significantly.
http://sccc.org.au/yearly-average-background-radiation-levels
More detailed long term data can be found here.
http://sccc.org.au/archives/2630
Southern Hemisphere May 2015 Rain Water Test Report.
The May rainfall test chart shows the rainwater filter captured a lot less Lead Pb-210 and Beryllium Be-7.
Rainfall for May was 103.2 mm.
Background level saw a decrease this month, and this is reflected in the fact that less Lead Pb-210 and Beryllium Be-7 were detected in the filter.
Less Pb-210 in the filter means less Radon-222 was in the air. This was also reflected in the local live Radon monitor.
http://sccc.org.au/wp-content/uploads/2015/06/Down-pipe-May-polyester-filter-dried-test-020615-TV67-20c-84600-B.png
In the warmer months I will try a new filter design. I don’t think the polyester and carbon filters are very efficient at capturing water soluble salts.
Years of rain water tests can be found here.
http://sccc.org.au/pages/The-Food-Lab.html#Local_Rain_Water
Disclaimer: This is an amateur volunteer run service. Human error can provide incorrect information, and equipment malfunction can produce false readings. Do not rely on, or take action upon information presented here, without further research.
2015/05/17 at 8:24 pm
Southern Hemisphere Rain Water Report For April 2015.
Station location
http://sccc.org.au/monitoring/Australian-Map.jpg
This short animation of Northern, and Southern Hemisphere air circulation, shows why we can get detections so far south.
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=qh011eAYjAA
Tritium Detection?
I delayed publishing the April 2015 rain water report because of ongoing technical discussion regarding the possible detection of Tritium, in this months water filter test.
There are very small amounts of naturally occurring Tritium in the atmosphere. It can be created in trace amounts by spallation in the upper atmosphere, by cosmic rays or from releases from a nuclear power plant or nuclear accident.
It is only conjecture at this point that it is Tritium, and has not been confirmed. It could equally be another isotope, or a technical issue with the equipment at these very low energy keV detection levels.
Both Iodine I-129, and Beryllium Be-7, which were detected in this months water filter test can also be created by spallation in the upper atmosphere, by cosmic rays or from releases from a nuclear power plant or nuclear accident.
There was a lot of solar storm activity last month, and it takes around two weeks for spallation products to reach the surface of the planet.
Lead Pb-210 is the decay daughter of naturally occurring Radon decay. It can also be released from a nuclear power plant, or nuclear accident. At present there is no conclusive evidence that any of the latest isotope detections here at this location are from Fukushima.
For those who are interested, more technical discussion about the possible Tritium detection can be found here,
http://www.gammaspectacular.com/phpBB3/viewtopic.php?f=5&t=45
Years of local rain water, and rain swab test results can be found here.
https://www.enviroreporter.com/investigations/fukushima/radiation-station-sunshine-coast-australia/
Disclaimer: This is an amateur volunteer run service. Human error can provide incorrect information, and equipment malfunction can produce false readings. Do not rely on, or take action upon information presented here, without further research.
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