Cosmic-ray dose rates on the ground were measured throughout Japan. Neutron dose rates were measured as ambient dose equivalent rates (H*(10)) at 240 points using high-sensitivity neutron REM counters. In addition, cosmic rays directly ionising plus photon components were measured with an ionisation chamber. Time variation due to solar modulation during this study was corrected based on the results of sequential measurements. The effects of altitude, geomagnetic latitude, rainfall and snowfall on the neutron dose rate were inferred from the measured results. The mean value of the neutron dose rates (H*(10)) measured at 47 points of prefectural capitals in Japan was 4.0 nSv h(-1). The value corrected for the energy response of the REM counter was 6.4 nSv h(-1), corresponding to 4.8 nSv h(-1) as an effective dose (ISO). The mean value of the cosmic ray directly ionising plus photon components as an effective dose was 31 nSv h(-1).
Measurements of cosmic-ray neutron dose rates with a balloon in Sanriku, Japan (geographic location: 39 degrees N, 142 degrees E; corresponding geomagnetic latitude: 30 degrees N) were conducted at an altitude from 0.2 to 25 km on 25-26 August 2004 when solar activity was at an average level. Neutron dose rates given as ambient dose equivalent rates (H(10)) were measured with high-sensitive neutron dose equivalent counters and electronic silicon personal dosimeters (EPDs). The neutron dose rates increased with increasing altitude, but they were saturated around 15-20 km and decreased with increasing altitude beyond 20 km. The neutron ambient dose equivalent rate was 1.5 microSv/h(- 1) at 20 km. Measured values were corrected for the deviation of the energy response of the dose equivalent counter from the fluence-to-ambient dose equivalent conversion coefficient, and the corrected values were very close to the calculated values with EPCARD. On the other hand, neutron measurements by the EPDs gave about 10 times overestimation because of the high sensitivity to cosmic-ray protons.
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