Upper-Bound Radiation Dose Assessment for Military Personnel at McMurdo Station, Antarctica, between 1962 and 1979

Abstract

‡ The special name for the SI unit of the activity of a radionuclide is the becquerel (Bq). (1 Bq = 1 s-1). § The special name for the SI unit of absorbed dose is the gray (Gy). (1 Gy = 1 J kg-1). ** The special name for the SI unit of equivalent and effective dose is the sievert (Sv). (1 Sv = 1 J kg-1). Navy, the U.S. Army, the Department of Veterans Affairs (VA), the Veterans' Advisory Board on Dose Reconstruction (VBDR), and the Defense Threat Reduction Agency (DTRA)'s Nuclear Test Personnel Review (NTPR) Integrated Project Team (IPT).

Skin Dose Assessment Methodology for Military Personnel at McMurdo Station, Antarctica (1962-1979)

“…During 1962During -1979, an onsite nuclear power plant (NPP) was built, operated, and eventually dismantled and decommissioned at McMurdo Station, Antarctica. A radiation dose assessment for U.S. Department of Defense military personnel who were stationed at McMurdo Station during Operation Deep Freeze (DF) from 1962 to 1979 was accomplished in DTRA-TR-12-003 (Dunavant et al, 2013). That dose assessment addresses external and internal doses for the whole body, thyroid, and red bone marrow.…”

“…All support personnel who were assigned to McMurdo Station while the reactor was operational are assumed to have been exposed to this source of external radiation. (Dunavant et al, 2013) An estimate of the beta+gamma skin dose for this pathway is based on the information in Section 5.1.3 and Appendix B-1.4 of Dunavant et al (2013), and is implemented using Equation (1). For a high-sided default estimate, the method used in Dunavant et al (2013) for estimating the Ar-41 concentration (C NG ) at a veteran's location is used.…”

“…(Dunavant et al, 2013) An estimate of the beta+gamma skin dose for this pathway is based on the information in Section 5.1.3 and Appendix B-1.4 of Dunavant et al (2013), and is implemented using Equation (1). For a high-sided default estimate, the method used in Dunavant et al (2013) for estimating the Ar-41 concentration (C NG ) at a veteran's location is used. In that report, the airborne concentration of Ar-41 corresponding to the concentration resulting in the maximum regulatory permissible dose was used (370 Bq m −3 [1.0 × 10 4 pCi m −3 ]).…”

“…The assessment of skin doses in the present document mirrors the approach of the external and internal dose assessment, and uses high-sided assumptions, models, and parameter values whenever possible that are designed to produce conservative estimates of potential skin doses for McMurdo Station veterans. (Dunavant et al, 2013) Military personnel were assigned to McMurdo Station for as long as a full winter-over period (from October to November of the following year), or during all or part of an austral summer (October to March). For all DF years, skin doses can be calculated for both winter-over or austral summer periods.…”

“…For all DF years, skin doses can be calculated for both winter-over or austral summer periods. (Dunavant et al, 2013) The methodologies described in Dunavant et al (2013) include general external exposure pathways for gamma radiation that can result in doses to the skin. The methodologies described in the current report address additional skin-specific exposure pathways that can result in skin doses from both beta and gamma radiation, and that are not addressed in the previous report.…”