Rapid measurement of the gaseous {sup 41}Ar released from a nuclear reactor

A method of monitoring in situ the dose rate contributed from the gaseous radionuclide {sup 41}Ar was developed using a portable gamma-ray spectrometer. The instrument was immersed in a sealed chamber filled with {sup 41}Ar to determine the calibration factor for the dose rate converted from the photopeak count rate. The calibrated spectrometer was applied in situ to measure the noble gas {sup 41}Ar dose rate both inside and outside the containment of a research reactor operating at full power. The continuously monitored dose rate from {sup 41}Ar was contour-mapped around the nuclear reactor facility, and the nonuniform distribution of {sup 41}Ar was correlated with the prevailing diffusion as well as dispersion conditions.