Federal Office for Radiation Protection and Federal Police measure environmental radioactivity in the rural districts of Schwandorf and Cham

In the rural districts of Schwandorf and Cham, one helicopter of the Federal Police (BPOL) and twelve measuring vehicles of the Federal Office for Radiation Protection (BfS) will be on their way on 8 and 9 July 2014. In a joint exercise they will measure the environmental radioactivity.

It is vital to carry out fast radioactivity measurements from the ground and from the air, in particular in the aftermath of an accident in a nuclear power plant as a result of which radioactive material is discharged into the biosphere. Such an accident cannot be ruled out. On the basis of these measurements, the emergency response authorities of the federal states can take swift decisions as to the correct protective measures for the population.

Prompt presentation of the measurements in maps

Apart from the measurements as such, the exercise is focused on the prompt presentation in maps of the measured data: Parallel to the measurements, the BfS staff develop digital maps in the Operations Centre. They show the radioactivity level in an area and its distribution. In a real emergency, the BfS also provides such maps to the federal and federal state authorities that are responsible for emergency response.

In order to be able to immediately evaluate the measurements, all results are transferred directly to the Operations Centre via mobile telecommunication. That way, the Operations Centre can order detailed measurements already during the exercise. Thus, details can be examined selectively by the measuring vehicles and the helicopter in case there are radiological abnormalities.

Where and when does the exercise take place?

The measurements take place on 8 and 9 July between 8.30 am and 5 pm in the rural districts of Schwandorf and Cham in a radius of 20 kilometres around the community of Thannstein. Due to a thorium-containing rock layer, the natural radioactivity is slightly elevated in this area.

Because of this geological particularity the area is of special interest for a comparison and optimisation of different measuring methods (by vehicle and helicopter).

Publication of measured data

The measured data will be made available to the Bavarian Environmental Agency after the exercise. Survey maps of the measurements will be published on the BfS homepage.