Radiation spiking at the same time nightly (weeknights only)

Anything from ARPANSA yet?

If there are factories, It may also be x rays you are detecting.

Safety regulations require X ray testing of safety/life critical parts for defects/cracks. For heavy (thick) objects, you have to use high energy x rays to make it all the way through. They will travel a long distance through the environment.

Usually X raying will begin after the welding shift ends. The welders head out for the day, the X ray people head in and start radiating things looking for cracks.

It could also be a gamma source that is “tanked”(lowered into the pit) after it’s job is done, for the day.

If they are using a cobalt 60 source for sterilization or materials testing. Then they would have it exposed in a work chamber when it’s doing it’s job, then they will lower it into a pit when doing maintenance, when nothing is being tested, or when the production system is not operating.

The work chamber is shielded, but usually not as heavily as the pit is. You will notice an increase when in background when it’s raised.

If you are getting readings that high, then you are awfully close to the item in question, or they have had a breach in their shielding (on the side facing your place), and it needs to be fixed.

Hi *******, The predictability in the 'spike' in radiation levels in the early hours of the morning is potentially related to the diurnal pattern in radon and radon decay product concentrations in ground-level air as described in my email below. I do not have an answer as to why this would only occur on weekdays and not weekends. If you have continuing concerns over radiation levels at your friends' place, you should refer the matter to the relevant State/Territory regulator. A list of State/Territory regulators and contact details can be found on the ARPANSA website at the following URL:

Why am I not surprised...

Are you going to bother taking it further? Or you think you're just going to run into brick walls?

Originally posted by LilFox
Why am I not surprised...

You're not surprised they gave you an answer with details of potential causes and the correct place to send your information to next?

Neither am I, because I expected them to respond courteously and usefully, and indeed they did.

Don't quite understand the though.

The level might be "safe", where I was.

However, someone is doing something they aren't meant to be doing.. Given the current threat of terrorism and the like, you would think they would at least want a look around the area.. Someone may be constructing a dirty bomb in their basement.

I can take this to state regulators, Ill just hit more brick walls.

Incidentally.. I am detecting radiation from Japan. Less since the steam has subsided a little, I predicted when I would detect it (using wind patterns) and was correct >.>

I subscribe to the "Linear no-threshold model", ANY radiation is bad.. If there is a factory pumping out anything bio accumulative, then the local area is going to suffer.

The linear no-threshold model (LNT) is a method for predicting the long term, biological damage caused by ionizing radiation and is based on the assumption that the risk is directly proportional to the dose at all dose levels. In other words, the sum of several very small exposures have the same effect as one larger exposure. The LNT model therefore predicts higher risks than the threshold model, which assumes that very small exposures are negligible. The radiation hormesis model predicts the least risk by assuming that radiation is beneficial in very low doses, while still recognizing that it is harmful in large doses. Because the current data is inconclusive, scientists disagree on which method should be used.

Originally posted by LilFox
I subscribe to the "Linear no-threshold model", ANY radiation is bad.. If there is a factory pumping out anything bio accumulative, then the local area is going to suffer.

That is a worst case statement that is based on an assumption that has no proof to back it up.

I don’t subscribe to the LNT, or the hormesis model.

I go with something in between. Something that is self evident. Below a certain level, there is no detectable effect. I can’t and won’t say if it is helpful, or not, below that level, But that there is no detectable effect. The body can fix the damage as fast as it happens (Just as it fixes damage from a lot other environmental effects every day), and there is no detectable long term effect. If they can’t detect any statistical difference, then I am not going to worry about it.

There is many more things that will worry me more. Like driving to the store. Like making sure my food is fully cooked. Like being careful when work with high voltage electrical equipment. There is countless more people die from that stuff than have ever died from radiation of any type.

I concentrate my “worry” on the things that are most likely to kill me in my every day life. Not some boogie man called “radiation” in which no one has ever been able to confirm it’s harmful effect at low levels.

Life is short, there is many things that can happen to end that life at any time. Don’t worry about small stuff. Live life and enjoy it. Don’t worry yourself silly.

That is how I look at everyone freaking out about radiation. They are just worrying themselves silly to the point of bringing things to a standstill because of an unfounded fear.

Well, I cant say I worry about it, however if I recognise a hazard/threat, I walk the other way.

If my geiger counter goes off beside the seismic department of the university, I know its fine.. If the same thing happens while at the beach, I leave.

Certain isotopes bioaccumulate in the body and do damage for life, not a nice way to go.

Grazing animals throughout Europe still feed on contaminated feed, fallout from Chernobyl.. they are slaughtered and enter the food chain. Of course, companies say it is safe.. Its starting to make me wonder if this is the cause of exceeding levels of cancer worldwide. Once consumed, even small amounts of nuclear material can do immense damage.