Emergency Radiation Mapping

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Overview

Under the Federal Nuclear Emergency Plan, Natural Resources Canada (NRCan) has a commitment to provide emergency response radiometric surveying. The Emergency Radiation Mapping (ERM) project is responsible for assembling a response group, deploying the remote sensing units, and providing technical expertise, as required.

Since 2002, with the support of the Chemical, Biological, Radiological-Nuclear and Explosives Research and Technology Initiative, the ERM project has developed and demonstrated world-leading ability to detect, identify and delineate radioactive materials in remote, urban and marine environments.

The highly sensitive survey system is autonomous and can be quickly mounted in an aircraft or in a truck to measure gamma radiation spectra and neutron fields and to transmit this data to a ground-based receiving station. NRCan scientists provide real-time interpretation of the data. The experience of the NRCan team in airborne geophysical mapping is put to use in producing geo-referenced maps of the radiological dose, overlaid on a road map or satellite image. This information can be interpreted to provide source location, and if possible, isotopic identification and relative strength.

This work is carried out under NRCan's CHIS, the Canadian Hazards Information Service to Government. CHIS supplies hazard maps to decision-makers in a timely fashion, providing for the safety and security of Canadians.

Contact information

Mailing Address Phone, Fax and Email
Dr. Laurel E Sinclair, ERM Project Lead
Natural Resources Canada
601 Booth Street, 5th Floor, Room. 571
Ottawa , ON
Canada K1A 0E8
Phone:
(613) 947-3337

Fax:
(613) 996-3726

Email:
lsinclai@nrcan-rncan.gc.ca
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