Project Title

Operation and maintenance of a CTBT radionuclide monitoring station at Palmer Station

Summary

Event Number:
T-998-P
NSF / DTRA Agreement

Program Director:
Ms. Jessie Crain

ASC POC/Implementer:
John Rand / Jamee Johnson

Principal Investigator(s)

Mr. David G Williams
david.g.williams36.civ@mail.mil

Project Web Site:
https://www.ctbto.org/

Location

Supporting Stations: Palmer Station
Research Locations: Palmer Station/Terra Lab

Description

This project services and calibrates the automated radionuclide air-particulate (RN73 RASA) monitoring system in the International Monitoring Station (IMS) building (i.e., Terra Lab) at Palmer Station. The IMS continuously collects and automatically analyzes daily air samples for radiation. The collected filter-media samples from the RASA are sent to Vienna, Austria quarterly for archiving. Filter samples are shipped, upon request, to various laboratories elsewhere in the world.

Field Season Overview

The project operates, maintains, upgrades and sustains the RN73 RASA monitoring instrument. The USAP provides year-round, on-site support by an ASC Research Associate (RA) to help operate and maintain the RASA. In addition, an engineer is deployed as needed to perform technical maintenance of the RASA, network switches, the uninterruptable power supply (UPS), computers and other related hardware. One participant may deploy in 2023-24.

Deploying Team Members