Lesson 4 Determine Radiation Decay Factors

Radiological Operations
Page Navigation
41

LESSON 4

DETERMINE RADIATION DECAY FACTORS

Critical Task: 031-506-3023

OVERVIEW

LESSON DESCRIPTION:

In this lesson, you will learn to determine radiation decay factors.

TERMINAL LEARNING OBJECTIVE:

ACTION:

You will determine radiation decay factors.

CONDITION:You will be given information about and illustrations of the procedures for determining

radiation decay factors including calculation of the time of burst (H-hour) and

STANDARD: You will demonstrate competency of the task skills and knowledge by responding to the

multiple-choice test covering the procedures for determining radiation decay

factors.

REFERENCES:

The material contained in this lesson was derived from FM 3-3-1 and STP 3-

54B34-SM-TG.

INTRODUCTION

You must be able to use radiological monitoring information to determine H-hour and to decide whether

radiation is decaying at a standard or nonstandard rate. Personnel assigned to the NBCC must be familiar

with procedures for calculating residual radiation hazards. The NBCC converts raw data received from

many sources. A sequence of dose rate readings from several selected locations is required.

PART A: DESCRIBE THE PURPOSE OF DECAY FACTORS

4-1. General. Radiological contamination on the nuclear battlefield may cover large areas, overlap other

contaminated areas, and decay at different rates at different times. Detection of new contamination will

initially be in the form of contact reports from units, patrols, or observers. These reports will alert the

command to the presence of a previously undetected hazard and cause a new series of orders to be

initiated for radiological information.

4-2. Dose Rate Information. During the evaluation process, monitoring or survey reports will provide

dose rate information about the contaminated area. This dose rate information must be converted to the

ground dose rates existing at a reference time, normally H + 1 for all contamination. To accomplish

processing and to calculate doses from the resulting intelligence, a reference time (H-hour) must be

CM2306

4-1

Index