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Air Monitoring
The air both on and off the NTS is monitored continuously for radioactive
particles and radiation produced by past and present NTS activities. Air
monitoring results are used to determine the levels of radiation from
the NTS to which the public may be exposed. Monitoring results are also needed
to verify that radioactive and non-radioactive air emissions from the NTS remain below federal Clean Air Act emission standards and within
limits specified by air quality permits.
Offsite radiological monitoring is
performed under the Community Environmental Monitoring Program (CEMP)
and is coordinated by the Desert Research Institute of the Nevada System
of Higher Education. The purpose of CEMP monitoring
is to detect and report any airborne radionuclide releases from the NTS.
The CEMP also monitors and records meteorological conditions at all
station locations.
Onsite radiological monitoring is
performed by NSTec. The purpose of onsite monitoring is
to: (1) calculate and report what the radiological dose to a
hypothetical member of the public is from the exposure pathway of air,
(2) detect and report trends in NTS radioactive air emissions, and (3)
detect accidental or unplanned releases of airborne radionuclides.
Onsite air quality assessments are
performed by NSTec to ensure that onsite activities comply with all NTS air
quality permits and that air pollutants from the NTS do not exceed any
federal Clean Air Act standards.
Automated monitoring of weather conditions across the NTS is conducted
by the Air Resources Laboratory, Special Operations and Research
Division (ARL/SORD). Data are used for operational support to a wide
variety of projects on the NTS including the calculation of radiological
dose to the public based on wind data.
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