Navigation and service

Map of Germany with ODL measuring points

Ambient gamma dose rate

The BfS, being one of the key measuring institutions, operates a national monitoring network on the basis of the Radiation Protection Act for the large-scale detection of external radiation exposure by continuously measuring the ambient gamma dose rate (ODL).

Data from the measurement and documentation system IMIS are provided in the BfS Geoportal. The geographical origin of the measurement values is easy to comprehend when presented on a map.

The BfS-geoportal

With the BfS-Geoportal, the Federal Office for Radiation Protection provides its own internet portal for search and visualization of spatial data (geodata) and web services (geodata services). Here, public authorities, interest groups, interested citizens as well as businesses can retrieve information: examples are artificial radionuclides (e.g. caesium-137) in food or feed or the actual ambient dose rate (ODL). You can restrict your search results to specific periods of time or geographic areas, or you can get a general overview of Germany.

New Schauinsland measuring station

Air monitoring

As part of air monitoring and trace analysis, the Federal Office for Radiation Protection (BfS) measures the activity concentrations of radioactive substances in air. For air monitoring, natural and artificial radionuclides from the atmosphere are measured continuously; the results are available within a few hours. For trace analysis, minute traces of radionuclides are detected. For that purpose, e.g. airborne dust is collected on large-area filters over seven days, measured and then analysed.

Trace measurements in airborne dust

Trace measurements in airborne dust are part of the Integrated Measuring and Information System IMIS. The Federal Office for Radiation Protection, the Physikalisch-Technische Bundesanstalt and the Deutsche Wetterdienst operate air samplers at 44 sampling locations for this purpose. Samplers allowing very high sensitivity detection of artificial radionuclides are operated at five of these stations.

Flugzeug

Radiation exposure of airline passengers

Many people travel for business or pleasure reasons to their distant destinations by plane. These aircraft often fly at altitudes and latitudes, where substantially more radiation affects men than on the Earth's surface. The energies of this high altitude radiation are so high that they can not be shielded.

Sketch of a nuclear power plant

Monitoring the emission of radioactive substances from nuclear facilities

The discharges of radioactive substances from nuclear facilities (emission) through exhaust air and waste water are regularly and permanently monitored and assessed. The resultant radiation exposure of the population is calculated from this. In addition, the atomic licensing authorities stipulate maximum values for the discharges from nuclear facilities.

Site information and functions

© Bundesamt für Strahlenschutz