Spatial distribution of caesium-137 in the exclusion zone in kilobecquerels per square metre

In September 2021, at the invitation of the State Agency of Ukraine on Exclusion Zone Management, the BfS carried out radiation measurements in cooperation with the Federal Police aimed at remapping the radiological situation in the Chornobyl exclusion zone.

As part of the measuring campaign, analyses were carried out only in the Ukrainian section of the exclusion zone and did not involve flying over or entering the Belarusian section.

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Helicopter measuring excercises

Measuring areas of the international measuring exercise: The German team flew over the areas highlighted in green and orange; the stars show the hiding places of the radioactive sources to be found in the exercise. Source: NAZ

From 26 June to 30 June 2017, BfS specialists and the Federal Police Force took part in an international helicopter measurement in Switzerland.

Together with teams from Switzerland, France, and the Czech Republic, the specialists of the BfS and the Federal Police Force practised the airborne measurement of radioactive substances deposited in the soil and on the ground.

One particularity of the exercise in June 2017 was the size of the flight area extending between Lake Constance in the north and Lake Zug in the south covering about ten per cent of Switzerland. At the same time, two hidden radioactive sources with activities of 19 and 47 gigabecquerel had to be located in the measuring area.

The six measuring teams succeeded in mapping a measuring area extending to 2,800 square kilometres within six flight hours only. Thus, the teams have shown that they are capable of acting swiftly in the event of an emergency.

The measuring teams were able to identify all hidden radioactive sources and to submit their geographical position to the operation centre within the period of use.

Report on the "ARM 17" measuring exercise of the National Emergency Operations Centre Switzerland

Exercise "Aeroradiometrie 2017" from 22 June to 30 June 2017: Exercise report and measurement results (NAZ)

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Helicopter measuring excercises

Measuring areas at a glance Source: www.openstreetmap.org

In June 2015, an international helicopter measuring exercise organised by BfS and the Federal Police took place in Chemnitz. Together with teams from Switzerland, France and the Czech Republic, the team consisting of BfS and Federal Police experts trained to determine radioactive substances deposited in and on the ground from the air.

This helicopter measurement exercise was the first in which the international teams were able to carry out measurements across borders and fly over measurement areas in both Germany and the Czech Republic. For example, a helicopter from the French measurement team was able to easily switch between German and Czech airspace as part of the exercise.

A number of measuring tasks had to be performed in order to practise and optimise the interaction of different measuring teams and systems during the helicopter-borne determination of radiological soil contamination. This type of exercise is an essential element of emergency response in the participating countries, in particular in areas along the borders, since in the event of an incident cross-border cooperation must function seamless without long preparation times.

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Helicopter measuring excercises

Spatial distribution of the mass-related activities of thorium-232 in the survey area near the town of Neunburg vorm Wald (German team)

In order to enhance the cooperation between measuring teams from France, Switzerland and Germany, an airborne gamma spectrometry exercise was performed in the Munich area in 2009. Measurements focused on the following tasks:

• Finding radioactive sources placed in vehicles that were driven over a specific distance within a specific period of time;
• Finding hidden radioactive sources;
• Large-scale mapping of natural radiation anomalies.

An area covering 90 square kilometres near the town of Neunburg vorm Wald was examined and a map was created showing the radionuclides thorium-232, bismuth-214, potassium-40 and the gamma dose rate. The teams had to meet the following requirements: 3 hours operation time in the survey area, flying at a height of 100 metres and keeping a distance of 370 metres between flight paths.

The teams transmitted the measured data to the operation centre in Munich soon after they had completed the measuring flights in the relevant areas. The measured data was combined with geographical maps.

According to the participating experts and observers, in particular this part of the exercise has shown that helicopter-based measuring systems are extremely powerful in identifying and localizing large-scale environmental contamination.

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Helicopter measuring excercises

Measuring areas for composite mapping around Basel Source: Measuring flights 2007, 27 - 30 August (National Emergency Operations Centre, Switzerland)

In August 2007, the tri-national measuring campaign “ARM07” was conducted in the area of Zurich and Basel. This measuring exercise was focused on:

• Radiological mapping of the areas surrounding the nuclear installations of Gösgen and Mühleberg (comparison measurements);
• vehicle- and helicopter-based search for several radioactive sources placed on the premises of the freight terminal of Basel railway station in Muttenz; and
• joint radiological mapping ("composite mapping") of the border triangle near Basel.

The survey area chosen for the radiological mapping activities comprised three measuring areas (with roughly the same dimensions) situated on the territories of the three participating states, as can be seen in the figure (F is for France, D for Germany and CH for Switzerland).

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Helicopter measuring excercises

• in 2003: measuring exercise in Saxony (Germany) involving German and French experts,
• in 2004: measuring exercise in Béziers (France) involving German and French experts.