Journal of Environmental Radioactivity 47 (2000) 71-82
Spatial variability of fallout Caesium-137 in Austrian alpine regions

H. Lettner (a), P. Bossew (a,b), A.K. Hubmer (a)

a) Institute of Physics and Biophysics, University of Salzburg, Hellbrunnerstrasse 34, A-5020 Salzburg, Austria
b) Austrian Ecology Institute, A-1070 Vienna, Seidengasse 13, Austria

Received 1 May 1998; accepted 15 February 1999

Abstract

As part of the Austrian soil contamination survey, total process standard deviations of soil deposition measurement originating from spatial variability of fallout deposition and measuring uncertainties have been determined. The total cofficient of variation (CV) of 137Cs fallout in a 1 ha area, measured by soil core sampling, amounts to 21.5%. The measuring process contributes with 12.2% leaving a 17.7% CV purely due to spatial variability of the fallout. Representativity of the measured contamination is being assessed by calculating confidence intervals (95%), which vary between +- 25% and 42% of the measured values for different sampling methods used for the survey on which the Austrian caesium map is based.

(c) 1999 Elsevier Science Ltd. All rights reserved.

Keywords: Chernobyl fallout; Spatial variability; Total process coefficient of variation

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This project has been funded by the Austrian Federal Environment Agency, Department of Ecology, division manager Dr. Karl Kienzl.

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