Gamma-Ray Spectrometer for “In Situ” Measurements on Glaciers and Snowfields

Abstract

A gamma-ray spectrometer based on a Nal(T1) scintillator crystal coupled with a photomultiplier for measurements on glacier and snowfields is being developed. The whole instrument (detector+electronics+computer+power supply) will be portable. temperature controlled and able to work in harsh environmental conditions. One of the main purposes is the detection of the radioactive gamma-peak of Cs-137, due to nuclear fallout, for "in situ" determination of absolute time markers in ice layers. The instrument is even able to detect a wide range of natural and artificial radioactive isotopes, allowing the determination of the kind of radioactive contamination in remote areas where sampling is difficult or impossible.