Radiation dose rate measurement

A dose rate determining apparatus for one or more selected locations within an environment, the apparatus comprising:

• a) means for measuring incident gamma ray energy and count rate for one or more measured locations within the environment, the apparatus obtaining a measured spectrum for said measured locations from this incident gamma ray energy and count rate information;
• b) means for measuring the spatial position of said measured locations;
• c) calculating means for determining an emitted spectrum for said measured locations based on the measured spectrum for said measured locations;
• d) processing means adapted to receive inputs corresponding to the emitted spectrum and said measured location information;
• and
• e) calculating means for determining the dose rate at one or more selected locations from a total calculated gamma ray energy incident on those selected location arising from the emitted spectrum of said measured locations.

A method for determining a radiation dose rate for a selected location within an environment, the method comprising:

• measuring incident gamma ray energy and count rate for one or more measured locations within the environment to obtain a measured spectrum for the measured locations;
• measuring the spatial position of the measured locations;
• determining an emitted spectrum for the measured locations based at least in part on the measured spectrum;
• and
• determining the dose rate at at least one selected location that is distinct from the measured locations based at least in part on the emitted spectrum that has been determined for the measured locations.