Using spatial statistical methods to determine an effective minimum detectable activity - 15681

Abstract

Instrument minimum detectable activity (MDA) is generally established by collecting multiple measurements over time of a single representative background location to estimate a probability distribution of instrument readings. A reading that is considered to be greater than would be expected from the background probability distribution (i.e., a low-probability event) is deemed to be sufficiently unlikely that it must be attributable to added radioactivity and is therefore used as the instrument MDA. An effective MDA can be determined from spatially distributed data that are much lower than the instrument MDA. This has been accomplished using a large number of spatially distributed data points (from a radiation survey) where patterns of elevated survey readings can be distinguished from background at levels. Given the variation of the instrument response and the relatively low regulatory action levels, it is vital to establish MDA thresholds that are well below corrective action levels. Processing of radiological survey data with the use of histogram binning and geo-statistics in enabling pattern recognition can be used to establish effective field MDAs that are much lower than instrument MDAs. (authors)