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2016/05/15 at 5:14 pm

Southern Hemisphere April 2016 Local Background Level Report, (33% above average)

Stations Location Map,

http://sccc.org.au/monitoring/Australian-Map.jpg

What the chart colour codes indicate in the charts.

http://sccc.org.au/what-does-each-step-in-the-alert-level-colour-code-mean
Day average chart for April 2016

Well, April 2016 had the highest April month average since records have been kept here. April, March and February this year have seen the highest April, March and February month averages since Fukushima. The wind direction this time of the year usually comes down the East Coast of Australia from the Northern tropics. The last few months have seen a lot of Eastern equatorial winds drawn South from the Eastern Pacific, and then directed up the East Coast of Australia.

In 2015 the year average background level dropped, to the lowest post Fukushima level. So what is creating the present up tick in background?

Caloundra April month average year comparisons.

2016 33% above pre-Fukushima average
2015 8% above pre-Fukushima average
2014 22% above pre-Fukushima average
2013 9% above pre-Fukushima average
2012 12% above pre-Fukushima average

Caloundra April day average chart,

http://sccc.org.au/wp-content/uploads/2016/04/Caloundra-local-average-background-radiation-levels-April-2016.jpg

Cairns April 2016 Report – “The readings were fairly flat throughout April. My baseline has slightly diminished from former 0.125 to 0.120 uSv/hr or even less.”

Thanks to the Cairn’s station operator for providing this day average Cairns and Caloundra comparison chart.
http://sccc.org.au/wp-content/uploads/2016/05/Cairns-Caloundra-comparison-for-April-2016.jpg

For comparison, long term average background level yearly and monthly charts from 2007 to 2016, can be found here.
http://sccc.org.au/yearly-average-background-radiation-levels

Long term local background information can be found here,

http://sccc.org.au/archives/2630

Disclaimer: This is an amateur volunteer run service. Human error can provide incorrect information, and equipment malfunction can produce false readings. Do not rely on, or take action upon information presented here, without further research.

2016/05/02 at 1:49 am

Alert Caloundra 1st May 2016 – Here is the day average and the 24hr charts, showing the spike in background coming through. This spike put the day average up to 47% above the pre-Fukushima average.

We had some heavy rain, the first in a long time. The wind direction was all over the place during the event. The next few days may indicate if there was some Geiger counter contamination present, as the monitoring GammaScout was given a clean out and inspection after this spike came through. Nothing obvious was found to indicate contamination was responsible for the spike in background.

Monitoring Site Location

http://sccc.org.au/monitoring/Australian-Map.jpg
Wind direction info,

http://www.bom.gov.au/products/IDQ60801/IDQ60801.94569.shtml
24 hour 60 second data logging chart,

http://sccc.org.au/wp-content/uploads/2016/05/Caloundra-24-hour-chart-010516.jpg
Long term local background can be found here,

https://www.enviroreporter.com/investigations/fukushima/radiation-station-sunshine-coast-australia/

2016/04/28 at 3:46 pm

Southern Hemisphere March 2016 down pipe rain water filter test.

Station location

http://sccc.org.au/monitoring/Australian-Map.jpg
This short animation of Northern and Southern Hemisphere air circulation, shows why we can get detections so far south.

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=qh011eAYjAA
Roof down pipe filter design for rainwater testing,

http://sccc.org.au/down-pipe-filter-design
Report

There was a low 96mm of rainfall in March. The rain water testing has been consistent for months now, with the usual Pb-210 and Be-7 being detected, plus the detection of a possible 77 X-ray from Lead Pb-212, which is the decay daughter of Radon-220. Beryllium Be-7 can be created naturally in trace amounts by spallation in the upper atmosphere by cosmic rays. Lead Pb-210 is the decay daughter of naturally occurring Radon-222 decay. Both Be-7 and Pb-210 can also be released from nuclear power plants, and nuclear accidents.

The detection of the Pb-212 77 keV X-ray probably indicates the presence of a small trace of volcanic ash in the air.

March 2016 rain water filter test chart

http://sccc.org.au/wp-content/uploads/2016/04/Down-pipe-March-paper-filter-080416-TV7-26c-85760-B-text.png
Disclaimer: This is an amateur volunteer run service. Human error can provide incorrect information, and equipment malfunction can produce false readings. Do not rely on, or take action upon information presented here, without further research.

2016/04/09 at 1:55 pm

Southern Hemisphere Background Report For March 2016, (39% above average)

Stations Location Map,

http://sccc.org.au/monitoring/Australian-Map.jpg
What the chart colour codes indicate in the charts.

http://sccc.org.au/what-does-each-step-in-the-alert-level-colour-code-meanDay average chart for March 2016

http://sccc.org.au/wp-content/uploads/2016/03/Caloundra-local-average-background-radiation-levels-March-2016.jpg
Well, March 2016 had the highest March month average since records have been kept here. March and February this year have seen the highest March and February month averages since Fukushima. The wind direction this time of the year usually comes down the East Coast of Australia from the Northern tropics. The last two months have seen a lot of Eastern equatorial winds drawn South from the Eastern Pacific, and then directed up the East Coast of Australia.

Caloundra March month average year comparisons.

2016 39% above average
2015 33% above average
2014 31% above average
2013 32% above average
2012 24% above average

Cairns March 2016 Report – “Daily average radiation readings for last month March 2016 for Cairns (red) compared to your readings (orange). Readings were fairly steady, with a minor bump around the 20 – 24th of the month, which was associated with hot weather.”

Thanks to the Cairn’s station operator for providing this day average Cairns and Caloundra comparison chart.

http://sccc.org.au/wp-content/uploads/2016/04/Cairns-Caloundra-comparison-for-March-2016.jpg

For comparison, long term average background level yearly and monthly charts from 2007 to 2016, can be found here.

http://sccc.org.au/yearly-average-background-radiation-levels
Long term local background information can be found here,

https://www.enviroreporter.com/investigations/fukushima/radiation-station-sunshine-coast-australia/
Disclaimer: This is an amateur volunteer run service. Human error can provide incorrect information, and equipment malfunction can produce false readings. Do not rely on, or take action upon information presented here, without further research.

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