Technology
Japan Aerospace Exploration Agency (JAXA) developed a special camera that visualizes
radioactive contamination by improving the high-performance camera mounted on
an artificial satellite. Radioactive contamination is displayed on the screen
in color in accordance with the intensity level. The agency conducted the
substantiative experiment in Fukushima and confirmed that it would be useful
for effective decontamination. It modified the semiconductor Compton camera to
detect gamma beam for the terresterial application. The new camera has a view
angle of 180 degrees.
It is possible to
know the distribution of radioactive substances at a glance by overlapping an
image taken by the special camera with an image taken by a general digital
camera. Large amount of gamma beam is displayed in red. The camera successfully
detected gamma beam in a place 20 m away in the experiment, and it enabled the
research team to confirm the serious contamination in side ditches and around
forests where radioactive cesium tends to accumulate. JAXA continues the
research for the practical application of this camera to make it play an
important role in the decontamination in Fukushima Prefecture.
JAXA's special camera to visualize radioactive contamination
Now society will be able to see just HOW MUCH real damage is being done by the fallout from the destroyed reactors.
ReplyDeleteThe fun is just beginning.