Retrospective Detection Sensitivity for GPS-based Gamma Radiation Surveys
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Updated: Aug 9, 2025

Visualization of Low-Level Gamma Radiation Sources Using a Low-Cost, High-Sensitivity, Omnidirectional Compton Camera
Published on: January 30, 2020
Tyler Alecksen1, Randy Whicker
1Environmental Restoration Group, Inc. (ERG), 8809 Washington Street NE, Suite 150, Albuquerque, NM 87113.
Abstract:
A probabilistic method for a priori calculation of the expected minimum detectable concentration of a contaminant radionuclide in soil while scanning ("scan MDC") with a GPS-based gamma radiation survey system has previously been described. This paper presents supporting evidence for the validity of respective use of a statistical minimum detectable count rate (MDCR) as described in the Multi-Agency Radiation Survey and Site Investigation Manual (MARSSIM) and builds on related concepts to develop a technical basis for a posteriori estimation of MDCR and scan MDC sensitivity metrics for geospatially rendered datasets. Nearest-neighbor averaging of multiple data points from a geospatial population of gamma survey data permits retrospective quantification of MDCR values based on statistical reductions in the variance in both background and source data distributions. A retrospective MDCR can be used to calculate a posteriori scan MDCs based on detection efficiencies modeled with the probabilistic method for various radionuclides, source dimensions, detector heights, and scan speeds.
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