New Mexico fairgrounds emptied after low levels of radiation found

CNN ^ | 11/18/06 | CNN

[melt]

ALBUQUERQUE, N.M. (CNN) -- About 500 people were evacuated from the New Mexico State Fairgrounds Expo as a precaution Saturday evening after low levels of radiation were detected, police said.

A Geiger counter registered the presence of radiation after two objects were discovered at the 236-acre fairgrounds in the heart of Albuquerque, said Lt. Juan Martinez, a spokesman for New Mexico state police.

[CedarDave]

Welcome to FR!!

[gorush]

I don't claim to know what happened, but one of the carnies had an old Buster Brown Foot X-Ray machine.

[Cindy]

ping

[pawdoggie]

Sounds like someone found a radiological dirty bomb.

Of course there are alternative explanations. Someone may be trying to set the cause of border security back by giving us an unnecessary demonstration of how "easy" it would be for someone to bring a "nuclear" device across the border.

[Kirkwood]

"All plumbing pipe today is galvanized steel."

Nope. You can also buy iron pipe, copper, pvc....

[rawcatslyentist]

Thanks for the personal news update. FR relies on regular Americans for unfiltered (uncensored) news.

[Political Junkie Too]

This sounds like a job for former Energy Secretary Bill Richardson!

-PJ

[ReignOfError]

Ground zero for our nuclear tests was White Sands Missile range, NM.

Only one -- the first one, the Trinity test. 900+ were conducted in Nevada, a number in the Pacific, and a few others scattered in Colorado, Alaska, Mississippi, and and elsewhere in New Mexico.

[spunkets]

"Cobalt-57 60. It emits gamma rays and has med and industrial uses.

[patton]

Yest, that is why I referred to it as "ground zero."

It is open to tours, now, should you wish to see it - but don't take any souveniers.

[melt]

I'm happy that your son is well, and that no one was hurt. This is a disturbing story, and it will definitely be buried by the MSM.

[Danette]

Well, now that you've signed up today and made your first post, it will get alot easier to do so!

Welcome to FR.

[Colorado Doug]

It's okay. Just another Los Alamos tech bringing their work home with them. Nothing to see here, it happens every day. Really /s

[RadioAstronomer]

Geiger counter?

A hand held scintillator would be a far better device. You can also make scintillators that can directly detect alpha and neutrons as well.

A hand held gamma/beta scintillator normally uses a NaI(Tl) - Thallium doped Sodium Iodide - crystal/photomultiplier tube for detection and an alpha scintillator often uses a ZnS(Ag) - Silver activated zinc sulfide - coated Mylar (or similar material) film/photomultiplier for detection.

Neutron detectors are especially tricky. The following is a description for a portable neutron detector:

The detector, located within the probe housing, consists of 1/16th inch Plexiglas plates containing Li⁶ interfaces sandwiched between layers of ZnS(Ag). The detector is surrounded by a moderating shield consisting of a mixture of B¹⁰-Mn-Ti. This neutron moderator scatters and absorbs neutrons selectively with regard to their energy level. Within the crystal, most of those neutrons below 1 MEV strike the Li⁶ interfaces and produce alpha particles, which in turn strike the ZnS(Ag) interfaces and cause scintillations.

Above 1 MEV, most neutrons, thru proton recoil in the Plexiglas, produce proton particles, which strike the ZnS(Ag) interfaces, also cause scintillations.

These scintillations are carried thru a light pipe to a photomultiplier tube for counting. The entire assembly is housed inside a cadmium tube with heavy cadmium plates on each end. The assembled detector is then housed in a round steel housing about 10 inches long and 3 inches wide.

Note: a photomultiplier tube is a light sensitive device which converts the energy from photons to readable electrical signals.

[pepsionice]

Something smells strange about this episode. Why would anyone walk around with a geiger counter? In all those years I lived in Alabama...other than the science teacher's own personal one which she bought from a Army surplus sale...that was likely one of five or six in the whole county, and I'm guessing maybe 200 in the entire state...most from Army surplus. To just have one and be walking around in the middle of a fairgrounds area or park...doesn't stand the logic test. Someone invented this episode...one way or another.

Course, if I really wanted to stir the pot...I'd show up at the Clinton library and test a Army surplus geiger counter there.

[endthematrix]

IIRC, cement gives of radiation.

[tabor]

My guess is that someone discovered the items under the car and, seeing them labeled "nuclear" and "cobalt," the authorities then checked them with the geiger counter. I imagine all police/sheriff depts. have radiation detectors readily available.

[RadioAstronomer]

Something smells strange about this episode. Why would anyone walk around with a geiger counter? In all those years I lived in Alabama...other than the science teacher's own personal one which she bought from a Army surplus sale...that was likely one of five or six in the whole county, and I'm guessing maybe 200 in the entire state...most from Army surplus. To just have one and be walking around in the middle of a fairgrounds area or park...doesn't stand the logic test. Someone invented this episode...one way or another.

More people have them than you might think. I grew up with both geiger counters and scintillators in the house. All of the above intsruments that I described in my previous post, I own. I also have geiger counters, Ionization counters and dosimeters. In fact, I carry a small geiger counter and dosimeter in the Vette at all times.

[Lurker]

sandwiched between layers of ZnS(Ag)

Damn. I just sold my last ZnS(Ag)sandwich on Ebay.

L

[Lurker]

I bought one of those old MilSurp Geiger Counters a while back and had it sent out to be calibrated.

It came back a couple weeks later certified 'good as new' by some outfit in NM IIRC.

I pulled it out after I had a stress test and let my son see how I was temporarily radioactive. We also used it when my brother was treated for thyroid cancer.

Lurker Jr now grasps the concept of 'half life' pretty well.

Now if I could just get him to do his Language Arts homework on time...

L