Methods for analysing data from in-situ ground-based and UAS-borne scintillation gamma spectrometry

Abstract

This article extends established methods for determining dosimetric quantities characterising monitored photon fields and for estimating the superficial activity of 137Cs and the concentrations of K, U, and Th in the soil surface layer from spectra acquired during in-situ environmental monitoring on the ground or using unmanned aerial systems (UASs). These methods are based on the response matrices of scintillation detection systems simulated using the Monte Carlo method and on the unfolding technique. This work implements these methods in a unified Python-based workflow for ground-based and UAS-borne scintillation spectrometry, with device-specific response matrices and response functions that directly account for soil water content and height above the ground. The software is complemented by newly established reference sites for unmanned aerial radiometric surveys. Together, they provide the infrastructure for testing and further development of the full acquisition-to-evaluation chain.