=n ANG

Th

smal iistribution with a mean of 55 mrad/y and a standard deviation of

» 20 mrad/y(12),

The contributions of the three sources, K-40 and the decay

auughters of U-238 and Th-252 have been measured spectrometrically.

The results

are indicated in tabie 1, aicng with their inferred soil contents that would
ath

produce these radiation levels.

In general, readings in populated areas outside

the range of 5 to 50 mrad/y for any of these sources, and 25 to 100 mrad/y for
The

EAF
ytht

of
rim
ing

ypi!

the total radiation, would be considered somewhat anomalous.

are readily observed near rock outcrops, but these occur relatively rarely in
populated areas.

This fact and a number of other factors related to urban Living

tend to reduce the influence of bedrock geology on the observed radiation levels,
and to somewhat homogenize the distribution of radiation sources that influence
population exposure.

This phenomenon has been clearly observed in perhaps the

most detailed study of population exposure in regions of the United States, that

in northern New Engiand (13) ,

dic
ati

rar.
to

be

th

Higher readings

Select target paragraph3