Radiation Compared

RADIATION COMPARED The slug of depleted uranium (DU) that we prepared and that ABC News smuggled past portal monitors is shown below. It is a good substitute for testing whether the monitors could detect highly enriched uranium (HEU) because the radiation signal from uncontaminated DU, when shielded inside a cargo container, is actually greater than that from uncontaminated HEU. Calculated Dose Rate (microrad/hour) Two centimeters away, when wrapped in three millimeters of lead: DU: 1,500 HEU: 100 Calculated Dose Rate (microrad/hour) Two meters away, for same samples: DU: 1.0 HEU: 0.1 NATURAL BACKGROUND: 2–10

The slug of depleted uranium (DU) that we prepared and that ABC News smuggled past portal monitors is shown below. It is a good substitute for testing whether the monitors could detect highly enriched uranium (HEU) because the radiation signal from uncontaminated DU, when shielded inside a cargo container, is actually greater than that from uncontaminated HEU.

Calculated Dose Rate (microrad/hour)

Two centimeters away, when wrapped in three millimeters of lead: DU: 1,500 HEU: 100

Two meters away, for same samples: DU: 1.0 HEU: 0.1 NATURAL BACKGROUND: 2–10