Assessment of “Zero Point” radiation around the ESS facility

The Medical Radiation Physics group in Malmö and the BAR group at the Division of Nuclear Physics has started to map and monitor the natural and artificial radiation environment outside the European Spallation Source (ESS) in northeaster Lund. This “zero point” or baseline of the radiation environment will be a basis for determining releases of radionuclides during operation of ESS, for information to authorities and the public. In 2017-2018 the first assessments were carried out. Information was gathered on the current levels of ionizing radiation and concentration of various gamma emitting radionuclides, H-3, C-14 in air, ground, water and biota. The project is intended to continue until start of operation of ESS, after which it continues as an environmental monitoring program of potential changes of the radiation environment around the facility.