Pacific Northwest national Laboratory (PNNL) developed the Automated Radioxenon Sampler/Analyzer (ARSA) as a prototype sampling station for the international monitoring system for detection of nuclear detention. As a subcontractor to PNNL in 2006 and 2007, DRI assisted with measuring background levels of radioxenon by deploying a portable environmental monitoring station (PEMs) in conjunction with the ARSA. The purpose of the PEMs was to measure meteorological and radiological phenomena (wind direction and speed, temperature, humidity, barometric pressure, solar radiation, and total gamma radiation) that could be important in interpreting a detection or radioxenon.

A second effort involved measuring variation in radon flux. Radon can interfere with radioxenon detection, and an increase in radon flux from the ground could indicate a subsurface nuclear event. DRI deployed the AlphaGuard P30 continuous radon monitoring instrument in conjunction with other instruments on the PEMs during an ARSA deployment. All variations in radon measured during the experiment were caused by changes in meteorological parameters.  

Lynn Karr downloads data from a Portable Environmental Monitoring Station (PEMS) developed by DRI and used as part of Nonproliferation research on establishing baseline Xenon levels (133Xe). DRI research was as a subcontractor to Pacific Northwest National Laboratory.