Thermoluminescence measurements of gamma-ray doses attributable to fallout from the Nevada test site using building bricks as natural dosimeters.

During the 1950's, the U.S. Government conducted an intensive atmospheric nuclear testing program in Nevada. Fallout from these atmospheric tests was measured throughout the U.S. with some of the heaviest concentrations to populated areas falling east of the test site in Washington County, UT. External exposures from 6.5 x 10(-4) C kg-1 to 26 x 10(-4) C kg-1 (2.5-5.0 R) were reported for this region. This study provides an independent measurement of fallout radiation doses to selected communities in Utah using a thermoluminescence technique originally developed for the dating of ancient pottery. The application of the predose thermoluminescence technique to fallout dosimetry is described. A mean dose of 38 +/- 15 mGy (4.4 +/- 1.7 R), attributed to fallout radiation, was measured in quartz grains extracted from the outer centimeter of bricks removed from six communities in Washington and Kane Counties in Utah.