True and spurious anomalies in ambient dose rate monitoring

• DOI: 10.1093/rpd/ncad191
• Publication Date: 2023-11-07T21:21:08Z
• Authors: Peter Bossew; Petr Kuča; Jan Helebrant
• Keywords: Spurious relationship; Anomaly (physics); Identification

Abstract Ambient dose rate surveys reveal zones of an elevated rate. As the observation results from two physical processes—the ‘true’ process in nature that one wants to assess and consists measuring under certain conditions—an observed anomaly can have its cause either process. Anomalous effects rooted are called spurious. Distinction between true spurious anomalies may not be straightforward many cases. example, surveying using a specific instrument is discussed, whose analysis shows presence both types anomalies. Examples shown. The often identified by inspecting environment or more sophisticated investigation, e.g. gamma spectrometry. Identification difficult requires investigation count time series.