In the labyrinthine basement of the Physics Department at the University of Bristol, nuclear physicists Dr. Dave Megson-Smith discuss their dislike for wearing hazmat suits when visiting Chernobyl.
Dr. Megson-Smith describes the discomfort of wearing hazmat suits in the field, stating, “As soon as you get on the field, you start sweating, and all of a sudden you’re less aware of your surroundings. You’re less safe.” His colleague, Dr. Yannick Verbelen, adds, “You’re shoved into plastic and you’re evaporating. You’re moving, and there’s radiation around you, so it’s already a stressful environment and you don’t want to stay too long.”
Despite not wearing hazmat suits but thin lab coats, Megson-Smith and Verbelen are surrounded by large machines emitting warmth and tiny radioactive particles. They specialize in nuclear forensics, returning from disaster areas with minuscule radioactive samples for analysis.
They are currently focused on improving analysis in disaster areas by making use of a new device called the “Dark Star” that emits a bright yellow-green glow in nuclear caves for radiation monitoring from a safe distance.
Autonomous nuclear forensics detective
Megson-Smith, Verbelen, and their team are known for using robotics to track radioactive materials’ spread and risk. Their invention, the “Dark Star,” is an autonomous mobile UV fluorescence imaging device that illuminates uranium minerals with induced fluorescence.
Dark Star uses powerful UV light sources to make uranium minerals glow with fluorescence, allowing radiation monitoring from a safe distance without putting researchers at risk of direct exposure.
The future of nuclear safety is sunglasses
While Dark Star emits bright fluorescence, direct exposure can cause skin symptoms similar to sunburn. Researchers must wear sunglasses for eye protection, even in the dark underground, to avoid eye damage from scattered UV light.
Next, the researchers plan to use Dark Star with walking robots and drones in extreme environments like Chernobyl and Fukushima to enhance equipment testing for radiation monitoring.
Although hazmat suits may still be necessary for Chernobyl fieldwork, advancements like the Dark Star offer improved safety measures and distance monitoring for researchers.
About our experts
Dr. Yannick Verbelen is a Senior Researcher at the Center for Interface Analysis at the University of Bristol, specializing in radiological mapping and analysis of nuclear disasters. Dr. Dave Megson-Smith is a Research Fellow at the same center, leading Hot Robotics for research in radioactive environments.
For more information, visit their published research in various journals related to radiation protection and robotics.
Source: www.sciencefocus.com
