Posted on 10/08/2021 12:58:26 PM PDT by BenLurkin
The U.S. Department of Energy’s National Nuclear Security Administration (DOE/NNSA) will conduct low-altitude helicopter flights over downtown Boston and the Boston Marathon race route, Friday, Oct. 8, through Monday, Oct. 11.
NNSA’s Nuclear Emergency Support Team (NEST) aircraft will measure naturally occurring background radiation as part of standard preparations to protect public health and safety on the day of the event. The aerial surveys are in support of the 2021 Boston Marathon.
The public may see NNSA’s twin-engine Bell 412 helicopter, which is equipped with radiation sensing technology. The helicopter will fly in a grid pattern over the areas at 150 feet (or higher) above the ground at a speed of approximately 80 mph. Flyovers will occur only during daylight hours and are estimated to take approximately two hours to complete per area.
These surveys are a normal part of security and emergency preparedness activities. DOE/NNSA is making the public aware of the upcoming flights so citizens who see the low-flying aircraft are not alarmed.
But of course they won’t check for any bombs or anything.
Doesn’t the rotor wash impact the sample collection?
Doesn’t the rotor wash impact the sample collection?
What are they trying to do -get a baseline to try to identify new radiation sources during the event?
Na..National Security Agency?
They will put the detector next to helicopter exhaust and then claim that marathons are a major carbon polluter.
(naturally occurring background radiation)
OK...
I'm feeling there's some missing context here.
gammas monitored for energy, unaffected by rotor wash
They heard about my plan to break the one hour marathon with my plutonium powered shoes.
Made by ACME no doubt.
How much will this unnecessary boondoggle cost?
maybe they’re checking the emissions from the consumption of baked beans...
Nothing to see here, move along!
In my perverse mind, the effects of Boston baked beans was on my mind too. Maybe it’s the government looking for a way to justify ending the marathon because of the CO2 emissions caused by beans.
Ummmm....DOE/NNSA/OST have routinely snooped for radiological isotopes, esp. since 2001, at large (100k+) events. This is routine. Glad they are doing it.
They might want to check the FBI’s mail from Russian law enforcement agencies too. Just sayin’!
Yeah, so they can measure the heat of a blast from a pressure cooker after it blows up from a terrorist that Russian intelligence warned them about.
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