29 August 2024
Environmental monitoring scientists from the Australian Radiation Protection and Nuclear Safety Agency (ARPANSA) recently travelled to Macquarie Island in the sub-Antarctic to inspect the new home of a radionuclide monitoring facility and revalidate the station.
ARPANSA cooperates with the Australian Safeguards and Non-proliferation Office to carry out Australia's radionuclide monitoring obligations to the Comprehensive Nuclear-Test-Ban Treaty (CTBT) – an agreement ratified by Australia in 1998 that bans nuclear explosions and testing.
Treaty compliance is monitored through the installation, implementation, and operation of Australian monitoring stations spread across the country, Fiji, Kiribati and Antarctica.
ARPANSA’s Monitoring Networks Director, David Hardman, says radionuclide monitoring at Macquarie Island is important in ensuring Australia’s international obligations to the CTBT are met as the sub Antarctic stations forms an essential part of the International Monitoring System.
‘Our recent trip to the Australian Antarctic Program’s research station on Macquarie Island allowed us to work closely with our CTBT Organization colleagues in revalidating the station, making sure it meets the high standards set for the International Monitoring System.’
‘Moving our equipment into the new location with its upgraded facilities helps ensure the ongoing smooth operations of the station’, said Mr Hardman.
The global monitoring network applies several technologies to detect and ensure that no nuclear explosion goes undetected.
The radionuclide monitoring process takes place over a number of days and involves collecting particulate matter from the air onto a filter which is compressed into a disc for analysis and storage.
The data collected from the sample is forwarded by satellite to the International Data Centre in Vienna where it is processed and distributed to the CTBT Organization’s Member States.
To learn more about the CTBT program and ARPANSAs involvement with the Treaty, visit https://www.arpansa.gov.au/about-us/what-we-do/international-collaboration/ctbt
