Cesium-137 concentrations, trends, and sources observed in Kuwait City, Kuwait

As part of the development support for the Comprehensive Nuclear-Test-Ban T reaty (CTBT), the Prototype International Data Center (PIDC) has been proce ssing radionuclide data since 1995. Radionuclide data received from field s tations includes gamma-ray spectra, meteorological data, and state of healt h (SOH) information. To date over 20 radionuclide monitoring stations have transmitted data to the PIDC. The radionuclide monitoring system collects b oth aerasol and gas samples. Gamma-ray spectral analysis is performed on th e samples to determine if they contain anthropogenic radionuclides indicati ve of nuclear debris. A key radionuclide monitored by this system is Cs-137 . Due to the half-life of Cs-137 (30.17 y), amounts of this radionuclide re leases are still present in the soil and atmosphere as a result of past nuc lear tests and reactor releases. Cs-137 from these sources are routinely de tected in the prototype CTBT radionuclide monitoring system. Out of the mul tiple stations that contribute data to the PIDC, the highest Cs-137 activit y concentrations and largest range of concentrations are observed at the Ku wait City, Kuwait station. A special study was conducted to investigate the concentrations, trends, and origin of Cs-137 in the Kuwait aerosol. This s tudy combines over four years worth of aerosol data, meteorological data an d soil sample analysis to explore this matter.