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From: ins_ajbh@jhunix.UUCP
Newsgroups: net.sci,net.physics
Subject: Natural vs Man-made Rads
Message-ID: <3228@jhunix.UUCP>
Date: Mon, 21-Jul-86 20:58:54 EDT
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Posted: Mon Jul 21 20:58:54 1986
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     I found some "radiation stats" in a booklet entitled
Nuclear Power Quick Reference II. The booklet is from
General Electric and is very pro-nuclear. Do these figures look
reasonable? 

	Natural Background radiation

					mrem/yr	, whole body

Cosmic Rays				35
Air					 5
Building materials			34
Food					25
Ground					11
				_______________
				       110 mrem



		Man Made radiation

					dose rate

Coast to coast jet flight		5 mr/ round trip
Color television			1 mr /year
X-ray diagnosis (eg.)			50 mr /exposure
Weapons fallout				4  mr/year
Living within 50 mi of nuke plant	.02 mr/year


    The reference is from 1979 so perhaps the weapons figure is down
a bit. How many mrems a year can humans take without real damage?

jim