Chamonix Monitoring Radioactivity

As the radioactive cloud moves over France today some 170 observatories, including Chamonix, will be collecting data in a nationwide exercise to measure radioactive levels from the Fukushima nuclear plant.

At the top of the Aiguille du Midi, situated at 3842 meters, a permanent observatory has already been set-up to measure radioactivity in the air. Chamonix is naturally radioactive due the high concentration of granite in the mountains, so the scientists will be looking for any fluctuations above the norm.

As the radioactivity level is expected to be very low, fifteen new detectors have been set up in the region to help with the study.