Accelerator boundary doses and skyshine.

Beginning this year, AEC contractors are being required to submit dose evaluations as low as 1.7 mrem per year to the surrounding public from their installations. This small incremental dose exists within the framework of a natural background of about 130 mrem per year. Some of the pitfalls in estimating these small doses, especially with regard to skyshine, are discussed. It is shown that, for any accuracy at all, better data must be generated for the neutt-on-vs-distance curve. However, the need for measuring, or even estimating, such small doses is brought into question. (Submitted to Health Physics. ) *Work supported by the U. S. Atomic Energy Commission.