by kodierer » 23 Sep 2005 20:15
If the lock is protected againt radiographic attack, then the chances are that the lock is either shielded with depleted uranium, or lead. There are other materials used for shielding of a radioactive source to prevent someone walking with it in a camera from getting a radiation burn or picking up a serious amount of radiation. My assumption is that they place shielding in the lock to increase the amount of time it takes for radiation to penetrate the lock. A shielded 100 curie camera at my job reads 20 mR an hour if you place the survey meter right next to it. However that is using 17lbs of shielding.
A time rating like that shouldn't be given as a cobalt source can have way, and I mean way more curies than that, and the more curies the faster the exposure. They must be assuming some form of standard radiographic attack used by military locksmiths or something.
