Radiological Measurement Laboratory Salzburg (RMLS)

 
After the major accident in the Nuclear Power Plant Chernobyl on April 26, 1986, unfavourable meteorological conditions lead to disproportionate contamination of the province of Salzburg. To support the local governmental authorities to handle the catastrophic scenario after the fallout, the radioactivity measurement lab at the then Institute of Physics and Biophysics carried out radionuclide analysis and prepared radiological situation analysis reports. As consequence of this situationally, to a large extent improvised collaboration, the Radiological Measurement Laboratory of Salzburg was founded under the former head of the provincial government, Dr. Wilfried Haslauer and the head of the Institute of Physics and Biophysics, Prof. Friedrich Steinhäusler.
The RMLS is situated in the radiation measurement laboratory of the Environmental Biophysics at the Natural Faculty of Science in the Hellbrunnerstrasse. On a formal basis the RMLS is a cooperation between the University and the government of Salzburg, for which the governments provides financial and staff support and the Environmental Biophysics takes over environmental radioactivity measurement assignments, support and advisory capacity with regard to radiological issues, and maintaining the operational readiness for emergency situations.