Editing Background radiation (section)

==Definition==
Background radiation is defined by the [[International Atomic Energy Agency]] as "Dose or the dose rate (or an observed measure related to the dose or dose rate) attributable to all sources other than the one(s) specified.<ref name="IAEA Safety Glossary 2007">{{cite book|title = IAEA Safety Glossary: Terminology Used in Nuclear Safety and Radiation Protection |date = 2007|author = International Atomic Energy Agency|isbn = 9789201007070}}</ref> A distinction is thus made between the dose which is already in a location, which is defined here as being "background", and the dose due to a deliberately introduced and specified source. This is important where radiation measurements are taken of a specified radiation source, where the existing background may affect this measurement. An example would be measurement of radioactive contamination in a gamma radiation background, which could increase the total reading above that expected from the contamination alone.

However, if no radiation source is specified as being of concern, then the total radiation dose measurement at a location is generally called the '''background radiation''', and this is usually the case where an ambient dose rate is measured for environmental purposes.