Invitation to be a participant in or to become a member of the Scientific Committee of "The second Vinča ECE Lab advanced research international workshop - the new perspectives for thoron survey and dosimetry" to be hold from June 6 to June 10, 2005 at Niška Banja, Serbia and Montenegro.

Dear Colleague,

It is my pleasure to invite you to be a member of the Scientific Committee for the above mentioned International Workshop. The decision to held this Workshop has arisen mainly as result of the fact that the thoron issue was neglected in the past, not only because of the difficulties in its measurements and intercalibration, but also due the fact that radon is not discriminated from thoron in most of the existing epidemiological data, although measurement techniques for discriminating between them do exist. Further more using the passive measurement technique it is possible to estimate the concentrations of indoor thoron decay products.

During the last two years of research activities of ECE Laboratory in Vinča whose promotion happened at the first ECE Workshop, at Belgrade in 2003, field investigations that has been performed in high radon area Niška Banja, Serbia and Montenegro, (jointly with Slovenian, Polish and German team) brought about the results of high radon/thoron soil gas maesurements, (Fig.1)
of high radon/thoron exhalation rates, of high radon/thoron water contents (Fig.2) and of high indoor radon/thoron concentrations.

Fig. 2 Radon and Thoron in spring water at Niška Banja, Serbia and Montenegro (RTM2100, Sarad GMBH)

Out of many ideas regarding "The II ECE Workshop", one was to provide field measurements in situ in such an area, particularly to measure radon and thoron with different equipment and to make field intercomparison of equipment and methods. This also should enable exchange of scientific information and field work experiences on radon and thoron issue. The topics of the Workshop are presented in the First announcement and on the web site.

The second main theme of the Workshop will be to identify and promote collaborative research activities in the field of high natural radiation studies.

With best regards in anticipation of your support

Zora S. Žunić
Chairperson of the Organizing Committee