Evaluating airborne and ground based gamma spectrometry methods for detecting particulate radioactivity in the environment: A case study of Irish Sea beaches

► Validated Monte Carlo simulations used to model mobile gamma spectrometry response to radioactive particless. ► Detection limits for airborne and ground based surveys estimated. ► Survey requirements for detection of buried 100 kBq 137Cs sources developed. ► Ability of airborne survey approaches to increase rate of recovery of radiologically significant particles demonstrated.