scholarly journals Possible medium and long range effects of depleted U-238 used in ammunition

2019 ◽  
Vol 10 ◽  
pp. 46
Author(s):  
B. M. Synodinou ◽  
I. A. Papazoglou
Keyword(s):  
Health Effect ◽  
Atmospheric Stability ◽  
Gulf War ◽  
Mixing Height ◽  
Air Masses ◽  
New Type ◽  
Probable Impact ◽  
Deposition Dose ◽  
Radiological Health ◽  
Of Greece

In recent years a new type of ammunition has been included in the modern arsenals of Western countries. Depleted Uranium is used in the AlO's 30-mm gun and in a large variety of other projectiles used by Army, the Marines and Aviation. Due to the radioactive nature of this type of ammunition, it is important to know the distance of dispersion of the material produced. On account of its probable usage some hundred of km north from Greece we are interested in the evaluation of its impact on Greece. We assumed an amount of DU, equal to that daily released during the Gulf War, as being released in South Yugoslavia (Pristina). We examined the possibility of its transport to Greece at a distance more than 150 km far from the release point. For concentration, deposition, dose estimations and health effects evaluation COSYMA code is used. We assumed constant north winds of 5 m/s of speed, no rain, a mixing height equal to about 1000 m and D atmospheric stability conditions. Moreover taking account of the real wind situation during March and April 1999, we calculated the probable impact of daily releases, on selected days, to regions of Greece affected by air masses movement. The results indicate that in spite of the big amount considered as released in a single site, in no cases there has been found any appreciable radiological health effect.

scholarly journals Is the Polish Smog a New Type of Smog?

2019 ◽  
Vol 26 (3) ◽  
pp. 465-474 ◽  
Author(s):  
Justyna Czerwińska ◽  
Grzegorz Wielgosiński ◽  
Olga Szymańska
Keyword(s):  
Particulate Matter ◽  
Suspended Particulate Matter ◽  
Polyaromatic Hydrocarbons ◽  
Common Factor ◽  
Ground Level ◽  
Weather Conditions ◽  
Air Masses ◽  
Suspended Particulate ◽  
New Type ◽  
Sunny Weather

Abstract In recent years, every winter we face the problem of excessive air pollution in the cities in Poland. This phenomenon is usually called smog and is associated with the concept of acidic smog of London type. However, there is a fundamental difference between the Great Smog of London known from the literature and winter smog episodes in Poland. While in 1952 in London the smog occurred at low atmospheric pressure, in foggy and windless weather conditions, in Poland smog episodes occur most often at the influx of cold, high-pressure air masses from the east in sunny weather. There are also various harmful components of smog - in London it was dust (suspended particulate matter), sulfur dioxide and carbon monoxide, while in Poland it is suspended particulate matter and polyaromatic hydrocarbons, especially benzo(a)pyrene. A common factor is the inversion of temperature in the ground level of the atmosphere. The chemical composition of the “Polish smog” is analyzed in the study justifying the need to distinguish the two types of smog described.

EVALUATION OF RADIATION DOSES AND HAZARD INDICES IN CRUSHED ROCKS FROM SOME QUARRIES IN IBADAN SOUTHWESTERN NIGERIA

2019 ◽  
Vol 187 (3) ◽  
pp. 383-389 ◽  
Author(s):  
S K Alausa ◽  
F O Eluyera ◽  
J O Coker
Keyword(s):  
Health Effect ◽  
Radiation Doses ◽  
Radiological Hazard ◽  
Hazard Indices ◽  
Southwestern Nigeria ◽  
Activity Concentrations ◽  
The Mean ◽  
Radiological Health ◽  
Radiological Hazard Indices ◽  
Radioactivity Levels

Abstract The radiological assessment of rock samples from four quarry sites in Ibadan have been carried out. The mean activity concentrations of 40K, 226Ra and 232Th were 377.0 ± 37.9, 17.7 ± 3.6 and 4.98 ± 2.1 Bq kg−1, respectively, for Ratcon Quarry (RQ); 408.0 ± 28.7, 16.6 ± 1.6 and 10.6 ± 2.3 Bq kg−1, respectively, for Dekit Quarry; 388.0 ± 26.6, 15.7 ± 1.9 and 9.85 ± 3.9 Bq kg−1, respectively, for Hajaig Quarry; and 388.084 ± 55.9, 16.2 ± 3.9 and 12.1 ± 3.8 Bq kg−1, respectively, for NSCE Quarry (NQ). The highest mean outdoor effective dose of 0.038 ± 0.005 mSv y−1 and the minimum of 0.033 ± 0.004 mSv y−1 were obtained at NQ and RQ, respectively. The radiological hazard indices recorded in each site were <1.0. The results show lower radioactivity levels than the world average values; therefore, no serious radiological health effect is expected when the crushed rocks from the quarries are used for buildings construction.

scholarly journals Major air pollutants seasonal variation analysis and long-range transport of PM10 in an urban environment with specific climate condition in Transylvania (Romania)

2020 ◽  
Vol 27 (30) ◽  
pp. 38181-38199 ◽  
Author(s):  
Zsolt Bodor ◽  
Katalin Bodor ◽  
Ágnes Keresztesi ◽  
Róbert Szép
Keyword(s):  
Seasonal Variation ◽  
Long Range ◽  
Urban Areas ◽  
Air Pollutants ◽  
Energy Use ◽  
Atmospheric Stability ◽  
Transport Pathways ◽  
Air Masses ◽  
Low Wind Speed ◽  
Relationship Of

Abstract The air quality decrease, especially in urban areas, is related to local-scale conditions and to dispersion of air pollutants (regional and long-range) as well. The main objective of this study was to decipher the seasonal variation of PM10, NO, NO2, NOx, SO2, O3, and CO over a 1-year period (2017) and the possible relationships between air pollution and meteorological variables. Furthermore, trajectory cluster analysis and concentration-weighted trajectory (CWT) methods were used to assess the trajectories and the source-receptor relationship of PM10 in the Ciuc basin Transylvania, known as the “Cold Pole” of Romania. The pollutants show lower concentrations during warmer periods, especially during summer, and significantly higher concentrations were observed on heating season in winter due to seasonal variations in energy use (biomass burning) and atmospheric stability. Subsequently, in February, the highest concentration of PM10 was 132 μg/m3, which is 4 times higher than the highest recorded monthly mean. Our results indicate a negative correlation between CO/temperature (− 0.89), NOx/temperature (− 0.84) and positive between NOx/PM10 (0.95), CO/PM10 (0.9), and NOx/CO (0.98), respectively. Dominant transport pathways were identified and the results revealed that slow-moving southerly (~ 45%) and northwesterly (~ 32%) air masses represent almost 80% and mainly regional flows were discerned. During 2017, increased PM10 levels were measured at the study site when air masses arrived mostly from northwest and southeast. The CWT and polarplot models show a strong seasonal variation and significant differences were observed between weekdays and weekends, namely highest PM10 concentrations during weekends at low wind speed (2–4 m/s).

scholarly journals Influence of mixing height and atmospheric stability conditions on correlation of NO 2 columns and surface concentrations in a Mexico‐United States border region

2021 ◽  
Author(s):  
David E. Flores‐Jiménez ◽  
O. Rafael García‐Cueto ◽  
Néstor Santillán‐Soto ◽  
J. Ernesto López‐Velázquez ◽  
Adriana Camargo‐Bravo
Keyword(s):  
United States ◽  
Atmospheric Stability ◽  
Border Region ◽  
Stability Conditions ◽  
Mixing Height

scholarly journals Responsible Citizens against an Irresponsible State: The Case of Greece amidst the COVID-19 Pandemic

2021 ◽  
Vol 2 (1) ◽  
pp. 9
Author(s):  
Sofia Alexopoulou ◽  
Antonia Pavli
Keyword(s):  
Good Governance ◽  
Individual Responsibility ◽  
The Political ◽  
Political Elites ◽  
The Past ◽  
New Type ◽  
The Individual ◽  
Dependency Structures ◽  
Developed World ◽  
Of Greece

How is it possible for citizens to act responsibly if they live in an irresponsible state? This is the key question that this paper revolves around in the context of the COVID-19 pandemic in Greece. Individual responsibility is the dominant ‘mantra’ of post-modernity and is widely spread by the neoliberal dogma. The individual has to take care of him/herself in any possible way to avoid risks without depending so much on the benevolent state, which, in the developed world, takes the form of a welfare state. Thus, a new type of citizen appears, the “responsible citizen”. The oxymoron, however, in the Greek case is that the state and particularly the political elites maintain bad practices of the past without being able to overcome the country’s path-dependency structures by acting responsibly. The concept of “empathy” is undoubtedly the missing link in this intriguing puzzle of good governance. Will the Greek political elites be able to recognize and embrace empathy in practice?

scholarly journals Soil to Cassava Transfer Factors of Natural Radionuclides in Farms in Ini Local Government Area, Akwa Ibom State, Nigeria

2021 ◽  
pp. 131-138
Author(s):  
Akaninyene Akankpo ◽  
Ime Essien ◽  
Alice Nyong ◽  
Etido Inyang
Keyword(s):  
Local Government ◽  
Activity Concentration ◽  
Natural Radionuclides ◽  
Health Effect ◽  
Local Government Area ◽  
Contamination Level ◽  
Transfer Factors ◽  
Activity Concentrations ◽  
World Standard ◽  
Radiological Health

Knowledge of activity concentration of radionuclides in soil of our farmlands and the consequent transfer factors of the radionuclide to plants are necessary to estimate the contamination level of the soil, plants and food. The activity concentration of 40K, 238U and 232Th in soils and cassava in Ini Local Government Area, Akwa Ibom State, Nigeria were measured using gamma spectrometry. Activity concentrations of radionuclides in soils in the locations ranged from BDL (below detectable limit) to 298.76 ± 21.40 Bq/Kg for 40K; BDL to 7.95 ± 1.88 Bq/Kg for 238U and 2.59 ± 0.25 to 16.56 ± 1.61 Bq/Kg for 232Th. Activity concentration of the radionuclides in cassava in all locations ranged from 213.96 ± 15.38 Bq/kg to 520.58 ± 37.25 Bq//Kg for 40K; BDL to 33.02 ± 8.91  Bg/Kg for 238U and BDL to 16.34 ± 1.59 Bq/kg for 232Th. The activity concentrations of all the radionuclides were lower than the world standard.  Transfer factors obtained ranged between 3.21 to 4.18 for 40K; 0.93 to 12.64 for 238U and 0.75 to 1.01 for 232Th. Effective ingestion dose due to the consumption of cassava from the studied area obtained ranged between 1.31 to 1.74 mSv/yr and 3.52 to 4.69 mSv/yr for children and adult respectively. These values are above the 1.0 mSv/yr recommended dose limit for general public, therefore the consumption of this food stuff could pose a radiological health effect on humans. However the risk could be minimized when the cassava is cooked.

The Microstructure of Shock-Synthesized Diamond

1967 ◽  
Vol 25 ◽  
pp. 324-325
Author(s):  
Lucien F. Trueb
Keyword(s):  
Single Crystals ◽  
Preferred Orientation ◽  
High Magnification ◽  
Texture Pattern ◽  
Shock Process ◽  
New Type ◽  
Diffraction Diagram

A new type of synthetic industrial diamond formed by an explosive shock process has been recently developed by the Du Pont Company. This material consists of a mixture of two basically different forms, as shown in Figure 1: relatively flat and compact aggregates of acicular crystallites, and single crystals in the form of irregular polyhedra with straight edges.Figure 2 is a high magnification micrograph typical for the fibrous aggregates; it shows that they are composed of bundles of crystallites 0.05-0.3 μ long and 0.02 μ. wide. The selected area diffraction diagram (insert in Figure 2) consists of a weak polycrystalline ring pattern and a strong texture pattern with arc reflections. The latter results from crystals having preferred orientation, which shows that in a given particle most fibrils have a similar orientation.

New type electron gun with electrostatic and electromagnetic lenses

1978 ◽  
Vol 36 (1) ◽  
pp. 62-63
Author(s):  
T. Ichinokawa ◽  
H. Maeda
Keyword(s):  
Electron Microscopy ◽  
Electron Beam ◽  
Optimum Condition ◽  
Bias Voltage ◽  
Electron Gun ◽  
Charge Effect ◽  
Micro Fabrication ◽  
Maximum Brightness ◽  
New Type ◽  
The Ideal

I. IntroductionThermionic electron gun with the Wehnelt grid is popularly used in the electron microscopy and electron beam micro-fabrication. It is well known that this gun could get the ideal brightness caluculated from the Lengumier and Richardson equations under the optimum condition. However, the design and ajustment to the optimum condition is not so easy. The gun has following properties with respect to the Wehnelt bias; (1) The maximum brightness is got only in the optimum bias. (2) In the larger bias than the optimum, the brightness decreases with increasing the bias voltage on account of the space charge effect. (3) In the smaller bias than the optimum, the brightness decreases with bias voltage on account of spreading of the cross over spot due to the aberrations of the electrostatic immersion lens.In the present experiment, a new type electron gun with the electrostatic and electromagnetic lens is designed, and its properties are examined experimentally.

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