scholarly journals Estimation of the Contribution of Dust Storm on April 16, 2020 to Radioactive Contamination of the Atmosphere During Forest Fires in the Exclusion Zone

2021 ◽  
Vol 20 ◽  
pp. 81-95
Author(s):  
M. M. Таlerko ◽  
◽  
Т. D. Lev ◽  
V. O. Кashpur ◽  
◽  
...  
Keyword(s):  
Forest Fires ◽  
Dust Storm ◽  
Nuclear Power ◽  
Activity Concentration ◽  
Total Activity ◽  
137Cs Activity ◽  
Wildland Fires ◽  
Exclusion Zone ◽  
137Cs Activity Concentration ◽  
Burned Areas

On April 16, 2020, a strong dust storm was observed in the northern regions of Ukraine, which coincided with the period of intense wildland fires in the Chornobyl exclusion zone. The activity of 137Cs in aerosol particles released into the atmosphere as a result of resuspension from burned areas in the meadow biocenoses in the exclusion zone is evaluated in the article. Resuspension of radioactively contaminated particles from burned areas formed after fires in meadow biocenoses of the exclusion zone can be a powerful source of air contamination in the zone itself, as well as increase of the radionuclides transport outside it. The total 137Cs activity that entered the atmosphere during the dust storm was estimated to be about 162 GBq, i. e. up to 20% of the total activity emitted in the air during the entire period of forest fires on April 3–20, 2020. The 137Cs emission from burned areas during the dust storm on April 16 and 17 amounted to 0.24% of the total stock of 137Cs activity in this territory. According to the results of modeling, the relative contribution of wildland fires and resuspension due to the dust storm on April 16 and 17 significantly depends on the distance to the emission sources. It was found that the resuspension of radioactive particles from burned areas during the dust storm determined 80–95% of the 137Cs activity concentration in the surface air near Chornobyl nuclear power plant and in Chornobyl city and the rest was due to the continuing forest fires in neighboring territories. The maximum 3-hour averaged value of the 137Cs activity concentration in the air due to resuspension from the burned areas was obtained for the location of the monitoring post VRP-750 of SSE “Ecocenter” to be about 28 mBq/m3 for the period 9–12 hours on April 16. In Kyiv, the 3-hour averaged 137Cs activity concentration due to the dust storm in the Exclusion Zone was calculated as 44 μBq/m3 in the period from 9 to 12 hours on April 17, 2020. This value was only about 4% of the total 137Cs activity in the air in this period.

scholarly journals Modeling Study of the Atmospheric Transport of Radioactivity Released into the Air as a Result of Forest Fires in the Exclusion Zone in April 2020

2020 ◽  
Vol 18 ◽  
pp. 86-104
Author(s):  
M. M. Таlerko ◽  
◽  
Т. D. Lev ◽  
I. V. Коvalets ◽  
Yu. V. Yatsenko
Keyword(s):  
Forest Fires ◽  
Nuclear Power ◽  
Power Plants ◽  
Nuclear Power Plants ◽  
Activity Concentration ◽  
Atmospheric Transport ◽  
137Cs Activity ◽  
Exclusion Zone ◽  
137Cs Activity Concentration ◽  
Simulation Results

In April 2020, the largest forest fire occurred in the Chornobyl Exclusion zone in its history. The results of modeling the atmospheric transport of radioactive aerosols raised into the atmosphere as a result of fires in forest and grass areas in the Exclusion zone, as well as in radioactively contaminated forests outside it in Kyiv and Zhytomyr regions are presented in the paper. To assess the consequences of forest fires, a set of models of lifting, atmospheric transport and deposition of radionuclides on the underlying surface LEDI, developed at the Institute for Safety Problems of Nuclear Power Plants of the National Academy of Sciences of Ukraine, was used. Calculations of the dynamics of the 137Cs activity concentration field in the surface air on a regional scale (in Ukraine) and on a local scale (within the Exclusion zone) were performed. According to the simulation results, the maximum values of the 137Cs activity in the surface air of Kyiv in some periods during April 4−20 could reach 2−4 mBq/m3, and the integral value of 137Cs activity in the air of Kyiv for the whole period was about 450 mBq⋅s/m3. The obtained results are generally consistent with the data of measurements of radioactive contamination of the nearground air in Kyiv and areas of the nuclear power plants in Ukraine. The analysis of the consistency of the simulation results with the data of measurements of the 137Cs activity concentration in the air in the Exclusion zone was performed. The main ways to improve the methodology for assessing the consequences of forest fires by modeling the atmospheric transport of radionuclides are identified.

Radionuclides in deposition in the Ignalina NPP region in 2005

Open Physics ◽  
2006 ◽  
Vol 4 (4) ◽  
Author(s):  
Rimvydas Jasiulionis ◽  
Andrej Rožkov
Keyword(s):  
Nuclear Power ◽  
Particle Deposition ◽  
Activity Concentration ◽  
Ground Level ◽  
137Cs Activity ◽  
Hysplit Model ◽  
Solubility In Water ◽  
137Cs Activity Concentration ◽  
Chernobyl Npp ◽  
Ground Level Air

AbstractResults of radionuclide activity concentration measurements in deposition and ground-level air conducted at the station of the Institute of Physics situated 3.5 km from the Ignalina Nuclear Power Plant (Ignalina NPP) in 2005 are analyzed. Atmospheric depositional fluxes of 7Be, 60Co and 137Cs are estimated. Radionuclide particle deposition rates are calculated. The Hybrid Single-Particle Lagrangian Integrated Trajectory (HYSPLIT) model of the global dispersion and deposition is used to explain variations in the 137Cs activity concentration in the ground-level air in the Ignalina NPP region in 2005. An increase in the 137Cs activity concentration of up to 17.4 µBq m−3 on 30 October-5 November is studied. Modelling results show that the Chernobyl NPP Unit 4 Sarcophagus and the radiocaesium resuspension from the Chernobyl NPP accident polluted regions are sources of 137Cs to the environment of the Ignalina NPP. Results on solubility in water of aerosols — carriers of 137Cs — are discussed.

Modeling study of the atmospheric transport of radioactivity after wildland fires and a dust storm in the Chernobyl Exclusion Zone in April 2020

2021 ◽  
Author(s):  
Mykola Talerko ◽  
Tatiana Lev ◽  
Ivan Kovalets ◽  
Mark Zheleznyak ◽  
Yasunori Igarashi ◽  
...  
Keyword(s):  
Effective Dose ◽  
Forest Fires ◽  
Dust Storm ◽  
Emission Factor ◽  
Atmospheric Transport ◽  
Internal Exposure ◽  
Radioactive Aerosol ◽  
Wildland Fires ◽  
Exclusion Zone ◽  
Chernobyl Npp

<p>In April 2020, the largest forest fire occurred in the Chernobyl Exclusion Zone (ChEZ) in its history. The results of modeling the atmospheric transport of radioactive aerosols released into the atmosphere as a result of wildland fires in the ChEZ and around it are presented. The atmospheric transport model LEDI, developed at the Institute for Safety Problems of NPPs, and the Atmospheric Dispersion Module of the real -time online decision support system for offsite nuclear emergency RODOS, which development was funded by the EU, were used. The <sup>137</sup>Cs activity concentration in the surface air is calculated on a regional scale (in Ukraine) and a local scale (within the ChEZ). The <sup>137</sup>Cs activity in the surface air of Kyiv (115 km from the ChEZ borders) is found to have reached 2–4 mBq m<sup>−3</sup> during the period April 3–20. The modeling results are generally consistent with measured data pertaining to radioactive contamination in Kyiv, within the ChEZ, and areas around four operating nuclear power plants in Ukraine.</p><p>A method for estimating the radionuclide activity emissions during wildland fires in radioactively contaminated areas is proposed. This method is based on satellite data of the fire radiative power (FRP), the radionuclide inventory in the fire area, and an emission factor for radioactive particles. A method was applied for forest fires in the ChEZ in April 2020. Preliminary estimations of an emission factor are made using FRP values obtained from NASA's MODIS and VIIRS active fire products.</p><p>On April 16, 2020, a strong dust storm was observed in the ChEZ, which coincided with the period of intense wildland fires. The additional <sup>137</sup>Cs activity raised by the dust storm from burned areas in the meadow biocenoses was estimated to be about 162 GBq, i.e. up to 20% of the total activity emitted into the air during the entire period of forest fires on April 3-20, 2020. According to the modeling results, during April 16-17, the input of resuspension of radioactive particles due to a dust storm was up to 80-95% of the total <sup>137</sup>Cs activity in the surface air near the Chernobyl NPP. In Kyiv, this value decreased to only about 4%.</p><p>The total effective dose to the population of Kyiv during the fire period is estimated to be 5.7 nSv from external exposure and the inhalation of <sup>137</sup>Cs and <sup>90</sup>Sr, rising to 30 nSv by the end of 2020. This is about 0.003% of the annual permissible level of exposure of the population. A committed effective dose up to 200-500 nSv is estimated for the personnel of the Chernobyl NPP from the radioactive aerosol inhalation during the 2020 forest fires, which is not more than 0.05% of the established control levels of internal exposure for them.</p>

scholarly journals Temporal trends of <sup>137</sup>Cs activity concentration in pond waters in the vicinity of Fukushima Dai-ichi nuclear power plant

2019 ◽  
Vol 381 ◽  
pp. 101-106 ◽  
Author(s):  
Yoshifumi Wakiyama ◽  
Alexei Konoplev ◽  
Toshihiro Wada ◽  
Tsugiko Takase ◽  
Yasunori Igarashi ◽  
...  
Keyword(s):  
Power Plant ◽  
Nuclear Power Plant ◽  
Bottom Sediment ◽  
Nuclear Power ◽  
Activity Concentration ◽  
Temporal Trends ◽  
Suspended Sediments ◽  
137Cs Activity ◽  
137Cs Activity Concentration ◽  
Closed Water

Abstract. Closed and semi-closed water bodies, such as lakes and ponds, are important water resources in Fukushima area and they are the most sensitive environments to radioactive contamination after the Fukushima Dai-ichi nuclear power plant accident. Wakiyama et al. (2017) investigated 137Cs activity in water and bottom sediment in four ponds; Suzuuchi (SU), Funasawa (FS), Inkyozaka (IZ), and Kashiramori (KM), within 10 km zone from the FDNPP during 2015–2016. This study follows up their observation to address longer time trends of 137Cs activity concentration in pond waters and to show speciation of 137Cs in soil and bottom sediment. Mean total 137Cs activity concentration in water ranged from 2.5 to 29 Bq L−1. There was not found steady trend in the activity concentration of total and particulate 137Cs for four ponds. The concentration of dissolved 137Cs was usually low in winter during the entire observation period in all four ponds. A tendency to a decrease in the 137Cs activity concentration in suspended sediments was found for four ponds and the decreasing rate constants, including radiological decay, on SU, FS, IZ and KM were 0.33, 0.53, 0.29 and 0.25 yr−1, respectively. The results of sequential extractions of soil and bottom sediment samples showed higher proportion of bioavailable 137Cs, i.e., exchangeable and organic bound 137Cs, in bottom sediment than in the soil.

Evolution of 137Cs Activity Concentration in the Aegean Sea

2021 ◽  
Author(s):  
Christos Tsabaris ◽  
Georgios Eleftheriou ◽  
Filothei K. Pappa ◽  
Heleni Kaberi ◽  
Stylianos Iliakis ◽  
...  
Keyword(s):  
Activity Concentration ◽  
Aegean Sea ◽  
137Cs Activity ◽  
137Cs Activity Concentration

scholarly journals To a Burst of 137Cs Activity in the Air under the “Arch” Object on October 17, 2019

2021 ◽  
Vol 21 (2) ◽  
pp. 107-115
Author(s):  
V. K. Shynkarenko ◽  
◽  
V. A. Kashpur ◽  
G. G. Skorjak ◽  
P. V. Sabenin
Keyword(s):  
Nuclear Power ◽  
Total Activity ◽  
137Cs Activity ◽  
Beta Activity ◽  
Hot Particles ◽  
Safe Work ◽  
Before And After ◽  
Isolation Systems ◽  
October 17 ◽  
The One

The construction of a New Safe Confinement (NSC) is one of the main stages in the transformation of the Chornobyl nuclear power plant 4th power unit into an ecologically safe system. On the one hand, this system is designed to ensure the safety of personnel, the population and the environment, on the other — to allow safe work with the remnants of the unit. At the same time, the project allows quite high levels of bulk activity of radioactive aerosols inside the NSC — up to 210 Bq/m3 for total β-activity. The sharp increase in the volumetric air activity, observed on October 17–19, 2019 in a number of rooms of the Shelter object and in the space under the “Arch” object in the absence of a burst of activity outside these objects, can be considered as a successful kind of spontaneous test of the NSC isolation systems. The chronology of the dynamics of volume activity according to the act of official investigation of the precedent is given. The results of studies of aerosol filters exposed in the near zone of the Chornobyl NPP before and after the burst of activity in the air under the “Arсh” object are presented. Autoradiograms of fragments of these filters demonstrate a significant (≈2 orders of magnitude) increase in the number of hot particles immediately after the fall of the concrete fragment of the floor in the room 402/3. The analysis of features of the hot particles after the collapse indicates a significant contribution to the total activity of a large number of low-activity particles (0.005÷5 Bq), and the low 137Cs/241Am ratio that indicates their fuel nature. Based on the assumption about the fuel nature of hot particles, their minimum possible aerodynamic diameters were calculated, which are in the range 2.91<d<36.7 μm, which does not exclude the presence of smaller hot particles on the filter that are not visible using this method. The contribution of particles with aerodynamic diameters less than 10 μm, determined using the impactor, did not exceed 20% of the total beta activity of the aerosol.

scholarly journals Impact of typhoons on particulate and dissolved <sup>137</sup>Cs activities in seawater off the Fukushima Prefecture: results from the SOSO 5 Rivers cruise (October 2014)

2021 ◽  
Author(s):  
Michio Aoyama ◽  
Sabine Charmasson ◽  
Yasunori Hamajima ◽  
Celine Duffa
Keyword(s):  
Activity Concentration ◽  
Activity Ratio ◽  
Coastal Region ◽  
137Cs Activity ◽  
137Cs Activity Concentration ◽  
Fukushima Prefecture ◽  
The Core ◽  
Organic Particles ◽  
Dissolved Form ◽  
134Cs Activity

Abstract. Cruise SoSo 5 Rivers took place during October 2014 off the coast of Fukushima Prefecture shortly after the passage of two typhoons. Detection of dissolved 134Cs and 137Cs in all samples reflected contamination caused by accidental releases of radiocaesium from the Fukushima Dai-ichi Nuclear power plant (FNPP1) accident. The dissolved activities were generally higher at coastal sites and decreased with distance from shore, and they were higher in the surface than in the bottom water. The tendency of 137Cs activities to decrease with distance from the coast reflected mixing of coastal water and open-ocean water of which 137Cs activity concentration was ~1.5 Bq m−3. At stations very close to the coast, we observed high particulate 137Cs activity concentration that exceeded dissolved 137Cs activity concentration. 137Cs activities were generally 1–2 orders of magnitudes lower in organic particles than in dissolved form, and the ratios of 137Cs activity concentration in organic particles to 137Cs activity concentration in dissolved form ranged from 0.01 ± 0.00 to 0.12 ± 0.01. The ratio of 137Cs to 134Cs activity concentrations in organic particles did not change with distance from shore or with 137Cs activity concentration and generally remained around 1, even in samples collected far from the coast. This pattern indicated that the organic particles had come from rivers or a source very close to the coast. The 137Cs / 134Cs activity ratio in dissolved form north of FNPP1 region was estimated to be 1.074 ± 0.015, a ratio that is in good agreement with the 137Cs / 134Cs activity ratio in the core of Unit 1 of the FNPP1 while the 137Cs / 134Cs activity ratio at Tomioka port which located south of FNPP1 was 0.998 ± 0.017. Therefore we can conclude the source of radiocaesium in seawater in the coastal region north of FNPP1 was deposited radiocaesium released from the core of Unit 1 of FNPP1, while the source of radiocaesium observed in the coastal region south of FNPP1 was a mixture of deposited radiocaesium released from the core of Unit 2 and the core of Unit 1 of FNPP1. During September–October of each year, the typhoon season in Japan, the 137Cs activity concentration generally increased at Ukedo port, Tomioka port, FNPP1, and Iwasawa beach, and showed a good relationship with the 7-day modified antecedent precipitation index (API) while there is less correlation between the modified API and 137Cs activity concentration near the outlet of canal from unit 5 and 6 of FNPP1 to the sea.

Sign in / Sign up

Export Citation Format

Share Document