Exposure Worry: The Psychological Impact of Perceived Ionizing Radiation Exposure in British Nuclear Test Veterans

Potential psychological issues faced by British nuclear test veterans have been under-researched. This study assessed the prevalence of clinically relevant anxiety in British nuclear test veterans and aimed to explore experiences of worry and the broader psychological impact of the British nuclear weapons testing programme. The Geriatric Anxiety Inventory (Short-Form) was completed by 89 British nuclear test veterans (33.7% met the criteria for clinically relevant anxiety). Nineteen veterans then participated in semi-structured interviews. Thematic analysis of the data generated three themes. The first theme highlighted how worry was relevant only in a few cases (four) generally regarding their grandchildren’s health, but the guilt in those who perceive responsibility for family health conditions also appeared to be a pertinent issue. The second theme highlighted the anger towards authorities resulting from perceived negligence and deception. The third theme highlighted the relevance of how certain life events across the life course influence the potential psychological impact. This study suggests that guilt must be considered in (potentially) exposed individuals whose family members experience health conditions, which may exacerbate distress. It also suggests the importance that authorities ensure transparency when dealing with any radiological exposure scenario to reduce the potential for anger.

The problem of disarmament and the attitude of austrian statesmen to it in the 1960s and 1970s

The article is devoted to international security problems in the Second Austrian Republic in the 1960s and 1970s. The aim is to consider the policy of neutral Austria, which was an active struggle for the preservation and strengthening of peace in the international arena and not flight to isolation. The topic's relevance lies in the fact that Austria's leading interests during the period under review were to ensure that all European problems were resolved peacefully and, therefore, nuclear weapons were not placed near its borders. It has been very active in the international arena, based primarily on its own interests, and has supported the solution of such problems as ensuring European security and disarmament. The study is based on the Austrian Government's materials containing resolutions on the cessation of nuclear weapons testing. Austrian politicians recognized the importance of a peaceful solution to this problem. The author pays special attention to the German question. His decision was of great importance for Austria since the country's vital interests demanded that a new hotbed of danger should not arise on its borders in the center of Europe. Until 1966, the Austrian Government had not expressed its attitude to ensuring European security while referencing the country's neutrality. In conclusion, it is noted that Austria, as a neutral country, could not be isolated from the initiatives of the socialist camp countries on security and cooperation at the Pan-European conference in connection with the emerging trends in the second half of the 1960s to defuse tensions.

Nature of Relationships Between Atmospheric Electricity Parameters at Ground Surface and Air Ionization on the Basis of Nuclear Accidents in Power Plants and Weapons Tests

In this work we present an analysis of selected atmospheric electricity parameters, measured at the Geophysical Observatory in Świder (near Warsaw, Poland), in a review of the major events that resulted in the release of a significant amount of artificial radioactive substances in the Earth’s atmosphere: the radioactive accident in Fukushima, Japan, beginning 12 March 2011, followed by the 9.0 earthquake and tsunami; Chernobyl disaster (27 April 1986); and nuclear weapons testing (1958–1965). The physical mechanisms of the impact of radioactive sources on the electrical parameters of the atmosphere are analyzed. The formation of free charge (small ions, represented by electric air conductivity) and bound-induced charges (measured vertical electric field and current) by radioactive aerosol and cloud nuclei were taken into account. The values of electric field Ez, atmospheric air conductivity λ, and aerosol concentrations measured at a certain site depend on the time and space location of the released radioactive materials in relation to the measurement site and the meteorological situation. A frontal inflow of air masses containing radioactive substances may be noticeable at a large distance from the atmospheric electricity measuring site in fair weather conditions (Chernobyl disaster). Atmospheric precipitation plays a very important role in the transport of radioactive substances to the ground level (nuclear weapons testing). The relationship between the ionospheric potential Vi and the electric field near ground level Ez resulting from the Global Electric Circuit (GEC) concept for the presence of a strongly ionized air layer in the lower stratosphere and the ground level was disturbed in nuclear weapons testing time. The aim of this work is a qualitative characterization of discussed events. Future modeling works are needed to investigate the dependence of quantitative GEC parameters in situations of global or regional high air ionization. For this purpose, available measurements of recorded atmospheric electricity parameters will be used.

Bomb 137Cs in modern honey reveals a regional soil control on pollutant cycling by plants

Abstract137Cs is a long-lived (30-year radioactive half-life) fission product dispersed globally by mid-20th century atmospheric nuclear weapons testing. Here we show that vegetation thousands of kilometers from testing sites continues to cycle 137Cs because it mimics potassium, and consequently, bees magnify this radionuclide in honey. There were no atmospheric weapons tests in the eastern United States, but most honey here has detectable 137Cs at >0.03 Bq kg−1, and in the southeastern U.S., activities can be >500 times higher. By measuring honey, we show regional patterns in the biogeochemical cycling of 137Cs and conclude that plants and animals receive disproportionally high exposure to ionizing radiation from 137Cs in low potassium soils. In several cases, the presence of 137Cs more than doubled the ionizing radiation from gamma and x-rays in the honey, indicating that despite its radioactive half-life, the environmental legacy of regional 137Cs pollution can persist for more than six decades.

Gaining Entrée into a Micronesian Islander-Based Community Organization Through Culturally Responsive Team Building and Reflection

Building trust and rapport is crucial in developing sustainable relationships with communities of color who have suffered historical trauma (Nguyen-Truong, Closner, & Fritz, 2019; 1Nguyen-Truong, 1Leung, & Micky, 2020a). A history of nuclear weapons testing by the United States in Micronesia, and subsequent ill-prepared cleanup efforts, has created a historical trauma for the Micronesian Islander community (Letman, 2013). The purpose of this brief article is to describe a critical foundational engagement project approach when gaining entrée into a Micronesian Islander community-based organization to co-develop the culturally relevant main project to improve rates of Micronesian Islander enrollment in early childhood learning (ECL) programs. Building a sustainable community-academic partnership through culturally responsive team (CRT) building and leveraging the collective strengths, to address a community need, took half a year for relationship building, and shared decision-making.

Bomb Atoms in Modern Honey Reveal a Regional Soil Control on Pollutant Cycling by Plants

One of the longer-lived and more dangerous fission products dispersed globally by mid-20th century atmospheric nuclear weapons testing was 137Cs, which has a 30-year radioactive half-life. It has generally been assumed that outside of the vicinity of the test sites, 137Cs fallout washed off vegetation and was immobilized by soil, and thus of no ecological concern. Here we show that native plants thousands of kilometers from testing sites continue to cycle 137Cs because it mimics the essential nutrient potassium, and consequently, bees magnify this potentially lethal radionuclide in honey. There were no atmospheric weapons tests in the eastern United States, but, most honey here has detectable 137Cs at >0.03 Bq kg-1 (~1 million atoms per tablespoon), and in the southeastern U.S. it can be over 500 times higher. By measuring honey, we show regional patterns in the biogeochemical cycling of 137Cs for the first time and conclude that plants and animals receive disproportionally high exposure to ionizing radiation from 137Cs in soils with low potassium. In several cases, the presence of 137Cs more than doubled the ionizing radiation from gamma rays and x-rays in the honey, indicating that despite its radioactive half-life, the environmental danger to honeybees from this fission product can persist for more than six decades.