THE SEMIPALATINSK NUCLEAR TEST SITE RESEARCH: BIBLIOMETRIC ANALYSIS OF THE DOCUMENTARY CORPUS SELECTED OF THE RUSSIAN SCIENCE CITATION INDEX

The article represents the bibliometric analysis of the documentary corpus devoted to studying the Semipalatinsk nuclear test site selected of the database Russian Science Citation Index. It shows the publication dynamics over a thirty-year period, the specific structure of the documentary corpus; revels that the documents are thematically structured as follows: research of the medical and biological consequences of radiation exposure (genetic consequences of ionizing radiation exposure; diseases induced by radiation exposure); assessment of the consequences of nuclear tests for the environment (environmental monitoring, radiation situation, pollution of separate environment elements), historical and socio-legal aspects of investigating the test site activity consequences.

TAKING INTO ACCOUNT THE INFLUENCE OF WIND ROSE DURING THE DIVISION OF LANDS, ADJACENT TO THE "KARAZHYRA" COAL DEPOSIT

The article considers the influence of the wind rose on the lands adjacent to the Karazhyra coal mine on the territory of the Semipalatinsk nuclear test site. It is assumed that the influence of the wind rose is an important environmental factor in the cadastral value of land contaminated with radionuclides. The purpose of the study is to assess the impact of secondary pollution by technogenic radionuclides on the territory adjacent to the nuclear test site and to determine the movable boundaries of such pollution. The impact assessment was carried out on the basis of an analysis of the factors contributing to the spread of pollution at the mine itself and along the road used to deliver contaminated coal to Semey. As a result, the types of work affecting the radiation situation in the study area were identified, the main directions of air flows in the field area were determined. The conclusion is made about the influence of the situation on the methodology for performing geodetic works. Requirements for the accuracy of determining the boundaries of contaminated land plots are proposed.

Effects of Radioactive Contamination from the Semipalatinsk Nuclear Test Site on Behavior Related to Food Choices: A Case Study of Kazakhstan

In this article, we analyzed the effects of radioactive contamination from the Semipalatinsk nuclear test site on food choices in Kazakhstan. Nearly 90% of citizens in Kazakhstan knew their health had been affected by radioactive material from the nuclear test site, with more than 50% of citizens still confirming the safety of foodstuffs regarding radioactive materials when purchasing food. However, citizens in the vicinity of the nuclear test site did not take countermeasures against internal exposure due to declining fear of radioactivity, despite refraining from purchasing food from near the nuclear test site. More than 80% of Kazakhstan understood that exposure to radioactive materials was both external and internal. Further, Kazakhs were more aware of the effects of internal exposure on the human body than either Ukrainians or Japanese. Elderly people who remembered the times when nuclear tests had been conducted were aware of radioactive materials in food. High-income individuals took measures to control radioactive contamination in consideration of their nutritional balance, while low-income individuals refrained from purchasing food from near the nuclear test site as a means of controlling potential contamination. In Kazakhstan, more than 60% of citizens did not take measures against internal exposure, but the number of citizens who were concerned about radioactive materials was much higher than in either Ukraine or Japan. In Kazakhstan, 30–40% of citizens, particularly women, would buy at least 20% more if foodstuffs with lower than the regulated level of radioactive materials were sold.

Regional Seismic Characteristics of Chemical Explosions on the Eastern Margin of the Junggar Basin, Northwest China, and of Historical Semipalatinsk Nuclear Tests

ABSTRACT The applicability of the empirical magnitude–yield relations developed for northeast China and Korean Peninsula explosions was investigated for data from northwest China. We collected regional broadband digital seismic data from 13 chemical explosions (CEx) detonated between 6 September and 10 October 2018, on the eastern margin of the Junggar basin, northwest China, five nuclear tests at the Semipalatinsk nuclear test site, and eight natural earthquakes. Both Lg and Rayleigh-wave magnitudes (mb(Lg) and Ms, respectively) were estimated for these events. Similar to the North Korean test site, the mb(Lg)–Ms discriminant did not properly distinguish explosions from natural earthquakes at the Semipalatinsk test site. However, network-averaged P/S spectral ratios (Pg/Lg, Pn/Lg, and Pn/Sn) did successfully discriminate explosions from earthquakes at both the North Korean and the Semipalatinsk test sites at frequencies above 2.0 Hz. Based on 13 known-yield CEx, we selected an empirical magnitude–yield relation to constrain the explosive yields of five historical nuclear tests at the Semipalatinsk test site. The resulting yields are lower than those previously obtained from teleseismic observations.

IMPROVEMENT OF GEODETIC CONTROL FOR AREAS CONTAMINATED WITH RADIONUCLIDES

The article discusses the creation of a planning-high-altitude justification at the Karazhyra coal mine, located on the territory of the Semipalatinsk nuclear test site. The purpose of creating such a justification is to monitor the boundaries of the spread of land pollution by radionuclides, which is caused by the wind transfer of coal dust. The factors that contribute to the spread of pollution are given, both at the mine and along the highway, along which contaminated coal is delivered to industrial enterprises, as well as to the population of private houses. It is indicated that for the development of the planning and altitude justification and the creation of boundary plans can be used ground and satellite technologies for the production of geodetic works. The root-mean-square error of determining the boundaries of contamination with radionuclides of land plots and coal mines should not be more than 0.50 m. In this regard, it is urgent to develop a methodology for performing geodetic works and create boundary plans in the area of radionuclide contamination of land plots.

Evaluation of peripheral blood parameters in the population living near the Semipalatinsk nuclear test site

Discussed changes the peripheral blood of the population of different sex living near the Semipalatinsk nuclear test site are considered. As a result, morphological changes of erythrocytes and platelets were detected.