Comparison of gamma-ray exposure rate measurements at Bikini Atoll

A radiological survey of Bikini and Eneu Islands of the Bikini Atoll was conducted during June 1975 to assess the potential radiation doses that may be received by the returning Bikinians. Bikini Atoll was one of the U.S. nuclear weapons testing sites in the Pacific. An integral part of the survey included measurements of the gamma-ray exposure rates at 1 m above the ground with portable NaI instruments at nearly 2700 locations on the two islands. For comparison purposes, similar measurements were made with a pressurized ion chamber at approximately 200 locations, and with LiF and CaF$sub 2$:Dy thermoluminescent dosimeters (TLDs) at 80 locations. The results indicate that the NaI scintillators overresponded because of their nonlinear energy characteristics. The responses of the LiF dosimeters and the pressurized ion chamber agreed to within 13 percent. Attenuation studies with LiF TLDs indicated that roughly 25 percent of the total free air exposure rate at 1 m was due to beta radiation. (auth

Evaluation of the radionuclide concentrations in soil and plants from the 1975 terrestrial survey of Bikini and Eneu Islands

In June 1975 a radiological survey was conducted of the terrestrial environment of Bikini and Eneu islands (Bikini Atoll) to evaluate the potential radiation dose to the returning Bikini population. In this report, we present measurements of the radionuclide concentration in soil profiles and in dominant species of edible and nonedible, indicator plants. The use of these data to derive relationships to predict the plant uptake of radionuclides from soil is described. Approximately 620 soil and vegetation samples from Bikini and Eneu Islands were analyzed by Ge(Li) gamma spectrometry and by wet chemistry. The predominant radionuclides in these samples were /sup 60/Co, /sup 90/Sr, /sup 137/Cs, /sup 239,240/Pu, /sup 241/Pu, and /sup 241/Am

Chernobyl source term, atmospheric dispersion, and dose estimation

The Chernobyl source term available for long-range transport was estimated by integration of radiological measurements with atmospheric dispersion modeling, and by reactor core radionuclide inventory estimation in conjunction with WASH-1400 release fractions associated with specific chemical groups. These analyses indicated that essentially all of the noble gases, 80% of the radioiodines, 40% of the radiocesium, 10% of the tellurium, and about 1% or less of the more refractory elements were released. Atmospheric dispersion modeling of the radioactive cloud over the Northern Hemisphere revealed that the cloud became segmented during the first day, with the lower section heading toward Scandinavia and the uppper part heading in a southeasterly direction with subsequent transport across Asia to Japan, the North Pacific, and the west coast of North America. The inhalation doses due to direct cloud exposure were estimated to exceed 10 mGy near the Chernobyl area, to range between 0.1 and 0.001 mGy within most of Europe, and to be generally less than 0.00001 mGy within the US. The Chernobyl source term was several orders of magnitude greater than those associated with the Windscale and TMI reactor accidents, while the /sup 137/Cs from the Chernobyl event is about 6% of that released by the US and USSR atmospheric nuclear weapon tests. 9 refs., 3 figs., 6 tabs

Dose estimates from the Chernobyl accident

The Lawrence Livermore National Laboratory Atmospheric Release Advisory Capability (ARAC) responded to the Chernobyl nuclear reactor accident in the Soviet Union by utilizing long-range atmospheric dispersion modeling to estimate the amount of radioactivity released (source term) and the radiation dose distribution due to exposure to the radioactive cloud over Europe and the Northern Hemisphere. In later assessments, after the release of data on the accident by the Soviet Union, the ARAC team used their mesoscale to regional scale model to focus in on the radiation dose distribution within the Soviet Union and the vicinity of the Chernobyl plant. 22 refs., 5 figs., 5 tabs

ARAC status report: 1985

The Atmospheric Release Advisory Capability is a real-time emergency-response service available to federal and state agencies for providing estimates of the environmental consequences of accidental releases of radioactivity into the atmosphere. This includes the estimation of radiation doses to nearby population centers and the levels and extent of surface contamination. The service is currently being expanded to support the emergency response plans at approximately 50 Department of Defense and Department of Energy facilities. This expansion consists of the installation of enhanced computational and data communications and processing systems, development of terrain and geographic data bases, improvements in modeling capabilities, as well as increased staff housing facilities. This report summarizes the current status of ARAC and the requirements to receive the service

Utilization of the atmospheric release advisory capability (ARAC) services during and after the Three Mile Island accident

At 0820 PST on 28 March 1979, the Department of Energy's Emergency Operations Center advised the Atmospheric Release Advisory Capability (ARAC) that the Three Mile Island nuclear power plant in Harrisburg, Pennsylvania, had experienced an accident some four hours earlier, resulting in the atmospheric release of xenon-133 and krypton-88. This report describes ARAC's response to the Three Mile Island accident, including the role ARAC played throughout the 20 days that real-time assessments were made available to the Department of Energy on-scene commander. It also describes the follow-up population-dose calculations performed for the President's Commission on Three Mile Island. At the request of the Nuclear Regulatory Commission, a questionnaire addressing the usefulness of ARAC products during the accident was sent to ARAC-product users. A summary of the findings from this questionnaire, along with recommendations for improving ARAC service, is also presented. The accident at Mississauga, Ontario, Canada, is discussed in the context of a well-planned emergency response by local and Federal officials

Methodology for assessing the potential impact on air quality resulting from geothermal resource development in the Imperial Valley

Methodology in use in the Imperial Valley for assessing the potential impact on air quality that may result from the development of geothermal resources is discussed. The installation of a network of air quality stations for characterizing the air quality and atmospheric transport properties in the valley prior to development is discussed. Analyses of geothermal fluids for various gases are performed to evaluate the potential emission rates from future geothermal power plants. The principal pollutant of concern is H/sub 2/S because of its noxious odor and potential release rate. These estimated source emission rates and the appropriate meteorological measurements are used as input to a three-dimensional, atmospheric transport code to estimate the potential changes in air quality that result from various scenarios for development of geothermal power

Simulation of atmospheric dispersion of radioactivity from the Chernobyl accident

Measurements of airborne radioactivity over Europe, Japan, and the United States indicated that the release from the Chernobyl reactor accident in the Soviet Union on April 26, 1986 contained a wide spectrum of fission up to heights of 7 km or more within a few days after the initial explosion. This high-altitude presence of radioactivity would in part be attributable to atmospheric dynamics factors other than the thermal energy released in the initial explosion. Indications were that two types of releases had taken place -- an initial powerful explosion followed by days of a less energetic reactor fire. The Atmospheric Release Advisory Capability (ARAC) at the Lawrence Livermore National Laboratory (LLNL) utilized three-dimensional atmospheric dispersion models to determine the characteristics of the source term (release) and the evolution of the spatial distributions of the airborne radioactivity as it was transported over Europe and subsequently over the northern hemisphere. This paper describes the ARAC involvement and the results of the hemispheric model calculations which graphically depict the extensive dispersal of radioactivity. 1 fig