Radioactivity in trinitite six decades later

The first nuclear explosion test, named the Trinity test, was conducted on July 16, 1945 near Alamogordo, New Mexico. In the tremendous heat of the explosion, the radioactive debris fused with the local soil into a glassy material named Trinitite. Selected Trinitite samples from ground zero (GZ) of the test site were investigated in detail for radioactivity. The techniques used included alpha spectrometry, high-efficiency gamma-ray spectrometry, and low-background beta counting, following the radiochemistry for selected radionuclides. Specific activities were determined for fission products (90Sr, 137Cs), activation products (60Co, 133Ba, 152Eu, 154Eu, 238Pu, 241Pu), and the remnants of the nuclear fuel (239Pu, 240Pu). Additionally, specific activities of three natural radionuclides (40K, 232Th, 238U) and their progeny were measured. The determined specific activities of radionuclides and their relationships are interpreted in the context of the fission process, chemical behavior of the elements, as well as the nuclear explosion phenomenology.     

Characterisation of prompt and delayed atmospheric radioactivity releases from underground nuclear tests at Nevada as a function of release time

A database with information on about 500 cases of atmospheric radioactivity releases from underground nuclear tests is analysed. The data are statistically evaluated and systematically aggregated in order to characterise prompt uncontrolled as well as delayed operational releases of radioactivity into the atmosphere. The focus is put on the latter. The reported data compare well with theoretically derived xenon activities for reasonable nuclear test scenarios. Conclusions are drawn on the main features of releases that can be expected from underground nuclear tests as a function of release time. These findings are relevant for developing and validating methods to be applied in global monitoring of atmospheric radioactivity with respect to indications of an underground nuclear explosion.     

Isotopic signature of atmospheric xenon released from light water reactors

A global monitoring system for atmospheric xenon radioactivity is being established as part of the International Monitoring System to verify compliance with the Comprehensive Nuclear-Test-Ban Treaty (CTBT). The isotopic activity ratios of (135)Xe, (133m)Xe, (133)Xe and (131m)Xe are of interest for distinguishing nuclear explosion sources from civilian releases. Simulations of light water reactor (LWR) fuel burn-up through three operational reactor power cycles are conducted to explore the possible xenon isotopic signature of nuclear reactor releases under different operational conditions. It is studied how ratio changes are related to various parameters including the neutron flux, uranium enrichment and fuel burn-up. Further, the impact of diffusion and mixing on the isotopic activity ratio variability are explored. The simulations are validated with reported reactor emissions. In addition, activity ratios are calculated for xenon isotopes released from nuclear explosions and these are compared to the reactor ratios in order to determine whether the discrimination of explosion releases from reactor effluents is possible based on isotopic activity ratios.     

Requirements for estimation of doses from contaminants dispersed by a ‘dirty bomb’ explosion in an urban area

The ARGOS decision support system is currently being extended to enable estimation of the consequences of terror attacks involving chemical, biological, nuclear and radiological substances. This paper presents elements of the framework that will be applied in ARGOS to calculate the dose contributions from contaminants dispersed in the atmosphere after a ‘dirty bomb’ explosion. Conceptual methodologies are presented which describe the various dose components on the basis of knowledge of time-integrated contaminant air concentrations. Also the aerosolisation and atmospheric dispersion in a city of different types of conceivable contaminants from a ‘dirty bomb’ are discussed.     

Machine learning for radioxenon event classification for the Comprehensive Nuclear-Test-Ban Treaty

A method of weapon detection for the Comprehensive nuclear-Test-Ban-Treaty (CTBT) consists of monitoring the amount of radioxenon in the atmosphere by measuring and sampling the activity concentration of ^131mXe, ¹³³Xe, ^133mXe, and ¹³⁵Xe by radionuclide monitoring. Several explosion samples were simulated based on real data since the measured data of this type is quite rare. These data sets consisted of different circumstances of a nuclear explosion, and are used as training data sets to establish an effective classification model employing state-of-the-art technologies in machine learning. A study was conducted involving classic induction algorithms in machine learning including Naïve Bayes, Neural Networks, Decision Trees, k-Nearest Neighbors, and Support Vector Machines, that revealed that they can successfully be used in this practical application. In particular, our studies show that many induction algorithms in machine learning outperform a simple linear discriminator when a signal is found in a high radioxenon background environment.     

Condition of the Soil Fauna near the Epicenter of an Underground Nuclear Explosion in the Northern Urals

Radioactive contamination affects soil organisms and causes profound structural rearrangements in soil zoocenoses, which are manifested in the decreased species diversity of invertebrate communities and low relative abundance of large soil invertebrates. However, these communities gradually recover their initial structure. The soil biota near the epicenter of an underground nuclear explosion performed 30 years ago in Perm oblast has been studied to reveal specific structural features of the soil macro- and microfauna. Its structural diversity is considered with regard to such components as species (taxonomic) composition, the structure of dominance, and the ratio of ecological and trophic groups.__________Translated from Ekologiya, No. 3, 2005, pp. 171–179.Original Russian Text Copyright © 2005 by Kolesnikova, Taskaeva, Krivolutskii, Taskaev.     

Genotoxicity and cytotoxicity assay of water sampled from the underground nuclear explosion site in the north of the Perm region (Russia)

The results of our study revealed a local biologically relevant surface water contamination in the radionuclide anomaly in the north of Russia (Perm region) by means of Allium schoenoprasum L. anaphase-telophase chromosome aberration assay. This radionuclide anomaly was formed in 1971 as a result of an underground nuclear explosion with soil excavation. Specific activities of main dose-forming radionuclides in all examined reservoirs are below intervention levels officially adopted in Russia for drinking water. We found that (90)Sr significantly contributes to induction of cytogenetic disturbances. Our previous data and the data described here suggest that metal and radionuclide combined exposure (with the dose below permissible exposure limits for human) may cause substantial biological effects. These effects are in part due to synergic response. The findings described here indicated that development of a new concept of radiation protection for humans and biota should be based on the clear understanding of biological effects of low doses of radiation in chronic exposure to multi-pollutant mixtures.     

Transuranium radionuclide pollution in the waters of the La Maddalena National Marine Park

Following the grounding and subsequent explosion, in October 2003, of a nuclear submarine in the waters of the La Maddalena National Marine Park, fears arose of possible radioactive leakages. However, isotopic analyses on algae showed that the gamma-ray emitting artificial radionuclides that one might expect to leak from a damaged nuclear reactor (such as U-235, I-131, Cs-137) were absent, and that U-238/U-234 activities were in equilibrium with values typical of sea water; this excluded any direct anthropogenic contamination as a result of the accident. We used alpha autoradiographic techniques to detect possible traces of transuranium radionuclides; 160 samples of algae, granites, sea urchins, gastropods, limpets, cuttlefish and jellyfish were collected from the area, as well as from other Mediterranean coastlines and the Baltic Sea. All samples were autoradiographed, and selected samples further analysed by alpha spectrometry. There were no alpha track concentrations above background levels in our control Mediterranean specimens. In the samples from the La Maddalena and Baltic areas two different track distributions were observed: --those homogeneously distributed over the surfaces examined; --groups (10 to over 500) of radially distributed alpha tracks (forming "star" bursts, or "hot spots") emanating from point sources. By comparing radionuclide activities measured by alpha spectroscopy with alpha track densities, we extrapolated Pu activities for all samples. About 74% of algae had Pu activities of less than 1 Bq/kg and 0.25 Bq/kg, 16% had accumulated Pu to levels between 1 and 2 Bq/kg, and a very few specimens had concentrations between 2 and 6 Bq/kg. Plots showed that alpha tracks and stars concentrate around the northern and eastern margins of the Rada (Basin) di Santo Stefano, sites facing the nuclear submarine base on the eastern shore of the island of Santo Stefano. What is the source of these nuclides: last century's atmospheric nuclear testing, Chernobyl or a local source? Their concentrated, extremely localised occurrence seems difficult to explain in terms of left-over worldwide nuclear pollution. A local source seems more plausible.     

Residual radioactive contamination at the peaceful underground nuclear explosion sites "Craton-3" and "Crystal" in the Republic of Sakha (Yakutia)

In this paper, results are reported on the concentrations and activity ratios of 137Cs, 239+240Pu and 238Pu in soils, lichen and bottom sediments collected at the peaceful underground nuclear explosion sites "Craton-3" and "Crystal" (Republic of Sakha (Yakutia), North-East Siberia). At the "Craton-3" site, 239- 240Pu concentrations in the range 6.2 mBq/g to 5.9 Bq/g in surface soils (0-5 cm) and 239+240Pu concentrations up to 7.4 Bq/g in lichen were observed. The 137Cs concentration in measured soils range from 0.52 to 216 Bq/g for the near-plume and from 1.65 to 21.5 Bq/g for the far-plume. In lichen, 137Cs concentration varied from a global background level up to 251 Bq/g. Radioactive contamination at "Crystal" demonstrates an extremely irregular distribution of 239,240Pu and 137Cs in environmental samples taken at locations within 150 m radius of the site. Further work on compiling detailed maps of radioactive contamination of the territory around "Craton-3" and "Crystal" is discussed.     

A toxicity assessment of soils sampled from the Balapan site of the Semipalatinsk nuclear test site

Toxicity of soils sampled from the area of the “Chagan” explosion (the Balapan site of the Semipalatinsk nuclear test site, Kazakhstan) were assayed with the use of biological tests and physicochemical analysis. Soils from the most part (2.56 km² out of 4 km²) of the area studied were found to be toxic. Soil aqueous extracts toxicity substantially resulted from ¹³⁷Cs and ⁹⁰Sr effects. The soil toxicity assessment with the use of biological test—an increase Chlorella vulgaris Beijer. biomass production after 24 exposure of soil aqueous extracts in 63% cases are in agree with conclusions on the degree of radioactive contamination based on Basic Sanitary Rules of Radiation Safety (BSRRS-99). The IAEA safety norms were found to be quite stricter than the results of the biological test.     

137Cs and 90Sr in live and dead reindeer lichens (genera Cladonia) from the "Kraton-3" underground nuclear explosion site

The contents of 137Cs and 90Sr have been determined in 29 samples of live and dead reindeer lichens (genera Cladonia) collected at the "Kraton-3" underground nuclear explosion site (65.9 degrees N 112.3 degrees E, event year--1978) in Yakutia, Russia in 2002. The area contamination was within the range of 0.36-700 and 0.13-770 kBq m(-2) for 137Cs and 90Sr, respectively. The dead organisms were on average much more contaminated than the live ones. Vertical fractionation of the live lichen carpet demonstrated maximal activity concentrations of both radionuclides in the lower older section of the plants, while for the dead lichens the maximal activity concentrations of 137Cs were detected in the upper part. The vertical distribution of 90Sr was more or less homogeneous in the cushions of dead lichens. Elevated levels of 137Cs and 90Sr activity concentrations were also detected in the re-establishing young lichens growing over the residua of some dead lichens.     

Global transport rates of Cs and Pu originating from the Nagasaki A-bomb in 1945 as determined from analysis of Canadian Arctic ice cores

Recent advancements in analytical technology make it possible for artificial radionuclides released from nuclear explosions to be detected in Arctic ice core layers. The fission product, ¹³⁷Cs, and the unexpended fission material, ^239+240Pu, originating from the Nagasaki A-bomb of August 1945, were measured by collecting 10 ice cores on the Agassiz ice cap, Ellesmere Island, Canada. The deposition rates were 0·020 mBq cm^-2 for ¹³⁷Cs and 0·0016 mBq cm^-2 for ^239+240Pu, originating from Nagasaki. Assuming the radionuclides, excluding the amount fissioned from the explosion and deposi-ted as local fallout, are deposited evenly throughout the Northern Hemisphere, 67% of the expected amount of ¹³⁷Cs reached the Arctic while 1·1% of ^239+240Pu reached the Arctic. The results suggest that different transport mechanisms exist for various contaminants in the global transport system.     

Radiostrontium hot spot in the Russian Arctic: ground surface contamination by (90)Sr at the "Kraton-3" underground nuclear explosion site

Strontium-90 activity concentrations in surface soils and areal deposition densities have been studied at a site contaminated by an accidental release to atmosphere from the underground nuclear explosion "Kraton-3" conducted near the Polar Circle (65.9 degrees N, 112.3 degrees E) within the territory of the former USSR in 1978. In 2001-2002, the ground surface contamination at 14 plots studied ranged from 20 to 15 000 kBq m(-2), which significantly exceeds the value of 0.44 kBq m(-2) deduced for three background plots. The zone with substantial radiostrontium contamination extends, at least, 2.5 km in a north-easterly direction from the borehole. The average (137)Cs/(90)Sr ratio in the ground contamination originated from the "Kraton-3" fallout was estimated to be 0.55, which is significantly different from the ratio of 2.05 evaluated for background plots contaminated mostly from global fallout. Although vertical migration of (90)Sr in all undisturbed soil profiles studied is more rapid than that for (137)Cs, the depth of percolation of both radionuclides into the ground is mostly limited to the top 10-20 cm, which may be explained, primarily, by permafrost conditions. The horizontal migration rate of radiostrontium in the aqueous phase exceeds the radiocaesium migration rate by many times. This phenomenon seems to be a reason for the significant enrichment of the soil surface layers by radiostrontium at some sites, with variations occurring in accordance with small-scale irregularities of landscape.     

Surface ground contamination and soil vertical distribution of 137Cs around two underground nuclear explosion sites in the Asian Arctic, Russia

Vertical distributions of 137Cs have been determined in vegetation-soil cores obtained from 30 different locations around two underground nuclear explosion sites--"Crystal" (event year - 1974) and "Kraton-3" (event year - 1978) in the Republic of Sakha (Yakutia), Russia. In 2001-2002, background levels of 137Cs surface contamination densities on control forest plots varied from 0.73 to 0.97 kBq m(-2) with an average of 0.84+/-0.10 kBq m(-2) and a median of 0.82 kBq m(-2). 137Cs ground contamination densities at the "Crystal" site ranged from 1.3 to 64 kBq m(-2); the activity gradually decreased with distance from the borehole. For "Kraton-3", residual surface contamination density of radiocaesium varied drastically from 1.7 to 6900 kBq m(-2); maximal 137Cs depositions were found at a "decontaminated" plot. At all forest plots, radiocaesium activity decreased throughout the whole vertical soil profile. Vertical distributions of 137Cs in soil for the majority of the plots sampled (n=18) can be described using a simple exponential function. Despite the fact that more than 20 years have passed since the main fallout events, more than 80% of the total deposited activity was found in the first 5 cm of the vegetation-soil cores from most of the forested landscapes. The low annual temperatures, clay-rich soil type with neutral pH, and presence of thick lichen-moss carpet are the factors which may hinder 137Cs transport down the soil profile.     

低碳经济形势下江西省发展核产业链的潜力和对策

围绕民用核电的发展,核能利用的产业链存在着很大的发展空间。江西省是全国最大的铀矿资源基地,有较齐备的核技术产业体系、国内核学科门类最全的高校、丰富的核电厂址资源等优势,其应加深认识,充分发挥该省铀矿基地优势,通过积极与国家有关涉核单位协作、完善促进核产业链形成的政策措施、加大核领域人才培养力度、加强核技术在农业及农产品加工中的运用、适当发展核供热产业等具体措施培育和发展核产业链,为该省经济增长提供能源支持,实现江西经济的跨越式发展,并能改变该省目前以煤炭为主的能源消费结构,降低碳排放,保护其清洁环境,实现低碳目标     

Rearticulating Nuclear Power: Energy Activism and Contested Common Sense

This essay utilizes the perspective of articulation theory to examine how environmental advocates, public interest organizations, and citizen-consumers have challenged the nuclear industry's expansion efforts, linking strategies at local and global levels. The industry has articulated a material and discursive formation including reactor construction projects, financial and political arrangements, and an overarching narrative of nuclear necessity and inevitability. Opponents have responded by linking organizations, individuals, histories, geographies, and expertise, re-articulating the place of nuclear power in the field of energy choices. This essay examines those opposing articulations in the context of efforts to construct new nuclear power plants in the southeastern USA. There, opponents have challenged state-level regulatory approval of a corporate merger that would facilitate new nuclear construction and financing arrangements that would shift economic risks from the corporation to consumers. These local engagements have broader consequences: in challenging one corporation's nuclear ambitions, opponents also challenge the global industry narrative of nuclear necessity and inevitability.     

离子膜烧碱工程环境风险评价与防范措施

近年来,全国各地有毒气体泄漏、火灾爆炸等事故时有发生。人们逐渐认识并越来越关心重大的突发性事故造成的环境问题,同时也加快了人们对化工建设项目环境风险评价的步伐,使我国防治环境风险的工作进入高潮。本文以滨州一离子膜烧碱项目为例,从风险识别、风险源项分析、风险计算、风险预测等方面对项目存在的风险进行环境影响评价,并提出相应的防治措施,以降低其对人类健康和环境的危害。