Arguments For What No One Wants: The Narratives of Waste Storage Proponents

In this essay, the authors examine the public discourse of three different proponent groups (Native Americans, Industry, and Community Advocates) to gain insight into the narratives used to justify the decision to support a typically unwanted land use. The questions they ask are: first, who are the actors, what is their agency, and what is their purpose, as revealed through an analysis of the compiled text? Second, in what ways do their stories combine into a coherent narrative of support for the project; and, finally, does the meta-narrative resonate with their primarily western states audience? They conclude with suggestions as to how this project informs participants in other waste management controversies.     

法国核电规划对江苏发展核电的几点启示

通过调研法国的核电规划、核电厂址的布局和核安全监督管理等工作,比较了法国和江苏在电力需求、区域特点、核电厂址分布等特点,在总结法国核电的发展历程对于江苏核电的规划发展值得借鉴的经验基础上,提出了江苏在建设滨海核电站的基础上新建滨河等内陆核电站需要注意的问题和对策.     

Radionuclide release and transport from nuclear underground tests performed at Mururoa and Fangataufa — predictions under uncertainty

In the context of a study by the International Geomechanical Commission (IGC) and the International Atomic Energy Agency (IAEA) on the effects of nuclear tests at the atolls of Mururoa and Fangataufa, release to the biosphere is estimated for 35 radionuclides originating from 147 nuclear underground tests. Based on a qualitatively characterised hydrogeological situation of atolls and relatively scarce site-specific data, a model chain was developed to conservatively estimate the radionuclide fluxes via groundwater, from their sources, the explosion cavities, towards the biosphere, the ocean or lagoon.Finite element hydro-thermal modelling was used to describe water flow. Parameters were calibrated by a very few measured pre-test temperature profiles in bore holes. The impact of the tests on groundwater flow and mechanical impact on rock was considered. Estimates were made to quantify spatial extensions and temporal evolution of impact by using measurements on refilling rate of the cavities. Tests were categorised according to their specific yield and location although detailed data were missing. A base case parameter set was defined for the hydraulic conditions and for the initial radionuclide inventory of individual tests. Models were used to describe the concentration of radionuclides in the cavities as a function of time. Radionuclide transport from the cavities to the biosphere was represented by two different approaches: a double porosity model for the fractured volcanic rock and a single porosity model for the overlaying, highly porous carbonates. Results consist of conservative estimates on radionuclide release into the environment, or concentration in the lagoon or ocean water. Their sensitivity was investigated using different models and parameters. A few measured data (concentrations in a few cavities, in the deep carbonates and in the lagoons for selected radionuclides, such as ³H, ¹⁴C, ³⁶Cl, ⁹⁰Sr, ¹²⁹I, ¹³⁷Cs²³⁹, ²⁴⁰Pu and ²⁴¹Am) were available for a comparison with the calculations. In view of the lack and uncertainty of site-specific data, the agreement is of acceptable quality.     

氢气爆燃作用下核电站安全壳力学响应数值模拟分析

在核电站严重事故中,由氢气爆燃产生的压力载荷会危及安全壳完整性致其失效,进而造成放射性物质泄漏的严重危害。通过ANSYS/Fluent有限元数值模拟软件,建立了安全壳有限元模型,并对安全壳内氢气爆燃过程以及其力学特性进行了数值模拟研究,获得了氢气爆炸过程中的超压值、升压速率、安全壳变形以及压应力分布。结果表明:爆燃波传递引起压强升高,火焰阵面处压强最高,爆燃波所经区域超压疾速上升随后快速下降;爆燃作用下,顶部壳体和下部筒体连接区域混凝土位移最大,最大压应力也集中分布在该区域,最易受到破坏。获得的结论可为安全壳结构抗爆设计和安全性研究提供理论参考。     

Nuclear Wastes in the Arctic Ocean. the Consequences of Past Dumping and Opportunities for Future Prevention

The view is expressed that the assessment of disposal of nuclear waste in the ocean (specifically the Arctic and Kara Seas) is critical to understanding Arctic pollution. Much needs to be done in deciding what we should do, even though many wastes are long-standing and persistent. in 1993, disclosures about Russian dumping of submarine nuclear reactors, nuclear fuel, and other radioactive wastes into the Arctic Ocean brought this region and its problems into the world spotlight and raised public concerns about the resulting health and environmental risks. As a result of this concern, the Congressional Office of Technology Assessment published a 1995 study, Nuclear Wastes in the Arctic (US Congress Office of Technology Assessment, 1995). This paper summarises and updates that study.     

A system design framework for the integration of public preferences into the design of large infrastructure projects

Large infrastructure projects such as new roads, railways and nuclear plants have often suffered from public opposition, causing significant delays and costs. In many cases poor engagement between the supporters of construction and the public have contributed to this. Therefore, this paper proposes a novel design framework with the aim of improving public engagement at an early design stage. Following a modified quality function deployment (QFD) process, it enables incorporation of public preferences into the design process, thus helping to improve the social acceptability of large infrastructure projects and reduce costs related to opposition and delays. The application of the framework is illustrated by a case study related to design of nuclear power plants.     

反核生化恐怖与大气科学

在组成反恐战略诸要素中 ,科技政策是核心要素。“9·1 1”事件后 ,反恐上升为美国科技领域的头号课题 ,政府加大了对科技反恐的投入 ,我国也面临同样的抉择。恐怖活动除了直接实施核生化恐怖威胁之外 ,还通过破坏核生化设施同样达到核生化恐怖的效果 ,甚至比直接实施核生化恐怖更为严重。据调查 ,各大中城市生产使用有毒、有害、易燃、易爆化学物质的工厂占全部工厂的 80 %以上 ,年用量成千上万吨。在恐怖分子应用最多的爆炸和燃烧事件中 ,人员的主要伤亡不是来自于炸伤、烧伤 ,而是因爆炸和燃烧所产生的毒气中毒。研究表明 ,在各种有毒物质传播途径中 ,空气和水体扩散所占比例最大。笔者针对反恐问题 ,论述了大气科学与核生化恐怖的关系 ,重点突出了大气科学、空气动力学及流体力学在反核生化恐怖科研中的战略地位     

Can David and Goliath Get Along? Federal Land in Local Places

It is often unclear what the role of a local jurisdiction is with regard to land use management on nearby federal properties. Yet federal lands clearly impact nearby local communities. The US Department of Energy (DOE), with over 100 sites across the United States with varying degrees of environmental contamination, may be in a very difficult position with regard to relationships with local government about land use. Yet few, if any, studies have examined DOE land use issues. This study asks: (1) In general, how do local planners feel about federal government relationships with them? (2) Do local planners feel differently about the DOE than they do about other federal agencies? (3) What reasons explain any differences observed in answer to the second question? To answer these questions, local planners were interviewed from communities adjacent to non-DOE federal properties, and their responses compared to those of planners located near DOE facilities in the same regions. Findings showed that compared to other federal agencies that own land in the same regions, the DOE is relatively poorer at actively involving local officials in land use decisions at its sites. Primary reasons are the historic legacy of a culture of secrecy, focus on mission, and especially the lack of experience, training, or mandates in local planning cooperation. Findings also suggest that this attitude is markedly stronger in areas west of the Rocky Mountains. Recommendations for improved federal–local communications include the development of a vision for local government involvement that is supported by top levels of management and filtered effectively to the site level.     

新形势下的核安全与辐射安全对策

随着核资源广泛利用,核安全也越来越受到人们的关注。笔者在新的安全形势下,从实际情况出发,分析了我国核和辐射安全现状,特别是近年来,世界范围内核恐怖事件的潜在危险在不断增加,核设施和辐射设施在运行过程中,由于失误等原因引起事故的可能性是客观存在的,在现代战争条件下,核设施极有可能成为敌人精确打击的战略目标,因此,核安全和辐射安全面临着新的挑战。针对核安全和辐射安全存在的隐患,应从应急组织体系建设、监测系统开发、人员培训、基本信息数据库的建立、应急决策支持系统开发、完善法规、加强国际合作等方面,提出了改善我国核安全与辐射安全现状的相关对策,以不断提高我国核安全和辐射安全的水平。     

Modeling Long-Term Risk to Environmental and Human Systems at the Hanford Nuclear Reservation: Scope and Findings from the Initial Model

The Groundwater Protection Project at the US Department of Energy Hanford Site in Washington State is currently developing the means to assess the cumulative impact to human and ecological health and the regional economy and cultures from radioactive and chemical waste that will remain at the Hanford Site after the site closes. This integrated system is known as the System Assessment Capability (SAC). The SAC Risk/Impact Module discussed in the article uses media- and time-specific concentrations of contaminants estimated by the transport models of the integrated system to project potential impacts on the ecology of the Columbia River corridor, the health of persons who might live in or use the corridor or the upland Hanford environment, the local economy, and cultural resources. Preliminary Monte Carlo realizations from the SAC modeling system demonstrate the feasibility of large-scale uncertainty analysis of the complex relationships in the environmental transport of contaminants on the one hand and ecological, human, cultural, and economic risk on the other. Initial impact results show very small long-term risks for the 10 radionuclides and chemicals evaluated. The analysis also helps determine science priorities to reduce uncertainty and suggests what actions matter to reduce risks.