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.     

大气环境高灵敏光谱探测技术

大气环境高灵敏光谱探测技术是以光与环境相互作用为基础发展起来的学科交叉方向,使用光学的方法和手段来探知研究环境问题。大气环境高灵敏光谱探测技术能够实现从现场瞬态灵敏探测到污染时空分布等不同尺度的遥测,从而获得大气污染"点-线-面"的时空变化规律,由于光谱探测技术具有多组分、非接触、无采样、高灵敏度、大范围快速以及遥测等特点,已经成为国际上大气环境监测技术的主要方向之一。大气环境高灵敏光谱技术在污染源、工业园区、空气质量以及区域污染等监测方面都有很广泛的应用。针对化工园区复杂的环境污染问题,光谱探测技术可以高灵敏、非接触地获取多种污染物浓度特征,掌握化工园区污染时空分布状况,为化工园区的大气污染治理提供有效支撑;针对京津冀、长三角等地区大气重污染过程的核心问题,大气环境高灵敏光谱探测技术通过地基组网观测,车载/机载平台移动观测等三维立体监测手段获取重点区域污染物的生成、转化过程以及重污染过程的形成机制,为区域大气污染成因追溯、污染控制措施评估提供科学的数据和技术支撑。高灵敏光谱探测技术在大气环境领域的成功应用,为污染源、化工园区和重点区域的环境综合诊断和治理奠定了技术基础。     

南京市大气PM2.5中重金属分布特征及化学形态分析

于2017年1、4、7、10月在南京市主城区采集了大气PM2.5样品,用BCR法对PM_(2.5)中重金属进行连续提取,采用电感耦合等离子体-质谱法进行测定,分析重金属在颗粒物中不同形态和分布特征。结果表明,PM_(2.5)中9种重金属质量比排序为:Fe Zn Pb Mn Cu Cr As Ni Cd。Zn、Pb、Cd、Cu、Mn、As主要分布在弱酸提取态; Ni在弱酸提取态、可氧化态和残渣态中分布较均匀,占比26%～37%;而Fe、Cr主要以残渣态存在,分布比例分别为71%和54%。PM_(2.5)中Zn的生物有效性系数 0.8,属生物可利用性元素,表明其在环境中迁移能力最强,其余8种重金属生物有效性系数为0.2～0.8。     

Nitrogen deposition threatens species richness of grasslands across Europe

Evidence from an international survey in the Atlantic biogeographic region of Europe indicates that chronic nitrogen deposition is reducing plant species richness in acid grasslands. Across the deposition gradient in this region (2-44 kg N ha⁻¹ yr⁻¹) species richness showed a curvilinear response, with greatest reductions in species richness when deposition increased from low levels. This has important implications for conservation policies, suggesting that to protect the most sensitive grasslands resources should be focussed where deposition is currently low. Soil pH is also an important driver of species richness indicating that the acidifying effect of nitrogen deposition may be contributing to species richness reductions. The results of this survey suggest that the impacts of nitrogen deposition can be observed over a large geographical range.     

Relationship between variations of Be, Pb and Pb concentrations and sub-regional atmospheric transport: Simultaneous observation at distant locations

In order to investigate the applicability of ²¹²Pb as a tracer for atmospheric transport in the sub-regional scale (few hundred kilometers in horizontal direction and up to ∼1 km by height), we measured the air concentrations of the short-lived radionuclide ²¹²Pb along with the long-lived ⁷Be and ²¹⁰Pb near the ground surface. For this purpose, simultaneous observations were continued for several days at three locations: a reference point representative for standard land surface atmosphere conditions, a second location at an altitude 650 m near the reference point, and on a solitary island ∼180 km from the reference point. Measurements of radioactivity in aerosol particle samples collected at intervals of 2-3 h with a high-volume air sampler were performed by extremely low background gamma-ray spectrometry with the use of Ge detectors located at the Ogoya Underground Laboratory. Concentration of ⁷Be or ²¹⁰Pb and their variation patterns was found to be similar among the three points during the whole observation period except for moment of the passage of a cold front. The results indicate that distributions of concentrations of the long-lived nuclides were uniform in this range. On the other hand, concentration levels and the variation patterns of the short-lived ²¹²Pb differed greatly from one location to another, reflecting differences in geographical location and altitude of the observation points. Additionally, there were certain indications that observed concentration of ²¹²Pb contained two components: an autogenous component from sources nearby and a heterogenous one from faraway sources carried by atmospheric horizontal transport. Results of this study provide experimental proof that ²¹²Pb can be used as a tracer of sub-regional atmospheric transport.     

Variation of short-lived beta radionuclide (radon progeny) concentrations and the mixing processes in the atmospheric boundary layer

Radon is emitted to the atmosphere with quasi constant emission rates depending on the radium concentration in the earth's crust and soil physical properties. In this way, the ²²²Rn and ²²⁰Rn concentration in air reflects significantly the thickness of the atmospheric boundary layer (ABL). The aerosol-associated, beta-emitting progeny nuclides of ²²²Rn were measured daily in the framework of the atmospheric radioactivity monitoring program of NIMH at Sofia. The ²¹⁴Pb concentration was estimated from the measured short-lived beta activity of 24-h filter samples, changed daily at 6:00 GMT. The impact of some meteorological factors such as wind direction, wind velocity, humidity, and temperature on short-lived beta radionuclides is estimated, and the results show no simple statistical relationship. A seasonal pattern was observed with winter minima and late summer-early autumn maxima. High variability in daily morning concentrations and mean monthly values was observed. There were well pronounced differences between years. The height of the convective ABL was estimated from daily radio-soundings at 12:00 GMT for the period 2001-2006 and from seven soundings per day during the experimental campaign in Sofia in October 2003. In general, concentrations of short-lived ²²²Rn progeny nuclides decreased with increased convective ABL height.     

城市大气环境中醛酮类化合物污染状况及变化规律

2003年对郑州市城市环境空气中醛酮类化合物的污染状况及变化规律进行了初步调查研究.结果表明:大气环境中醛酮类污染物的质量浓度范围为未检出～167 μg/m3,主要污染物为甲醛、乙醛和丙酮;醛酮类污染物含量在不同季节的变化趋势是:夏季>春季>冬季;醛酮类污染物主要来源于大气中有机物的光化学反应,甲醛与乙醛、甲醛与丙酮有...     

Forest biomass accumulation is an important source of acidity to forest soils: Data from Swedish inventories of forests and soils 1955 to 2010

The input of acidity to Swedish forest soils through forestry between 1955 and 2010 is compared with the acid input from atmospheric deposition. Depending on region, input of acidity from forestry was the minor part (25–45%) of the study period’s accumulated acid input but is now the dominating source (140–270 mol_c ha⁻¹ year⁻¹). The net uptake of cations due to the increase in standing forest biomass, ranged between 35 and 45% of the forestry related input of acidity while whole-tree harvesting, introduced in the late 1990s, contributed only marginally (< 2%). The geographical gradient in acid input is reflected in the proportion of acidified soils in Sweden but edaphic properties contribute to variations in acidification sensitivity. It is important to consider the acid input due to increases in standing forest biomass in acidification assessments since it is long-term and quantitatively important.Supplementary InformationThe online version contains supplementary material available at 10.1007/s13280-021-01540-y.     

基于神经网络模型对城市空气质量预报方法的优化研究

基于郑州市2017年1月1日—2022年2月28日环境空气细颗粒物(PM_2.5)逐日质量浓度监测数据和同期气象数据,利用反向传播(BP)神经网络构建了环境空气PM_2.5质量浓度预报模型,实现了对郑州市后1日环境空气PM_2.5质量浓度日均值进行预报。构建了考虑大气氧化性因素(情景一)和不考虑大气氧化性因素(情景二)这2种情景,并对2种情景下的预报效果进行评价。结果显示,在情景一下,各季节PM_2.5预报质量浓度与实况质量浓度的标准化平均偏差(NMB)和均方根误差(RMSE)均处于较低水平,表明预报效果均具有较好的稳定性;各季节PM_2.5实况质量浓度与预报质量浓度之间的相关系数(r)、一致性指数(IA)、准确率(Q)和级别预报准确率(G)均处于较高水平,其中Q值均>79%,G值均>80%,表明各季节PM_2.5实况质量浓度与预报质量浓度趋势的吻合程度较高。情景一各季节PM_2.5预报质量浓度与实况质量浓度的NMB和RMSE均低于情景...     

Control Strategy Optimization for Attainment and Exposure Mitigation: Case Study for Ozone in Macon, Georgia

Implementation of more stringent 8-hour ozone standards has led the U.S. Environmental Protection Agency to designate nonattainment status to 474 counties nationwide, many of which had never previously violated air quality standards. As states select emission control measures to achieve attainment in these regions, their choices pose significant implications to local economies and the health of their citizens. Considering a case study of one such nonattainment region, Macon, Georgia, we develop a menu of potential controls that could be implemented locally or in neighboring parts of the state. The control menu offers the potential to control about 20–35% of ozone precursor emissions in most Georgia regions, but marginal costs increase rapidly beyond 15–20%. We link high-order ozone sensitivities with the control menu to identify cost-optimized strategies for achieving attainment and for alternative goals such as reducing spatially averaged or population-weighted ozone concentrations. Strategies targeted toward attainment of Macon ozone would prioritize local reductions of nitrogen oxides, whereas controls in the more densely populated Atlanta region are shown to be more effective for reducing statewide potential population exposure to ozone. A U.S. EPA-sanctioned approach for demonstrating ozone attainment with photochemical models is shown to be highly dependent on the choice of a baseline period and may not foster optimal strategies for assuring attainment and protecting human health.