Sustainability of radiologically contaminated territories.

PubMed

Mück, Konrad

2003-01-01

Decisions on appropriate countermeasures in the case of a contamination of large areas due to fallout from a weapon's detonations or a serious reactor or reprocessing plant accident depend on fallout level and the time period required for the exposure levels to fall below a given intervention limit. This is particularly relevant for countermeasures with high costs and substantial consequences to the population involved, such as relocation or soil perturbation. Natural processes which result in a decrease in activity concentrations in foodstuffs and external exposure with time, are least detrimental to the soil among all countermeasures proposed for rehabilitation of contaminated areas. The impact of these natural self-healing effects (soil sustainability) on the temporal activity reduction in foodstuffs, as well as their effect on the time period required for exposure levels to decrease to sufficiently low levels to allow unrestricted re-utilization and re-settlement of the land, are discussed. Depending on the type of foodstuff, in Central Europe this temporal decrease follows an effective half life of about 0.25-1.3 y from first to second year after fallout, followed by a decrease in milk with an effective half-life of 1-2 y in the next 7 y and about 5 y thereafter, while in cereals and vegetables in Austria a decrease by 2.3 y and in fruit by 1.3 y over a period of more than a decade is observed. In contrast, the decrease in foodstuffs derived from semi-natural environs is much slower by an effective half-life of roughly 8 y. The time-span for adequate recovery of a contaminated territory, therefore, depends on the fallout level and the radionuclides involved and the contribution of natural and semi-natural derived foodstuffs to the diet. It is shown that for 137Cs and a typical Central European diet the time span amounts to about 1 y for a deposition of 300 kBq m(-2) and to about 10 y for a deposition of 10,000 kBq m(-2). Thus it is demonstrated that natural restoration effects may contribute significantly to the environmentally safe and sustainable resettlement of an area substantially contaminated with fission products.

A MODEL BUILDING CODE ARTICLE ON FALLOUT SHELTERS WITH RECOMMENDATIONS FOR INCLUSION OF REQUIREMENTS FOR FALLOUT SHELTER CONSTRUCTION IN FOUR NATIONAL MODEL BUILDING CODES.

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

American Inst. of Architects, Washington, DC.

A MODEL BUILDING CODE FOR FALLOUT SHELTERS WAS DRAWN UP FOR INCLUSION IN FOUR NATIONAL MODEL BUILDING CODES. DISCUSSION IS GIVEN OF FALLOUT SHELTERS WITH RESPECT TO--(1) NUCLEAR RADIATION, (2) NATIONAL POLICIES, AND (3) COMMUNITY PLANNING. FALLOUT SHELTER REQUIREMENTS FOR SHIELDING, SPACE, VENTILATION, CONSTRUCTION, AND SERVICES SUCH AS ELECTRICAL…

Fallout: The experiences of a medical team in the care of a Marshallese population accidently exposed to fallout radiation

DOE Office of Scientific and Technical Information (OSTI.GOV)

Conard, R.A.

1992-09-01

This report presents an historical account of the experiences of the Brookhaven Medical Team in the examination and treatment of the Marshallese people following their accidental exposure to radioactive fallout in 1954. This is the first time that a population has been heavily exposed to radioactive fallout, and even though this was a tragic mishap, the medical findings have provided valuable information for other accidents involving fallout such as the recent reactor accident at Chernobyl. Noteworthy has been the unexpected importance of radioactive iodine in the fallout in producing thyroid abnormalities.

Fallout: The experiences of a medical team in the care of a Marshallese population accidentally exposed to fallout radiation

DOE Office of Scientific and Technical Information (OSTI.GOV)

Conard, R.A.

1991-12-31

This report presents an historical account of the experiences of the Brookhaven Medical team in the examination and treatment of the Marshallese people following their accidental exposure to radioactive fallout in 1954. This is the first time that a population has been heavily exposed to radioactive fallout, and even though this was a tragic mishap, the medical findings have provided valuable information for other accidents involving fallout such as the recent reactor accident at Chernobyl. Particularly important has been the unexpected importance of radioactive iodine in the fallout in producing thyroid abnormalities.

Fallout: The experiences of a medical team in the care of a Marshallese population accidentally exposed to fallout radiation

DOE Office of Scientific and Technical Information (OSTI.GOV)

Conard, R.A.

1991-01-01

This report presents an historical account of the experiences of the Brookhaven Medical team in the examination and treatment of the Marshallese people following their accidental exposure to radioactive fallout in 1954. This is the first time that a population has been heavily exposed to radioactive fallout, and even though this was a tragic mishap, the medical findings have provided valuable information for other accidents involving fallout such as the recent reactor accident at Chernobyl. Particularly important has been the unexpected importance of radioactive iodine in the fallout in producing thyroid abnormalities.

The {sup 129}Iodine bomb pulse recorded in Mississippi River Delta sediments: Results from isotopes of I, Pu, Cs, Pb, and C

DOE Office of Scientific and Technical Information (OSTI.GOV)

Oktay, S.D.; Santschi, P.H.; Moran, J.E.

2000-03-01

Anthropogenic sources from nuclear reprocessing discharges and bomb test fallout have completely overwhelmed the natural signal on the surface of the earth in the last 50 years. However, the transfer functions in and out of environmental compartments are not well known due to temporal variations in the sources of {sup 129}I and to a lack of knowledge regarding the forms of iodine. From a vertical profile of {sup 129}I/{sup 127}I ratios in sediments located in the Mississippi Delta region in approximately 60 meters water depth, the {sup 129}I input function to this region was reconstructed. Dates in the core weremore » assigned based on the plutonium peak at 20 cm depth (assumed to have been deposited in 1963) and the excess {sup 210}Pb profile in the same depth interval, and below that, based on the steadily decreasing {sup 240}Pu/{sup 239}Pu ratios from a ratio of 0.18 at 22 cm to 0.05 at 57 cm depth, the 1953 horizon. Atom ratios of {sup 129}I/{sup 137}I Cs, decay corrected to 1962, the year of maximum radionuclide production, are about 0.3, very close to the production ratios of about 0.2 during atomic bomb tests. This evidence, combined with other observations, strongly suggests that {sup 129}I in Mississippi River Delta sediments originates from atomic bomb fallout eroded from soils of the Mississippi River drainage basin, with little alteration of the isotopic ratios during transport from watershed to coastal deposits. Based on these observations and on laboratory evidence, the authors propose a conceptual model which explains this correspondence and the low {sup 129}I/{sup 127}I ratios. Differences in mobilities of the different chemical forms of {sup 129}I and {sup 127}I, as well as the variances in chemical forms of {sup 129}I from nuclear bomb fallout versus nuclear fuel reprocessing, are proposed to have created such a correspondence between I-isotope ratios and bomb fallout nuclides, without revealing recent inputs from nuclear fuel reprocessing releases to the northern hemisphere observed in watersheds of the USA and Europe.« less

Viscous Particle Breakup within a Cooling Nuclear Fireball

DOE Office of Scientific and Technical Information (OSTI.GOV)

Wilkinson, J. T.; Knight, K. B.; Dai, Z.

2016-10-04

Following the surface detonation of a nuclear weapon, the Earth’s crust and immediate surroundings are drawn into the fireball and form melts. Fallout is formed as these melts incorporate radioactive material from the bomb vapor and cool rapidly. The resultant fallout plume and dispersion of radioactive contamination is a function of several factors including weather patterns and fallout particle shapes and size distributions. Accurate modeling of the size distributions of fallout forms an important data point for dispersion codes that calculate the aerial distribution of fallout. While morphological evidence for aggregation of molten droplets is well documented in fallout glassmore » populations, the breakup of these molten droplets has not been similarly studied. This study documents evidence that quenched fallout populations preserve evidence of molten breakup mechanisms.« less

Personal and Family Survival. Civil Defense Adult Education Course Student Manual.

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Office of Civil Defense (DOD), Washington, DC.

A manual providing general orientation on the subject of United States civil defense is presented. It can serve as a home reference and as a tool for an adult education class. The nine chapters are: U.S. Civil Defense, Modern Weapons and Radioactive Fallout, Public Fallout Shelters, Fallout Shelter Occupancy, Fallout Protection at Home, Community…

Using Principal Component Analysis to Improve Fallout Characterization

DTIC Science & Technology

2017-03-23

between actinide location and elemental composition in fallout from historic atmospheric nuclear weapons testing. Fifty spherical fallout samples were...mathematical approach to solving the complex system of elemental variables while establishing correlations to actinide incorporation within the fallout...1. The double hump curve for uranium-235 showing the effective fission yield by mass number for thermal neutrons. Reproduced with permission from

Planning Guidance for Response to a Nuclear Detonation

DTIC Science & Technology

2009-01-16

Radiation and Fallout One of the primary outputs from a nuclear explosion is radiation . Intense... on the jet streams and have a low-level global impact. Radiation Injuries and Fallout Health Impacts A nuclear explosion will produce dangerous... radiation dose rates based on the quantity of visible fallout. Therefore, visible fallout may possibly be used as an indicator of a direct radiation

Cancer mortality in residents of the terrain-shielded area exposed to fallout from the Nagasaki atomic bombing

PubMed Central

Mine, Mariko; Kondo, Hisayoshi; Matsuda, Naoki; Shibata, Yoshisada; Takamura, Noboru

2018-01-01

Abstract The health effects of radiation exposure from the atomic bomb fallout remain unclear. The objective of the present study is to elucidate the association between low-dose radiation exposure from the atomic bomb fallout and cancer mortality among Nagasaki atomic bomb survivors. Of 77 884 members in the Nagasaki University Atomic Bomb Survivors Cohort, 610 residents in the terrain-shielded area with fallout were selected for this analysis; 1443 residents in the terrain-shielded area without fallout were selected as a control group; and 3194 residents in the direct exposure area were also selected for study. Fifty-two deaths due to cancer in the terrain-shielded fallout area were observed during the follow-up period from 1 January 1970 to 31 December 2012. The hazard ratio for cancer mortality in the terrain-shielded fallout area was 0.90 (95% confidence interval: 0.65–1.24). No increase in the risk of cancer mortality was observed, probably because the dose of the radiation exposure was low for residents in the terrain-shielded fallout areas of the Nagasaki atomic bomb, and also because the number of study subjects was small. PMID:29036510

Fallout risk following a major nuclear attack on the United States.

PubMed

Harvey, T F; Shapiro, C S; Wittler, R F

1992-01-01

Fallout distributions are calculated for nuclear attacks on the contiguous United States. Four attack scenarios are treated, including counterforce and counterforce-countervalue attacks, for meteorological conditions associated with a typical day in summer and one in winter. The countervalue attacks contain mostly airbursts. To determine fallout effects, the population surviving the prompt effects is first calculated. For the prompt effects, a "conflagration-type" model is used. The counterforce attack produces about 8 million prompt deaths, and the counterforce-countervalue case projects 98 million prompt deaths. Partial relocation before attack to low-risk fallout areas at least 15 km from potential strategic targets would result in a decrease in projections of deaths by tens of millions. For fallout risk calculations, only the dose received in the first 48 h (the early or local fallout) is considered. Populations are assumed to be sheltered, with a shelter protection factor profile that varies for a large urban area, a small urban area, or a rural area. With these profiles, without relocation, the fallout fatalities for all four attack scenarios are calculated to be less than one million people. This can be compared to fallout fatalities of about 10 million for a hypothetical unsheltered "phantom" population.

Transfer factors and effective half-lives of (134)Cs and (137)Cs in different environmental sample types obtained from Northern Finland: case Fukushima accident.

PubMed

Koivurova, Matias; Leppänen, Ari-Pekka; Kallio, Antti

2015-08-01

The Fukushima NPP accident caused a small but detectable cesium fallout in northern Finland, of the order of 1 Bq/m(2). This fallout transferred further to soil, water, flora and fauna. By using modern HPGe detector systems traces of (134)Cs from the Fukushima fallout were observed in various samples of biota. In northern Finland different types of environmental samples such as reindeer meat, berries, fish, lichens and wolf were collected during 2011-2013. The observed (134)Cs concentrations varied from 0.1 Bq/kg to a few Bq/kg. By using the known (134)Cs/(137)Cs ratio observed in Fukushima fallout the increase of the Fukushima accident to the (137)Cs concentrations was found to vary from 0.06 % to 6.9 % depending on the sample type. The aggregated transfer factors (Tag) and effective half-lives (Teff) for (134)Cs and (137)Cs were also determined and then compared with known values found from earlier studies which are calculated based on the fallout from the Chernobyl accident. Generally, the Tag and Teff values determined in this study were found to agree with the values found in the earlier studies. The Teff values were sample-type specific and were found to vary from 0.91 to 2.1 years for (134)Cs and the estimates for (137)Cs ranged between 1.6 and 19 years. Interestingly, the ground lichens had the longest Teff whereas the beard lichen had the shortest. In fauna, highest Tag values were determined for wolf meat ranging between 1.0 and 2.2 m(2)/kg. In flora, the highest Tag values were determined for beard lichens, ranging from 1.9 m(2)/kg to 3.5 m(2)/kg. Copyright © 2015 Elsevier Ltd. All rights reserved.

Queen Maud Land Traverses: Surface Glaciology (Invited)

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Cameron, R. L.

2009-12-01

One of the main tasks of a glaciologist is to determine the mass budget of a glacier; and snow accumulation is the first part of the equation. To do this, a great number of snow pits must be dug to analyze the stratigraphy. A. P. Crary once said “to be a glaciologist one should first of all love to dig snow pits.” Seventy-five snow pits were dug on the SPQMLT traverses. Several experienced glaciologists had difficulty in interpreting the stratigraphic sequences in these pits. Irregular layering, caused by uneven deposition and subsequent erosion, suggested that some of the layers could be missing. However, the fallout of artificial radioactive nuclides released by the first large thermonuclear bomb test, on March 1, 1954, at Castle Bravo on Bikini Atoll, Marshall Islands, produced a datum horizon over the Antarctic ice sheet. This horizon is the summer of 1954-55 and provides the basis for measuring the average accumulation since 1955. Accumulation varied from 6.7 ± 0.2 g cm-2 yr-1 at South Pole Station to a low of 0.6 ± 0.2 g cm-2 yr-1 in a pit on the second leg of SPQMLT 2. The average accumulation along the entire traverse route was 3.7 g cm-2 yr-1. Temperatures at ten meters (considered an approximate mean annual air temperature) varied from -58.4 degrees Centigrade at Plateau Station (elevation 3620 meters) to -38 degrees Centigrade at the terminus of SPQMLT 3 (elevation 2310 meters). The condition of the ice sheet surface varied considerably. Some surface was quite hard and easy to traverse; while other areas that were smooth and soft were troublesome enough to bog down vehicles and sleds. Sastrugi were sporadic with some as high as a meter. A large crevasse field forced a slight change in course toward the end of the first leg of SPQMLT 2. There the ice thickness changed dramatically from 3060 meters to 1852 meters. At the time the geophysicist said, “The ‘bottom’ came up so fast I thought we would hit a nunatak.”

Estimating Fallout Building Attributes from Architectural Features and Global Earthquake Model (GEM) Building Descriptions

DOE Office of Scientific and Technical Information (OSTI.GOV)

Dillon, Michael B.; Kane, Staci R.

A nuclear explosion has the potential to injure or kill tens to hundreds of thousands (or more) of people through exposure to fallout (external gamma) radiation. Existing buildings can protect their occupants (reducing fallout radiation exposures) by placing material and distance between fallout particles and individuals indoors. Prior efforts have determined an initial set of building attributes suitable to reasonably assess a given building’s protection against fallout radiation. The current work provides methods to determine the quantitative values for these attributes from (a) common architectural features and data and (b) buildings described using the Global Earthquake Model (GEM) taxonomy. Thesemore » methods will be used to improve estimates of fallout protection for operational US Department of Defense (DoD) and US Department of Energy (DOE) consequence assessment models.« less

Long-Term Consequences of Radioactive Fallout From Conflicts Involving Nuclear Explosions

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Simon, S. L.; Bouville, A.

2006-12-01

This presentation will summarize past exposures of the public to radioactive fallout from nuclear testing and extrapolate to the possible fallout-related consequences from detonation of multiple warheads that might accompany international conflicts. Long-term consequences could be of three distinct types: (1) the abandonment of living areas that might be heavily contaminated; (2) the necessity to curtail use of particular agricultural products and foods, and (3) life-shortening due to increased rates of cancer and possibly some non-cancer diseases among the exposed populations. While the actual health and economic impact on the surviving public after such conflicts could vary tremendously depending on the number and sizes of explosions (fission yields), height of detonations, and the public's proximity to explosion sites, it is clear that multiple detonations would disperse radioactive products over large geographic areas. Our understanding of radioactive fallout is based on studies carried out for more than five decades on weapons testing fallout that originated from sites worldwide including Nevada, the Soviet Union, four locations in the Pacific, and elsewhere. Those studies have led to an understanding of the composition of radioactive fallout, of its radioactive qualities, and of its capacity to contaminate ground and agricultural products, as well as dwellings and workplaces located from a few km to tens of thousands of km from the explosion site. Though the most severe individual health consequences from exposure to fallout would most likely develop relatively close to the detonation sites (within a few hundred km), wide geographic distribution of fallout, well beyond the borders of the nations involved in the conflict, would affect much larger populations and would likely cause elevated cancer rates and cancer-related deaths among them for many decades following. While acute radiation symptoms (and even death) can result from very high short-term exposures (on the order of a few thousand times the annual dose from natural background radiation), the increase in the long-term rate of cancer development as a result of lower, chronic exposures due to the contamination of the habitat and of the dietary foodstuffs, will pose very difficult scientific, economic, political, and societal problems. Most areas close to sites of detonation (i.e., within about 1000 km) would be primarily impacted by radionuclides with shorter half-lives (i.e., less than 2 months), e.g., Zirconium-95, Niobium-95, Iodine-131, Iodine-132, Iodine-133, Barium-140, Lanthanum-140, and Strontium-89. Conversely, most areas at further distances would be primarily impacted by radionuclides with longer half-lives, e.g., Strontium-90 and Cesium-137 (each with half-lives of 30 years). Contaminating radionuclides with very long half-lives, e.g., Plutonium-239, which has a half-life of 24,000 years, will almost never limit habitation despite widespread fear of them.

Cancer mortality in residents of the terrain-shielded area exposed to fallout from the Nagasaki atomic bombing.

PubMed

Yokota, Kenichi; Mine, Mariko; Kondo, Hisayoshi; Matsuda, Naoki; Shibata, Yoshisada; Takamura, Noboru

2018-01-01

The health effects of radiation exposure from the atomic bomb fallout remain unclear. The objective of the present study is to elucidate the association between low-dose radiation exposure from the atomic bomb fallout and cancer mortality among Nagasaki atomic bomb survivors. Of 77 884 members in the Nagasaki University Atomic Bomb Survivors Cohort, 610 residents in the terrain-shielded area with fallout were selected for this analysis; 1443 residents in the terrain-shielded area without fallout were selected as a control group; and 3194 residents in the direct exposure area were also selected for study. Fifty-two deaths due to cancer in the terrain-shielded fallout area were observed during the follow-up period from 1 January 1970 to 31 December 2012. The hazard ratio for cancer mortality in the terrain-shielded fallout area was 0.90 (95% confidence interval: 0.65-1.24). No increase in the risk of cancer mortality was observed, probably because the dose of the radiation exposure was low for residents in the terrain-shielded fallout areas of the Nagasaki atomic bomb, and also because the number of study subjects was small. © The Author 2017. Published by Oxford University Press on behalf of The Japan Radiation Research Society and Japanese Society for Radiation Oncology.

Fallout risk following a major nuclear attack on the United States

DOE Office of Scientific and Technical Information (OSTI.GOV)

Harvey, T.F.; Shapiro, C.S.; Wittler, R.F.

Fallout distributions are calculated for nuclear attacks on the contiguous United States. Four attack scenarios are treated, including counterforce and counterforce-countervalue attacks, for meteorological conditions associated with a typical day in summer and one in winter. The countervalue attacks contain mostly airbursts. To determine fallout effects, the population surviving the prompt effects is first calculated. For the prompt effects, a 'conflagration-type' model is used. The counterforce attack produces about 8 million prompt deaths, and the counterforce-countervalue case projects 98 million prompt deaths. Partial relocation before attack to low-risk fallout areas at least 15 km from potential strategic targets would resultmore » in a decrease in projections of deaths by tens of millions. For fallout risk calculations, only the dose received in the first 48 h (the early or local fallout) is considered. Populations are assumed to be sheltered, with a shelter protection factor profile that varies for a large urban area, a small urban area, or a rural area. With these profiles, without relocation, the fallout fatalities for all four attack scenarios are calculated to be less than one million people. This can be compared to fallout fatalities of about 10 million for a hypothetical unsheltered 'phantom' population.« less

239Pu fallout across continental Australia: Implications on 239Pu use as a soil tracer.

PubMed

Lal, R; Fifield, L K; Tims, S G; Wasson, R J

2017-11-01

At present there is a need for the development of new radioisotopes for soil erosion and sediment tracing especially as fallout 137 Cs levels become depleted. Recent studies have shown that 239 Pu can be a useful new soil erosion and sediment radioisotope tracer. 239 Pu was released in the major atmospheric nuclear weapons tests of 1950's and 1960's. However 239 Pu has a half-life of 24110 years and more than 99% of this isotope is still present in the environment today. In contrast 137 Cs with a half-life of 30.07 year has decayed to <35% of initially deposited activities and this isotope will become increasingly difficult to measure in the coming decades especially in the southern hemisphere, which received only about a third of the total global fallout from the atmospheric tests (UNSCEAR, 2000). In this study an assessment of the 239 Pu fallout in Australia was carried out from comparison of measured 239 Pu inventories with expected 239 Pu inventories from fallout models. 239 Pu inventories were also compared with rainfall and measured 240 Pu/ 239 Pu ratios across Australia. 239 Pu fallout inventories ranged from 430 to 1461 μB/cm 2 . Central Australia, with fallout 107% in excess of expected values, seems to be strongly impacted by local fallout deposition. In comparison other sites typically show 5-40% variation between expected and measured fallout values. The fallout inventories were found to weakly correlate (using power functions, y = ax b ) with rainfall with r 2  = 0.50 across the southern catchments (25-40°S latitude band). Across the northern catchments (10-25°S latitude band) fallout showed greater variability with rainfall with r 2  = 0.24. Central Australia and Alice Springs which seem to be strongly impacted by local fallout are excluded from the rainfall correlation data (with these sites included r 2  = 0.08 and r 2  < 0.01 respectively). 240 Pu/ 239 Pu atom ratios range from 0.045 to 0.197, with averages of 0.139(0.017), 0.111(0.052) and 0.160(0.027) in the 10-20°S, 20-30°S and 30-40°S latitude bands respectively. The 240 Pu/ 239 Pu atom ratios in Central Australia (0.069) likely represent fallout from the Australian tests which also have low 240 Pu/ 239 Pu atom ratios i.e., Maralinga (0.113) and Montebello (0.045). The average ratios in the 20-30°S and 30-40° bands are closer to the global average (0.139 and 0.177 respectively when not including the close-in fallout data from the nuclear test sites) if the Australian test sites and Central Australian sites are neglected as they clearly represent the effects of close in fallout. Copyright © 2017 Elsevier Ltd. All rights reserved.

Predictions of dispersion and deposition of fallout from nuclear testing using the NOAA-HYSPLIT meteorological model.

PubMed

Moroz, Brian E; Beck, Harold L; Bouville, André; Simon, Steven L

2010-08-01

The NOAA Hybrid Single-Particle Lagrangian Integrated Trajectory Model (HYSPLIT) was evaluated as a research tool to simulate the dispersion and deposition of radioactive fallout from nuclear tests. Model-based estimates of fallout can be valuable for use in the reconstruction of past exposures from nuclear testing, particularly where little historical fallout monitoring data are available. The ability to make reliable predictions about fallout deposition could also have significant importance for nuclear events in the future. We evaluated the accuracy of the HYSPLIT-predicted geographic patterns of deposition by comparing those predictions against known deposition patterns following specific nuclear tests with an emphasis on nuclear weapons tests conducted in the Marshall Islands. We evaluated the ability of the computer code to quantitatively predict the proportion of fallout particles of specific sizes deposited at specific locations as well as their time of transport. In our simulations of fallout from past nuclear tests, historical meteorological data were used from a reanalysis conducted jointly by the National Centers for Environmental Prediction (NCEP) and the National Center for Atmospheric Research (NCAR). We used a systematic approach in testing the HYSPLIT model by simulating the release of a range of particle sizes from a range of altitudes and evaluating the number and location of particles deposited. Our findings suggest that the quantity and quality of meteorological data are the most important factors for accurate fallout predictions and that, when satisfactory meteorological input data are used, HYSPLIT can produce relatively accurate deposition patterns and fallout arrival times. Furthermore, when no other measurement data are available, HYSPLIT can be used to indicate whether or not fallout might have occurred at a given location and provide, at minimum, crude quantitative estimates of the magnitude of the deposited activity. A variety of simulations of the deposition of fallout from atmospheric nuclear tests conducted in the Marshall Islands (mid-Pacific), at the Nevada Test Site (U.S.), and at the Semipalatinsk Nuclear Test Site (Kazakhstan) were performed. The results of the Marshall Islands simulations were used in a limited fashion to support the dose reconstruction described in companion papers within this volume.

PREDICTIONS OF DISPERSION AND DEPOSITION OF FALLOUT FROM NUCLEAR TESTING USING THE NOAA-HYSPLIT METEOROLOGICAL MODEL

PubMed Central

Moroz, Brian E.; Beck, Harold L.; Bouville, André; Simon, Steven L.

2013-01-01

The NOAA Hybrid Single-Particle Lagrangian Integrated Trajectory Model (HYSPLIT) was evaluated as a research tool to simulate the dispersion and deposition of radioactive fallout from nuclear tests. Model-based estimates of fallout can be valuable for use in the reconstruction of past exposures from nuclear testing, particularly, where little historical fallout monitoring data is available. The ability to make reliable predictions about fallout deposition could also have significant importance for nuclear events in the future. We evaluated the accuracy of the HYSPLIT-predicted geographic patterns of deposition by comparing those predictions against known deposition patterns following specific nuclear tests with an emphasis on nuclear weapons tests conducted in the Marshall Islands. We evaluated the ability of the computer code to quantitatively predict the proportion of fallout particles of specific sizes deposited at specific locations as well as their time of transport. In our simulations of fallout from past nuclear tests, historical meteorological data were used from a reanalysis conducted jointly by the National Centers for Environmental Prediction (NCEP) and the National Center for Atmospheric Research (NCAR). We used a systematic approach in testing the HYSPLIT model by simulating the release of a range of particles sizes from a range of altitudes and evaluating the number and location of particles deposited. Our findings suggest that the quantity and quality of meteorological data are the most important factors for accurate fallout predictions and that when satisfactory meteorological input data are used, HYSPLIT can produce relatively accurate deposition patterns and fallout arrival times. Furthermore, when no other measurement data are available, HYSPLIT can be used to indicate whether or not fallout might have occurred at a given location and provide, at minimum, crude quantitative estimates of the magnitude of the deposited activity. A variety of simulations of the deposition of fallout from atmospheric nuclear tests conducted in the Marshall Islands, at the Nevada Test Site (USA), and at the Semipalatinsk Nuclear Test Site (Kazakhstan) were performed using reanalysis data composed of historic meteorological observations. The results of the Marshall Islands simulations were used in a limited fashion to support the dose reconstruction described in companion papers within this volume. PMID:20622555

Inferring the chemical form of 137Cs deposited by the Fukushima Dai-ichi Nuclear Power Plant accident by measuring (137)Cs incorporated into needle leaves and male cones of Japanese cedar trees.

PubMed

Kanasashi, Tsutomu; Takenaka, Chisato; Sugiura, Yuki

2016-05-15

We hypothesized that the water-soluble (ionic) and water-insoluble (stable) radiocesium from the initial fallout of the Fukushima Dai-ichi Nuclear Power Plant (FDNPP) accident was distributed in various proportions in the surrounding areas and that this distribution was reflected in the trees that suffered deposition from the initial fallout. This study attempted to evaluate local variations in the chemical form of (137)Cs derived from the initial fallout of the FDNPP accident and whether its chemical form affected the radiocesium concentration in the tissues currently growing in trees, even after the initial fallout ceased. For these estimations, the ratio between the (137)Cs concentration in Cryptomeria japonica needle leaves in the tree crown, which existed before the FDNPP accident and subsequently directly exposed to the initial fallout ((137)Cs pre-accident N), and the amount of (137)Cs in the initial fallout itself ((137)Cs fallout) was determined ((137)Cs pre-accident N/(137)Cs fallout) at 66 sites. In addition, the (137)Cs ratios between the male cones produced in 2012 ((137)Cs male cone) and needle leaves that had elongated in the spring of 2011 ((137)Cs 2011N) was determined at 82 sites ((137)Cs male cone/(137) Cs 2011N). Most of the sites with lower (137)Cs pre-accident N /(137)Cs fallout ratios were distributed in eastern Fukushima, relatively close to the Pacific Ocean coastline. Lower (137)Cs pre-accident N/(137)Cs fallout and higher (137)Cs malecone/(137)Cs 2011N were found to be associated with higher proportions of (137)Cs in ionic forms. These observations are consistent with the hypothesis, and likely reflect regional variations in the chemical form of the deposited radiocesium. Copyright © 2016 Elsevier B.V. All rights reserved.

Monitoring distant fallout: the role of the Atomic Energy Commission Health and Safety Laboratory during the Pacific tests, with special attention to the events following BRAVO.

PubMed

Eisenbud, M

1997-07-01

The fallout from test BRAVO in March 1954 has had scientific, political, and social implications that have continued for more than 40 years. The test resulted in serious injury to the people of the Marshall Islands and 23 men on a nearby Japanese fishing boat. Prior to BRAVO there was insufficient appreciation of the dangers of fallout to people living downwind from surface or near-surface explosions of megaton weapons. In the absence of sufficient preplanning for fallout monitoring beyond the test-sites of earlier smaller yield tests, and as a result of the concern of the photographic film manufacturers, the Atomic Energy Commission Health and Safety Laboratory, now the Department of Energy Environmental Measurements Laboratory, was requested to develop a program of fallout surveillance. Beginning with Operation IVY in 1952, these surveys included aerial monitoring of the islands of the mid and western Pacific, as well as establishment of fallout monitoring stations in the United States and abroad. The first evidence of the post-BRAVO fallout was detected by a Atomic Energy Commission Health and Safety Laboratory instrument installed on the atoll of Rongerik, where 28 military personnel were stationed. The results of radiation surveys conducted immediately after BRAVO, as well as the reports of medical investigations, radioecological studies, and dose reconstruction that have been conducted by many laboratories over the years have been available from the beginning in unclassified form. However, from the time of the fallout, and continuing to the present, there have been many unanswered questions about what happened during the hours immediately after the fallout was reported. No formal investigation of the circumstances of the fallout was ever conducted, and there were serious misrepresentations of the facts in the official statements made at the time.

When the dust settles: stable xenon isotope constraints on the formation of nuclear fallout.

PubMed

Cassata, W S; Prussin, S G; Knight, K B; Hutcheon, I D; Isselhardt, B H; Renne, P R

2014-11-01

Nuclear weapons represent one of the most immediate threats of mass destruction. In the event that a procured or developed nuclear weapon is detonated in a populated metropolitan area, timely and accurate nuclear forensic analysis and fallout modeling would be needed to support attribution efforts and hazard assessments. Here we demonstrate that fissiogenic xenon isotopes retained in radioactive fallout generated by a nuclear explosion provide unique constraints on (1) the timescale of fallout formation, (2) chemical fractionation that occurs when fission products and nuclear fuel are incorporated into fallout, and (3) the speciation of fission products in the fireball. Our data suggest that, in near surface nuclear tests, the presence of a significant quantity of metal in a device assembly, combined with a short time allowed for mixing with the ambient atmosphere (seconds), may prevent complete oxidation of fission products prior to their incorporation into fallout. Xenon isotopes thus provide a window into the chemical composition of the fireball in the seconds that follow a nuclear explosion, thereby improving our understanding of the physical and thermo-chemical conditions under which fallout forms. Copyright © 2014 Elsevier Ltd. All rights reserved.

Fallout from Nuclear Tests.

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Comar, C. L.

This booklet, in the series "Understanding the Atom," summarizes the important findings on radioactive fallout for which there is substantial scientific agreement, indicates the areas of disagreement, and lists some answered questions. Sources of fallout, its local and worldwide effects (including movement in the atmosphers), the…

Fallout sup 131 I in western Nevada cattle thyroid glands: 1962-early 1969

DOE Office of Scientific and Technical Information (OSTI.GOV)

Blincoe, C.; Bohman, V.R.

1991-10-01

There has been continuing interest in historical fallout data. The authors have previously published data concerning the concentrations of fallout radioactive {sup 131}I in the thyroid glands of cattle from the Nevada Test Site and from commercial slaughter cattle. These data showed that bovine thyroid {sup 131}I was an effective monitor of both local and worldwide fresh nuclear fallout. This paper extends the data on commercial slaughter cattle from western Nevada through early 1969.

Laboratory Study of Airborne Fallout Particles and Their Time Distribution.

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Smith, H. A., Jr.; And Others

1979-01-01

Samples of filtered airborne particulate, collected daily for the first month after the September 18, 1977 Chinese nuclear detonation, showed fourteen fission products. Fluctuations in the daily fallout activity levels suggested a global fallout orbit time of approximately twenty days. (Author/BB)

Dual-core mass-balance approach for evaluating mercury and210Pb atmospheric fallout and focusing to lakes

USGS Publications Warehouse

Van Metre, P.C.; Fuller, C.C.

2009-01-01

Determining atmospheric deposition rates of mercury and other contaminants using lake sediment cores requires a quantitative understanding of sediment focusing. Here we present a novel approach that solves mass-balance equations for two cores algebraically to estimate contaminant contributions to sediment from direct atmospheric fallout and from watershed and in-lake focusing. The model is applied to excess 210Pb and Hg in cores from Hobbs Lake, a high-altitude lake in Wyoming. Model results for excess 210Pb are consistent with estimates of fallout and focusing factors computed using excess 210Pb burdens in lake cores and soil cores from the watershed and model results for Hg fallout are consistent with fallout estimated using the soil-core-based 210Pb focusing factors. The lake cores indicate small increases in mercury deposition beginning in the late 1800s and large increases after 1940, with the maximum at the tops of the cores of 16-20 ??g/m 2year. These results suggest that global Hg emissions and possibly regional emissions in the western United States are affecting the north-central Rocky Mountains. Hg fallout estimates are generally consistent with fallout reported from an ice core from the nearby Upper Fremont Glacier, but with several notable differences. The model might not work for lakes with complex geometries and multiple sediment inputs, but for lakes with simple geometries, like Hobbs, it can provide a quantitative approach for evaluating sediment focusing and estimating contaminant fallout.

Sources and transport of anthropogenic radionuclides in the Ob River system, Siberia

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Cochran, J. Kirk; Moran, S. Bradley; Fisher, Nicholas S.; Beasley, Thomas M.; Kelley, James M.

2000-06-01

The potential sources of anthropogenic radionuclides to the Ob River system of western Siberia include global stratospheric fallout, tropospheric fallout from atomic weapons tests and releases from production and reprocessing facilities. Samples of water, suspended and bottom sediments collected in 1994 and 1995 have been used to characterize the sources and transport of 137Cs, Pu isotopes, 237Np and 129I through the system. For the radionuclides that associate with particles, isotope ratios provide clues to their sources, providing any geochemical fractionation can be taken into account. Activity ratios of 239,240Pu/ 137Cs in suspended sediments are lower than the global fallout ratio in the Irtysh River before its confluence with the Ob, comparable to fallout in the central reach of the Ob, and greater than the fallout values in the lower Ob and in the Taz River. This pattern mirrors the downriver decrease in dissolved organic carbon (DOC) concentrations. Laboratory adsorption experiments with Ob River sediment and water show that Kd values for Am (and presumably other actinides) are depressed by two orders of magnitude in the presence of Ob DOC concentrations, relative to values measured in DOC-free Ob water. Iodine and cesium Kd values show little or no (less than a factor of 2) dependence on DOC. Mixing plots using plutonium isotope ratios (atom ratios) show that Pu in suspended sediments of the Ob is a mixture of stratospheric global fallout at northern latitudes, tropospheric fallout from the former Soviet Union test site at Semipalatinsk and reprocessing of spent fuel at Tomsk-7. Plutonium from Semipalatinsk is evident in the Irtysh River above its confluence with the Tobal. Suspended sediment samples taken in the Ob above its confluence with the Irtysh indicate the presence of Pu derived from the Tomsk-7 reprocessing facilities. A mixing plot constructed using 237Np/ 239Pu vs. 240Pu/ 239Pu shows similar mixtures of stratospheric and tropospheric fallout, with the likely addition of inputs from reprocessing facilities and reactor operations. As with Pu/Cs ratios, Np/Pu ratios could be modified by differential geochemical behaviors of Np and Pu. Dissolved 129I only weakly interacts with particles in the Ob; size-fractionated sampling shows that the colloidal 129I fraction (defined as 1 kDa-0.2 μm) contains generally <5% relative to that passing a 0.2 μm filter. Iodine-129 concentrations decrease from 8.3×10 9 to 0.65×10 9 atoms l -1 through the Ob system toward the Kara Sea, with highest values in the Tobal River and lowest in the Taz River. The likely source of the elevated 129I in the Tobal is release from the production-reprocessing facilities at Mayak, and decreases downriver are predominantly due to dilution as the various tributaries with low 129I join the system. Fluxes of 129I to the lower Ob at Salekhard are <1% of the releases of this radionuclide from the nuclear fuel reprocessing facilities at Sellafield, UK and La Hague, France.

Federal Guidance Report No. 6: Revised Fallout Estimates for 1964-1965 and Verification of the 1963 Predictions

EPA Pesticide Factsheets

The purposes of this report is to compare, make more precise estimates about the predictions made as to the levels of fallout, and evaluate the validity of the prediction procedures when they are applied to a changing fallout situation.

DUAL USE OF SCHOOL FALLOUT SHELTER SPACE.

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

SAYERS, JOHN

THIS REPORT DISCUSSES CONSIDERATIONS IN THE USE OF FALLOUT SHELTER SPACE FOR NORMAL SCHOOL ACTIVITIES, INCLUDING THE REQUIREMENTS FOR FALLOUT SHELTERS AND PROBLEMS RELATED TO WINDOWLESS ROOMS. THE PRESENT LACK OF INFORMATION ABOUT PSYCHOLOGICAL PROBLEMS RELATED TO WINDOWLESS ROOMS IS MENTIONED. THE BEST USES FOR WINDOWLESS SPACE ARE NOTED--(1)…

Federal Guidance Report No. 4: Estimates and Evaluation of Fallout in the United States from Nuclear Weapons Testing Conducted Through 1962

EPA Pesticide Factsheets

This Federal Radiation Council report includes a full study and analysis of fallout expected in 1963 from nuclear testing that occurred in the past. This report covers fallout expected from Soviet and United States tests through 1962.

Redistribution of fallout radionuclides in Enewetak Atoll lagoon sediments by callianassid bioturbation.

PubMed

McMurtry, G M; Schneider, R C; Colin, P L; Buddemeier, R W; Suchanek, T H

The lagoon sediments of Enewetak Atoll in the Marshall Islands contain a large selection of fallout radionuclides as a result of 43 nuclear weapon tests conducted there between 1948 and 1958. Studies of the burial of fallout radionuclides have been conducted on the islands and in several of the large craters, but studies of their vertical distribution have been limited to about the upper 20 cm of the lagoon sediments. We have found elevated fallout radionuclide concentrations buried more deeply in the lagoon sediments and evidence of burrowing into the sediment by several species of callianassid ghost shrimp (Crustacea: Thalassinidea) which has displaced highly radioactive sediment. The burrowing activities of callianassids, which are ubiquitous on the lagoon floor, facilitate radionuclide redistribution and complicate the fallout radionuclide inventory of the lagoon.

PROJECTED LIFETIME CANCER RISKS FROM EXPOSURE TO REGIONAL RADIOACTIVE FALLOUT IN THE MARSHALL ISLANDS

PubMed Central

Land, Charles E.; Bouville, Andre; Apostoaei, Iulian; Simon, Steven L.

2013-01-01

Radioactive fallout from nuclear test detonations during 1946–1958 at Bikini and Enewetak atolls in the Marshall Islands (MI) exposed populations living elsewhere in the archipelago. A comprehensive analysis, presented in seven companion papers, has produced estimates of tissue-specific radiation absorbed dose to MI residents at all historically inhabited atolls from internal (ingested) and external radioactive components of fallout, by calendar year, and by age of the population at time of exposure. The present report deals, for the first time, with the implications of these doses on cancer risk among exposed members of the MI population. Radiation doses differed by geographic location and year of birth, and radiation-related cancer risk depends upon age at exposure and age at observation for risk. Using dose-response models based on committee reports published by the National Research Council and the National Institutes of Health, we project that, during the lifetimes of members of the MI population potentially exposed to ionizing radiation from weapons test fallout deposited during the testing period (1948–1958) and from residual radioactive sources during the subsequent 12 years (1959–1970), perhaps 1.6% (with 90% uncertainty range 0.4% and 3.4%) of all cancers might be attributable to fallout-related radiation exposures. The projected proportion of cancers attributable to radiation from fallout from all nuclear tests conducted in the Marshall Islands is 55% (28%–69%) among 82 persons exposed in 1954 on Rongelap and Ailinginae, 10% (2%–22%) for 157 persons exposed on Utrik, and 2% (0.5%–5%) and 1% (0.2%–2%), respectively, for the much larger populations exposed in mid-latitude locations including Kwajalein and in southern locations including Majuro. By cancer type, point estimates of attributable risk varied by location, between 12% and 95% for thyroid cancer, between 2% and 78% for leukemia, and between 1% and 55% for all cancers combined. The largest projected risks pertain to the Rongelap Island community and the lowest risks pertain to the populations resident on the southern-most atolls. While the projected cancer risks are smaller than those estimated by the National Cancer Institute in simplistic analyses conducted in 2004, these estimates of cancer risk are the best available as they are based on the most detailed dose reconstruction to date and comprehensively include populations at all locations and dose contributions from all nuclear tests. PMID:20622551

Projected lifetime cancer risks from exposure to regional radioactive fallout in the Marshall Islands.

PubMed

Land, Charles E; Bouville, André; Apostoaei, Iulian; Simon, Steven L

2010-08-01

Radioactive fallout from nuclear test detonations during 1946-1958 at Bikini and Enewetak Atolls in the Marshall Islands (MI) exposed populations living elsewhere in the MI archipelago. A comprehensive analysis, presented in seven companion papers, has produced estimates of tissue-specific radiation absorbed dose to MI residents at all historically inhabited atolls from internal (ingested) and external irradiation resulting from exposure to radioactive fallout, by calendar year, and by age of the population at time of exposure. The present report deals, for the first time, with the implications of these doses for cancer risk among exposed members of the MI population. Radiation doses differed by geographic location and year of birth, and radiation-related cancer risk depends upon age at exposure and age at observation for risk. Using dose-response models based on committee reports published by the National Research Council and the National Institutes of Health, we project that, during the lifetimes of members of the MI population potentially exposed to ionizing radiation from weapons test fallout deposited during the testing period (1948-1958) and from residual radioactive sources during the subsequent 12 y (1959-1970), perhaps 1.6% (with 90% uncertainty range 0.4% to 3.4%) of all cancers might be attributable to fallout-related radiation exposures. By sub-population, the projected proportion of cancers attributable to radiation from fallout from all nuclear tests conducted in the Marshall Islands is 55% (28% to 69%) among 82 persons exposed in 1954 on Rongelap and Ailinginae, 10% (2.4% to 22%) for 157 persons exposed on Utrik, and 2.2% (0.5% to 4.8%) and 0.8% (0.2% to 1.8%), respectively, for the much larger populations exposed in mid-latitude locations including Kwajalein and in southern locations including Majuro. By cancer type, point estimates of attributable risk varied, by location, between 12% and 95% for thyroid cancer, between 2% and 78% for leukemia, and between 0.8% and 55% for all cancers combined. The largest projected risks pertain to the Rongelap Island community and the lowest risks pertain to the populations resident on the southern-most atolls. While the projected cancer risks are smaller than those estimated by the National Cancer Institute in a more simplistic analysis conducted in 2004, these estimates of cancer risk are the best available as they are based on the most detailed dose reconstruction to date and comprehensively include populations at all locations and dose contributions from all nuclear tests.

Plutonium segregation in glassy aerodynamic fallout from a nuclear weapon test

DOE PAGES

Holliday, K. S.; Dierken, J. M.; Monroe, M. L.; ...

2017-01-11

Our study combines electron microscopy equipped with energy dispersive spectroscopy to probe major element composition and autoradiography to map plutonium in order to examine the spatial relationships between plutonium and fallout composition in aerodynamic glassy fallout from a nuclear weapon test. We interrogated a sample set of 48 individual fallout specimens in order to reveal that the significant chemical heterogeneity of this sample set could be described compositionally with a relatively small number of compositional endmembers. Furthermore, high concentrations of plutonium were never associated with several endmember compositions and concentrated with the so-called mafic glass endmember. Our result suggests thatmore » it is the physical characteristics of the compositional endmembers and not the chemical characteristics of the individual component elements that govern the un-burnt plutonium distribution with respect to major element composition in fallout.« less

Preliminary volcano-hazard assessment for Akutan Volcano east-central Aleutian Islands, Alaska

USGS Publications Warehouse

Waythomas, Christopher F.; Power, John A.; Richter, Donlad H.; McGimsey, Robert G.

1998-01-01

Akutan Volcano is a 1100-meter-high stratovolcano on Akutan Island in the east-central Aleutian Islands of southwestern Alaska. The volcano is located about 1238 kilometers southwest of Anchorage and about 56 kilometers east of Dutch Harbor/Unalaska. Eruptive activity has occurred at least 27 times since historical observations were recorded beginning in the late 1700?s. Recent eruptions produced only small amounts of fine volcanic ash that fell primarily on the upper flanks of the volcano. Small amounts of ash fell on the Akutan Harbor area during eruptions in 1911, 1948, 1987, and 1989. Plumes of volcanic ash are the primary hazard associated with eruptions of Akutan Volcano and are a major hazard to all aircraft using the airfield at Dutch Harbor or approaching Akutan Island. Eruptions similar to historical Akutan eruptions should be anticipated in the future. Although unlikely, eruptions larger than those of historical time could generate significant amounts of volcanic ash, fallout, pyroclastic flows, and lahars that would be hazardous to life and property on all sectors of the volcano and other parts of the island, but especially in the major valleys that head on the volcano flanks. During a large eruption an ash cloud could be produced that may be hazardous to aircraft using the airfield at Cold Bay and the airspace downwind from the volcano. In the event of a large eruption, volcanic ash fallout could be relatively thick over parts of Akutan Island and volcanic bombs could strike areas more than 10 kilometers from the volcano.

Building Protection Against External Ionizing Fallout Radiation

DOE Office of Scientific and Technical Information (OSTI.GOV)

Dillon, Michael B.; Homann, Steven G.

A nuclear explosion has the potential to injure or kill tens to hundreds of thousands of people through exposure to fallout (external gamma) radiation. Existing buildings can protect their occupants (reducing external radiation exposures) by placing material and distance between fallout particles and indoor individuals. This protection is not well captured in current fallout risk assessment models and so the US Department of Defense is implementing the Regional Shelter Analysis methodology to improve the ability of the Hazard Prediction and Assessment Capability (HPAC) model to account for building protection. This report supports the HPAC improvement effort by identifying a setmore » of building attributes (next page) that, when collectively specified, are sufficient to calculate reasonably accurate, i.e., within a factor of 2, fallout shelter quality estimates for many individual buildings. The set of building attributes were determined by first identifying the key physics controlling building protection from fallout radiation and then assessing which building attributes are relevant to the identified physics. This approach was evaluated by developing a screening model (PFscreen) based on the identified physics and comparing the screening model results against the set of existing independent experimental, theoretical, and modeled building protection estimates. In the interests of transparency, we have developed a benchmark dataset containing (a) most of the relevant primary experimental data published by prior generations of fallout protection scientists as well as (b) the screening model results.« less

Vertical migration of plutonium-239 + -240, americium-241 and caesium-137 fallout in a forest soil under spruce.

PubMed

Bunzl, K; Kracke, W; Schimmack, W

1992-03-01

The vertical activity distributions of fallout 238Pu, 239+240Pu, 241Am, 134Cs and 137Cs in a forest soil (Hapludult) were determined at several locations in a spruce stand separately according to their origin (global fallout or Chernobyl fallout). To determine the rate of migration of these radionuclides in each soil horizon, the observed depth profiles of the radionuclides were evaluated with a compartment model. In the top organic horizons (LOf1 and Of2), the migration rates for all radionuclides from both sources were above 0.5 cm per year. In the Oh horizon the migration rates observed for global fallout Pu, Am and Cs were similar (0.2-0.4 cm per year). Compared with Pu, however, the mobility of Am is slightly, but statistically significantly, enhanced. The highest rate in this layer was found for Chernobyl-derived radiocaesium (2 cm per year). In the layers of the mineral horizon (depth 0-2, 2-5 and 5-10 cm) the observed migration rates were very similar for global fallout Pu (0.08-0.7 cm per year) and Am (0.1-2 cm per year). In comparison, the migration rate of global fallout radiocaesium was about half in each layer. The highest rate was observed again for Chernobyl-derived radiocaesium (0.5-3 cm per year).

Cesium-137 Fallout in Indiana Soil

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Whitman, Richard T.

2017-01-01

Atomic weapons testing during the Cold War and accidents at nuclear power plants have resulted in the release of radioactive fallout over great distances. Little is known about levels of fallout deposited in Indiana. The reported study sampled soil in all 92 Indiana counties to determine the present level of cesium-137 from the 2 to 12 centimeter…

Analysis of actinides in an ombrotrophic peat core - evidence of post-depositional migration of fallout radionuclides

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Quinto, Francesca; Hrnecek, Erich; Krachler, Michael; Shotyk, William; Steier, Peter; Winkler, Stephan R.

2013-04-01

Plutonium (239Pu, 240Pu, 241Pu, 242Pu) and uranium (236U, 238U) isotopes were analyzed in an ombrotrophic peat core from the Black Forest, Germany, representing the last 80 years of atmospheric deposition. The reliable determination of these isotopes at ultra-trace levels was possible using ultra-clean laboratory procedures and accelerator mass spectrometry. The 240Pu/239Pu isotopic ratios are constant along the core with a mean value of 0.19 ±0.02 (N = 32). This result is consistent with the acknowledged average 240Pu/239Pu isotopic ratio from global fallout in the Northern Hemisphere. The global fallout origin of Pu is confirmed by the corresponding 241Pu/239Pu (0.0012 ±0.0005) and 242Pu/239Pu (0.004 ± 0.001) isotopic ratios. The identification of the Pu isotopic composition characteristic for global fallout in peat layers pre-dating the period of atmospheric atom bomb testing (AD 1956 - AD 1980) is a clear evidence of the migration of Pu downwards the peat profile. The maximum of global fallout derived 236U is detected in correspondence to the age/depth layer of maximum stratospheric fallout (AD 1963). This finding demonstrates that the 236U bomb peak can be successfully used as an independent chronological marker complementing the 210Pb dating of peat cores. The profiles of the global fallout derived 236U and 239Pu are compared with those of 137Cs and 241Am. As typical of ombrothrophic peat, the temporal fallout pattern of 137Cs is poorly retained. Similarly like for Pu, post-depositional migration of 241Am in peat layers preceding the era of atmospheric nuclear tests is observed.

Assessing the long-term probabilistic volcanic hazard for tephra fallout in Reykjavik, Iceland: a preliminary multi-source analysis

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Tonini, Roberto; Barsotti, Sara; Sandri, Laura; Tumi Guðmundsson, Magnús

2015-04-01

Icelandic volcanism is largely dominated by basaltic magma. Nevertheless the presence of glaciers over many Icelandic volcanic systems results in frequent phreatomagmatic eruptions and associated tephra production, making explosive eruptions the most common type of volcanic activity. Jökulhlaups are commonly considered as major volcanic hazard in Iceland for their high frequency and potentially very devastating local impact. Tephra fallout is also frequent and can impact larger areas. It is driven by the wind direction that can change with both altitude and season, making impossible to predict a priori where the tephra will be deposited during the next eruptions. Most of the volcanic activity in Iceland occurs in the central eastern part, over 100 km to the east of the main population centre around the capital Reykjavík. Therefore, the hazard from tephra fallout in Reykjavík is expected to be smaller than for communities settled near the main volcanic systems. However, within the framework of quantitative hazard and risk analyses, less frequent and/or less intense phenomena should not be neglected, since their risk evaluation depends on the effects suffered by the selected target. This is particularly true if the target is highly vulnerable, as large urban areas or important infrastructures. In this work we present the preliminary analysis aiming to perform a Probabilistic Volcanic Hazard Assessment (PVHA) for tephra fallout focused on the target area which includes the municipality of Reykjavík and the Keflavík international airport. This approach reverts the more common perspective where the hazard analysis is focused on the source (the volcanic system) and it follows a multi-source approach: indeed, the idea is to quantify, homogeneously, the hazard due to the main hazardous volcanoes that could pose a tephra fallout threat for the municipality of Reykjavík and the Keflavík airport. PVHA for each volcanic system is calculated independently and the results from all the PVHAs can be combined at the end. This will allow to: 1) possibly add the contribution of new volcanic systems, 2) compare and hierarchically rank the tephra fallout risk among both all the considered volcanoes and, possibly, other kinds of risk, and 3) quantitatively assess the overall tephra fallout hazard over the target area. As practical application, we selected a first subset consisting of the five most hazardous volcanic systems for tephra fallout that could affect the selected target area. These are the ones with the highest number of eruptions in the last 1100 years (Katla, Hekla, Grímsvötn) and the ones located closest to the target area (Reykjanes and Snæfellsjökull). PVHA is computed using the PyBetVH tool (an improvement of the Bayesian Event Tree for Volcanic Hazard -BET_VH- model) and tephra dispersal is modelled by means of VOL-CALPUFF numerical code. Katla volcanic system is used as pilot case study because of its eruptive history and behaviour are well known and documented. We found that some considerations and results derived from the study of Katla could be general and applied to the other considered volcanoes and, more in general, to other Icelandic volcanic systems. The work was financially supported by the European Science Foundation (ESF), in the framework of the Research Networking Programme MeMoVolc.

RESULTS OF COMPUTATIONS MADE FOR DASA-USNRDL FALLOUT SYMPOSIUM

DOE Office of Scientific and Technical Information (OSTI.GOV)

Read, R.; Wagner, L.; Moorehead, E.

1962-11-01

The regression techniques introduced by the Civil Defense Research Project for estimating fallout particle deposition coordinates, their standard ellipses, and isointensity contours have been applied to some of the homework problems assigned for the DASA-USNRDL Fallout Symposium. The results are reported and the estimates are contrasted with estimates based on the assumption that winds are invariant with time. (auth).

Equipment Level Fallout Radiation Effects Approach

DTIC Science & Technology

1989-02-10

Electromagnetic Pulse (EMP) mitigation Program to evaluate and, where possible, mitigate the effects of the nuclear attack. Fallout radiation has been identified as an environment which may effect the performance of the regional and national telecommunication system. This report presents the investigations in the network level fallout radiation methodology used to determine the effects of this environment. Alternative techniques are presented to improve the

The influence of a fire-induced convection column on radiological fallout patterns

Treesearch

A. Broido; A.W. McMasters

1959-01-01

Since no nuclear devices have been detonated by the United States under conditions leading to both mass fires and radiological fallout, a theoretical and small-scale experimental study was undertaken to see if fire-induced convection columns could significantly affect fallout patterns. Experiments were conducted in a 6- by 6-foot low-velocity wind tunnel using full-...

Linus Pauling and the scientific debate over fallout hazards.

PubMed

Jolly, J Christopher

2002-12-01

From 1954 to 1963, numerous scientists engaged in a public debate over the possible hazards from radioactive fallout from nuclear weapons testing. Nobel laureate Linus Pauling, a California Institute of Technology chemist, was one of the most prominent. His scientific papers relating to the fallout debate reveal many of the scientific, social and political issues involved in the controversy. Although the public controversy ended after the signing of the 1963 Limited Test Ban Treaty, many of the scientific questions about the possible hazards of low-level radiation remain under debate within the scientific community. Moreover, the fallout debate was a prototype of current controversies over environmental and public-health hazards.

Review of current nuclear fallout codes.

PubMed

Auxier, Jerrad P; Auxier, John D; Hall, Howard L

2017-05-01

The importance of developing a robust nuclear forensics program to combat the illicit use of nuclear material that may be used as an improvised nuclear device is widely accepted. In order to decrease the threat to public safety and improve governmental response, government agencies have developed fallout-analysis codes to predict the fallout particle size, dose, and dispersion and dispersion following a detonation. This paper will review the different codes that have been developed for predicting fallout from both chemical and nuclear weapons. This will decrease the response time required for the government to respond to the event. Copyright © 2017 The Authors. Published by Elsevier Ltd.. All rights reserved.

Cesium-137 Fallout in Indiana Soil

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Whitman, Richard T.

Atomic weapons testing during the Cold War and accidents at nuclear power plants have resulted in the release of radioactive fallout over great distances. Little is known about levels of fallout deposited in Indiana. The reported study sampled soil in all 92 Indiana counties to determine the present level of cesium-137 from the 2 to 12 centimeter depth from previous nuclear tests and other nuclear releases. A total of 67 samples were collected from forested areas and 25 from grasslands, both undisturbed since 1940, along with four controls from crawl spaces. Greater Cs-137 retention occurred in the forested areas at approximately a 2:1 ratio. Other parameters investigated included soil clay content, rate of rainfall, and soil pH. Each variable was examined for possible statistical correlation with Cs-137 retention. Both clay content and combined clay content/rainfall were significantly (p < 0.05) correlated with soil Cs-137 levels. The four controls showed very low values of Cs-137 indicating the movement of sub-micron sized fallout into areas considered safe from fallout. The Cs-137 data from this study will serve as a reliable baseline of Cs-137 levels in the event of a future release of fallout.

Regional Shelter Analysis Methodology

DOE Office of Scientific and Technical Information (OSTI.GOV)

Dillon, Michael B.; Dennison, Deborah; Kane, Jave

2015-08-01

The fallout from a nuclear explosion has the potential to injure or kill 100,000 or more people through exposure to external gamma (fallout) radiation. Existing buildings can reduce radiation exposure by placing material between fallout particles and exposed people. Lawrence Livermore National Laboratory was tasked with developing an operationally feasible methodology that could improve fallout casualty estimates. The methodology, called a Regional Shelter Analysis, combines the fallout protection that existing buildings provide civilian populations with the distribution of people in various locations. The Regional Shelter Analysis method allows the consideration of (a) multiple building types and locations within buildings, (b)more » country specific estimates, (c) population posture (e.g., unwarned vs. minimally warned), and (d) the time of day (e.g., night vs. day). The protection estimates can be combined with fallout predictions (or measurements) to (a) provide a more accurate assessment of exposure and injury and (b) evaluate the effectiveness of various casualty mitigation strategies. This report describes the Regional Shelter Analysis methodology, highlights key operational aspects (including demonstrating that the methodology is compatible with current tools), illustrates how to implement the methodology, and provides suggestions for future work.« less

Alimentary Tract Absorption (f1 Values) for Radionuclides in Local and Regional Fallout from Nuclear Tests

PubMed Central

Ibrahim, Shawki; Simon, Steven L; Bouville, André; Melo, Dunstana; Beck, Harold

2009-01-01

This paper presents gastrointestinal absorption fractions (f1 values) for estimating internal doses from local and regional fallout radionuclides due to nuclear tests. The choice of f1 values are based on specific circumstances of weapons test conditions and a review of reported f1 values for elements in different physical and chemical states. Special attention is given to fallout from nuclear tests conducted at the Marshall Islands. We make a distinction between the f1 values for intakes of radioactive materials immediately after deposition (acute intakes) and intakes that occur in the course of months and years after deposition, following incorporation into terrestrial and aquatic foodstuffs (chronic intakes). Multiple f1 values for different circumstances where persons are exposed to radioactive fallout (e.g. local vs. regional fallout and coral vs. continental tests) are presented when supportive information is available. In some cases, our selected f1 values are similar to those adopted by the ICRP (e.g. iodine and most actinides). However, f1 values for cesium and strontium derived from urine bioassay data of the Marshallese population are notably lower than the generic f1 values recommended by ICRP, particularly for acute intakes from local fallout (0.4 and 0.05 for Cs and Sr, respectively. The f1 values presented here form the first complete set of values relevant to realistic dose assessments for exposure to local or regional radioactive fallout. PMID:20622554

Alimentary tract absorption (f1 values) for radionuclides in local and regional fallout from nuclear tests.

PubMed

Ibrahim, Shawki A; Simon, Steven L; Bouville, André; Melo, Dunstana; Beck, Harold L

2010-08-01

This paper presents gastrointestinal absorption fractions (f1 values) for estimating internal doses from local and regional fallout radionuclides due to nuclear tests. The choice of f1 values are based on specific circumstances of weapons test conditions and a review of reported f1 values for elements in different physical and chemical states. Special attention is given to fallout from nuclear tests conducted at the Marshall Islands. We make a distinction between the f1 values for intakes of radioactive materials immediately after deposition (acute intakes) and intakes that occur in the course of months and years after deposition, following incorporation into terrestrial and aquatic foodstuffs (chronic intakes). Multiple f1 values for different circumstances where persons are exposed to radioactive fallout (e.g., local vs. regional fallout and coral vs. continental tests) are presented when supportive information is available. In some cases, our selected f1 values are similar to those adopted by the International Commission on Radiological Protection (ICRP) (e.g., iodine and most actinides). However, f1 values for cesium and strontium derived from urine bioassay data of the Marshallese population are notably lower than the generic f1 values recommended by ICRP, particularly for acute intakes from local fallout (0.4 and 0.05 for Cs and Sr, respectively). The f1 values presented here form the first complete set of values relevant to realistic dose assessments for exposure to local or regional radioactive fallout.

Planning Guidance for Response to a Nuclear Detonation

DTIC Science & Technology

2009-01-16

Radiation and Fallout One of the primary outputs from a nuclear explosion is radiation . Intense radiation is...dose rates based on the quantity of visible fallout. Therefore, visible fallout may possibly be used as an indicator of a direct radiation hazard...to survivors and response workers.15 The National Council on Radiation Protection and Measurements (NCRP) has recommended 10 R/hour (R/hour) as a

Designing Shelter in New Buildings. A Manual for Architects on the Preliminary Designing of Shielding from Fallout Gamma Radiation in Normally Functioning Spaces in New Buildings.

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Knott, Albert

Analysis of radiation fallout prevention factors in new construction is presented with emphasis on architectural shielding principles. Numerous diagrams and charts illustrate--(1) radiation and fallout properties, (2) building protection principles, (3) details and planning suggestions, and (4) tabular data interpretation. A series of charts is…

Distribution, Characteristics, and Biotic Availability of Fallout, Operation Plumbbob

DTIC Science & Technology

1957-10-01

hours. Balloon mounted detonations produced fallout debris of higher water and acid solubility than did tower mounted detonations. The percentage of Sr89...of these radLoelements in fallout debris from balloon detonations than from tower detonations. The amounts of water- soluble Ba140 and Sr89, 90...99 5.3.1 Magnetic Properties ........................ 99 5.3.2 Solubility .............................. 100 5.3.2.1

Acidification of lakes in Canada by acid precipitation and the resulting effects on fishes

Treesearch

Richard J. Beamish

1976-01-01

There are several areas in Canada that could receive acidic fallout. Only in the area that produces Canada's largest single source of sulfur oxides has there been appreciable research. In the Sudbury region of Ontario, Canada, fallout of sulfur oxides has been shown to be responsible for damage to vegetation, lakes and fishes. The acidic fallout has been shown to...

Tephra Fallout Hazard Assessment for VEI5 Plinian Eruption at Kuju Volcano, Japan, Using TEPHRA2

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Tsuji, Tomohiro; Ikeda, Michiharu; Kishimoto, Hiroshi; Fujita, Koji; Nishizaka, Naoki; Onishi, Kozo

2017-06-01

Tephra fallout has a potential impact on engineered structures and systems at nuclear power plants. We provide the first report estimating potential accumulations of tephra fallout as big as VEI5 eruption from Kuju Volcano and calculated hazard curves at the Ikata Power Plant, using the TEPHRA2 computer program. We reconstructed the eruptive parameters of Kj-P1 tephra fallout deposit based on geological survey and literature review. A series of parameter studies were carried out to determine the best values of empirical parameters, such as diffusion coefficient and the fall time threshold. Based on such a reconstruction, we represent probabilistic analyses which assess the variation in meteorological condition, using wind profiles extracted from a 22 year long wind dataset. The obtained hazard curves and probability maps of tephra fallout associated to a Plinian eruption were used to discuss the exceeding probability at the site and the implications of such a severe eruption scenario.

DELFIC: Department of Defense Fallout Prediction System. Volume I - Fundamentals

DTIC Science & Technology

1979-12-31

102 H2590D. DTIC•;. 17.) 1 i{1•ELECT ’ Prepared for " JAUG 2 ? 1980 Director DEFENSE NUCLEAR AGENCY B Wai’hington, D. C. 20305 808 1O8x Destroy this...2 1. INTRODUCTION AND OVERVIEW -- --- - -------------- - --- ---- 7 2. INITIALIZATION AND CLOUD RISE...61 6 1. INTRODUCTION AND OVERVIEW DELFIC (DEfense Land Fallout Interpretative Code) is intended for re- search in local nuclear fallout

Fallout Protection in School Construction. Proceedings, Association of School Business Officials of the United States and Canada (49th, Denver, Colorado, November 3-8, 1963).

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Roembke, James E.

Discussion of the effects of nuclear weapons and consequent radiation fallout precedes justification of the need for fallout shelters. Competition for the design of an elementary school with a population of 300-500 and an emergency population of 600-1000 is then described. Criteria and requirements are detailed. The winning entries illustrate…

New isotopic evidence of lead contamination in wheat grain from atmospheric fallout.

PubMed

Yang, Jun; Chen, Tongbin; Lei, Mei; Zhou, Xiaoyong; Huang, Qifei; Ma, Chuang; Gu, Runyao; Guo, Guanghui

2015-10-01

Crops could accumulate trace metals by soil-root transfer and foliar uptake from atmospheric fallout, and an accurate assessment of pollution sources is a prerequisite for preventing heavy metal pollution in agricultural products. In this study, we examined Pb isotope rates to trace the sources of Pb in wheat grain grown in suburbs. Results showed that, even in zones with scarcely any air pollution spots, atmospheric fallout was still a considerable source of Pb accumulation in wheat. The concentration of Pb in wheat grain has poor correlation with that in farm soil. The Pb concentration in wheat grains with dust in bran coat was significantly higher than that in wheat grains, which indicates that Pb may accumulate by foliar uptake. The Pb isotope rate has obvious differences between the soil and atmospheric fallout, and scatter ratio is significantly closer between the wheat grain and atmospheric fallout. Atmospheric fallout is a more significant source of Pb concentration in wheat grains than in soil. As far as we know, this is the first study on the main sources of lead in grain crop (wheat) samples with isotope. This study aims to improve our understanding of the translocation of foliar-absorbed metals to nonexposed parts of plants.

Fallout Deposition in the Marshall Islands from Bikini and Enewetak Nuclear Weapons Tests

PubMed Central

Beck, Harold L.; Bouville, André; Moroz, Brian E.; Simon, Steven L.

2009-01-01

Deposition densities (Bq m-2) of all important dose-contributing radionuclides occurring in nuclear weapons testing fallout from tests conducted at Bikini and Enewetak Atolls (1946-1958) have been estimated on a test-specific basis for all the 31 atolls and separate reef islands of the Marshall Islands. A complete review of various historical and contemporary data, as well as meteorological analysis, was used to make judgments regarding which tests deposited fallout in the Marshall Islands and to estimate fallout deposition density. Our analysis suggested that only 20 of the 66 nuclear tests conducted in or near the Marshall Islands resulted in substantial fallout deposition on any of the 25 inhabited atolls. This analysis was confirmed by the fact that the sum of our estimates of 137Cs deposition from these 20 tests at each atoll is in good agreement with the total 137Cs deposited as estimated from contemporary soil sample analyses. The monitoring data and meteorological analyses were used to quantitatively estimate the deposition density of 63 activation and fission products for each nuclear test, plus the cumulative deposition of 239+240Pu at each atoll. Estimates of the degree of fractionation of fallout from each test at each atoll, as well as of the fallout transit times from the test sites to the atolls were used in this analysis. The estimates of radionuclide deposition density, fractionation, and transit times reported here are the most complete available anywhere and are suitable for estimations of both external and internal dose to representative persons as described in companion papers. PMID:20622548

Fallout deposition in the Marshall Islands from Bikini and Enewetak nuclear weapons tests.

PubMed

Beck, Harold L; Bouville, André; Moroz, Brian E; Simon, Steven L

2010-08-01

Deposition densities (Bq m(-2)) of all important dose-contributing radionuclides occurring in nuclear weapons testing fallout from tests conducted at Bikini and Enewetak Atolls (1946-1958) have been estimated on a test-specific basis for 32 atolls and separate reef islands of the Marshall Islands. A complete review of various historical and contemporary data, as well as meteorological analysis, was used to make judgments regarding which tests deposited fallout in the Marshall Islands and to estimate fallout deposition density. Our analysis suggested that only 20 of the 66 nuclear tests conducted in or near the Marshall Islands resulted in substantial fallout deposition on any of the 23 inhabited atolls. This analysis was confirmed by the fact that the sum of our estimates of 137Cs deposition from these 20 tests at each atoll is in good agreement with the total 137Cs deposited as estimated from contemporary soil sample analyses. The monitoring data and meteorological analyses were used to quantitatively estimate the deposition density of 63 activation and fission products for each nuclear test, plus the cumulative deposition of 239+240Pu at each atoll. Estimates of the degree of fractionation of fallout from each test at each atoll, as well as of the fallout transit times from the test sites to the atolls were used in this analysis. The estimates of radionuclide deposition density, fractionation, and transit times reported here are the most complete available anywhere and are suitable for estimations of both external and internal dose to representative persons as described in companion papers.

The application of retrospective luminescence dosimetry in areas affected by fallout from the semipalatinsk nuclear test site: an evaluation of potential.

PubMed

Bailiff, I K; Stepanenko, V F; Göksu, H Y; Jungner, H; Balmukhanov, S B; Balmukhanov, T S; Khamidova, L G; Kisilev, V I; Kolyado, I B; Kolizshenkov, T V; Shoikhet, Y N; Tsyb, A F

2004-12-01

Luminescence retrospective dosimetry techniques have been applied with ceramic bricks to determine the cumulative external gamma dose due to fallout, primarily from the 1949 test, in populated regions lying NE of the Semipalatinsk Nuclear Test Site in Altai, Russia, and the Semipalatinsk region, Kazakhstan. As part of a pilot study, nine settlements were examined, three within the regions of highest predicted dose (Dolon in Kazakshstan; Laptev Log and Leshoz Topolinskiy in Russia) and the remainder of lower predicted dose (Akkol, Bolshaya Vladimrovka, Kanonerka, and Izvestka in Kazakshstan; Rubtsovsk and Kuria in Russia) within the lateral regions of the fallout trace due to the 1949 test. The settlement of Kainar, mainly affected by the 24 September 1951 nuclear test, was also examined. The bricks from this region were found to be generally suitable for use with the luminescence method. Estimates of cumulative absorbed dose in air due to fallout for Dolon and Kanonerka in Kazakshstan and Leshoz Topolinskiy were 475 +/- 110 mGy, 240 +/- 60 mGy, and 230 +/- 70 mGy, respectively. The result obtained in Dolon village is in agreement with published calculated estimates of dose normalized to Cs concentration in soil. At all the other locations (except Kainar) the experimental values of cumulative absorbed dose obtained indicated no significant dose due to fallout that could be detected within a margin of about 25 mGy. The results demonstrate the potential suitability of the luminescence method to map variations in cumulative dose within the relatively narrow corridor of fallout distribution from the 1949 test. Such work is needed to provide the basis for accurate dose reconstruction in settlements since the predominance of short-lived radionuclides in the fallout and a high degree of heterogeneity in the distribution of fallout are problematic for the application of conventional dosimetry techniques.

Accuracy of acoustic velocity metering systems for measurement of low velocity in open channels

USGS Publications Warehouse

Laenen, Antonius; Curtis, R. E.

1989-01-01

Acoustic velocity meter (AVM) accuracy depends on equipment limitations, the accuracy of acoustic-path length and angle determination, and the stability of the mean velocity to acoustic-path velocity relation. Equipment limitations depend on path length and angle, transducer frequency, timing oscillator frequency, and signal-detection scheme. Typically, the velocity error from this source is about +or-1 to +or-10 mms/sec. Error in acoustic-path angle or length will result in a proportional measurement bias. Typically, an angle error of one degree will result in a velocity error of 2%, and a path-length error of one meter in 100 meter will result in an error of 1%. Ray bending (signal refraction) depends on path length and density gradients present in the stream. Any deviation from a straight acoustic path between transducer will change the unique relation between path velocity and mean velocity. These deviations will then introduce error in the mean velocity computation. Typically, for a 200-meter path length, the resultant error is less than one percent, but for a 1,000 meter path length, the error can be greater than 10%. Recent laboratory and field tests have substantiated assumptions of equipment limitations. Tow-tank tests of an AVM system with a 4.69-meter path length yielded an average standard deviation error of 9.3 mms/sec, and the field tests of an AVM system with a 20.5-meter path length yielded an average standard deviation error of a 4 mms/sec. (USGS)

Actinide Isotope Ratios Measured by Resonance Ionization Mass Spectrometry: Optimization of Ionization Schemes and Demonstration Using Nuclear Fallout

DTIC Science & Technology

2017-12-01

Massive particles arrive later than lighter particles. The uncertainty in the time of the ions formation and the distance travelled results in the...response, including the time for reviewing instruction, searching existing data sources, gathering and maintaining the data needed, and completing and...9 2. The Time -Dependent Schrödinger Equation ............................12 3. Stimulated Excitation to Bound States

Reconstruction and analysis of cesium-137 fallout deposition patterns in the Marshall Islands

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Whitcomb, Robert Cleckley, Jr.

Estimates of 137Cs deposition due to fallout originating from nuclear weapons testing in the Marshall Islands have been made for several locations in the Marshall Islands. These retrospective estimates were based primarily on historical exposure rate and gummed film measurements. The methods used to reconstruct these deposition estimates are specific for six of the Pacific tests. These methods are also similar to those used in the National Cancer Institute study for reconstructing 131I deposition from the Nevada Test Site. Reconstructed cumulative deposition estimates are validated against contemporary measurements of 137Cs concentration in soil. This validation work also includes an accounting for estimated global fallout contributions. These validations show that the overall geometric bias in predicted-to-observed (P/O) ratios is 1.0 (indicating excellent agreement). The 5th and 95th percentile range of this distribution is 0.35--2.95. The P/O ratios for estimates using historical gummed film measurements tend to slightly over-predict more than estimates using exposure rate measurements. The methods produce reasonable estimates of deposition confirming that radioactive fallout occurred at atolls further south of the four northern atolls recognized by the Department of Energy as being affected by fallout. The deposition estimate methods, supported by the very good agreement between estimates and measurements, suggest that these methods can be used for other weapons testing fallout radionuclides with confidence.

Medical examination of Rongelap people six months after exposure to fallout

DOE Office of Scientific and Technical Information (OSTI.GOV)

Bond, V.P.; Conard, R.A.; Robertson, J.S.

1955-04-01

Follow-up medical examinations were made of the Marshallese inhabitants of Rongelap Atoll 6 months after they had been exposed to atomic bomb fallout radiation during the Operation CASTLE test series in March, 1954. During the early acute period following exposure, these people had shown systemic effects and marked hematological changes resulting from penetrating gamma radiation; extensive superficial skin lesions and epilation associated principally with beta and soft gamma radiation from fallout material deposited on uncovered skin areas; and minimal internal contamination with fission products, resulting principally from ingestion of fallout material. At the time of the 6-month resurvey the individuals,more » in general, appeared healthy and normally active, and no deaths had occurred in the interim period. Chest X-rays of all individuals revealed no abnormalities ascribable to the fallout radiation. Analysis of hematological data obtained failed to demonstrate a significant effect of measles on the peripheral blood count. Neutrophile, lymphocyte, and platelet counts were not significantly different from counts taken on the 74th post-exposure day, and none of these values had returned to control levels.« less

Preliminary evaluation of crisis-relocation fallout-shelter options. Volume 2. Detailed analysis

DOE Office of Scientific and Technical Information (OSTI.GOV)

Santini, D.J.; Clinch, J.M.; Davis, F.H.

1982-12-01

This report presents a preliminary, detailed evaluation of various shelter options for use if the President orders crisis relocation of the US urban population because of strong expectation of a nuclear war. The availability of livable shelter space at 40 ft/sup 2/ per person (congregate-care space) by state is evaluated. Options are evaluated for construction of fallout shelters allowing 10 ft/sup 2/ per person - such shelters are designed to provide 100% survival at projected levels of radioactive fallout. The FEMA concept of upgrading existing buildings to act as fallout shelters can, in principle, provide adequate shelter throughout most ofmore » the US. Exceptions are noted and remedies proposed. In terms of upgrading existing buildings to fallout shelter status, great benefits are possible by turning away from a standard national approach and adopting a more site-specific approach. Existing FEMA research provides a solid foundation for successful crisis relocation planning, but the program can be refined by making suitable modifications in its locational, engineering, and institutionally specific elements.« less

Operation REDWING. Project 2.64. Fallout Location and Delineation by Aerial Surveys.

DTIC Science & Technology

Fallout, *Gamma rays, *Radioactive contamination, Ocean environments, Nuclear explosion testing, Surveys, Sampling, Airborne, Surface burst, Sea water, Dose rate, Ocean surface, Coral reefs, Marshall Islands

Haz-Map Glossary

MedlinePlus

... lung. Radiation Accident Large-scale accidents from atomic bomb testing fallout released iodine-131 and strontium-90. ... lung. Radiation Accident Large-scale accidents from atomic bomb testing fallout released iodine-131 and strontium-90. ...

Strontium-90 deposition in New York City.

PubMed

Volchok, H L

1967-06-16

Measurements of strontium-90 deposited in New York City over the past 12 years make for broader understanding of the fallout phenomenon. The data indicate a stratospheric half-residence time of 8 to 10 months. The seasonal oscillation of strontium-90 fallout is very symmetrical and consistent from year to year and completely independent of the timing and magnitude of nuclear tests. The predicted fallout of strontium-90 in 1970 is less than 1 percent of that during the peak year 1963.

ANTS (FORMICA RUFA) AS POSSIBLE INDICATORS FOR RADIOACTIVE FALLOUT (in French)

DOE Office of Scientific and Technical Information (OSTI.GOV)

Chauvin, R.; Courtois, G.; Anguenot, F.

1963-01-01

A measurement of the radioactivity of anthills was made, and the results lead to the conclusion that the radioactivity is found in the ants and not in the anthills themselves. An examination of the gamma spectrum shows an apparent period of 38 days. It is suggested that the ants fix the fallout by a mechanism in direct connection with their habit of sampling the sugar excretion of tree aphis. The impontance of ants as fallout detectors cannot be evaluated as yet. (J.S.R.)

7 CFR 760.2 - Definitions.

Code of Federal Regulations, 2012 CFR

2012-01-01

... Control Act (15 U.S.C. 2602). (h) Nuclear Radiation or Fallout means contamination from nuclear radiation... nuclear radiation or fallout in such whole milk by tests made by a public agency or under a testing...

7 CFR 760.2 - Definitions.

Code of Federal Regulations, 2011 CFR

2011-01-01

... Control Act (15 U.S.C. 2602). (h) Nuclear Radiation or Fallout means contamination from nuclear radiation... nuclear radiation or fallout in such whole milk by tests made by a public agency or under a testing...

7 CFR 760.2 - Definitions.

Code of Federal Regulations, 2013 CFR

2013-01-01

... Control Act (15 U.S.C. 2602). (h) Nuclear Radiation or Fallout means contamination from nuclear radiation... nuclear radiation or fallout in such whole milk by tests made by a public agency or under a testing...

7 CFR 760.2 - Definitions.

Code of Federal Regulations, 2014 CFR

2014-01-01

... Control Act (15 U.S.C. 2602). (h) Nuclear Radiation or Fallout means contamination from nuclear radiation... nuclear radiation or fallout in such whole milk by tests made by a public agency or under a testing...

137Cs in soil and fallout around Zagreb (Croatia) at the time of the Fukushima accident.

PubMed

Šoštarić, Marko; Petrinec, Branko; Babić, Dinko

2013-12-01

This paper addresses the noticeable increase of 137Cs activity concentrations in soil and fallout in the area surrounding Zagreb (Croatia) that occurred at the time of the 2011 Fukushima accident. This topic is important for public health as 137Cs is highly toxic due to its long half-life of radioactive decay and chemical similarity to potassium. 137Cs concentrations in fallout were much greater than in soil, but remained present longer in the latter. While being detectable in our measurements, 137Cs did not spread through the food chain in amounts exceeding the maximum allowed level of radioactive food contamination. However, more thorough and consistent measurements need to be done in order to establish the precise activity trends of 137Cs in Zagreb soil and fallout.

Attraction of Hawaiian seabirds to lights: conservation efforts and effects of moon phase

USGS Publications Warehouse

Telfer, T.C.; Sincock, J.L.; Byrd, G.V.; Reed, J.R.

1987-01-01

Increased urban lighting on Kauai Island, Hawaii, has resulted in new problems for threatened and endangered procellariiform birds. Between 1978 and 1985,11,767 Kewell's shearwaters, 38 dark-rumped petrels, and 8 band-rumped storm petrels were attracted to bright urban lights, struck unseen objects, and fell to the ground. A salvage effort involving public cooperation and government-run 'aid stations' has returned 90% of these birds to the wild. Nightly fallout of seabirds was significantly reduced during the full moon, but fallout increased as the new moon approached. The heaviest fallout occurred in urban coastal areas, particularly at river mouths. More than 97% of the fallout involved fledgling birds apparently leaving their mountain nesting grounds for the first time. Less than 1%of these birds were recovered again on subsequent nights.

Plutonium Isotopes in the Terrestrial Environment at the Savannah River Site, USA. A Long-Term Study

DOE PAGES

Armstrong, Christopher R.; Nuessle, Patterson R.; Brant, Heather A.; ...

2015-01-16

This work presents the findings of a long term plutonium study at Savannah River Site (SRS) conducted between 2003 and 2013. Terrestrial environmental samples were obtained at Savannah River National Laboratory (SRNL) in A-area. Plutonium content and isotopic abundances were measured over this time period by alpha spectrometry and three stage thermal ionization mass spectrometry (3STIMS). Here we detail the complete sample collection, radiochemical separation, and measurement procedure specifically targeted to trace plutonium in bulk environmental samples. Total plutonium activities were determined to be not significantly above atmospheric global fallout. However, the 238Pu/ 239+240Pu activity ratios attributed to SRS aremore » above atmospheric global fallout ranges. The 240Pu/ 239Pu atom ratios are reasonably consistent from year to year and are lower than fallout, while the 242Pu/ 239Pu atom ratios are higher than fallout values. Overall, the plutonium signatures obtained in this study reflect a mixture of weapons-grade, higher burn-up, and fallout material. This study provides a blue print for long term low level monitoring of plutonium in the environment.« less

Extension of 239+240Pu sediment geochronology to coarse-grained marine sediments

USGS Publications Warehouse

Kuehl, Steven A.; Ketterer, Michael E.; Miselis, Jennifer L.

2012-01-01

Sediment geochronology of coastal sedimentary environments dominated by sand has been extremely limited because concentrations of natural and bomb-fallout radionuclides are often below the limit of measurement using standard techniques. ICP-MS analyses of 239+240Pu from two sites representative of traditionally challenging (i.e., low concentration) environments provide a "proof of concept" and demonstrate a new application for bomb-fallout radiotracers in the study of sandy shelf-seabed dynamics. A kasten core from the New Zealand shelf in the Southern Hemisphere (low fallout), and a vibracore from the sandy nearshore of North Carolina (low particle surface area) both reveal measurable 239+240Pu activities at depth. In the case of the New Zealand site, independently verified steady-state sedimentation results in a 239+240Pu profile that mimics the expected atmospheric fallout. The depth profile of 239+240Pu in the North Carolina core is more uniform, indicating significant sediment resuspension, which would be expected in this energetic nearshore environment. This study, for the first time, demonstrates the utility of 239+240Pu in the study of sandy environments, significantly extending the application of bomb-fallout isotopes to coarse-grained sediments, which compose the majority of nearshore regions.

Deposition of atmospheric heavy metals to the Greenland ice sheet from the 1783-1784 volcanic eruption of Laki, Iceland

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Hong, Sungmin; Candelone, Jean-Pierre; Boutron, Claude F.

1996-11-01

In order to assess better the influence of major volcanic events on the large scale atmospheric cycles of heavy metals, Greenland ice dated from the time of the fallouts from the great 1783-1784 eruption of Laki volcano in Iceland has been analysed for Pb, Cd, Cu, Zn and sulphate. The concentrations of the four heavy metals investigated are found to be greatly enhanced in the ice layers which correspond to the fallouts from the eruption, confirming that such events do modify the atmospheric cycles of heavy metals. Cumulative fallout of heavy metals to the whole Greenland ice cap from the 1783-1784 Laki eruption ranges from 1 t for Pb and Cd to 40 t for Zn. For Cd, Cu and Zn, it represents a few percent of the cumulative anthropogenic fallout to the ice cap from the Industrial Revolution to the present.

Assessment of spatial distribution of fallout radionuclides through geostatistics concept.

PubMed

Mabit, L; Bernard, C

2007-01-01

After introducing geostatistics concept and its utility in environmental science and especially in Fallout Radionuclide (FRN) spatialisation, a case study for cesium-137 ((137)Cs) redistribution at the field scale using geostatistics is presented. On a Canadian agricultural field, geostatistics coupled with a Geographic Information System (GIS) was used to test three different techniques of interpolation [Ordinary Kriging (OK), Inverse Distance Weighting power one (IDW1) and two (IDW2)] to create a (137)Cs map and to establish a radioisotope budget. Following the optimization of variographic parameters, an experimental semivariogram was developed to determine the spatial dependence of (137)Cs. It was adjusted to a spherical isotropic model with a range of 30 m and a very small nugget effect. This (137)Cs semivariogram showed a good autocorrelation (R(2)=0.91) and was well structured ('nugget-to-sill' ratio of 4%). It also revealed that the sampling strategy was adequate to reveal the spatial correlation of (137)Cs. The spatial redistribution of (137)Cs was estimated by Ordinary Kriging and IDW to produce contour maps. A radioisotope budget was established for the 2.16 ha agricultural field under investigation. It was estimated that around 2 x 10(7)Bq of (137)Cs were missing (around 30% of the total initial fallout) and were exported by physical processes (runoff and erosion processes) from the area under investigation. The cross-validation analysis showed that in the case of spatially structured data, OK is a better interpolation method than IDW1 or IDW2 for the assessment of potential radioactive contamination and/or pollution.

Quantifying Atmospheric Fallout of Fukushima-derived Radioactive Isotopes in the Hawaiian Islands

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

McKenzie, Trista; Dulai, Henrietta

2016-04-01

On March 11, 2011, several reactors at the Fukushima Dai-ichi Nuclear Power Plant suffered damage and released the radioisotopes iodine-131, cesium-134, and cesium-137 into the atmosphere. A week later, these isotopes were detected in aerosols over the state of Hawaii and in milk samples analyzed from the Big Island. Because the detected levels were significantly below levels of health concern, the state did not attempt to quantify the deposition of these nuclides on the islands. This study estimated the magnitude of atmospheric fallout of cesium and iodine, and examined the patterns of cesium wet deposition with precipitation observed in March 2011. Mushroom and soil samples were collected along precipitation gradients on Oahu and the island of Hawaii and analyzed for cesium isotopes using gamma spectrometry. Fukushima-derived fallout was differentiated from historic nuclear weapons testing fallout by the presence of Cs-134, which has a shorter half-life of 2.06 years and the fact that Cs-134 and 137 were released from the severed power plant nearly in parity. We found that Fukushima-derived cesium was present in both mushrooms and soil and the soil inventories ranged 2.2-60.9 Bq/m2 for Cs-137 and 16.1-445.8 Bq/m2 for I-131. Additionally, we found that Fukushima-derived cesium inventories in soils were correlated with precipitation gradients. This research confirmed and quantified the presence of Fukushima-derived fallout in Hawaii, however the activities detected were orders of magnitude lower than fallout associated with the nuclear weapons testing in the Pacific.

A geochemical approach to constraining the formation of glassy fallout debris from nuclear tests

DOE PAGES

Bonamici, Chloë E.; Kinman, William S.; Fournelle, John H.; ...

2016-12-15

Reprocessed earth material is a glassy nuclear fallout debris from near-surface nuclear tests. A geochemical approach to analysis of glassy fallout is uniquely suited to determine the means of reprocessing and shed light on the mechanisms of fallout formation. An improved understanding of fallout formation is of interest both for its potential to guide post-detonation nuclear forensic investigations and in the context of possible affinities between glassy debris and other glasses generated by high-energy natural events, such as meteorite impacts and lightning strikes. Our study presents a large major-element compositional dataset for glasses within aerodynamic fallout from the Trinity nuclearmore » test (“trinitite”) and a geochemically based analysis of the glass compositional trends. Silica-rich and alkali-rich trinitite glasses show compositions and textures consistent with formation through melting of individual mineral grains—quartz and alkali feldspar, respectively—from the test-site sediment. Furthermore, the volumetrically dominant glass phase—called the CaMgFe glass—shows extreme major-element compositional variability. Compositional trends in the CaMgFe glass are most consistent with formation through volatility-controlled condensation from compositionally heterogeneous plasma. Radioactivity occurs only in CaMgFe glass, indicating that co-condensation of evaporated bulk ground material and trace device material was the main mechanism of radioisotope incorporation into trinitite. CaMgFe trinitite glasses overlap compositionally with basalts, rhyolites, fulgurites, tektites, and microtektites but display greater compositional diversity than all of these naturally formed glasses. Indeed, the most refractory CaMgFe glasses compositionally resemble early solar system condensates—specifically, CAIs.« less

Fukushima-derived radiocesium fallout in Hawaiian soils.

PubMed

McKenzie, Trista; Dulai, Henrietta

2017-12-01

Several reactors at the Fukushima Dai-ichi Nuclear Power Plant suffered damage on March 11, 2011, resulting in the release of radiocesium ( 134 Cs and 137 Cs), as well as other radionuclides, into the atmosphere. A week later, these isotopes were detected in aerosols over the state of Hawai'i and in milk samples analyzed on the island of Hawai'i. This study estimated the magnitude of cesium deposition in soil, collected in 2015-2016, resulting from atmospheric fallout. It also examined the patterns of cesium wet deposition with precipitation observed on O'ahu and the island of Hawai'i following the disaster. Fukushima-derived fallout was differentiated from historic nuclear weapons testing fallout by the presence of 134 Cs and the assumption that the 134 Cs to 137 Cs ratio was 1:1. Detectable, Fukushima-derived 134 Cs inventories ranged from 30 to 630 Bq m -2 and 137 Cs inventories ranged from 20 to 2200 Bq m -2 . Fukushima-derived cesium inventories in soils were related to precipitation gradients, particularly in areas where rainfall exceeded 200 mm between March 19 and April 4, 2011. This research confirmed and quantified the presence of Fukushima-derived fallout in the state of Hawai'i in amounts higher than predicted by models and observed in the United States mainland, however the activities detected were an order of magnitude lower than fallout associated with historic sources such as the nuclear weapons testing in the Pacific. In addition, this study showed that areas of highest cesium deposition do not overlap with densely populated or agriculturally used areas. Copyright © 2017 Elsevier Ltd. All rights reserved.

A geochemical approach to constraining the formation of glassy fallout debris from nuclear tests

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Bonamici, Chloë E.; Kinman, William S.; Fournelle, John H.; Zimmer, Mindy M.; Pollington, Anthony D.; Rector, Kirk D.

2017-01-01

Glassy nuclear fallout debris from near-surface nuclear tests is fundamentally reprocessed earth material. A geochemical approach to analysis of glassy fallout is uniquely suited to determine the means of reprocessing and shed light on the mechanisms of fallout formation. An improved understanding of fallout formation is of interest both for its potential to guide post-detonation nuclear forensic investigations and in the context of possible affinities between glassy debris and other glasses generated by high-energy natural events, such as meteorite impacts and lightning strikes. This study presents a large major-element compositional dataset for glasses within aerodynamic fallout from the Trinity nuclear test ("trinitite") and a geochemically based analysis of the glass compositional trends. Silica-rich and alkali-rich trinitite glasses show compositions and textures consistent with formation through melting of individual mineral grains—quartz and alkali feldspar, respectively—from the test-site sediment. The volumetrically dominant glass phase—called the CaMgFe glass—shows extreme major-element compositional variability. Compositional trends in the CaMgFe glass are most consistent with formation through volatility-controlled condensation from compositionally heterogeneous plasma. Radioactivity occurs only in CaMgFe glass, indicating that co-condensation of evaporated bulk ground material and trace device material was the main mechanism of radioisotope incorporation into trinitite. CaMgFe trinitite glasses overlap compositionally with basalts, rhyolites, fulgurites, tektites, and microtektites but display greater compositional diversity than all of these naturally formed glasses. Indeed, the most refractory CaMgFe glasses compositionally resemble early solar system condensates—specifically, CAIs.

New technologies to improve the monitoring of tephra fallouts from Etna: the collaborative system Tefranet

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Andronico, Daniele; Ferrari, Ferruccio; Merenda, Riccardo; Reitano, Danilo; Scollo, Simona; Cristaldi, Antonio; Lodato, Luigi; Mangiagli, Salvatore

2016-04-01

During early December 2015, Mt. Etna (Italy) produced 4 paroxysmal events from the Voragine crater in just 3 days. This activity caused ash and lapilli fallout over a wide area extending from the volcanic slopes up to ~100 km from the volcano, affecting numerous villages and the cities of Messina and Reggio Calabria. Monitoring this kind of volcanic activity in order to know the dispersal of tephra fallout in quasi-real time can prove challenging, especially when several paroxysmal events follow each other as during these latest eruptions in December. To tackle similar recurring periods of frequent activity, which have occurred a number of times at Etna over recent years, we devised a collaborative system named Tefranet. The system is easy to use but at the same time designed to rapidly retrieve useful georeferenced information on tephra fallouts from Etna's explosive activity. Tefranet includes a mobile application and a web site, with particular attention to an administration backend tool, making owners of smartphones or other mobile devices participants. The system aims to involve citizens living not only in eastern Sicily (i.e. the area most affected by fallout based on the prevailing winds blowing on Etna), but also those resident at some distance, in areas potentially covered by tephra (more than 60-80 km from the volcano) and that are difficult to reach before the original amounts of tephra on the ground may become altered by anthropic (e.g. car traffic) and atmospheric (wind and rain) factors. The Tefranet community will be informed by the INGV specialists via mobile device in case explosive activity resumes, with users able to visualize all the tephra signals on a map in real time. All kinds of information concerning start/end of the tephra fallout, estimation of the clast dimensions, thickness of the deposit, level of tephra cover on the ground, will be welcomed, especially if accompanied by photos of the deposit and of the eruption plume. Here, we present a simulation of a real eruption case in order to show the potential of the system on improving the mapping of the fallout deposits, reducing the time needed to collect tephra samples and extending the sampling area, and finally helping effectively the study of fallout deposits and explosive eruptions also for research purposes.

The Antiaircraft Journal. Volume 96, Number 3, May-June 1953

DTIC Science & Technology

1953-06-01

blast effects are not only apt to be comparatively slight at likely AAA po- sitions, but their computation depends closely on the chosen height of...might crash with the bomb still aboard. In the first instance, the bomb might explode normally with a full - scale explosion at the proper altitude...and contamination. In most circumstances, the fall-out of radioactive materials from the cloud column result- ing from an air burst will not be a

OPERATION CASTLE - Project 4.1 Addendum. Report of the Scientific Director, Exposure of Marshall Islanders and American Military Personnel to Fallout. Extracted Version,

DTIC Science & Technology

Fallout, *Radiation injuries, Exposure(General), Radioactive materials, Nuclear explosion testing, Bikini Atoll, Indigenous population, Marshall ... Islands , Military forces(United States), Villages, Decontamination, Lesions, Therapy, Hematology, Dosimetry

FUNCTION GENERATOR FOR ANALOGUE COMPUTERS

DOEpatents

Skramstad, H.K.; Wright, J.H.; Taback, L.

1961-12-12

An improved analogue computer is designed which can be used to determine the final ground position of radioactive fallout particles in an atomic cloud. The computer determines the fallout pattern on the basis of known wind velocity and direction at various altitudes, and intensity of radioactivity in the mushroom cloud as a function of particle size and initial height in the cloud. The output is then displayed on a cathode-ray tube so that the average or total luminance of the tube screen at any point represents the intensity of radioactive fallout at the geographical location represented by that point. (AEC)

Analysis of Operation Dominic II SMALL BOY radiological and meteorological data

DOE Office of Scientific and Technical Information (OSTI.GOV)

Quinn, V.E., Kennedy, N.C.; Steadman, C.R.

1984-08-01

This report describes the Weather Service Nuclear Support Office (WSNSO) analyses of the radiological and meteorological data collected for the Operation Dominic II nuclear test SMALL BOY. Inconsistencies in the radiological data and their resolution are discussed. The methods of estimating fallout-arrival times are discussed. The meteorological situation on D-day and a few days following are described. A comparison of the fallout patterns resulting from these analyses and earlier (1966) analyses is presented. The radiological data used to derive the fallout pattern in this report are tabulated in an appendix. 11 references, 20 figures.

DELFIC: Department of Defense Fallout Prediction System. Volume II. User’s Manual

DTIC Science & Technology

1979-12-31

code, and it strives to include as much of the physics of fallout transport and activity calculation, without resorting to short cuts, as is...fission may be specified. Induced activity in soil material in the fallout and in 2 3BU may be accounted for. Physical and mathematical bases for...900o) *GTo 1.) GO TO 150 ATMR 140 ALT(13=-i003. ATAR 14± GO TO 20O ATNR ±42 15C WRITE(IRISE)ATMSU8 ATMR ±43 160 IGG=IGO+i ATMR 144 C ATMR 145 C CO THE

Analysis of Operation TEAPOT nuclear test BEE radiological and meteorological data

DOE Office of Scientific and Technical Information (OSTI.GOV)

Quinn, V.E.

This report describes the Weather Service Nuclear Support Office (WSNSO) analyses of the radiological and meteorological data collected for the BEE nuclear test of Operation TEAPOT. Inconsistencies in the radiological data and their resolution are discussed. The methods of normalizing the radiological data to a standard time and estimating fallout-arrival times are presented. The meteorological situations on event day and the following day are described. A comparison of the WSNSO fallout analysis with an analysis performed in the 1950's is presented. The radiological data used to derive the WSNSO fallout pattern are tabulated in an appendix.

Dispersal, deposition and collective doses after the Chernobyl disaster.

PubMed

Fairlie, Ian

2007-01-01

This article discusses the dispersal, deposition and collective doses of the radioactive fallout from the Chernobyl accident. It explains that, although Belarus, Ukraine and Russia were heavily contaminated by the Chernobyl fallout, more than half of the fallout was deposited outside these countries, particularly in Western Europe. Indeed, about 40 per cent of the surface area of Europe was contaminated. Collective doses are predicted to result in 30,000 to 60,000 excess cancer deaths throughout the northern hemisphere, mostly in western Europe. The article also estimates that the caesium-137 source term was about a third higher than official figures.

Strontium-90 Fallout: Comparison of Rates over Ocean and Land.

PubMed

Volchok, H L; Broecker, W S; Rocco, G G

1966-04-29

Measurements of strontium-90 in waters residing on the Bahama Banks for periods between 12 and 180 days suggest that fallout rates onto these waters are substantially the same as the average rates at all fallout collection stations between 20 degrees and 30 degrees north latitude. If the amount of preciptation on the Bahama Banks is reasonably representative of the oceanic areas in this latitude band, our results support the conclusion that the amount of strontium-90 deposited per unit area of ocean surface is within a factor of 2 of that on land.

The origin of a coarse lithic breccia in the 34 ka caldera-forming Sounkyo eruption, Taisetsu volcano group, central Hokkaido, Japan

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Yasuda, Y.; Suzuki-Kamata, K.

2018-05-01

The 34 ka Sounkyo eruption produced 7.6 km3 of tephra ( 5 km3 DRE) as fallout, ignimbrite, and lithic breccia units, forming a small, 2-km-diameter summit caldera in the Taisetsu volcano group, Japan. The Sounkyo eruption products are made up of five eruptive units (SK-A to -E) in proximal regions, corresponding to the distal deposits, a 1- to 2-m-thick pumice fallout and the Px-type ignimbrite up to 220 m thick. The eruption began with a fallout phase, producing unstable low eruption columns during the earlier phase to form a <7-m-thick succession of well-stratified fallouts (SK-A1 and the lower part of the distal fallout). The eruption column reached up to 25 km high (subplinian to plinian) and became more stable at the late of the phase, producing a < 60-m-thick, pumice-dominated fallout (SK-A2 and the upper part of the distal fallout). The second phase, the climax of the Sounkyo eruption, produced a widespread, valley-filling ignimbrite in both proximal and distal regions (SK-B and the Px-type ignimbrite). At the end of the climactic phase, the waning of the eruption led to extensive failure of the walls of the shallow conduit, generating a dense, lithic-rich, low-mobile pyroclastic density current (PDC) to form a >27-m-thick, unstratified and ungraded, coarse lithic breccia (SK-C). The failure in turn choked the conduit, and then the eruption stopped. After a short eruptive hiatus, the eruption resumed with a short-lived fall phase, establishing an eruption column up to 16 km high and producing a <6-m-thick scoria fallout (SK-D). Finally, the eruption ended with the generation of PDCs by eruption column collapse to form a 5- to 15-m-thick ignimbrite in the proximal area (SK-E). Volume relationships between the caldera, ejected magma, and ejected lithic fragments suggest that the caldera was not essentially formed by caldera collapse but, instead, by vent widening as a consequence of explosive erosion and failure of the shallow conduit. The dominance of shallow-origin volcanic rocks in the lithic fraction throughout the Sounkyo eruption products implies the development of a flaring funnel-shaped vent. Hence, the occurrence of lithic breccias within small caldera-forming eruption products does not necessarily reflect either the existence or the timing of caldera collapse, as commonly assumed in literature. Lithic breccias commonly overlie climactic ignimbrite/fallout deposits in small caldera-forming eruptions, and an alternative explanation is that this reflects the collapse of the shallow conduit after an eruption climax, whose walls had been highly fractured and had become unstable owing to progressive erosion.

Quantifying distal dispersal and impact of volcanic ash from super-eruptions: an application to Campanian Ignimbrite

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Costa, A.; Folch, A.; Macedonio, G.; Giaccio, B.; Isaia, R.; Smith, V. C.

2012-04-01

Distal and ultra-distal volcanic ash dispersal during a super-eruption was reconstructed for the first time, providing insights into eruption dynamics and the impact of these gigantic events. A novel computational methodology was applied to the ash fallout of the Campanian Ignimbrite (CI), the most powerful volcanic eruption in Europe in the last 200 kyrs. The method uses a 3D time-dependent computational ash dispersion model, an ensemble of wind fields, and hundreds of thickness observations of the CI tephra deposit. Results reveal that 250-300 km3 of fallout material was produced during the eruption, blanketing a region of ~3.7 million km2 with more than 5 mm of fine ash. The model also indicates that the column height was ~37-40 km, and the eruption lasted 2-4 days. The eruption would have caused a volcanic winter within the coldest and driest Heinrich event. Fluorine-bearing leachate from the volcanic ash and acid rain would have further affected food sources and severely impacted Late Middle Paleolithic groups in Southern and Eastern Europe.

Retention of potentially mobile radiocesium in forest surface soils affected by the Fukushima nuclear accident

PubMed Central

Koarashi, Jun; Moriya, Koichi; Atarashi-Andoh, Mariko; Matsunaga, Takeshi; Fujita, Hiroki; Nagaoka, Mika

2012-01-01

The fate of 137Cs derived from the Fukushima nuclear accident fallout and associated radiological hazards are largely dependent on its mobility in the surface soils of forest ecosystems. Thus, we quantified microbial and adsorptive retentions of 137Cs in forest surface (0–3 cm) soils. The K2SO4 extraction process liberated 2.1%–12.8% of the total 137Cs from the soils. Two soils with a higher content of clay- and silt-sized particles, organic carbon content, and cation exchange capacity showed higher 137Cs extractability. Microbial biomass was observed in all of the soils. However, the 137Cs extractability did not increase after destruction of the microbial biomass by chloroform fumigation, providing no evidence for microbial retention of the Fukushima-fallout 137Cs. The results indicate that uptake of 137Cs by soil microorganisms is less important for retention of potentially mobile 137Cs in the forest surface soils compared to ion-exchange adsorption on non-specific sites provided by abiotic components. PMID:23256039

Diffusive mass transport in agglomerated glassy fallout from a near-surface nuclear test

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Weisz, David G.; Jacobsen, Benjamin; Marks, Naomi E.; Knight, Kim B.; Isselhardt, Brett H.; Matzel, Jennifer E.

2018-02-01

Aerodynamically-shaped glassy fallout is formed when vapor phase constituents from the nuclear device are incorporated into molten carriers (i.e. fallout precursor materials derived from soil or other near-field environmental debris). The effects of speciation and diffusive transport of condensing constituents are not well defined in models of fallout formation. Previously we reported observations of diffuse micrometer scale layers enriched in Na, Fe, Ca, and 235U, and depleted in Al and Ti, at the interfaces of agglomerated fallout objects. Here, we derive the timescales of uranium mass transport in such fallout as it cools from 2500 K to 1500 K by applying a 1-dimensional planar diffusion model to the observed 235U/30Si variation at the interfaces. By modeling the thermal transport between the fireball and the carrier materials, the time of mass transport is calculated to be <0.6 s, <1 s, <2 s, and <3.5 s for fireball yields of 0.1 kt, 1 kt, 10 kt, and 100 kt respectively. Based on the calculated times of mass transport, a maximum temperature of deposition of uranium onto the carrier material of ∼2200 K is inferred (1σ uncertainty of ∼200 K). We also determine that the occurrence of micrometer scale layers of material enriched in relatively volatile Na-species as well as more refractory Ca-species provides evidence for an oxygen-rich fireball based on the vapor pressure of the two species under oxidizing conditions. These results represent the first application of diffusion-based modeling to derive material transport, thermal environments, and oxidation-speciation in near-surface nuclear detonation environments.

The radiological exposure of man from radioactivity in the Baltic Sea.

PubMed

Nielsen, S P; Bengtson, P; Bojanowsky, R; Hagel, P; Herrmann, J; Ilus, E; Jakobson, E; Motiejunas, S; Panteleev, Y; Skujina, A; Suplinska, M

1999-09-30

A radiological assessment has been carried out considering discharges of radioactivity to the Baltic Sea marine environment since 1950. The sources of radioactivity that have been evaluated are atmospheric nuclear-weapons fallout, fallout from the Chernobyl accident in 1986, discharges of radionuclides from Sellafield and La Hague transported into the Baltic Sea, and discharges of radionuclides from nuclear installations located in the Baltic Sea area. Dose rates from man-made radioactivity to individual members of the public (critical groups) have been calculated based on annual intake of seafood and beach occupancy time. The dose rates to individuals from the regions of the Bothnian Sea and Gulf of Finland are predicted to be larger than from any other area in the Baltic Sea due to the pattern of Chernobyl fallout. The dose rates are predicted to have peaked in 1986 at a value of 0.2 mSv year-1. Collective committed doses to members of the public have been calculated based on fishery statistics and predicted concentrations of radionuclides in biota and coastal sediments. The total collective dose from man-made radioactivity in the Baltic Sea is estimated at 2600 manSv, of which approximately two-thirds originate from Chernobyl fallout, approximately one-quarter from atmospheric nuclear-weapons fallout, approximately 8% from European reprocessing facilities, and approximately 0.04% from nuclear installations bordering the Baltic Sea area. An assessment of small-scale dumping of low-level radioactive waste in the Baltic Sea in the 1960s by Sweden and the Soviet Union has showed that doses to man from these activities are negligible. Dose rates and doses from natural radioactivity dominate except for the year 1986 where dose rates to individuals from Chernobyl fallout in some regions of the Baltic Sea approached those from natural radioactivity.

Diffusive mass transport in agglomerated glassy fallout from a near-surface nuclear test

DOE PAGES

Weisz, David G.; Jacobsen, Benjamin; Marks, Naomi E.; ...

2017-12-15

Aerodynamically-shaped glassy fallout is formed when vapor phase constituents from the nuclear device are incorporated into molten carriers (i.e. fallout precursor materials derived from soil or other near-field environmental debris). The effects of speciation and diffusive transport of condensing constituents are not well defined in models of fallout formation. Previously we reported observations of diffuse micrometer scale layers enriched in Na, Fe, Ca, and 235U, and depleted in Al and Ti, at the interfaces of agglomerated fallout objects. Here in this paper, we derive the timescales of uranium mass transport in such fallout as it cools from 2500 K tomore » 1500 K by applying a 1-dimensional planar diffusion model to the observed 235U/ 30Si variation at the interfaces. By modeling the thermal transport between the fireball and the carrier materials, the time of mass transport is calculated to be <0.6 s, <1 s, <2 s, and <3.5 s for fireball yields of 0.1 kt, 1 kt, 10 kt, and 100 kt respectively. Based on the calculated times of mass transport, a maximum temperature of deposition of uranium onto the carrier material of ~2200 K is inferred (1σ uncertainty of ~200 K). We also determine that the occurrence of micrometer scale layers of material enriched in relatively volatile Na-species as well as more refractory Ca-species provides evidence for an oxygen-rich fireball based on the vapor pressure of the two species under oxidizing conditions. These results represent the first application of diffusion-based modeling to derive material transport, thermal environments, and oxidation-speciation in near-surface nuclear detonation environments.« less

Diffusive mass transport in agglomerated glassy fallout from a near-surface nuclear test

DOE Office of Scientific and Technical Information (OSTI.GOV)

Weisz, David G.; Jacobsen, Benjamin; Marks, Naomi E.

Aerodynamically-shaped glassy fallout is formed when vapor phase constituents from the nuclear device are incorporated into molten carriers (i.e. fallout precursor materials derived from soil or other near-field environmental debris). The effects of speciation and diffusive transport of condensing constituents are not well defined in models of fallout formation. Previously we reported observations of diffuse micrometer scale layers enriched in Na, Fe, Ca, and 235U, and depleted in Al and Ti, at the interfaces of agglomerated fallout objects. Here in this paper, we derive the timescales of uranium mass transport in such fallout as it cools from 2500 K tomore » 1500 K by applying a 1-dimensional planar diffusion model to the observed 235U/ 30Si variation at the interfaces. By modeling the thermal transport between the fireball and the carrier materials, the time of mass transport is calculated to be <0.6 s, <1 s, <2 s, and <3.5 s for fireball yields of 0.1 kt, 1 kt, 10 kt, and 100 kt respectively. Based on the calculated times of mass transport, a maximum temperature of deposition of uranium onto the carrier material of ~2200 K is inferred (1σ uncertainty of ~200 K). We also determine that the occurrence of micrometer scale layers of material enriched in relatively volatile Na-species as well as more refractory Ca-species provides evidence for an oxygen-rich fireball based on the vapor pressure of the two species under oxidizing conditions. These results represent the first application of diffusion-based modeling to derive material transport, thermal environments, and oxidation-speciation in near-surface nuclear detonation environments.« less

40 CFR 129.104 - Benzidine.

Code of Federal Regulations, 2010 CFR

2010-07-01

... subject to contamination solely by fallout from air emissions of benzidine; or to stormwater runoff that... other discharges from areas subject to contamination solely by fallout from air emissions of benzidine... other areas subject to direct contamination by benzidine or benzidine-containing product as a result of...

Doses from external irradiation to Marshall Islanders from Bikini and Enewetak nuclear weapons tests.

PubMed

Bouville, André; Beck, Harold L; Simon, Steven L

2010-08-01

Annual doses from external irradiation resulting from exposure to fallout from the 65 atmospheric nuclear weapons tests conducted in the Marshall Islands at Bikini and Enewetak between 1946 and 1958 have been estimated for the first time for Marshallese living on all inhabited atolls. All tests that deposited fallout on any of the 23 inhabited atolls or separate reef islands have been considered. The methodology used to estimate the radiation doses at the inhabited atolls is based on test- and location-specific radiation survey data, deposition density estimates of 137Cs, and fallout times-of-arrival provided in a companion paper (Beck et al.), combined with information on the radionuclide composition of the fallout at various times after each test. These estimates of doses from external irradiation have been combined with corresponding estimates of doses from internal irradiation, given in a companion paper (Simon et al.), to assess the cancer risks among the Marshallese population (Land et al.) resulting from exposure to radiation from the nuclear weapons tests.

Health effects from fallout.

PubMed

Gilbert, Ethel S; Land, Charles E; Simon, Steven L

2002-05-01

This paper primarily discusses health effects that have resulted from exposures received as a result of above-ground nuclear tests, with emphasis on thyroid disease from exposure to 131I and leukemia and solid cancers from low dose rate external and internal exposure. Results of epidemiological studies of fallout exposures in the Marshall Islands and from the Nevada Test Site are summarized, and studies of persons with exposures similar to those from fallout are briefly reviewed (including patients exposed to 131I for medical reasons and workers exposed externally at low doses and low dose rates). Promising new studies of populations exposed in countries of the former Soviet Union are also discussed and include persons living near the Semipalatinsk Test Site in Kazakhstan, persons exposed as a result of the Chernobyl accident, and persons exposed as a result of operations of the Mayak Nuclear Plant in the Russian Federation. Very preliminary estimates of cancer risks from fallout doses received by the United States population are presented.

Comments on Strontium-90 in Surface Air in Relation to Stratospheric Fallout.

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Rangarajan, C.; Eapen, C. D.

1984-08-01

The time variation of the spring peak of stratospheric fallout is examined with surface air data of Cs-137 concentrations from about 30 stations in the zone 9 to 75°N and 80°W to 115°E. This study is likely to be more realistic than one derived from data confined to a particular meridian, such as the United States 80th meridian fallout sampling network. It is seen from an examination of the data that the spring peak of stratospheric fallout is progressively delayed with increasing latitude from 9 to 50°N. At latitudes beyond 50°N, no clear trend can be postulated due to limited data. The reason for this progressive delay in the appearance of the spring peak is likely to be due to changes in the circulation pattern, rather than variations in precipitation scavenging, as regions with different distributions of rainfall have the same progressive delay in the spring peak.

Web-Enabled Optoelectronic Particle-Fallout Monitor

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

Lineberger, Lewis P.

2008-01-01

A Web-enabled optoelectronic particle- fallout monitor has been developed as a prototype of future such instruments that (l) would be installed in multiple locations for which assurance of cleanliness is required and (2) could be interrogated and controlled in nearly real time by multiple remote users. Like prior particle-fallout monitors, this instrument provides a measure of particles that accumulate on a surface as an indication of the quantity of airborne particulate contaminants. The design of this instrument reflects requirements to: Reduce the cost and complexity of its optoelectronic sensory subsystem relative to those of prior optoelectronic particle fallout monitors while maintaining or improving capabilities; Use existing network and office computers for distributed display and control; Derive electric power for the instrument from a computer network, a wall outlet, or a battery; Provide for Web-based retrieval and analysis of measurement data and of a file containing such ancillary data as a log of command attempts at remote units; and Use the User Datagram Protocol (UDP) for maximum performance and minimal network overhead.

Pu isotopes in soils collected downwind from Lop Nor: regional fallout vs. global fallout.

PubMed

Bu, Wenting; Ni, Youyi; Guo, Qiuju; Zheng, Jian; Uchida, Shigeo

2015-07-17

For the first time, soil core samples from the Jiuquan region have been analyzed for Pu isotopes for radioactive source identification and radiological assessment. The Jiuquan region is in downwind from the Lop Nor Chinese nuclear test (CNT) site. The high Pu inventories (13 to 546 Bq/m(2)) in most of the sampling locations revealed that this region was heterogeneously contaminated by the regional fallout Pu from the CNTs. The contributions of the CNTs to the total Pu in soils were estimated to be more than 40% in most cases. The (240)Pu/(239)Pu atom ratios in the soils ranged from 0.059 to 0.186 with an inventory-weighted average of 0.158, slightly lower than that of global fallout. This atom ratio could be considered as a mixed fingerprint of Pu from the CNTs. In addition, Pu in soils of Jiuquan region had a faster downward migration rate compared with other investigated places in China.

Pu isotopes in soils collected downwind from Lop Nor: regional fallout vs. global fallout

PubMed Central

Bu, Wenting; Ni, Youyi; Guo, Qiuju; Zheng, Jian; Uchida, Shigeo

2015-01-01

For the first time, soil core samples from the Jiuquan region have been analyzed for Pu isotopes for radioactive source identification and radiological assessment. The Jiuquan region is in downwind from the Lop Nor Chinese nuclear test (CNT) site. The high Pu inventories (13 to 546 Bq/m2) in most of the sampling locations revealed that this region was heterogeneously contaminated by the regional fallout Pu from the CNTs. The contributions of the CNTs to the total Pu in soils were estimated to be more than 40% in most cases. The 240Pu/239Pu atom ratios in the soils ranged from 0.059 to 0.186 with an inventory-weighted average of 0.158, slightly lower than that of global fallout. This atom ratio could be considered as a mixed fingerprint of Pu from the CNTs. In addition, Pu in soils of Jiuquan region had a faster downward migration rate compared with other investigated places in China. PMID:26184740

Natural Environmental Hazards Reflected in High-Altitude Patagonian Lake Sediments (lake Caviahue, Argentina)

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Müller, Anne; Scharf, Burkhard; von Tümpling, Wolf; Pirrung, Michael

2009-03-01

Two 6-m long sediment cores drilled in the two basins of Lake Caviahue give new evidence of the impact of natural hazards such as ash fallouts linked to nearby volcanic eruptions in the ecologically sensitive environment of the high-altitude region of the Argentinan Patagonian Andes. The two cores show distinct signals of changes in autochthonous productivity and terrigenous input into the lake from ash fallout as well as from river load and shore erosion. Multiproxy records of the sediments indicate whether these changes can be related to volcanic activity. High values of magnetic susceptibility in the cores reflect periods of basaltic ash fallouts during eruptions of the nearby Copahue Volcano. The southern basin is located in the prevalent direction of ash fallouts and has been affected by these volcanic inputs more intensely than the northern basin of the lake. In contrast, sedimentation and authochthonous productivity in the northern basin are strongly affected by fluvial inputs such as suspended river load and acidic stream waters.

Natural Environmental Hazards Reflected in High-Altitude Patagonian Lake Sediments (Lake Caviahue, Argentina)

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Mueller, A.; Pirrung, M.; Scharf, B.; von Tuempling, W.

2007-05-01

Two 6-m long sediment cores drilled in the two basins of Lake Caviahue give new evidence of the impact of natural hazards such as ash fallouts linked to nearby volcanic eruptions in the ecologically sensitive environment of the high-altitude region of the Argentinan Patagonian Andes. The two cores show distinct signals of changes in autochthonous productivity and terrigenous input into the lake from ash fallout, river load and shore erosion. Multiproxy records of the sediments indicate whether these changes can be related to volcanic activity. High values of magnetic susceptibility in the cores reflect periods of basaltic ash fallouts during eruptions of the nearby Copahue volcano. The southern basin is located in the prevalent direction of ash fallouts and has been affected by these volcanic inputs more intensely than the northern basin of the lake. In contrast, sedimentation and authochthonous productivity in the northern basin are strongly affected by fluvial inputs such as suspended river load and acidic stream waters.

Correction

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

1996-04-01

Fallout of volcanic ash to the deep South China Sea induced by the 1991 eruption of Mount Pinatubo (Philippines): Correction Geology, v. 23, p. 885 888 (October 1995) On p. 885, the last sentence of the Introduction should be: Here we report the first in situ record of a submarine fallout of volcanic ash following one of the largest magnitude subaerial eruptions of this century, the June 15, 1991, paroxysmal explosion of Mount Pinatubo (lat 15.148, long 120.358) in the Philippines. The first sentence under the head SUBMARINE FALLOUT MONITORING AND COMPOSITION should be: Fallout of Pinatubo tephra was recorded by fully automated collection devices (sediment traps) moored in 1190 and 3730 m water depth at 14.608N, 115.108E (Fig. 1). On p. 886, center column, the second sentence under the head LINKS TO SUBAERIAL ASH-PLUME MOVEMENT should be: Ash was ejected to a maximum altitude of 35 40 km, and at about14:20 the cloud spread out laterally into a giant umbrella region between 25 and 30 km altitude.

Deposition of vaporized species onto glassy fallout from a near-surface nuclear test

DOE Office of Scientific and Technical Information (OSTI.GOV)

Weisz, David G.; Jacobsen, Benjamin; Marks, Naomi E.

In a near-surface nuclear explosion where the resultant fireball can interact with the surface, vaporized materials from the nuclear device can be incorporated into molten soil and other carrier materials from that surface. This mixed material becomes a source of glassy fallout upon quenching and is locally deposited. Fallout formation models have been proposed; however, the specific mechanisms and physical conditions by which soil and other carrier materials interact in the fireball, as well as the subsequent incorporation of device materials with carrier materials, are not well constrained. We observe a surface deposition layer preserved at interfaces where two aerodynamicmore » fallout glasses agglomerated and fused, and characterized 11 such boundaries using spatial analyses to better understand the vaporization and condensation behavior of species in the fireball. Using nanoscale secondary ion mass spectrometry (NanoSIMS), we identify higher enrichments of uranium from the device ( 235U/ 238U ratio >7.5) in 8 of the interface layers. Major element analysis of the interfaces reveals the deposition layer to be enriched in Fe, Ca, Mg, Mn, and Na-bearing species and depleted in Ti and Al-bearing species. Most notably, the Fe and Ca-bearing species are enriched approximately 50% at the interface layer relative to the average concentrations measured within the fallout glasses, while Ti and Al-bearing species are depleted by approximately 20%. SiO 2 is found to be relatively invariable across the samples and interfaces (~3% standard deviation). The notable depletion of Al, a refractory oxide abundant in the soil, together with the enrichment of 235U and Fe, suggests an anthropogenic source of the enriched species or an unexpected vaporization/condensation behavior. The presence of both refractory (e.g., Ca and U) and volatile (e.g., Na) species approximately co-located in most of the observed layers (within 1.5 μm) suggests a continuous condensation process may also be occurring. Lastly, these fallout formation processes deviate from historical models of fallout formation, and have not been previously recognized in the literature.« less

Deposition of vaporized species onto glassy fallout from a near-surface nuclear test

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Weisz, David G.; Jacobsen, Benjamin; Marks, Naomi E.; Knight, Kim B.; Isselhardt, Brett H.; Matzel, Jennifer E.; Weber, Peter K.; Prussin, Stan G.; Hutcheon, Ian D.

2017-03-01

In a near-surface nuclear explosion where the resultant fireball can interact with the surface, vaporized materials from the nuclear device can be incorporated into molten soil and other carrier materials from that surface. This mixed material becomes a source of glassy fallout upon quenching and is locally deposited. Fallout formation models have been proposed; however, the specific mechanisms and physical conditions by which soil and other carrier materials interact in the fireball, as well as the subsequent incorporation of device materials with carrier materials, are not well constrained. We observe a surface deposition layer preserved at interfaces where two aerodynamic fallout glasses agglomerated and fused, and characterized 11 such boundaries using spatial analyses to better understand the vaporization and condensation behavior of species in the fireball. Using nanoscale secondary ion mass spectrometry (NanoSIMS), we identify higher enrichments of uranium from the device (235U/238U ratio >7.5) in 8 of the interface layers. Major element analysis of the interfaces reveals the deposition layer to be enriched in Fe, Ca, Mg, Mn, and Na-bearing species and depleted in Ti and Al-bearing species. Most notably, the Fe and Ca-bearing species are enriched approximately 50% at the interface layer relative to the average concentrations measured within the fallout glasses, while Ti and Al-bearing species are depleted by approximately 20%. SiO2 is found to be relatively invariable across the samples and interfaces (∼3% standard deviation). The notable depletion of Al, a refractory oxide abundant in the soil, together with the enrichment of 235U and Fe, suggests an anthropogenic source of the enriched species or an unexpected vaporization/condensation behavior. The presence of both refractory (e.g., Ca and U) and volatile (e.g., Na) species approximately co-located in most of the observed layers (within 1.5 μm) suggests a continuous condensation process may also be occurring. These fallout formation processes deviate from historical models of fallout formation, and have not been previously recognized in the literature.

Deposition of vaporized species onto glassy fallout from a near-surface nuclear test

DOE PAGES

Weisz, David G.; Jacobsen, Benjamin; Marks, Naomi E.; ...

2016-10-29

In a near-surface nuclear explosion where the resultant fireball can interact with the surface, vaporized materials from the nuclear device can be incorporated into molten soil and other carrier materials from that surface. This mixed material becomes a source of glassy fallout upon quenching and is locally deposited. Fallout formation models have been proposed; however, the specific mechanisms and physical conditions by which soil and other carrier materials interact in the fireball, as well as the subsequent incorporation of device materials with carrier materials, are not well constrained. We observe a surface deposition layer preserved at interfaces where two aerodynamicmore » fallout glasses agglomerated and fused, and characterized 11 such boundaries using spatial analyses to better understand the vaporization and condensation behavior of species in the fireball. Using nanoscale secondary ion mass spectrometry (NanoSIMS), we identify higher enrichments of uranium from the device ( 235U/ 238U ratio >7.5) in 8 of the interface layers. Major element analysis of the interfaces reveals the deposition layer to be enriched in Fe, Ca, Mg, Mn, and Na-bearing species and depleted in Ti and Al-bearing species. Most notably, the Fe and Ca-bearing species are enriched approximately 50% at the interface layer relative to the average concentrations measured within the fallout glasses, while Ti and Al-bearing species are depleted by approximately 20%. SiO 2 is found to be relatively invariable across the samples and interfaces (~3% standard deviation). The notable depletion of Al, a refractory oxide abundant in the soil, together with the enrichment of 235U and Fe, suggests an anthropogenic source of the enriched species or an unexpected vaporization/condensation behavior. The presence of both refractory (e.g., Ca and U) and volatile (e.g., Na) species approximately co-located in most of the observed layers (within 1.5 μm) suggests a continuous condensation process may also be occurring. Lastly, these fallout formation processes deviate from historical models of fallout formation, and have not been previously recognized in the literature.« less

Quality of glucose measurement with blood glucose meters at the point-of-care: relevance of interfering factors.

PubMed

Heinemann, Lutz

2010-11-01

A good understanding of the relevance of interfering factors having an impact on blood glucose (BG) measurement is needed to obtain the required quality. This depends on the application in which meters designed for self-monitoring of BG (SMBG) are used. By means of a literature search all publications (from January 1, 1980 to August 10, 2009) were identified that report about the influence of potentially interfering substances/factors on the measurement quality of BG meters. Certain substances (e.g., maltose) can have a profound and misleading impact on the BG measurement result when the enzymatic reaction embedded on the given test strips cross-reacts. Also, a number of other drugs (e.g., acetaminophen) and factors (like temperature and altitude) affect the reliability of BG measurement massively. However, the susceptibility of the BG meter (depending on the enzyme technology of the test strips) differs significantly. In daily practice the factors that have a relevant impact on the reliability of BG measurements with modern BG meters are rarely met. Clearly this also depends on the intended use (SMBG in patient hands vs. point-of-care testing in hospitals). To avoid misleading measurement results requires adequate training of all people involved.

40 CFR 129.102 - Endrin.

Code of Federal Regulations, 2010 CFR

2010-07-01

... or other discharges from areas subject to contamination solely by fallout from air emissions of... from areas subject to contamination solely by fallout from air emissions of endrin; or to storm-water... contamination by endrin as a result of the manufacturing process, including but not limited to: (1) Stormwater...

40 CFR 129.103 - Toxaphene.

Code of Federal Regulations, 2010 CFR

2010-07-01

... contamination solely by fallout from air emissions of toxaphene; or to stormwater runoff that exceeds that from... contamination solely by fallout from air emissions of toxaphene; or to stormwater runoff that exceeds that from... and other areas which are subject to direct contamination by toxaphene as a result of the...

Urinary excretion of radionuclides from Marshallese exposed to fallout from the 1954 Bravo nuclear test.

PubMed

Harris, Payne S; Simon, Steven L; Ibrahim, Shawki A

2010-08-01

Soon after the Bravo nuclear test at Bikini Atoll in the Marshall Islands on 1 March 1954, urine samples were collected for analysis of excreted radioactivity from native residents exposed to radioactive fallout on two atolls as well as from U.S. military personnel on a third atoll. The earliest acquired samples, obtained by the Los Alamos Scientific Laboratory (LASL), were assayed for various radionuclides and provided the first known measurements of (131)I in urine following exposure to fallout from a nuclear test. Over the course of 1954, many additional samples were collected by the LASL, as well as by the Atomic Energy Commission New York Operations Office's Health and Safety Laboratory and the Naval Radiological Defense Laboratory. Collectively, the groups sampled included Marshallese exposed on Rongelap and Ailinginae Atolls, American military weather observers temporarily resident on Rongerik Atoll, and sailors from the Japanese fishing vessel, the Lucky Dragon. While the bioassay measurement data and individual urine volumes have been crucial to various attempts to assess intakes of radioactivity and the related internal radiation doses among the Marshallese, those data have never been published in any peer-reviewed journal, but have been restricted to agency memoranda, laboratory reports, and summaries in some publications and book chapters. Reconstructions of internal doses to Marshallese in 1954 and in later years have depended on these data and, hence, they have considerable historical importance as well as importance to ongoing health risk projections for Marshallese. This paper presents much of the original data on urine volumes and radioactivity from the various assays of urine for radionuclides, and compares estimates of (131)I intakes made in 1954, 1985, 1987, and 2008.

URINARY EXCRETION OF RADIONUCLIDES FROM MARSHALLESE EXPOSED TO FALLOUT FROM THE 1954 BRAVO NUCLEAR TEST

PubMed Central

Harris, Payne S.; Simon, Steven L.; Ibrahim, Shawki A.

2014-01-01

Soon after the Bravo nuclear test at Bikini Atoll in the Marshall Islands on 1 March 1954, urine samples were collected for analysis of excreted radioactivity from native residents exposed to radioactive fallout on two atolls as well as from U.S. military personnel on a third atoll. The earliest acquired samples, obtained by the Los Alamos Scientific Laboratory (LASL), were assayed for various radionuclides and provided the first known measurements of 131I in urine following exposure to fallout from a nuclear test. Over the course of 1954, many additional samples were collected by the LASL, as well as by the Atomic Energy Commission New York Operations Office’s Health and Safety Laboratory and the Naval Radiological Defense Laboratory. Collectively, the groups sampled included Marshallese exposed on Rongelap and Ailinginae Atolls, American military weather observers temporarily resident on Rongerik Atoll, and sailors from the Japanese fishing vessel, the Lucky Dragon. While the bioassay measurement data and individual urine volumes have been crucial to various attempts to assess intakes of radioactivity and the related internal radiation doses among the Marshallese, those data have never been published in any peer-reviewed journal, but have been restricted to agency memoranda, laboratory reports, and summaries in some publications and book chapters. Reconstructions of internal doses to Marshallese in 1954 and in later years have depended on these data and, hence, they have considerable historical importance as well as importance to ongoing health risk projections for Marshallese. This paper presents much of the original data on urine volumes and radioactivity from the various assays of urine for radionuclides, and compares estimates of 131I intakes made in 1954, 1985, 1987, and 2008. PMID:20622553

Modelling of dispersal and deposition of impact glass spherules from the Cretaceous-Tertiary boundary deposit

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

Espindola, J. M.; Carey, S.; Sigurdsson, H.

1993-01-01

The dispersal of glass spherules or tektites from a bolide impact with the Earth is modelled as ballistic trajectories in standard atmosphere. Ballistic dispersal of Cretaceous-Tertiary boundary impact glass spherules found in Haiti and Mimbral, Mexico requires a fireball radius in excess of 50 km but less than 100 km to account for the observed distribution. Glass spherules from 1 and up to 8 mm in diameter have been found at the KT boundary at Beloc in Haiti, at Mimbral, Mexico, and at DSDP Sites 536 and 540 in the Gulf of Mexico corresponding to paleodistances of 600 to 1000 km from the Chicxulub crater. In Haiti the basal and major glass-bearing unit at the KT boundary is attributed to fallout on basis of sedimentologic features. When compared with theoretical and observed dispersal of volcanic ejecta, the grain size versus distance relationship of the KT boundary tektite fallout is extreme, and rules out a volcanic fallout origin. At a comparable distance from source, the KT impact glass spherules are more than an order of mangitude coarser than ejecta of the largest known volcanic events. We model the dispersal of KT boundary impact glass spherules as ballistic ejecta from a fireball generated by the impact of a 10 km diameter bolide. Mass of ejecta in the fireball is taken as twice the bolide mass. Melt droplets are accelerated by gas flow in the fireball cloud, and leave the fireball on ballistic trajectories within the atmosphere, subject to drag, depending on angle of ejection and altitude. The model for ballistic dispersal is based on equations of motion, drag and ablation for silicate spheres in standard atmosphere.

Development and Application of a Model of Fallout Shelter Stay Times.

DTIC Science & Technology

1978-12-29

post-attack environment is a disaster, and that human response to a nuclear disaster is an extropolation of human response to natural disasters...Soviet reaction to a nuclear disaster . This technique is not limited to fallout shelter studies. If an appropriate data base exists, subjects such as

40 CFR 129.101 - DDT, DDD and DDE.

Code of Federal Regulations, 2010 CFR

2010-07-01

... stormwater runoff or other discharges from areas subject to contamination solely by fallout from air... other discharges from areas subject to contamination solely by fallout from air emissions of DDT; or to... subject to direct contamination by DDT as a result of the manufacturing process, including but not limited...

Personal and Family Survival. Civil Defense Adult Education; Teacher's Manual.

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Office of Civil Defense (DOD), Washington, DC.

A manual intended as an instructor's aid in presenting a Civil Defense Adult Education Course is presented. It contains 10 lesson plans: Course Introduction, Modern Weapons and Radioactive Fallout (Effects), Modern Weapons and Radioactive Fallout (Protection), National Civil Defense Program, National Shelter Program (Community Shelters), National…

DOE Office of Scientific and Technical Information (OSTI.GOV)

Van der Stricht, E.; Vaninbroukx, R.; De Visscher, M.

The results of measurements of fall-out at Mol and in the Belgian Congo are given for July to December 1959. The air activity, total fall-out, and determinations of Sr/sup 9//sup 0/, Sr/sup 8//sup 9/, and Cs/sup 1//sup 3//sup 7/ are tabulated. Meteorological data are also given. (J.S.R.)

Digital Data for Volcano Hazards of the Three Sisters Region, Oregon

USGS Publications Warehouse

Schilling, S.P.; Doelger, S.; Scott, W.E.; Iverson, R.M.

2008-01-01

Three Sisters is one of three active volcanic centers that lie close to rapidly growing communities and resort areas in Central Oregon. The major composite volcanoes of this area are clustered near the center of the region and include South Sister, Middle Sister, and Broken Top. Additionally, hundreds of mafic volcanoes are scattered throughout the Three Sisters area. These range from small cinder cones to large shield volcanoes like North Sister and Belknap Crater. Hazardous events include landslides from the steep flanks of large volcanoes and floods, which need not be triggered by eruptions, as well as eruption-triggered events such as fallout of tephra (volcanic ash) and lava flows. A proximal hazard zone roughly 20 kilometers (12 miles) in diameter surrounding the Three Sisters and Broken Top could be affected within minutes of the onset of an eruption or large landslide. Distal hazard zones that follow river valleys downstream from the Three Sisters and Broken Top could be inundated by lahars (rapid flows of water-laden rock and mud) generated either by melting of snow and ice during eruptions or by large landslides. Slow-moving lava flows could issue from new mafic volcanoes almost anywhere within the region. Fallout of tephra from eruption clouds can affect areas hundreds of kilometers (miles) downwind, so eruptions at volcanoes elsewhere in the Cascade Range also contribute to volcano hazards in Central Oregon. Scientists at the Cascades Volcano Observatory created a geographic information system (GIS) data set which depicts proximal and distal lahar hazard zones as well as a regional lava flow hazard zone for Three Sisters (USGS Open-File Report 99-437, Scott and others, 1999). The various distal lahar zones were constructed from LaharZ software using 20, 100, and 500 million cubic meter input flow volumes. Additionally, scientists used the depositional history of past events in the Three Sisters Region as well as experience and judgment derived from the study of volcanoes to help construct the regional hazard zone.

Magellan: Radar performance and data products

USGS Publications Warehouse

Pettengill, G.H.; Ford, P.G.; Johnson, W.T.K.; Raney, R.K.; Soderblom, L.A.

1991-01-01

The Magellan Venus orbiter carries only one scientific instrument: a 12.6-centimeter-wavelength radar system shared among three data-taking modes. The syntheticaperture mode images radar echoes from the Venus surface at a resolution of between 120 and 300 meters, depending on spacecraft altitude. In the altimetric mode, relative height measurement accuracies may approach 5 meters, depending on the terrain's roughness, although orbital uncertainties place a floor of about 50 meters on the absolute uncertainty. In areas of extremely rough topography, accuracy is limited by the inherent line-of-sight radar resolution of about 88 meters. The maximum elevation observed to date, corresponding to a planetary radius of 6062 kilometers, lies within Maxwell Mons. When used as a thermal emission radiometer, the system can determine surface emissivities to an absolute accuracy of about 0.02. Mosaicked and archival digital data products will be released in compact disk (CDROM) format.

Fallout from the Chernobyl nuclear disaster and congenital malformations in Europe.

PubMed

Hoffmann, W

2001-01-01

Investigators estimate that the population exposure that resulted from the Chernobyl fallout is in the range of natural background radiation for most European countries. Given current radiobiologic knowledge, health effects-if any-would not be measurable with epidemiologic tools. In several independent reports, however, researchers have described isolated peaks in the prevalence of congenital malformations in the cohort conceived immediately after onset of the fallout. The consistency of the time pattern and the specific types of malformation raise concern about their significance. In this study, the author summarizes findings from Turkey, Belarus, Croatia, Finland, Germany, and other countries, and implications for radiation protection and public health issues are discussed.

A survey of radioactive fallout data in Alaska

DOE Office of Scientific and Technical Information (OSTI.GOV)

DePhillips, M.P.

1995-10-23

Considerable attention has been directed by the scientific community to assessing the levels and fate of radionuclides in Arctic ecosystems. The following text and tables present available data and discussion of radionuclide fallout in Alaska. A literature search of 23 on-line databases (Table 1) using Alaska, Strontium (Sr), Cesium (Cs), Plutonium (Pu) and Radionuclide as constraint terms responded with 177 possible citations. After eliminating duplicate citations, 31 articles were available: 17 were relevant to the subject matter; the remainder addressed geologic issues. All of the cited literature addressed {sup 137}Cs, {sup 90}Sr and {sup 239,240}Pu as a result of radionuclidemore » fallout from nuclear testing or accidental release.« less

Distribution of neptunium and plutonium in New Mexico lichen samples ( Usnea arizonica) contaminated by atmospheric fallout

DOE PAGES

Oldham, Jr., Warren J.; Hanson, Susan K.; Lavelle, Kevin B.; ...

2015-08-30

In this study, the concentrations of 237Np, 239Pu and 240Pu were determined in lichen samples ( Usnea arizonica) that were collected from ten locations in New Mexico between 2011 and 2013 using isotope dilution inductively-coupled plasma mass spectrometry (ID-ICP-MS). The observed isotopic ratios for 237Np/ 239Pu and 240Pu/ 239Pu indicate trace contamination from global and regional fallout (e.g. Trinity test and atmospheric testing at the Nevada Test Site). The fact that actinide contamination is detected in recent lichen collections suggests continuous re-suspension of fallout radionuclides even 50 years after ratification of the Limited Test Ban Treaty.

Cesium 137-Its applications for understanding soil redistribution and deposition patterns on the landscape

USDA-ARS?s Scientific Manuscript database

In the 1960s research began on the application of fallout radionuclides to determine sediment deposition and soil redistribution rates and patterns in agricultural and natural ecosystems. This research was based on the use of fallout 137Cesium (137Cs) from nuclear weapon tests deposited worldwide d...

7 CFR 760.7 - Other requirements for affected farmers.

Code of Federal Regulations, 2013 CFR

2013-01-01

... residue of a pesticide, a chemical, or a toxic substance or was contaminated by nuclear radiation or... by nuclear radiation or fallout. (3) The contamination of his milk was not otherwise his fault. (c..., chemicals, or toxic substances or contamination from nuclear radiation or fallout from his milk as soon as...

7 CFR 760.7 - Other requirements for affected farmers.

Code of Federal Regulations, 2011 CFR

2011-01-01

... residue of a pesticide, a chemical, or a toxic substance or was contaminated by nuclear radiation or... by nuclear radiation or fallout. (3) The contamination of his milk was not otherwise his fault. (c..., chemicals, or toxic substances or contamination from nuclear radiation or fallout from his milk as soon as...

7 CFR 760.7 - Other requirements for affected farmers.

Code of Federal Regulations, 2010 CFR

2010-01-01

... residue of a pesticide, a chemical, or a toxic substance or was contaminated by nuclear radiation or... by nuclear radiation or fallout. (3) The contamination of his milk was not otherwise his fault. (c..., chemicals, or toxic substances or contamination from nuclear radiation or fallout from his milk as soon as...

7 CFR 760.7 - Other requirements for affected farmers.

Code of Federal Regulations, 2012 CFR

2012-01-01

... residue of a pesticide, a chemical, or a toxic substance or was contaminated by nuclear radiation or... by nuclear radiation or fallout. (3) The contamination of his milk was not otherwise his fault. (c..., chemicals, or toxic substances or contamination from nuclear radiation or fallout from his milk as soon as...

7 CFR 760.7 - Other requirements for affected farmers.

Code of Federal Regulations, 2014 CFR

2014-01-01

... residue of a pesticide, a chemical, or a toxic substance or was contaminated by nuclear radiation or... by nuclear radiation or fallout. (3) The contamination of his milk was not otherwise his fault. (c..., chemicals, or toxic substances or contamination from nuclear radiation or fallout from his milk as soon as...

Tracking Radionuclide Fractionation in the First Atomic Explosion Using Stable Elements

DOE PAGES

Bonamici, Chloë E.; Hervig, Richard L.; Kinman, William S.

2017-08-25

Compositional analysis of postdetonation fallout is a tool for forensic identification of nuclear devices. However, the relationship between device composition and fallout composition is difficult to interpret because of the complex combination of physical mixing, nuclear reactions, and chemical fractionations that occur in the chaotic nuclear fireball. By using a combination of in situ microanalytical techniques (electron microprobe analysis and secondary ion mass spectrometry), we show that some heavy stable elements (Rb, Sr, Zr, Ba, Cs, Ba, La, Ce, Nd, Sm, Dy, Lu, U, Th) in glassy fallout from the first nuclear test, Trinity, are reliable chemical proxies for radionuclidesmore » generated during the explosion. Stable-element proxies show that radionuclides from the Trinity device were chemically, but not isotopically, fractionated by condensation. Moreover, stable-element proxies delineate chemical fractionation trends that can be used to connect present-day fallout composition to past fireball composition. Stable-element proxies therefore offer a novel approach for elucidating the phenomenology of the nuclear fireball as it relates to the formation of debris and the fixation of device materials within debris.« less

Reconstruction and analysis of 137Cs fallout deposition patterns in the Marshall Islands.

PubMed

Whitcomb, Robert C

2002-03-01

Estimates of 137Cs deposition caused by fallout originating from nuclear weapons testing in the Marshall Islands have been estimated for several locations in the Marshall Islands. These retrospective estimates are based primarily on historical exposure rate and gummed film measurements. The methods used to reconstruct these deposition estimates are similar to those used in the National Cancer Institute study for reconstructing 131I deposition from the Nevada Test Site. Reconstructed cumulative deposition estimates are validated against contemporary measurements of 137Cs concentration in soil with account taken for estimated global fallout contributions. These validations show that the overall geometric bias in predicted-to-observed (P:O) ratios is 1.0 (indicating excellent agreement). The 5th to 95th percentile range of this distribution is 0.35-2.95. The P:O ratios for estimates using historical gummed film measurements tend to slightly overpredict more than estimates using exposure rate measurements. The deposition estimate methods, supported by the agreement between estimates and measurements, suggest that these methods can be used with confidence for other weapons testing fallout radionuclides.

Tracking Radionuclide Fractionation in the First Atomic Explosion Using Stable Elements

DOE Office of Scientific and Technical Information (OSTI.GOV)

Bonamici, Chloë E.; Hervig, Richard L.; Kinman, William S.

Compositional analysis of postdetonation fallout is a tool for forensic identification of nuclear devices. However, the relationship between device composition and fallout composition is difficult to interpret because of the complex combination of physical mixing, nuclear reactions, and chemical fractionations that occur in the chaotic nuclear fireball. By using a combination of in situ microanalytical techniques (electron microprobe analysis and secondary ion mass spectrometry), we show that some heavy stable elements (Rb, Sr, Zr, Ba, Cs, Ba, La, Ce, Nd, Sm, Dy, Lu, U, Th) in glassy fallout from the first nuclear test, Trinity, are reliable chemical proxies for radionuclidesmore » generated during the explosion. Stable-element proxies show that radionuclides from the Trinity device were chemically, but not isotopically, fractionated by condensation. Moreover, stable-element proxies delineate chemical fractionation trends that can be used to connect present-day fallout composition to past fireball composition. Stable-element proxies therefore offer a novel approach for elucidating the phenomenology of the nuclear fireball as it relates to the formation of debris and the fixation of device materials within debris.« less

Tracking Radionuclide Fractionation in the First Atomic Explosion Using Stable Elements.

PubMed

Bonamici, Chloë E; Hervig, Richard L; Kinman, William S

2017-09-19

Compositional analysis of postdetonation fallout is a tool for forensic identification of nuclear devices. However, the relationship between device composition and fallout composition is difficult to interpret because of the complex combination of physical mixing, nuclear reactions, and chemical fractionations that occur in the chaotic nuclear fireball. Using a combination of in situ microanalytical techniques (electron microprobe analysis and secondary ion mass spectrometry), we show that some heavy stable elements (Rb, Sr, Zr, Ba, Cs, Ba, La, Ce, Nd, Sm, Dy, Lu, U, Th) in glassy fallout from the first nuclear test, Trinity, are reliable chemical proxies for radionuclides generated during the explosion. Stable-element proxies show that radionuclides from the Trinity device were chemically, but not isotopically, fractionated by condensation. Furthermore, stable-element proxies delineate chemical fractionation trends that can be used to connect present-day fallout composition to past fireball composition. Stable-element proxies therefore offer a novel approach for elucidating the phenomenology of the nuclear fireball as it relates to the formation of debris and the fixation of device materials within debris.

DOE Office of Scientific and Technical Information (OSTI.GOV)

Bonamici, Chloë E.; Kinman, William S.; Fournelle, John H.

Reprocessed earth material is a glassy nuclear fallout debris from near-surface nuclear tests. A geochemical approach to analysis of glassy fallout is uniquely suited to determine the means of reprocessing and shed light on the mechanisms of fallout formation. An improved understanding of fallout formation is of interest both for its potential to guide post-detonation nuclear forensic investigations and in the context of possible affinities between glassy debris and other glasses generated by high-energy natural events, such as meteorite impacts and lightning strikes. Our study presents a large major-element compositional dataset for glasses within aerodynamic fallout from the Trinity nuclearmore » test (“trinitite”) and a geochemically based analysis of the glass compositional trends. Silica-rich and alkali-rich trinitite glasses show compositions and textures consistent with formation through melting of individual mineral grains—quartz and alkali feldspar, respectively—from the test-site sediment. Furthermore, the volumetrically dominant glass phase—called the CaMgFe glass—shows extreme major-element compositional variability. Compositional trends in the CaMgFe glass are most consistent with formation through volatility-controlled condensation from compositionally heterogeneous plasma. Radioactivity occurs only in CaMgFe glass, indicating that co-condensation of evaporated bulk ground material and trace device material was the main mechanism of radioisotope incorporation into trinitite. CaMgFe trinitite glasses overlap compositionally with basalts, rhyolites, fulgurites, tektites, and microtektites but display greater compositional diversity than all of these naturally formed glasses. Indeed, the most refractory CaMgFe glasses compositionally resemble early solar system condensates—specifically, CAIs.« less

Limits of fetal thyroid risk from radioiodine exposure

DOE Office of Scientific and Technical Information (OSTI.GOV)

Lloyd, R.D.; Tripp, D.A.; Kerber, R.A.

1996-04-01

An incident in which a young women became pregnant soon after being treated with 444 MBq {sup 131}I for Graves disease prompted us to search local records for the occurrence of thyroid abnormalities among people exposed in utero to fallout radioiodine. The data base from the Utah Fallout Study indicated that there had been 480 cohort subjects for whom dose to thyroid from fallout radioiodine had been calculated and who could have received any thyroid dose before birth (2473 subjects had been re-examined in 1985-86 of the 4818 examined in 1965-70). Of these 480 subjects in this category, 403 ofmore » them could be located in the 1980`s and were examined for abnormalities. Although nodules, thyroiditis, hypothyroidism and goiter were seen among the 375 persons with in utero thyroid doses from fallout radioiodine below 0.42 Gy, no thyroid abnormalities of any kind occurred in the 4 persons with in utero thyroid doses of 0.5 to 2.6 Gy. In addition, no neoplasia was found in any of the 403 subjects examined about 3 decades after in utero fallout exposure. These limited data do not indicate that the fetal thyroid is more sensitive than the postnatal thyroid by more than about a factor of about 4 when thyroid dose is considered and by not much more than unity when the comparison is based on dose equivalent (x-ray vs. radioiodine). 21 refs., 1 tab.« less

Sources of plutonium to the tropical Northwest Pacific Ocean (1943-1999) identified using a natural coral archive

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Lindahl, Patric; Asami, Ryuji; Iryu, Yasufumi; Worsfold, Paul; Keith-Roach, Miranda; Choi, Min-Seok

2011-03-01

The Pu isotopes, 239Pu and 240Pu, were determined in annually-banded skeletons of an accurately dated (1943-1999) modern coral ( Porites lobata) from Guam Island to identify historical Pu sources to the tropical Northwest Pacific Ocean. Activity concentrations of 239+240Pu and 240Pu/ 239Pu atom ratios were determined in the dated coral bands using multi-collector inductively coupled plasma mass spectrometry (MC-ICP-MS). Close-in fallout from the former US Pacific Proving Grounds (PPG) in the Marshall Islands and global fallout were identified as the two main sources. The Guam site was dominated by PPG close-in fallout in the 1950s, with an average 240Pu/ 239Pu atom ratio of 0.315 ± 0.005. In addition, a higher 240Pu/ 239Pu atom ratio (0.456 ± 0.020) was observed that could be attributed to fallout from the "Ivy Mike" thermonuclear detonation in 1952. The atom ratio decreased in the 1960s and 1970s due to increase in the global fallout with a low 240Pu/ 239Pu atom ratio (˜0.18). Recent coral bands (1981-1999) are dominated by the transport of remobilised Pu, with high 240Pu/ 239Pu atom ratios, from the Marshall Islands to Guam Island along the North Equatorial Current (NEC). This remobilised Pu was estimated to comprise 69% of the total Pu in the recent coral bands, although its contribution was variable over time.

Fallout volume and litter type affect 137Cs concentration difference in litter between forest and stream environments.

PubMed

Sakai, Masaru; Gomi, Takashi; Negishi, Junjiro N

2016-11-01

It is important to understand the changes in the 137 Cs concentration in litter through leaching when considering that 137 Cs is transferred from basal food resources to animals in forested streams. We found that the difference of 137 Cs activity concentration in litter between forest and stream was associated with both litter type and 137 Cs fallout volume around Fukushima, Japan. The 137 Cs activity concentrations in the litter of evergreen conifers tended to be greater than those in the litter of broad-leaved deciduous trees because of the absence of deciduous leaves during the fallout period in March 2011. Moreover, 137 Cs activity concentrations in forest litter were greater with respect to the 137 Cs fallout volume. The 137 Cs activity concentrations in stream litter were much lower than those in forest litter when those in forest litter were higher. The 137 Cs leaching patterns indicated that the differences in 137 Cs activity concentration between forest and stream litter could change with changes in both fallout volume and litter type. Because litter is an important basal food resource in the food webs of both forests and streams, the 137 Cs concentration gradient reflects to possible 137 Cs transfer from lower to higher trophic animals. Our findings will improve our understanding of the spatial heterogeneity and variability of 137 Cs concentrations in animals resident to the contaminated landscape. Copyright © 2016 Elsevier Ltd. All rights reserved.

Resolving global versus local/regional Pu sources in the environment using sector ICP-MS

USGS Publications Warehouse

Ketterer, M.E.; Hafer, K.M.; Link, C.L.; Kolwaite, D.; Wilson, Jim; Mietelski, J.W.

2004-01-01

Sector inductively coupled plasma mass spectrometry is a versatile method for the determination of plutonium activities and isotopic compositions in samples containing this element at fallout levels. Typical detection limits for 239+240Pu are 0.1, 0.02 and 0.002 Bq kg -1Pu for samples sizes of 0.5 g, 3 g, and 50 g of soil, respectively. The application of sector ICP-MS-based Pu determinations is demonstrated in studies in sediment chronology, soil Pu inventory and depth distribution, and the provenance of global fallout versus local or regional Pu sources. A sediment core collected from Sloans Lake (Denver, Colorado, USA) exhibits very similar 137Cs and 239+240Pu activity profiles; 240Pu/239Pu atom ratios indicate possible small influences from the Nevada Test Site and/or the Rocky Flats Environmental Technology Site. An undisturbed soil profile from Lockett Meadow (Flagstaff, Arizona, USA) exhibits an exponential decrease in 239+240Pu activity versus depth; 240Pu/239Pu in the top 3 cm is slightly lower than the global fallout range of 0.180 ?? 0.014 due to possible regional influence of Nevada Test Site fallout. The 239??240Pu inventory at Lockett Meadow is 56 ?? 4 Bq m-2, consistent with Northern Hemisphere mid-latitude fallout. Archived NdF3 sources, prepared from Polish soils, demonstrate that substantial 239+240Pu from the 1986 Chernobyl disaster has been deposited in north eastern regions of Poland; compared to global fallout, Chernobyl Pu exhibits higher abundances of 240Pu and 241Pu. The ratios 240Pu/239pu and 241Pu/239Pu co-vary and range from 0.186-0.348 and 0.0029-0.0412, respectively, in forest soils (241Pu/239Pu = 0.2407??[240Pu/239Pu] - 0.0413; r2 = 0.9924). ?? The Royal Society of Chemistry 2004.

Neogene Fallout Tuffs from the Yellowstone Hotspot in the Columbia Plateau Region, Oregon, Washington and Idaho, USA

PubMed Central

Nash, Barbara P.; Perkins, Michael E.

2012-01-01

Sedimentary sequences in the Columbia Plateau region of the Pacific Northwest ranging in age from 16–4 Ma contain fallout tuffs whose origins lie in volcanic centers of the Yellowstone hotspot in northwestern Nevada, eastern Oregon and the Snake River Plain in Idaho. Silicic volcanism began in the region contemporaneously with early eruptions of the Columbia River Basalt Group (CRBG), and the abundance of widespread fallout tuffs provides the opportunity to establish a tephrostratigrahic framework for the region. Sedimentary basins with volcaniclastic deposits also contain diverse assemblages of fauna and flora that were preserved during the Mid-Miocene Climatic Optimum, including Sucker Creek, Mascall, Latah, Virgin Valley and Trout Creek. Correlation of ashfall units establish that the lower Bully Creek Formation in eastern Oregon is contemporaneous with the Virgin Valley Formation, the Sucker Creek Formation, Oregon and Idaho, Trout Creek Formation, Oregon, and the Latah Formation in the Clearwater Embayment in Washington and Idaho. In addition, it can be established that the Trout Creek flora are younger than the Mascall and Latah flora. A tentative correlation of a fallout tuff from the Clarkia fossil beds, Idaho, with a pumice bed in the Bully Creek Formation places the remarkably well preserved Clarkia flora assemblage between the Mascall and Trout Creek flora. Large-volume supereruptions that originated between 11.8 and 10.1 Ma from the Bruneau-Jarbidge and Twin Falls volcanic centers of the Yellowstone hotspot in the central Snake River Plain deposited voluminous fallout tuffs in the Ellensberg Formation which forms sedimentary interbeds in the CRBG. These occurrences extend the known distribution of these fallout tuffs 500 km to the northwest of their source in the Snake River Plain. Heretofore, the distal products of these large eruptions had only been recognized to the east of their sources in the High Plains of Nebraska and Kansas. PMID:23071494

Neogene fallout tuffs from the Yellowstone hotspot in the Columbia Plateau region, Oregon, Washington and Idaho, USA.

PubMed

Nash, Barbara P; Perkins, Michael E

2012-01-01

Sedimentary sequences in the Columbia Plateau region of the Pacific Northwest ranging in age from 16-4 Ma contain fallout tuffs whose origins lie in volcanic centers of the Yellowstone hotspot in northwestern Nevada, eastern Oregon and the Snake River Plain in Idaho. Silicic volcanism began in the region contemporaneously with early eruptions of the Columbia River Basalt Group (CRBG), and the abundance of widespread fallout tuffs provides the opportunity to establish a tephrostratigrahic framework for the region. Sedimentary basins with volcaniclastic deposits also contain diverse assemblages of fauna and flora that were preserved during the Mid-Miocene Climatic Optimum, including Sucker Creek, Mascall, Latah, Virgin Valley and Trout Creek. Correlation of ashfall units establish that the lower Bully Creek Formation in eastern Oregon is contemporaneous with the Virgin Valley Formation, the Sucker Creek Formation, Oregon and Idaho, Trout Creek Formation, Oregon, and the Latah Formation in the Clearwater Embayment in Washington and Idaho. In addition, it can be established that the Trout Creek flora are younger than the Mascall and Latah flora. A tentative correlation of a fallout tuff from the Clarkia fossil beds, Idaho, with a pumice bed in the Bully Creek Formation places the remarkably well preserved Clarkia flora assemblage between the Mascall and Trout Creek flora. Large-volume supereruptions that originated between 11.8 and 10.1 Ma from the Bruneau-Jarbidge and Twin Falls volcanic centers of the Yellowstone hotspot in the central Snake River Plain deposited voluminous fallout tuffs in the Ellensberg Formation which forms sedimentary interbeds in the CRBG. These occurrences extend the known distribution of these fallout tuffs 500 km to the northwest of their source in the Snake River Plain. Heretofore, the distal products of these large eruptions had only been recognized to the east of their sources in the High Plains of Nebraska and Kansas.

[Comparative analysis of the radionuclide composition in fallout after the Chernobyl and the Fukushima accidents].

PubMed

Kotenko, K V; Shinkarev, S M; Abramov, Iu V; Granovskaia, E O; Iatsenko, V N; Gavrilin, Iu I; Margulis, U Ia; Garetskaia, O S; Imanaka, T; Khoshi, M

2012-01-01

The nuclear accident occurred at Fukushima Dai-ichi Nuclear Power Plant (NPP) (March 11, 2011) similarly to the accident at the Chernobyl NPP (April 26, 1986) is related to the level 7 of the INES. It is of interest to make an analysis of the radionuclide composition of the fallout following the both accidents. The results of the spectrometric measurements were used in that comparative analysis. Two areas following the Chernobyl accident were considered: (1) the near zone of the fallout - the Belarusian part of the central spot extended up to 60 km around the Chernobyl NPS and (2) the far zone of the fallout--the "Gomel-Mogilev" spot centered 200 km to the north-northeast of the damaged reactor. In the case of Fukushima accident the near zone up to about 60 km considered. The comparative analysis has been done with respect to refractory radionuclides (95Zr, 95Nb, 141Ce, 144Ce), as well as to the intermediate and volatile radionuclides 103Ru, 106Ru, 131I, 134Cs, 137Cs, 140La, 140Ba and the results of such a comparison have been discussed. With respect to exposure to the public the most important radionuclides are 131I and 137Cs. For the both accidents the ratios of 131I/137Cs in the considered soil samples are in the similar ranges: (3-50) for the Chernobyl samples and (5-70) for the Fukushima samples. Similarly to the Chernobyl accident a clear tendency that the ratio of 131I/137Cs in the fallout decreases with the increase of the ground deposition density of 137Cs within the trace related to a radioactive cloud has been identified for the Fukushima accident. It looks like this is a universal tendency for the ratio of 131I/137Cs versus the 137Cs ground deposition density in the fallout along the trace of a radioactive cloud as a result of a heavy accident at the NPP with radionuclides releases into the environment. This tendency is important for an objective reconstruction of 131I fallout based on the results of 137Cs measurements of soil samples carried out at late dates after the Fukushima accident.

Tracking Radioactive Fallout from the Fukushima Dai-ichi Accident in Arctic Snow

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Osterberg, E. C.; Thompson, J.; Landis, J.; Albert, M. R.; Campbell, S. W.; Hawley, R. L.; Virginia, R. A.

2011-12-01

The March 11, 2011 magnitude 9.0 Tohoku, Japan earthquake produced a tsunami that inundated the Fukushima Dai-ichi nuclear power plant and led to the accidental release of radioactive 131I, 132Te, 134Cs, and 137Cs to the atmosphere. The Japanese Nuclear Safety Commission estimates that 12,000 TBq of 137Cs were released to the atmosphere during the incident, which represents ~14% of the total estimated 137Cs emission from the Chernobyl disaster in April 1986. Measurements of airborne radiation collected at the Fukushima plant illustrate that >50% of the total emitted radiation was released on March 15 and 16 associated with explosions and fires at reactor units 1, 2, and 4, and 70% was emitted in the first 5 days of the event. The source of the radiation is thus well constrained in time and space, providing an opportunity to better understand long-range atmospheric transport processes from Asia to the Arctic, while also assessing the magnitude of the fallout in the Arctic. Here we describe the 137Cs and 134Cs fallout flux near Thule, Greenland (1700 m a.s.l.), at Summit (3200 m a.s.l.), Greenland, and within Denali National Park, Alaska (2400-3900 m a.s.l.) based on series of large-volume (5-15 l) snow pit samples collected in June and July, 2011. In addition to assessing the spatial variability of Fukushima fallout in the Arctic, the elevation range of samples allows for an analysis of any vertical heterogeneity in fallout transport and deposition. Major ion concentrations and stable water isotope ratios are used to confirm the seasonal timing of the Fukushima fallout horizon in the snowpack. Radiocesium was concentrated and isolated from the snow pit meltwater using the well-established ammonium phosphomolybdate (AMP) adsorption method, and 134Cs and 137Cs concentrations were measured using gamma spectrometry with a Canberra 3523 well-type intrinsic Ge-detector at the Dartmouth College Short-Lived Isotope Laboratory. NOAA HYPLIT atmospheric forward-trajectory model results are integrated with the radiocesium flux measurements and emission estimates to investigate long-range atmospheric transport paths and mechanisms. Furthermore, we evaluate the potential to use the Fukushima fallout horizon as an absolute time marker in future Arctic ice core studies.

²³⁹Pu and ²⁴⁰Pu inventories and ²⁴⁰Pu/²³⁹Pu atom ratios in the equatorial Pacific Ocean water column.

PubMed

Yamada, Masatoshi; Zheng, Jian

2012-07-15

The (239+240)Pu concentrations and (240)Pu/(239)Pu atom ratios were determined by alpha spectrometry and inductively coupled plasma mass spectrometry for seawater samples from two stations, one at the equator and the other in the equatorial South Pacific. To better understand the fate of Pu isotopes, this study dealt with the contribution of the close-in fallout Pu from the Pacific Proving Grounds (PPG) in water columns of the Pacific Ocean. The (239)Pu, (240)Pu and (239+240)Pu inventories over the depth interval 0-3000 m at the equator station were 10.4, 8.9 and 19.3 Bq m(-2), respectively. Further, no noticeable difference was observed in (239)Pu, (240)Pu and (239+240)Pu inventories over the depth interval 0-3000 m between the two stations. The total (239+240)Pu inventories were significantly higher than the expected cumulative deposition density of global fallout. Water column (239+240)Pu inventories measured in this study were lower than those reported for comparable stations in the Geochemical Ocean Sections Study, indicating that these inventories have been decreasing at average rates of 0.89 ± 0.07 and 0.16 ± 0.07 Bq m(-2)yr(-1) at the equator and equatorial South Pacific stations, respectively, from 1973 to 1990. The obtained (240)Pu/(239)Pu atom ratios were higher than the mean global fallout ratio of 0.18. These high atom ratios proved the existence of close-in tropospheric fallout Pu from the PPG in the Marshall Islands. The (239+240)Pu inventories originating from the close-in fallout in the entire water column were estimated to be 11.1 Bq m(-2) at the equator station and 7.1 Bq m(-2) at the equatorial South Pacific Ocean station, and the relative percentages of close-in fallout Pu were 40% at the former and 34% at the latter. A significant amount of close-in fallout Pu originating from the PPG has been transported to deep layers below the 1000 m depth in the equatorial Pacific Ocean. Copyright © 2012 Elsevier B.V. All rights reserved.

Vertical Migration of Radionuclides in Soils on the Chernobyl Nuclear Power Plant (ChNPP) Exclusion Zone (1987-2007)

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Jannik, G. T.; Ivanov, Y. A.; Kashparov, V. A.; Levchuk, S. E.; Bondarkov, M. D.; Maksymenko, A. M.; Farfan, E. B.; Marra, J. C.

2009-12-01

In 1986-1987, a set of experimental sites for studies of vertical migration of radionuclides released from the ChNPP was established in the ChNPP Exclusion Zone for various fallout plumes. The sites were selected considering local terrain and geo-chemical conditions, as well as physical and chemical characteristics of the fallout. The experimental sites included grasslands, and pre-Chernobyl cultivated meadows and croplands. Vertical migration of radionuclides in the ChNPP Exclusion Zone grasslands was evaluated. Parameters of 137Cs, 90Sr, and 239,240Pu transfer were calculated and the periods during which these radionuclides reach their ecological half-life in the upper 5 cm soil layer were estimated. Migration capabilities of these radionuclides in the grassland soils tend to decrease as follows: 90Sr >137Cs ≥ 239,240Pu. A significant retardation of the 137Cs vertical migration was shown in the grasslands long after the Chernobyl accident. During the 21st year after the fallout, average Tecol values for 137Cs (the period of time it takes in the environment for 137Cs to reach half the value of its original concentration in the upper 5 cm soil layer, regardless of physical decay) are as follows: 180 - 320 years for grassland containing automorphous mineral soils of a light granulometric composition; and 90 - 100 years for grassland containing hydromorphous organogenic soils. These values are significantly higher than those estimated for the period of 6-9 years after the fallout: 60 - 150 years and 11 - 20 years, respectively. The absolute 137Cs Tecol values are by factors of 3-7 higher than 137Cs radiological decay values long after the accident. Changes in the exposure dose resulting from the soil deposited 137Cs only depend on its radiological decay. This factor should necessarily be considered for development of predictive assessments, including dose exposures for the hypothetical population in case of their re-evacuation to the exclusion areas. The obtained results have to be considered for predictive assessments, including those for dose exposures for the hypothetical population in case of their re-evacuation to the exclusion areas if implementation and/or planning of remediation activities at the ChNPP Exclusion Zone are considered reasonable and appropriate.

The basal fallout and surge deposits of the mafic ignimbrite-forming Villa Senni Eruption Unit, (Colli Albani volcano, Italy)

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Vinkler, A.; Ort, M. H.; Giordano, G.

2009-12-01

The Villa Senni Eruption Unit (350ka) represents the youngest large caldera-forming eruption of the Colli Albani volcano near Rome (Italy). The Colli Albani magma is marked by very undersaturated chemistry (tephritic to K-foiditic) and low viscosity. The total volume of the Villa Senni Eruption Unit is estimated at > 50 km3 and 30 km3 DRE (Watkins et al., 2002). The unit includes a sequence of a basal fallout/surge deposit, two main ignimbrites emplaced during the same eruptive event, a series of breccia deposits positioned between the two ignimbrites, and a rarely preserved final fallout. The basal surge and fallout sequence may help answer questions regarding the beginning of a large mafic ignimbrite eruption. The entire surge and fallout deposit is 190 cm thick at the caldera wall, consisting of 19 individual, parallel to faintly cross-stratified layers. The deposit distally thins to 25 cm at 18 km east of the caldera and to 2.5 cm at 21 km NW of the caldera. The eruption started with fine ash surges showing cross-stratification at proximal locations and being vesicular distally. The deposit consists mainly of juvenile clasts, which are angular, poorly vesicular, and rich in leucite microlites (~80 µm). Clasts around 100-150 μm show signs of magma-water interaction: quench fracturing: conchoidal and step fractures, smooth surfaces, adhering clasts and melt film. These features are present in several thin alternating surge and fall sequences at the base of the deposit. The lithic clasts in these first deposits are concentrated in layers, indicating pulsatory behavior of the eruption. Upward, the deposit consists of thicker, coarse ash to lapilli fallout layers from more sustained columns. The juvenile clasts in these deposits are more irregular, with higher vesicularity (but less than 50%) and smaller leucite microlites (~60 μm). The uppermost part of the basal fallout/surge deposit shows features transitional to the first large ignimbrite: fallout deposits alternate with poorly sorted flow units, with an increase in free leucite crystals and lithic content, with more abundant deep lithic clasts and a further leucite microlite size decrease (~20 μm) , which could indicate an accelerating magma in the conduit. We think that external factors, such as magma-water interaction and consequent gas explosions, triggered the highly explosive Villa Senni Eruption. Low vesicularity of the early juvenile clasts suggests the magma was relatively low in volatiles at the outset and did not start as a gas-driven eruption. Later in the eruption, the high ascent rate and fast decompression of the magma sustained a large explosive eruption.

Calculated effects of backscattering on skin dosimetry for nuclear fuel fragments.

PubMed

Aydarous, A Sh

2008-01-01

The size of hot particles contained in nuclear fallout ranges from 10 nm to 20 microm for the worldwide weapons fallout. Hot particles from nuclear power reactors can be significantly bigger (100 microm to several millimetres). Electron backscattering from such particles is a prominent secondary effect in beta dosimetry for radiological protection purposes, such as skin dosimetry. In this study, the effect of electron backscattering due to hot particles contamination on skin dose is investigated. These include parameters such as detector area, source radius, source energy, scattering material and source density. The Monte-Carlo Neutron Particle code (MCNP4C) was used to calculate the depth dose distribution for 10 different beta sources and various materials. The backscattering dose factors (BSDF) were then calculated. A significant dependence is shown for the BSDF magnitude upon detector area, source radius and scatterers. It is clearly shown that the BSDF increases with increasing detector area. For high Z scatterers, the BSDF can reach as high as 40 and 100% for sources with radii 0.1 and 0.0001 cm, respectively. The variation of BSDF with source radius, source energy and source density is discussed.

Development of Room Temperature Stable Formulation of Formoterol Fumarate/Beclomethasone HFA pMDI

PubMed Central

Purohit, D.; Trehan, A.; Arora, V.

2009-01-01

The primary aim of present investigation was to develop and formulate room temperature stable formulation of formoterol fumarate and beclomethasone dipropionate with extra fine part size of hydrofluoroalkane pressurized metered dose inhalers. Particle size distribution of hydrofluoroalkane pressurized metered dose inhalers was evaluated using Twin Stage Glass Impinger and Anderson Cascade Impactor. A tetrafluoroethane and/or heptafluoropropane were evaluated for preparation of hydrofluoroalkane pressurized metered dose inhalers. The fine particle fractions delivered from hydrofluoroalkane propellant suspension pressurized metered dose inhalers can be predicted on the basis of formulation parameters and is dependent of metering chamber of valve and orifice size of actuators. The results presented in investigation showed the importance of formulation excipients with formulation of pressurized metered dose inhalers viz, canister, valve and actuators used in formulations.

Fallout Radioactivity and Epiphytes.

Treesearch

H. T. Odum; George Ann Briscoe; C. B. Briscoe

1970-01-01

After relatively high levels of fallout retention were dicovered in the epiphytic mossy forest of the Luquillo Mountains durin 1962, a survey of the distribution of radioactivity in the rain forest system was made with beta counting of 1500 samples supplemented with gamma spectra. High levels, up to 4138 counts per minute per gram, were found mainly in or on green...

DOE Office of Scientific and Technical Information (OSTI.GOV)

Klement, A.W. Jr. ed.

Thirty papers are presented reviewing AEC research projects related to fall-out from weapons tests. Reviews of specific related programs by representatives from Canada and the UK are also included. The scope of the conference includes characteristics of fall-out, atmospheric factors affecting deposition, distribution in the environment, and distribution in the food chain and man. Separate abstracts have been prepared for each paper. (C.H.)

Nuclear Warfare Water Contamination.

DTIC Science & Technology

1982-05-01

obscured the important relationship between radionuclide ground concentrations and fallout dose rate contours by focusing too much attention on the...19 ) Radiological water contamination by nonpoint sources has received little, if any, attention in the current literature on the environmental... attention . Nevertheless, the environmental contamination of water supplies by fallout has been noted as a source of background radiation (20 ) and a possible

The Radioactive Contamination of Food Following Nuclear Attack

PubMed Central

Massey, E. E.

1967-01-01

The relative radiation hazards from early and delayed fallout following a nuclear attack have been reviewed. It is indicated that the hazard to life from whole-body gamma irradiation from early fallout far outweighs the hazard from radioactive contamination of food. Nevertheless, because of the possible effects of iodine-131, the consumption by infants of fresh milk from animals which have ingested contaminated fodder should be avoided if possible during the first few weeks after attack. During the same period, water from covered supplies should be used in preference to that from open reservoirs. It is more important, however, to alleviate hunger and thirst in both man and animal than to prevent the temporary ingestion of food which may be contaminated by fallout. PMID:6071130

MEASUREMENT OF THE ARTIFICIAL RADIOACTIVITY OF THE AIR AND OF FALL-OUT (in Italian)

DOE Office of Scientific and Technical Information (OSTI.GOV)

Amadesi, P.; Cervellati, A.; Melandri, C.

1959-01-01

The results of the measurement of the artificial radioactivity of the air and of fall-out made in Italy from June 1958 to February 1959 are reported. The measurement stations were located at Bologna, Milan, Genoa, Trieste, Naples, Resina, and Bari. The techniques for collecting the samples and measuring their activity are described. Histograms of the activity obtained at the various stations are given. The meteorological factors affecting the activity and the correlation with nuclear explosions are discussed. The methods used to separate Ba/sup 137/, Sr/sup 90/, and Sr/sup 89/ in the fall-out samples are given. The gamma spectra obtained aremore » discussed. (J.S.R.)« less

Fallout traces of the Fukushima NPP accident in southern West Siberia (Novosibirsk, Russia).

PubMed

Melgunov, M S; Pokhilenko, N P; Strakhovenko, V D; Sukhorukov, F V; Chuguevskii, A V

2012-05-01

The fallout of artificially produced radioactive isotopes has been recorded at a site in southern West Siberia (54°50'43.6″ N, 083°06'22.4″ E, Novosibirsk, Russia). The highest activities of (131)I, (134)Cs, and (136)Cs were found in fresh snow precipitated on 02 April 2011, at 0.83, 0.092, and 0.002 Bq L(-1) of meltwater, respectively. The (131)I/(134)Cs ratio decreased from 9.0 on 02 April to 1.2 on 27 April, which is consistent with the radioactive decay of (131)I. This fallout can only have originated from the accidental emission of Fukushima Nuclear Power Plant, Japan, in March 2011.

(236)U and (239,)(240)Pu ratios from soils around an Australian nuclear weapons test site.

PubMed

Tims, S G; Froehlich, M B; Fifield, L K; Wallner, A; De Cesare, M

2016-01-01

The isotopes (236)U, (239)Pu and (240)Pu are present in surface soils as a result of global fallout from nuclear weapons tests carried out in the 1950's and 1960's. These isotopes potentially constitute artificial tracers of recent soil erosion and sediment movement. Only Accelerator Mass Spectrometry has the requisite sensitivity to measure all three isotopes at these environmental levels. Coupled with its relatively high throughput capabilities, this makes it feasible to conduct studies of erosion across the geographical extent of the Australian continent. In the Australian context, however, global fallout is not the only source of these isotopes. As part of its weapons development program the United Kingdom carried out a series of atmospheric and surface nuclear weapons tests at Maralinga, South Australia in 1956 and 1957. The tests have made a significant contribution to the Pu isotopic abundances present in the region around Maralinga and out to distances ∼1000 km, and impact on the assessment techniques used in the soil and sediment tracer studies. Quantification of the relative fallout contribution derived from detonations at Maralinga is complicated owing to significant contamination around the test site from numerous nuclear weapons safety trials that were also carried out around the site. We show that (236)U can provide new information on the component of the fallout that is derived from the local nuclear weapons tests, and highlight the potential of (236)U as a new fallout tracer. Crown Copyright © 2015. Published by Elsevier Ltd. All rights reserved.

[The biological effects of a nuclear explosion. Introduction of a new system on a colorimetric scale (black, grey, red, orange, yellow and white zone) to estimate the effects of fall-out on civilian populations].

PubMed

Nacci, G

2002-08-01

Following September 11 the eventuality of terrorist attacks using bags containing nuclear devices is considered possible in western cities like New York, London, Paris, Rome, Berlin, Moscow etc. However, with a modern Civil Defence programme the effects of a catastrophe of this nature can be partially limited, at least as far as Fall-out is concerned. The present paper explains the medical reasons for building anti-fall-out shelters for the larger part of western populations: from the USA to Russia. The paper also sets out a new method for classifying levels of radioactive Fall-out based on a scale of colours (black, grey, red, orange, yellow and white) whatever kind of radioactivity is involved (total gamma levels, Cesium 137 levels, Strontium 90 levels). The arrival times for fall-out in each area of the scale are fixed, whatever the energy of the explosion and the speed of the wind might be. The radioactive decay in each area of the scale, from the time of arrival of the fall-out is described with precision. Also described are the acute radiation syndrome, tumours, miscarriages and genetic diseases. A nomogram is attached for civil defence purposes showing the leeward extension of these areas, easily measurable in just a few minutes, if four parameters are known: ground zero (locality) of the explosion, the energy of the explosion, the direction of the wind and the speed of the wind.

Development and Validation of a New Fallout Transport Method Using Variable Spectral Winds

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Hopkins, Arthur Thomas

A new method has been developed to incorporate variable winds into fallout transport calculations. The method uses spectral coefficients derived by the National Meteorological Center. Wind vector components are computed with the coefficients along the trajectories of falling particles. Spectral winds are used in the two-step method to compute dose rate on the ground, downwind of a nuclear cloud. First, the hotline is located by computing trajectories of particles from an initial, stabilized cloud, through spectral winds, to the ground. The connection of particle landing points is the hotline. Second, dose rate on and around the hotline is computed by analytically smearing the falling cloud's activity along the ground. The feasibility of using specgtral winds for fallout particle transport was validated by computing Mount St. Helens ashfall locations and comparing calculations to fallout data. In addition, an ashfall equation was derived for computing volcanic ash mass/area on the ground. Ashfall data and the ashfall equation were used to back-calculate an aggregated particle size distribution for the Mount St. Helens eruption cloud. Further validation was performed by comparing computed and actual trajectories of a high explosive dust cloud (DIRECT COURSE). Using an error propagation formula, it was determined that uncertainties in spectral wind components produce less than four percent of the total dose rate variance. In summary, this research demonstrated the feasibility of using spectral coefficients for fallout transport calculations, developed a two-step smearing model to treat variable winds, and showed that uncertainties in spectral winds do not contribute significantly to the error in computed dose rate.

FIIDOS--A Computer Code for the Computation of Fallout Inhalation and Ingestion Dose to Organs Computer User’s Guide (Revision 4)

DTIC Science & Technology

2007-05-01

35 5 Actinide product radionuclides... actinides , and fission products in fallout. Doses from low-linear energy transfer (LET) radiation (beta particles and gamma rays) are reported separately...assumptions about the critical parameters used in calculating internal doses – resuspension factor, breathing rate, fractionation, and scenario elements – to

The nature of rockfall as the basis for a new fallout area design criteria for 0.25:1 slopes.

DOT National Transportation Integrated Search

1994-09-01

The data gathered from rolling nearly 2800 rocks off several 0.25H:1V slopes into three differently shaped ditches (flat, 6H:1V and 4H:1V) was used to develop 12 design charts for rock fallout areas. The data were analyzed using simple statistical an...

DOE Office of Scientific and Technical Information (OSTI.GOV)

Lloyd, R.D.; Gren, D.C.; Simon, S.L.

External gamma-ray exposures from fallout originating at the Nevada Test Site (NTS) have been assigned to 6,507 individual subjects (1,177 leukemia cases and 5,330 control subjects) who died as Utah residents between 1952 and 1981. Leukemia cases were identified, confirmed, and classified by cell type from the Utah Cancer Registry, Utah State vital records, and medical records. Residential histories were obtained from the Deceased Membership File (DMF) of the Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints (LDS), supplemented by information from the LDS Church Census Records that were taken in 1950, 1955, and 1960-62. Control subjects were selected randomly withinmore » age strata from the DMF and were frequency-matched to the cases by age at death and for sex. Individual radiation exposures were assigned as a function of residence location and time interval for each residence during the fallout period (1951-1958) using geographic exposure data taken from the literature. Temporal distribution of exposure for subjects who resided in more than one locality or who were born or died during the fallout period was determined from data of other investigators. Calculated gamma-ray exposures for each place of residence were summed for each subject to yield the exposure to fallout from the NTS.« less

Radioecological indexes of fallout measurements from the Fukushima nuclear accident

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Manolopoulou, Metaxia; Stoulos, Stylianos; Ioannidou, Alexandra; Vagena, Eleni

2014-05-01

Fallout from the Fukushima nuclear accident has been monitored for about 1 month in Thessaloniki, Northern Greece. Three different radionuclides, one short-lived, one relatively long-lived and one long- lived fission product were identified in air, grass and milk samples. The 131I, 137Cs and 134Cs activity concentrations in air reached 497, 145 and 126 μBqm-3, respectively on 4 April, 2011. These radionuclides are of particular concern regarding their transfer from the environment to population through the ingestion pathways for the assessment of the Fukushima accident consequences. Radioecological indexes (eco-indexes) of fallout measurements in the air-grass-cow-milk-man pathway for 131I were determined, as they are related to radiological impact of the Fukushima derived radionuclides on the public and environment.

Mapping Nuclear Fallout Using the Weather Research & Forecasting (WRF) Model

DTIC Science & Technology

2012-09-01

relevant modules, originally designed to predict the settling of volcanic ash, such that a stabilized cloud of nuclear particulate is initialized...within the model. This modified code is then executed for various atmospheric test explosions and the results are qualitatively and quantitatively...HYSPLIT Simulation ....................................... 44  Figure 7. WRF Fallout Prediction for Test Shot George, 0.8 R/h at H+1

VULNERABILITY OF HEADWATER CATCHMENT RESOURCES TO INCIDENCES OF 210PB EXCESS AND 137CS RADIONUCLIDE FALLOUT

EPA Science Inventory

Recent identification of elevated excess ²¹⁰Pb (≤302.6 mBq L^-1) and ¹³⁷Cs (≤ 111.3 mBq L^-1) activity in drinking water wells up to 20 m depth indicates some transport of airborne radionuclide fallout beyond soils in the Shaker Village c...

USSR and Eastern Europe Scientific Abstracts Geophysics, Astronomy and Space No. 404

DTIC Science & Technology

1977-09-01

atmospheric circulation. A reliable linear correlation was established between the monthly fallout activity of 10^Ru + -^Rh and monthly precipitation and...therefore the washing out of this radionuclide from tropospheric air by precipitation is more important for its fallout. [153] ANALYTICAL...development of some methods for predicting definite weather phenomena (such as precipitation ), taking into account the evolution of the

Description of and link to the I-131 dose/risk calculator

Cancer.gov

This calculator estimates radiation dose received by the thyroid from radionuclides in fallout from nuclear tests conducted at the Nevada Test Site (NTS) and sites outside of the United States (global fallout); estimates risk of developing thyroid cancer from that exposure; and provides an estimate of probability of causation, sometimes called assigned share (PC/AS), for individuals who have been diagnosed with thyroid cancer.

Plutonium as a chronomarker in Australian and New Zealand sediments: a comparison with (137)Cs.

PubMed

Hancock, G J; Leslie, C; Everett, S E; Tims, S G; Brunskill, G J; Haese, R

2011-10-01

The construction of high resolution chronologies of sediment profiles corresponding to the last 50-100 years usually entails the measurement of fallout radionuclides (210)Pb and (137)Cs. The anthropogenic radionuclide, (137)Cs, originating from atmospheric nuclear weapons testing can provide an important "first appearance" horizon of known age (1954-1955), providing much-needed validation for the sometimes uncertain interpretations associated with (210)Pb geochronology. However, while (137)Cs usually provides a strong signal in sediment in the northern hemisphere, total fallout of (137)Cs in the southern hemisphere was only 25% that of the north and the low activities of (137)Cs seen in Australian and New Zealand sediments can make its horizon of first appearance somewhat arguable. Low (137)Cs fallout also limited the size of the 1963-1964 fallout peak, a peak that is usually seen in northern hemisphere sediment profiles but is often difficult to discern south of the equator. This paper shows examples of the use of nuclear weapons fallout Pu as a chronomarker in sediment cores from Australia (3 sites) and New Zealand (1 site). The Pu profiles of five cores are examined and compared with the corresponding (137)Cs profiles and (210)Pb geochronologies. We find that Pu has significant advantages over (137)Cs, including greater measurement sensitivity using alpha spectrometry and mass spectrometric techniques compared to (137)Cs measurements by gamma spectrometry. Moreover, Pu provides additional chronomarkers associated with changes in the Pu isotopic composition of fallout during the 1950s and 1960s. In particular, the (238)Pu/(239+240)Pu activity ratio shows distinct shifts in the early 1950s and the mid to late 1960s, providing important known-age horizons in southern hemisphere sediments. For estuarine and near-shore sediments Pu sometimes has another significant advantage over (137)Cs due to its enrichment in bottom sediment relative to (137)Cs resulting from the more efficient scavenging of dissolved Pu in seawater by sediment particles. Copyright © 2009 Elsevier Ltd. All rights reserved.

Impact of ground speed and varying seeding rates on meter performance

USDA-ARS?s Scientific Manuscript database

Achieving optimum planter performance is an important requirement for obtaining higher crop yields. Planter performance depends on several factors but meter speed is an important one which is a function of ground speed, seeding rate and row spacing. A study was conducted to evaluate the influence of...

Does the Fukushima NPP disaster affect the caesium activity of North Atlantic Ocean fish?

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Kanisch, G.; Aust, M.-O.

2013-08-01

Fillet samples of marine fish collected from the East/West Greenland currents (GC) and from the Baltic Sea (BS) have been investigated by gamma-ray spectrometry within the regular German monitoring programme. In samples of the second half of 2011, 134Cs traces have been detected that are suggested to originate from the Fukushima fallout that was deposited in March/April 2011 over the northern North Atlantic and accumulated by fish. The radionuclide 134Cs (half-life 2 yr) was indeed detected with quite small activities at about 0.0036 Bq kg-1 w.w. Existing box models describing the transport of Cs within seawater boxes of the northeast Atlantic allowed for estimation of 134Cs contributions from other sources, i.e. from the Chernobyl fallout and from discharges by the two major European nuclear reprocessing plants; both were negligible around Greenland, while for the Chernobyl fallout a small 134Cs background contribution to BS fish was estimated. Model results confirmed the level of 134C measured in BS fish and showed its maximum to have occurred in winter 2011/2012 followed by a continuous decrease. It was also determined that 134Cs activity, but not that of 134Cs, showed a significant negative correlation with sampling depth (150-400 m) of GC fish; this strengthens our Fukushima fallout assumption. As a result, the Fukushima fallout in these sea areas only marginally enhanced (GC: 4%; BS: 0.1%) pre-Fukushima levels of individual dose rates received by human fish consumers; the addition was around 0.001 μSv following the consumption of 10 kg of fish per year, which is not expected to cause concern according to present guidelines for radiation protection.

Does the Fukushima NPP disaster affect the caesium activity of North Atlantic Ocean fish?

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Kanisch, G.; Aust, M.-O.

2013-03-01

Fillet samples of marine fish collected from the East/West Greenland current (GC) and from the Baltic Sea (BS), have been investigated by gamma-ray spectrometry within the regular German monitoring program. In samples of the second half of 2011 134Cs traces have been detected, suggested to originate from the Fukushima fallout being deposited in March/April 2011 over the northern North Atlantic and accumulated by fish. The radionuclide 134Cs (half-live 2 yr) was indeed detected with quite small activities at about 0.0036 Bq kg-1 w.w. Existing box-models describing the transport of Cs within seawater boxes of the NE Atlantic allowed estimating that 134Cs contributions from other sources, i.e. from the Chernobyl fallout and from discharges by the two major European nuclear reprocessing plants, both were negligible around Greenland, while for the Chernobyl fallout a small 134Cs background contribution to BS fish was estimated. Model results confirmed the level of 134Cs measured in BS fish and showed its maximum to have occurred in winter 2011/2012 followed by a continuous decrease. It was also determined that 134Cs activity, but not that of 134Cs, showed a significant negative correlation with sampling depth (150-400 m) of GC fish; this strengthens our Fukushima fallout assumption. As a result, the Fukushima fallout in these sea areas only marginally enhanced (GC: 4%; BS: 0.1%) pre-Fukushima levels of individual dose rates received by human fish consumers; the addition was around 0.001 μSv following the consumption of 10 kg fish per year, which is not expected to cause concern according to present guidelines for radiation protection.

Chernobyl fallout in the uppermost (0-3 cm) humus layer of forest soil in Finland, North East Russia and the Baltic countries in 2000--2003.

PubMed

Ylipieti, J; Rissanen, K; Kostiainen, E; Salminen, R; Tomilina, O; Täht, K; Gilucis, A; Gregorauskiene, V

2008-12-15

The situation resulting from the Chernobyl fallout in 1987 was compared to that in 2000--2001 in Finland and NW Russia and that in 2003 in the Baltic countries. 786 humus (0-3 cm layer) samples were collected during 2000--2001 in the Barents Ecogeochemistry Project, and 177 samples in the Baltic countries in 2003. Nuclides emitting gamma-radiation in the 0-3 cm humus layer were measured by the Radiation and Nuclear Safety Authority-STUK in Finland. In 1987 the project area was classified by the European Commission into four different fallout classes. 137Cs inventory Bg/m2 levels measured in 2000--2003 were compared to the EU's class ranges. Fitting over the whole project area was implemented by generalizing the results for samples from the Baltic countries, for which Bq/m2 inventories could be calculated. A rough estimation was made by comparing the mass of organic matter and humus with 137Cs concentrations in these two areas. Changes in 137Cs concentration levels are illustrated in both thematic maps and tables. Radionuclide 137Cs concentrations (Bq/kg d.w.) were detected in the humus layer at all the 988 sampling sites. 134Cs was still present in 198 sites 15 years after the nuclear accident in Chernobyl. No other anthropogenic nuclides emitting gamma-radiation were detected, but low levels of 60Co, 125Sb and 154Eu isotopes were found in 14 sites. Fifteen years after the Chernobyl accident, the radioactive nuclide 137Cs was and still is the most significant fallout radionuclide in the environment and in food chains. The results show that the fallout can still be detected in the uppermost humus layer in North East Europe.

A review of tephra transport and dispersal models: Evolution, current status, and future perspectives

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Folch, A.

2012-08-01

Tephra transport models try to predict atmospheric dispersion and sedimentation of tephra depending on meteorology, particle properties, and eruption characteristics, defined by eruption column height, mass eruption rate, and vertical distribution of mass. Models are used for different purposes, from operational forecast of volcanic ash clouds to hazard assessment of tephra dispersion and fallout. The size of the erupted particles, a key parameter controlling the dynamics of particle sedimentation in the atmosphere, varies within a wide range. Largest centimetric to millimetric particles fallout at proximal to medial distances from the volcano and sediment by gravitational settling. On the other extreme, smallest micrometric to sub-micrometric particles can be transported at continental or even at global scales and are affected by other deposition and aggregation mechanisms. Different scientific communities had traditionally modeled the dispersion of these two end members. Volcanologists developed families of models suitable for lapilli and coarse ash and aimed at computing fallout deposits and for hazard assessment. In contrast, meteorologists and atmospheric scientists have traditionally used other atmospheric transport models, dealing with finer particles, for tracking motion of volcanic ash clouds and, eventually, for computing airborne ash concentrations. During the last decade, the increasing demand for model accuracy and forecast reliability has pushed on two fronts. First, the original gap between these different families of models has been filled with the emergence of multi-scale and multi-purpose models. Second, new modeling strategies including, for example, ensemble and probabilistic forecast or model data assimilation are being investigated for future implementation in models and or modeling strategies. This paper reviews the evolution of tephra transport and dispersal models during the last two decades, presents the status and limitations of the current modeling strategies, and discusses some emergent perspectives expected to be implemented at operational level during the next few years. Improvements in both real-time forecasting and long-term hazard assessment are necessary to loss prevention programs on a local, regional, national and international level.

Marine mesocosm bacterial colonisation of volcanic ash

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Witt, Verena; Cimarelli, Corrado; Ayris, Paul; Kueppers, Ulrich; Erpenbeck, Dirk; Dingwell, Donald; Woerheide, Gert

2015-04-01

Volcanic eruptions regularly eject large quantities of ash particles into the atmosphere, which can be deposited via fallout into oceanic environments. Such fallout has the potential to alter pH, light and nutrient availability at local scales. Shallow-water coral reef ecosystems - "rainforests of the sea" - are highly sensitive to disturbances, such as ocean acidification, sedimentation and eutrophication. Therefore, wind-delivered volcanic ash may lead to burial and mortality of such reefs. Coral reef ecosystem resilience may depend on pioneer bacterial colonisation of the ash layer, supporting subsequent establishment of the micro- and ultimately the macro-community. However, which bacteria are involved in pioneer colonisation remain unknown. We hypothesize that physico-chemical properties (i.e., morphology, mineralogy) of the ash may dictate bacterial colonisation. The effect of substrate properties on bacterial colonisation was tested by exposing five substrates: i) quartz sand ii) crystalline ash (Sakurajima, Japan) iii) volcanic glass iv) carbonate reef sand and v) calcite sand of similar grain size, in controlled marine coral reef aquaria under low light conditions for six months. Bacterial communities were screened every month by Automated Ribosomal Intergenic Spacer Analysis of the 16S-23S rRNA Internal Transcribed Spacer region. Multivariate statistics revealed discrete groupings of bacterial communities on substrates of volcanic origin (ash and glass) and reef origin (three sands). Analysis of Similarity supported significantly different communities associated with all substrates (p=0.0001), only quartz did not differ from both carbonate and calcite sands. The ash substrate exhibited the most diverse bacterial community with the most substrate-specific bacterial operational taxonomic units. Our findings suggest that bacterial diversity and community composition during colonisation of volcanic ash in a coral reef-like environment is controlled by the physico-chemical composition of the substrate. Knowledge on pioneer bacterial colonisation may increase our understanding on the resilience of coral reefs to natural "catastrophes", such as volcanic ash fallout.

LONG-TERM DYNAMICS OF RADIONUCLIDE VERTICAL MIGRATION IN SOILS OF THE CHERNOBYL NUCLEAR POWER PLANT EXCLUSION ZONE

DOE Office of Scientific and Technical Information (OSTI.GOV)

Farfan, E

2009-11-19

The radioactive fallout from the Chernobyl Nuclear Power Plant (ChNPP) accident consisted of fuel and condensation components. An important radioecological task associated with the late phase of the accident is to evaluate the dynamics of radionuclide mobility in soils. Identification of the variability (or invariability) in the radionuclide transfer parameters makes it possible to (1) accurately predict migration patterns and biological availability of radionuclides and (2) evaluate long-term exposure trends for the population who may reoccupy the remediated abandoned areas. In 1986-1987, a number of experimental plots were established within various tracts of the fallout plume to assist with themore » determination of the long-term dynamics of radionuclide vertical migration in the soils. The transfer parameters for {sup 137}Cs, {sup 90}Sr, and {sup 239,240}Pu in the soil profile, as well as their ecological half-time of the radionuclide residence (T{sub 1/2}{sup ecol}) values in the upper 5-cm thick soil layers of different grasslands were estimated at various times since the accident. Migration characteristics in the grassland soils tend to decrease as follows: {sup 90}Sr > {sup 137}Cs {ge} {sup 239,240}Pu. It was found that the {sup 137}Cs absolute T{sub 1/2}{sup ecol} values are 3-7 times higher than its radioactive decay half-life value. Therefore, changes in the exposure dose resulting from the soil deposited {sup 137}Cs now depend only on its radioactive decay. The {sup 90}Sr T{sub 1/2}{sup ecol} values for the 21st year after the fallout tend to decrease, indicating an intensification of its migration capabilities. This trend appears consistent with a pool of mobile {sup 90}Sr forms that grows over time due to destruction of the fuel particles.« less

Marine Mesocosm Bacterial Colonisation of Volcanic Ash

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Witt, V.; Cimarelli, C.; Ayris, P. M.; Kueppers, U.; Erpenbeck, D.; Dingwell, D. B.; Woerheide, G.

2014-12-01

Explosive volcanic eruptions regularly eject large quantities of ash particles into the atmosphere, which can be deposited via fallout into oceanic environments. Such fallout has the potential to alter pH, light and nutrient availability at local or regional scales. Shallow-water coral reef ecosystems - "rainforests of the sea" - are highly sensitive to disturbances, such as ocean acidification, sedimentation and eutrophication. Therefore, ash deposition may lead to burial and mortality of such reefs. Coral reef ecosystem resilience may depend on pioneer bacterial colonisation of the ash layer, supporting subsequent establishment of the micro- and ultimately the macro-community. However, it is currently unknown which bacteria are involved in pioneer colonisation. We hypothesize that physico-chemical properties (i.e., morphology, chemistry, mineralogy) of the ash may dictate bacterial colonisation. We have tested the effect of substrate properties on bacterial diversity and abundance colonising five substrates: i) quartz sand ii) crystalline ash from the Sakurajima volcano (Japan) iii) volcanic glass iv) carbonate reef sand and v) calcite sand of similar grain size - by incubation in a controlled marine mesocosm (coral reef aquarium) under low light conditions for three months. Bacterial communities were screened every month by Automated Ribosomal Intergenic Spacer Analysis of the 16S-23S rRNA Internal Transcribed Spacer region. Multivariate statistics revealed discrete groupings of bacterial communities on substrates of volcanic origin (ash and glass) and reef origin (three sands). Analysis Of Similarity supports significantly different communities associated with all substrates (p=0.0001), only quartz did not differ from both carbonate and calcite sands. The ash substrate exhibited the most diverse bacterial community and carried the most substrate-specific bacterial operational taxonomic units. Our findings suggest that bacterial diversity and community composition during colonisation of volcanic ash in a coral reef-like environment is controlled by the physico-chemical composition of the substrate. Knowledge on pioneer bacterial colonisation may increase our understanding on the resilience of coral reefs to natural "catastrophes", such as volcanic ash fallout.

Release of Bacterial Spores from the Inner Walls of a Stainless Steel Cup Subjected to Thermal Stresses and Mechanical Shock

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

Wolochow, H.; Chatigny, M.; Hebert, J.

1973-01-01

The release and fallout of particulates from surfaces afforded thermal or impact stress is of concern for control of contamination of Mars from planetary landing vehicles. A metal vessel contaminated by aerosols of spores was used as a model system and the fallout of spores as affected by various mechanisms was examined. Thermal stresses simulating those expected on the Mars lander dislodged approximately .01% of the aerosol deposited surface burden as did a landing shock of 8 to 10G deceleration. Spores imprinted by finger or swab contact yielded similar results. In all cases where repeated cycling of temperature, motion, or shock were employed the majority of fallout occurred in the first cycle. Particles released from the surface were predominantly in the size range 1 to 5 microns.

Tapping to a Slow Tempo in the Presence of Simple and Complex Meters Reveals Experience-Specific Biases for Processing Music

PubMed Central

Ullal-Gupta, Sangeeta; Hannon, Erin E.; Snyder, Joel S.

2014-01-01

Musical meters vary considerably across cultures, yet relatively little is known about how culture-specific experience influences metrical processing. In Experiment 1, we compared American and Indian listeners' synchronous tapping to slow sequences. Inter-tone intervals contained silence or to-be-ignored rhythms that were designed to induce a simple meter (familiar to Americans and Indians) or a complex meter (familiar only to Indians). A subset of trials contained an abrupt switch from one rhythm to another to assess the disruptive effects of contradicting the initially implied meter. In the unfilled condition, both groups tapped earlier than the target and showed large tap-tone asynchronies (measured in relative phase). When inter-tone intervals were filled with simple-meter rhythms, American listeners tapped later than targets, but their asynchronies were smaller and declined more rapidly. Likewise, asynchronies rose sharply following a switch away from simple-meter but not from complex-meter rhythm. By contrast, Indian listeners performed similarly across all rhythm types, with asynchronies rapidly declining over the course of complex- and simple-meter trials. For these listeners, a switch from either simple or complex meter increased asynchronies. Experiment 2 tested American listeners but doubled the duration of the synchronization phase prior to (and after) the switch. Here, compared with simple meters, complex-meter rhythms elicited larger asynchronies that declined at a slower rate, however, asynchronies increased after the switch for all conditions. Our results provide evidence that ease of meter processing depends to a great extent on the amount of experience with specific meters. PMID:25075514

237 Np analytical method using 239 Np tracers and application to a contaminated nuclear disposal facility

DOE Office of Scientific and Technical Information (OSTI.GOV)

Snow, Mathew S.; Morrison, Samuel S.; Clark, Sue B.

2017-06-01

Environmental 237Np analyses are challenged by low 237Np concentrations and lack of an available yield tracer; we report a rapid, inexpensive 237Np analytical approach employing the short lived 239Np (t1/2 = 2.3 days) as a chemical yield tracer followed by 237Np quantification using inductively coupled plasma-mass spectrometry. 239Np tracer is obtained via separation from a 243Am stock solution and standardized using gamma spectrometry immediately prior to sample processing. Rapid digestions using a commercial, 900 watt “Walmart” microwave and Parr microwave vessels result in 99.8 ± 0.1% digestion yields, while chromatographic separations enable Np/U separation factors on the order of 106more » and total Np yields of 95 ± 4% (2σ). Application of this method to legacy soil samples surrounding a radioactive disposal facility (the Subsurface Disposal Area at Idaho National Laboratory) reveal the presence of low level 237Np contamination within 600 meters of this site, with maximum 237Np concentrations on the order of 103 times greater than nuclear weapons testing fallout levels.« less

A Dynamic Approach to Monitoring Particle Fallout in a Cleanroom Environment

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

Perry, Radford L., III

2010-01-01

This slide presentation discusses a mathematical model to monitor particle fallout in a cleanroom. "Cleanliness levels" do not lead to increases with regards to cleanroom type or time because the levels are not linear. Activity level, impacts the cleanroom class. The numerical method presented leads to a simple Class-hour formulation, that allows for dynamic monitoring of the particle using a standard air particle counter.

Photographs and Pamphlet about Nuclear Fallout. The Constitution Community: Postwar United States (1945 to Early 1970s).

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Lawlor, John M., Jr.

In August 1945, the United States unleashed an atomic weapon against the Japanese at Hiroshima and Nagasaki and brought an end to World War II. These bombs killed in two ways -- by the blast's magnitude and resulting firestorm, and by nuclear fallout. After the Soviet Union exploded its first atom bomb in 1949, the Cold War waged between the two…

Neonatal outcomes following exposure in utero to fallout from Chernobyl.

PubMed

Hatch, Maureen; Little, Mark P; Brenner, Alina V; Cahoon, Elizabeth K; Tereshchenko, Valery; Chaikovska, Ludmyla; Pasteur, Igor; Likhtarov, Ilya; Bouville, Andre; Shpak, Victor; Bolshova, Olena; Zamotayeva, Galyna; Grantz, Katherine; Sun, Liping; Mabuchi, Kiyohiko; Albert, Paul; Tronko, Mykola

2017-12-01

Iodine 131 (I-131), the principal component of nuclear fallout from the Chernobyl accident, concentrates in the thyroid gland and may pose risks to fetal development. To evaluate this, neonatal outcomes following the accident in April of 1986 were investigated in a cohort of 2582 in utero-exposed individuals from northern Ukraine for whom estimates of fetal thyroid I-131 dose were available. We carried out a retrospective review of cohort members' prenatal, delivery and newborn records. The relationships of dose with neonatal anthropometrics and gestational length were modeled via linear regression with adjustment for potentially confounding variables. We found similar, statistically significant dose-dependent reductions in both head circumference (-1.0 cm/Gy, P = 0.005) and chest circumference (-0.9 cm/Gy, P = 0.023), as well as a similar but non-significant reduction in neonatal length (-0.6 cm/Gy, P = 0.169). Gestational length was significantly increased with increasing fetal dose (0.5 wks/Gy, P = 0.007). There was no significant (P > 0.1) effect of fetal dose on birth weight. The observed associations of radioiodine exposure with decreased head and chest circumference are consistent with those observed in the Japanese in utero-exposed atomic bomb survivors.

DOE Office of Scientific and Technical Information (OSTI.GOV)

Simon, S.L.; Kerber, R.L.; Stevens, W.

This paper discusses the dosimetry methodology used to estimate bone marrow dose and the results of dosimetry calculations for 6,507 subjects in an epidemiologic case. control study of leukemia among Utah residents. The estimated doses were used to determine if a higher incidence of leukemia among residents of Utah could have been attributed to exposure to radioactive fallout from above-ground nuclear weapons tests conducted at the Nevada Test Site. The objective of the dosimetry methodology was to estimate absorbed dose to active marrow specific to each case and each control subject. Data on the residence of each subject were availablemore » from records of the Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints. Deposition of fallout was determined from databases developed using historical measurements and exposure for each subject from each test was estimated using those data. Exposure was converted to dose by applying an age-dependent dose conversion factor and a factor for shielding. The median dose for all case and control subjects was 3.2 mGy. The maximum estimated mean dose for any case or control was 29 {plus_minus} 5.6 mGy (a resident of Washington County, UT). Uncertainties were estimated for each estimated dose. The results of the dosimetry calculations were applied in an epidemiological analysis.« less

External radiation in Dolon village due to local fallout from the first USSR atomic bomb test in 1949.

PubMed

Imanaka, Tetsuji; Fukutani, Satoshi; Yamamoto, Masayoshi; Sakaguchi, Aya; Hoshi, Masaharu

2006-02-01

Dolon village, located about 60 km from the border of the Semipalatinsk Nuclear Test Site, is known to be heavily contaminated by local fallout from the first USSR atomic bomb test in 1949. External radiation in Dolon was evaluated based on recent 137Cs data in soil and calculation of temporal change in the fission product composition. After fitting a log-normal distribution to the soil data, a 137Cs deposition of 32 kBq m-2, which corresponds to the 90th-percentile of the distribution, was tentatively chosen as a value to evaluate the radiation situation in 1949. Our calculation indicated that more than 95% of the cumulative dose for 50 y had been delivered within 1 y after the deposition. The resulting cumulative dose for 1 y after the deposition, normalized to the initial contamination containing 1 kBq m-2 of 137Cs, was 15.6 mGy, assuming a fallout arrival time of 3 h and a medium level of fractionation. Finally, 0.50 Gy of absorbed dose in air was derived as our tentative estimate for 1-year cumulative external dose in Dolon due to local fallout from the first USSR test in 1949.

ESR dosimetry study of population in the vicinity of the Semipalatinsk Nuclear Test Site

PubMed Central

Zhumadilov, Kassym; Ivannikov, Alexander; Stepanenko, Valeriy; Zharlyganova, Dinara; Toyoda, Shin; Zhumadilov, Zhaxybay; Hoshi, Masaharu

2013-01-01

A tooth enamel electron spin resonance (ESR) dosimetry study was carried out with the purpose of obtaining the individual absorbed radiation doses of population from settlements in the Semipalatinsk region of Kazakhstan, which was exposed to radioactive fallout traces from nuclear explosions in the Semipalatinsk Nuclear Test Site and Lop Nor test base, China. Most of the settlements are located near the central axis of radioactive fallout trace from the most contaminating surface nuclear test, which was conducted on 29 August 1949, with the maximum detected excess dose being 430 ± 93 mGy. A maximum dose of 268 ± 79 mGy was determined from the settlements located close to radioactive fallout trace resulting from surface nuclear tests on 24 August 1956 (Ust-Kamenogorsk, Znamenka, Shemonaikha, Glubokoe, Tavriya and Gagarino). An accidental dose of 56 ± 42 mGy was found in Kurchatov city residents located close to fallout trace after the nuclear test on 7 August 1962. This method was applied to human tooth enamel to obtain individual absorbed doses of residents of the Makanchi, Urdzhar and Taskesken settlements located near the Kazakhstan–Chinese border due to the influence of nuclear tests (1964–1981) at Lop Nor. The highest dose was 123 ± 32 mGy. PMID:23404205

ESR dosimetry study of population in the vicinity of the Semipalatinsk Nuclear Test Site.

PubMed

Zhumadilov, Kassym; Ivannikov, Alexander; Stepanenko, Valeriy; Zharlyganova, Dinara; Toyoda, Shin; Zhumadilov, Zhaxybay; Hoshi, Masaharu

2013-07-01

A tooth enamel electron spin resonance (ESR) dosimetry study was carried out with the purpose of obtaining the individual absorbed radiation doses of population from settlements in the Semipalatinsk region of Kazakhstan, which was exposed to radioactive fallout traces from nuclear explosions in the Semipalatinsk Nuclear Test Site and Lop Nor test base, China. Most of the settlements are located near the central axis of radioactive fallout trace from the most contaminating surface nuclear test, which was conducted on 29 August 1949, with the maximum detected excess dose being 430 ± 93 mGy. A maximum dose of 268 ± 79 mGy was determined from the settlements located close to radioactive fallout trace resulting from surface nuclear tests on 24 August 1956 (Ust-Kamenogorsk, Znamenka, Shemonaikha, Glubokoe, Tavriya and Gagarino). An accidental dose of 56 ± 42 mGy was found in Kurchatov city residents located close to fallout trace after the nuclear test on 7 August 1962. This method was applied to human tooth enamel to obtain individual absorbed doses of residents of the Makanchi, Urdzhar and Taskesken settlements located near the Kazakhstan-Chinese border due to the influence of nuclear tests (1964-1981) at Lop Nor. The highest dose was 123 ± 32 mGy.

Synthetic fibers in atmospheric fallout: A source of microplastics in the environment?

PubMed

Dris, Rachid; Gasperi, Johnny; Saad, Mohamed; Mirande, Cécile; Tassin, Bruno

2016-03-15

Sources, pathways and reservoirs of microplastics, plastic particles smaller than 5mm, remain poorly documented in an urban context. While some studies pointed out wastewater treatment plants as a potential pathway of microplastics, none have focused on the atmospheric compartment. In this work, the atmospheric fallout of microplastics was investigated in two different urban and sub-urban sites. Microplastics were collected continuously with a stainless steel funnel. Samples were then filtered and observed with a stereomicroscope. Fibers accounted for almost all the microplastics collected. An atmospheric fallout between 2 and 355 particles/m(2)/day was highlighted. Registered fluxes were systematically higher at the urban than at the sub-urban site. Chemical characterization allowed to estimate at 29% the proportion of these fibers being all synthetic (made with petrochemicals), or a mixture of natural and synthetic material. Extrapolation using weight and volume estimates of the collected fibers, allowed a rough estimation showing that between 3 and 10 tons of fibers are deposited by atmospheric fallout at the scale of the Parisian agglomeration every year (2500 km(2)). These results could serve the scientific community working on the different sources of microplastic in both continental and marine environments. Copyright © 2016 Elsevier Ltd. All rights reserved.

Using a PC as a Frequency Meter or a Counter.

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Sartori, J.; And Others

1995-01-01

Describes hardware that enables the use of an IBM PC microcomputer as a frequency meter or a counter by using the parallel printer port. Eliminates the 16-bit time-day counter through the use of an external time base that can be conveniently set depending on the desired frequency range. (JRH)

Observations of Fallout from the Fukushima Reactor Accident in San Francisco Bay Area Rainwater

PubMed Central

Norman, Eric B.; Angell, Christopher T.; Chodash, Perry A.

2011-01-01

We have observed fallout from the recent Fukushima Dai-ichi reactor accident in samples of rainwater collected in the San Francisco Bay area. Gamma ray spectra measured from these samples show clear evidence of fission products – 131,132I, 132Te, and 134,137Cs. The activity levels we have measured for these isotopes are very low and pose no health risk to the public. PMID:21957447

Military Knowledge Handbook for Commanders (Selected Section)

DTIC Science & Technology

1988-03-28

8217 Accession For NTIS GRA&I DTIC TAB 0l Unannoun ed 0] ju,.it . " t ation Distri’muti on/ Availabilit %Codes Dist cSpeial GRAPHICS DISCLAIMER...cloud layers, the energy of ray radiation on the ground will increase due to reflection effect of the cloud layers. Water surface, ice, accumulated... water flow can direct the radioactive fallout into defense works and water sources to worsen contaminations; radioactive fallout can easily be retained in

Characteristic of microplastics in the atmospheric fallout from Dongguan city, China: preliminary research and first evidence.

PubMed

Cai, Liqi; Wang, Jundong; Peng, Jinping; Tan, Zhi; Zhan, Zhiwei; Tan, Xiangling; Chen, Qiuqiang

2017-11-01

Microplastic pollution has exhibited a global distribution, including seas, lakes, rivers, and terrestrial environment in recent years. However, little attention was paid on the atmospheric environment, though the fact that plastic debris can escape as wind-blown debris was previously reported. Thus, characteristics of microplastics in the atmospheric fallout from Dongguan city were preliminarily studied. Microplastics of three different polymers, i.e., PE, PP, and PS, were identified. Diverse shapes of microplastics including fiber, foam, fragment, and film were found, and fiber was the dominant shape of the microplastics. SEM images illustrated that adhering particles, grooves, pits, fractures, and flakes were the common patterns of degradation. The concentrations of non-fibrous microplastics and fibers ranged from 175 to 313 particles/m 2 /day in the atmospheric fallout. Thus, dust emission and deposition between atmosphere, land surface, and aquatic environment were associated with the transportation of microplastics.

Fallout of Debris from Tornadic Thunderstorms: A Historical Perspective and Two Examples from VORTEX.

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Snow, John T.; Wyatt, Amy Lee; McCarthy, Ann K.; Bishop, Eric K.

1995-10-01

Preliminary results of an investigation of debris lofted by tornadoes, its long-distance transport by thunderstorms, and its subsequent fallout are reported. The authors begin with a review of historical accounts, including the unique study of the 1984 Barneveld, Wisconsin, tornado by Anderson, which shows that long-distance transport and fallout of debris have occurred and that distances involved have been significant. The authors then report first-hand evidence of these phenomena in two events with F2 tornadoes: the Tuskahoma, Oklahorna, tornado of 25 April 1994 and the Gainesville, Texas, tornadoes of 26 April 1994. In both cases, traceable material in the form of canceled checks, bills-of-sale, invoices, and legal documents were reported to the authors, who were able to locate the source locations for several of these items. The authors close with some conjectures on the implications of these first findings.

Extended Monitoring of Radioactive Fallout from the Fukushima Reactor Incident in a Variety of Media

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Thomas, Keenan; Norman, Eric; Smith, Al; Angell, Christopher; Chodash, Perry; Lo, Boris; Hurley, Donna; Chan, Yuen-Dat

2013-04-01

We have observed fallout from the Fukushima Dai-ichi reactor accident in March of 2011 in samples of rainwater and a variety of air filters collected in the San Francisco Bay area and Northern California. Gamma ray spectra measured from the rain samples showed clear evidence of fission products - 131,132I, 132Te, and 134,137Cs. The activity levels measured for these isotopes were very low and posed no health risk to the public or environment. Additional testing was performed upon these rainwater samples in 2012 to also investigate the presence of 90Sr-which was not detected and a detection limit was determined. Also presented will be a separate set of gamma ray measurements of Fukushima fallout that has been tracked on a variety of media-rainwater, air filters, and automobile filters; throughout 2011 and 2012.

Ambient airborne solids concentrations including volcanic ash at Hanford, Washington sampling sites subsequent to the Mount St. Helens eruption

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

Sehmel, G. A.

1982-01-01

Airborne solids concentrations were measured on a near daily basis at two Hanford, Washington sites after the eruption of Mount St. Helens on May 18, 1980. These sites are about 211 km east of Mount St. Helens. Collected airborne solids included resuspended volcanic ash plus normal ambient solids. Average airborne solids concentrations were greater at the Hanford meteorological station sampling site which is 24 km northwest of the Horn Rapids dam sampling site. These increased concentrations reflect the sampling site proximity to greater ash fallout depths. Both sites are in low ash fallout areas although the Hanford meteorological station site is closer to the greater ash fallout areas. Airborne solids concentrations were decreased by rain, but airborne solids concentrations rapidly increased as surfaces dried. Airborne concentrations tended to become nearly the same at both sampling sites only for July 12 and 13.

Radionuclides in tea and their behaviour in the brewing process.

PubMed

Zehringer, Markus; Kammerer, Franziska; Wagmann, Michael

2018-06-08

Tea plantations may be strongly affected by radioactive fallout. Tea plantations on the Turkish coast of the Black Sea were heavily contaminated by the fallout from the reactor fire at the Chernobyl nuclear power plant in 1986. Two years later, the contamination level was reduced by about 90%. When tea is brewed, the original contamination in the tea leaves is more or less leached into the tea water. While most of the radiocaesium (60-80%) is washed out by brewing, most of the radiostrontium remains in the leaves (70-80%). In food laws, a dilution factor of 40-50 is considered for tea brewing. Most laws only define limit values for radiocaesium. Radiostrontium is not specially regulated, even though its dose coefficients for ingestion are higher than the corresponding coefficients for radiocaesium. Radiostrontium in tea occurs primarily from global fallout (bomb tests from 1945-1965). Copyright © 2018. Published by Elsevier Ltd.

Fukushima Nuclear Accident Recorded in Tibetan Plateau Snow Pits

PubMed Central

Wang, Ninglian; Wu, Xiaobo; Kehrwald, Natalie; Li, Zhen; Li, Quanlian; Jiang, Xi; Pu, Jianchen

2015-01-01

The β radioactivity of snow-pit samples collected in the spring of 2011 on four Tibetan Plateau glaciers demonstrate a remarkable peak in each snow pit profile, with peaks about ten to tens of times higher than background levels. The timing of these peaks suggests that the high radioactivity resulted from the Fukushima nuclear accident that occurred on March 11, 2011 in eastern Japan. Fallout monitoring studies demonstrate that this radioactive material was transported by the westerlies across the middle latitudes of the Northern Hemisphere. The depth of the peak β radioactivity in each snow pit compared with observational precipitation records, suggests that the radioactive fallout reached the Tibetan Plateau and was deposited on glacier surfaces in late March 2011, or approximately 20 days after the nuclear accident. The radioactive fallout existed in the atmosphere over the Tibetan Plateau for about one month. PMID:25658094

Remote semi-continuous flow rate logging seepage meter

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

Reay, William G.; Walthall, Harry G.

1991-01-01

The movement of groundwater and its associated solutes from upland regions was implicated in the degradation of receiving surface water bodies. Current efforts to directly measure this influx of water incorporate manually operated seepage meters which are hindered by severe limitations. A prototype seepage meter was developed by NASA Langley Research Center and Virginia Polytechnic Institute and State University that will allow for the semi-continuous collection and data logging of seepage flux across the sediment water interface. The meter is designed to operate at depths to 40 meters, and alleviate or minimize all disadvantages associated with traditional methods while remaining cost effective. The unit was designed to operate independently for time periods on the order of weeks with adjustable sample sequences depending upon hydrologic conditions. When used in conjunction with commercially available pressure transducers, this seepage meter allows for correlations to be made between groundwater discharge and tidal/sea state conditions in coastal areas. Field data from the Chesapeake Bay and Florida Bay systems are presented.

A high resolution record of chlorine-36 nuclear-weapons-tests fallout from Central Asia

USGS Publications Warehouse

Green, J.R.; Cecil, L.D.; Synal, H.-A.; Santos, J.; Kreutz, K.J.; Wake, C.P.

2004-01-01

The Inilchek Glacier, located in the Tien Shan Mountains, central Asia, is unique among mid-latitude glaciers because of its relatively large average annual accumulation. In July 2000, two ice cores of 162 and 167 meters (m) in length were collected from the Inilchek Glacier for (chlorine-36) 36Cl analysis a part of a collaborative international effort to study the environmental changes archived in mid-latitude glaciers worldwide. The average annual precipitation at the collection site was calculated to be 1.6 m. In contrast, the reported average annual accumulations at the high-latitude Dye-3 glacial site, Greenland, the mid-latitude Guliya Ice Cap, China, and the mid-latitude Upper Fremont Glacier, Wyoming, USA, were 0.52, 0.16 and 0.76 m, respectively. The resolution of the 36Cl record in one of the Inilchek ice cores was from 2 to 10 times higher than the resolution of the records at these other sites and could provide an opportunity for detailed study of environmental changes that have occurred over the past 150 years. Despite the differences in accumulation among these various glacial sites, the 36Cl profile and peak concentrations for the Inilchek ice core were remarkably similar in shape and magnitude to those for ice cores from these other sites. The 36Cl peak concentration from 1958, the year during the mid-1900s nuclear-weapons-tests period when 36Cl fallout was largest, was preserved in the Inilchek core at a depth of 90.56 m below the surface of the glacier (74.14-m-depth water equivalent) at a concentration of 7.7 ?? 105 atoms of 36Cl/gram (g) of ice. Peak 36Cl concentrations from Dye-3, Guliya and the Upper Fremont glacial sites were 7.1 ?? 105, 5.4 ?? 105 and 0.7 ?? 105 atoms of 36Cl/g of ice, respectively. Measurements of 36Cl preserved in ice cores improve estimates of historical worldwide atmospheric deposition of this isotope and allow the sources of 36Cl in ground water to be better identified. ?? 2004 Published by Elsevier B.V.

Time-of-flight dependency on transducer separation distance in a reflective-path guided-wave ultrasonic flow meter at zero flow conditions.

PubMed

Aanes, Magne; Kippersund, Remi Andre; Lohne, Kjetil Daae; Frøysa, Kjell-Eivind; Lunde, Per

2017-08-01

Transit-time flow meters based on guided ultrasonic wave propagation in the pipe spool have several advantages compared to traditional inline ultrasonic flow metering. The extended interrogation field, obtained by continuous leakage from guided waves traveling in the pipe wall, increases robustness toward entrained particles or gas in the flow. In reflective-path guided-wave ultrasonic flow meters (GW-UFMs), the flow equations are derived from signals propagating solely in the pipe wall and from signals passing twice through the fluid. In addition to the time-of-flight (TOF) through the fluid, the fluid path experiences an additional time delay upon reflection at the opposite pipe wall due to specular and non-specular reflections. The present work investigates the influence of these reflections on the TOF in a reflective-path GW-UFM as a function of transducer separation distance at zero flow conditions. Two models are used to describe the signal propagation through the system: (i) a transient full-wave finite element model, and (ii) a combined plane-wave and ray-tracing model. The study shows that a range-dependent time delay is associated with the reflection of the fluid path, introducing transmitter-receiver distance dependence. Based on these results, the applicability of the flow equations derived using model (ii) is discussed.

46 CFR 133.150 - Survival craft launching and recovery arrangements: General.

Code of Federal Regulations, 2012 CFR

2012-10-01

... a position on deck less than 4.5 meters (14.75 feet) above the waterline in the lightest seagoing... can be boarded from a position on deck less than 4.5 meters (14.75 feet) above the waterline in the... launching appliance must not depend on any means other than gravity or stored mechanical power, independent...

46 CFR 133.150 - Survival craft launching and recovery arrangements: General.

Code of Federal Regulations, 2014 CFR

2014-10-01

... a position on deck less than 4.5 meters (14.75 feet) above the waterline in the lightest seagoing... can be boarded from a position on deck less than 4.5 meters (14.75 feet) above the waterline in the... launching appliance must not depend on any means other than gravity or stored mechanical power, independent...

Radial dependence of HF wave field strength in the BPD column. [Beam Plasma Discharge

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

Jost, R. J.; Anderson, H. R.; Bernstein, W.; Kellogg, P. J.

1982-01-01

The results of a recent set of RF frequency measurements of the beam plasma discharge (BPD) performed in order to determine a quantitative value for the field strength in the plasma frequency region of the spectrum are presented. The parallel and perpendicular components of the plasma wave electric fields inside the BPD column have comparable field strengths, on the order of 10 volts/m. The radial dependence of the field strength is very strong, decreasing by as much as 40 dB within one meter from the beam center, with the illumination or discharge column approximately one meter in diameter. The field strength inside the column increases as a function of distance along the beam at least for several meters from the gun aperture. The frequency and amplitude of the plasma wave increases with beam current. A particularly rapid increase in these parameters occurs as the beam current approaches the critical current.

Ash fallout scenarios at Vesuvius: Numerical simulations and implications for hazard assessment

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Macedonio, G.; Costa, A.; Folch, A.

2008-12-01

Volcanic ash fallout subsequent to a possible renewal of the Vesuvius activity represents a serious threat to the highly urbanized area around the volcano. In order to assess the relative hazard we consider three different possible scenarios such as those following Plinian, Sub-Plinian, and violent Strombolian eruptions. Reference eruptions for each scenario are similar to the 79 AD (Pompeii), the 1631 AD (or 472 AD) and the 1944 AD Vesuvius events, respectively. Fallout deposits for the first two scenarios are modeled using HAZMAP, a model based on a semi-analytical solution of the 2D advection-diffusion-sedimentation equation. In contrast, fallout following a violent Strombolian event is modeled by means of FALL3D, a numerical model based on the solution of the full 3D advection-diffusion-sedimentation equation which is valid also within the atmospheric boundary layer. Inputs for models are total erupted mass, eruption column height, bulk grain-size, bulk component distribution, and a statistical set of wind profiles obtained by the NCEP/NCAR re-analysis. We computed ground load probability maps for different ash loadings. In the case of a Sub-Plinian scenario, the most representative tephra loading maps in 16 cardinal directions were also calculated. The probability maps obtained for the different scenarios are aimed to give support to the risk mitigation strategies.

Methods of measuring radioactivity in the environment

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Isaksson, Mats

In this thesis a variety of sampling methods have been utilised to assess the amount of deposited activity, mainly of 137Cs, from the Chernobyl accident and from the nuclear weapons tests. Starting with the Chernobyl accident in 1986 sampling of air and rain was used to determine the composition and amount of radioactive debris from this accident, brought to southern Sweden by the weather systems. The resulting deposition and its removal from urban areas was than studied through measurements on sewage sludge and water. The main part of the thesis considers methods of determining the amount of radiocaesium in the ground through soil sampling. In connection with soil sampling a method of optimising the sampling procedure has been developed and tested in the areas of Sweden which have a comparatively high amount of 137Cs from the Chernobyl accident. This method was then used in a survey of the activity in soil in Lund and Skane, divided between nuclear weapons fallout and fallout from the Chernobyl accident. By comparing the results from this survey with deposition calculated from precipitation measurements it was found possible to predict the deposition pattern over Skane for both nuclear weapons fallout and fallout from the Chernobyl accident. In addition, the vertical distribution of 137Cs has been modelled and the temporal variation of the depth distribution has been described.

ELECTRICAL LOAD ANTICIPATOR AND RECORDER

DOEpatents

Werme, J.E.

1961-09-01

A system is described in which an indication of the prevailing energy consumption in an electrical power metering system and a projected power demand for one demand in terval is provided at selected increments of time within the demand interval. Each watt-hour meter in the system is provided with an impulse generator that generates two impulses for each revolution of the meter disc. In each demand interval, for example, one half-hour, of the metering system, the total impulses received from all of the meters are continuously totaled for each 5-minute interval and multiplied by a number from 6 to 1 depending upon which 5- minute interval the impulses were received. This value is added to the total pulses received in the intervals preceding the current 5-minute interval within the half-hour demand interval tc thereby provide an indication of the projected power demand every 5 minutes in the demand interval.

Toward Large-Area Sub-Arcsecond X-Ray Telescopes

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

ODell, Stephen L.; Aldcroft, Thomas L.; Allured, Ryan; Atkins, Carolyn; Burrows, David N.; Cao, Jian; Chalifoux, Brandon D.; Chan, Kai-Wing; Cotroneo, Vincenzo; Elsner, Ronald F.;

Measurement of the spatial dependence of temperature and gas and soot concentrations within large open hydrocarbon fuel fires

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

Johnson, H. T.; Linley, L. J.; Mansfield, J. A.

1982-01-01

A series of large-scale JP-4 fuel pool fire tests was conducted to refine existing mathematical models of large fires. Seven tests were conducted to make chemical concentration and temperature measurements in 7.5 and 15 meter-diameter pool fires. Measurements were made at heights of 0.7, 1.4, 2.9, 5.7, 11.4, and 21.3 meters above the fires. Temperatures were measured at up to 50 locations each second during the fires. Chemistry samples were taken at up to 23 locations within the fires and analyzed for combustion chemistry and soot concentration. Temperature and combustion chemistry profiles obtained during two 7.5 meter-diameter and two 15 meter-diameter fires are included.

Characterizing fallout material using Cs and Pu atom ratios in environmental samples from the FDNPP fallout zone

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Richards, David; Dunne, James; Martin, Peter; Scott, Tom; Yamashiki, Yosuke; Coath, Chris; Chen, Hart

2017-04-01

Here we report the use of combined of Cs and Pu isotope measurements to investigate the extensive plumes of radioactive fallout from the disaster at Fukishima Daiichi nuclear power plant (FNDPP) in March 2011. Among the aims of our study are improved assessment of the physico-chemical nature and changing distribution of land-based fallout. 135Cs/137Cs and 134Cs/137Cs atom ratios are indicative of conditions that relate to the nuclear fission reactions responsible for producing the respective radiocaesium isotopes, and offer much more in terms of forensic and chronological analysis than monitoring 137Cs alone. We briefly present methods to quantify the atom ratios of Cs and Pu isotopes in soil, lichen and moss samples from FDNPP catchment using mass spectrometry (ThermoTRITON for Cs and ThermoNEPTUNE for Pu). High precision data from Fukushima are presented (e.g decay corrected 135Cs/137Cs atom ratio = 0.384 ± 0.001 (n = 5) for roadside dust from Iitate region), and these are in agreement with prelimary estimates by others. We also confirm results for IAEA-330, a spinach sample collected from Polesskoe, Ukraine and subject to contamination from the Chernobyl accident. In addition to Cs isotopes, we adopt Pu isotopes to add a further dimension to the forensic analysis. We discuss the corrections required for background levels prior to the disaster, possibility for multiple components of fallout and complicating factors associated with remobilisation during the clean-up operation. In parallel with this work on digests and leaches from bulk environmental samples, we are refining methods for particle identification, isolation and characterisation using a complementary sequence of cutting-edge materials and manipulation techniques, including combined electron microscopy, focused ion beam techniques (Dualbeam), nano/micro manipulators and nano-scale imaging x-ray photoelectron spectroscopy (NanoESCA) and microCT.

An estimate by two methods of thyroid absorbed doses due to BRAVO fallout in several Northern Marshall Islands.

PubMed

Musolino, S V; Greenhouse, N A; Hull, A P

1997-10-01

Estimates of the thyroid absorbed doses due to fallout originating from the 1 March 1954 BRAVO thermonuclear test on Bikini Atoll have been made for several inhabited locations in the Northern Marshall Islands. Rongelap, Utirik, Rongerik and Ailinginae Atolls were also inhabited on 1 March 1954, where retrospective thyroid absorbed doses have previously been reconstructed. The current estimates are based primarily on external exposure data, which were recorded shortly after each nuclear test in the Castle Series, and secondarily on soil concentrations of 137Cs in samples collected in 1978 and 1988, along with aerial monitoring done in 1978. The external exposures and 137Cs soil concentrations were representative of the atmospheric transport and deposition patterns of the entire Castle Series tests and show that the BRAVO test was the major contributor to fallout exposure during the Castle series and other test series which were carried out in the Marshall Islands. These data have been used as surrogates for fission product radioiodines and telluriums in order to estimate the range of thyroid absorbed doses that may have occurred throughout the Marshall Islands. Dosimetry based on these two sets of estimates agreed within a factor of 4 at the locations where BRAVO was the dominant contributor to the total exposure and deposition. Both methods indicate that thyroid absorbed doses in the range of 1 Gy (100 rad) may have been incurred in some of the northern locations, whereas the doses at southern locations did not significantly exceed levels comparable to those from worldwide fallout. The results of these estimates indicate that a systematic medical survey for thyroid disease should be conducted, and that a more definitive dose reconstruction should be made for all the populated atolls and islands in the Northern Marshall Islands beyond Rongelap, Utirik, Rongerik and Ailinginae, which were significantly contaminated by BRAVO fallout.

The potential for gamma-emitting radionuclides to contribute to an understanding of erosion processes in South Africa

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Foster, Ian D. L.; Boardman, John; Collins, Adrian L.; Copeland-Phillips, Ruth; Kuhn, Nikolaus J.; Mighall, Tim M.; Pulley, Simon; Rowntree, Kate M.

2017-03-01

Several research projects undertaken by the authors and others over the last 14 years have used fallout and geogenic radionuclides for understanding erosion processes and sediment yield dynamics in South Africa over the last 100-200 years as European settlers colonised the interior plains and plateaux of the country and imported new livestock and farming techniques to the region. These projects have used two fallout radionuclides (210Pb and 137Cs) to date sediments accumulating in reservoirs, farm dams, wetlands, alluvial fans and floodouts and have used other fallout nuclides (7Be) and long-lived geogenic radionuclides (e.g. 40K, 235U) as part of a composite fingerprint exploring contemporary sediment sources and changes to sources through time. While successful in many parts of the world, applying these techniques in Southern Africa has posed a number of challenges often not encountered elsewhere. Here we explore some of the benefits and challenges in using gamma-emitting radionuclides, especially 137Cs, in these landscapes. Benefits include the potential for discriminating gully sidewall from topsoil sources, which has helped to identify contemporary gully systems as sediment conduits, rather than sources, and for providing a time-synchronous marker horizon in a range of sedimentary environments that has helped to develop robust chronologies. Challenges include the spatial variability in soil cover on steep rocky hillslopes, which is likely to challenge assumptions about the uniformity of initial fallout nuclide distribution, the paucity of stable (non-eroding) sites in order to estimate atmospheric fallout inventories, and the limited success of 210Pb dating in some rapidly accumulating high altitude catchments where sediments often comprise significant amounts of sand and gravel. Despite these challenges we present evidence suggesting that the use of gamma-emitting radionuclides can make a significant contribution to our understanding of erosion processes and sediment yield dynamics. Future research highlighted in the conclusion will try to address current challenges and outline new projects established to address them more fully.

Fallout radionuclide-based techniques for assessing the impact of soil conservation measures on erosion control and soil quality: an overview of the main lessons learnt under an FAO/IAEA Coordinated Research Project.

PubMed

Dercon, G; Mabit, L; Hancock, G; Nguyen, M L; Dornhofer, P; Bacchi, O O S; Benmansour, M; Bernard, C; Froehlich, W; Golosov, V N; Haciyakupoglu, S; Hai, P S; Klik, A; Li, Y; Lobb, D A; Onda, Y; Popa, N; Rafiq, M; Ritchie, J C; Schuller, P; Shakhashiro, A; Wallbrink, P; Walling, D E; Zapata, F; Zhang, X

2012-05-01

This paper summarizes key findings and identifies the main lessons learnt from a 5-year (2002-2008) coordinated research project (CRP) on "Assessing the effectiveness of soil conservation measures for sustainable watershed management and crop production using fallout radionuclides" (D1.50.08), organized and funded by the International Atomic Energy Agency through the Joint FAO/IAEA Division of Nuclear Techniques in Food and Agriculture. The project brought together nineteen participants, from Australia, Austria, Brazil, Canada, Chile, China, Japan, Morocco, Pakistan, Poland, Romania, Russian Federation, Turkey, United Kingdom, United States of America and Vietnam, involved in the use of nuclear techniques and, more particularly, fallout radionuclides (FRN) to assess the relative impacts of different soil conservation measures on soil erosion and land productivity. The overall objective of the CRP was to develop improved land use and management strategies for sustainable watershed management through effective soil erosion control practices, by the use of ¹³⁷Cs (half-life of 30.2 years), ²¹⁰Pb(ex) (half-life of 22.3 years) and ⁷Be (half-life of 53.4 days) for measuring soil erosion over several spatial and temporal scales. The environmental conditions under which the different research teams applied the tools based on the use of fallout radionuclides varied considerably--a variety of climates, soils, topographies and land uses. Nevertheless, the achievements of the CRP, as reflected in this overview paper, demonstrate that fallout radionuclide-based techniques are powerful tools to assess soil erosion/deposition at several spatial and temporal scales in a wide range of environments, and offer potential to monitor soil quality. The success of the CRP has stimulated an interest in many IAEA Member States in the use of these methodologies to identify factors and practices that can enhance sustainable agriculture and minimize land degradation. Copyright © 2012 Elsevier Ltd. All rights reserved.

Long-range volcanic ash transport and fallout during the 2008 eruption of Chaiten volcano, Chile

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Durant, A. J.; Prata, A. J.; Villarosa, G.; Rose, W. I.; Delmelle, P.; Viramonte, J.

2012-04-01

The May 2008 eruption of Chaitén volcano, Chile, provided a rare opportunity to measure the long-range transport of volcanic emissions and characteristics of a widely-dispersed terrestrial ash deposit. Airborne ash mass, quantified using thermal infrared satellite remote sensing, ranged between 0.2-0.4 Tg during the period 3-7 May 2008. A high level of spatiotemporal correspondence was observed between cloud trajectories and changes in surface reflectivity, which was inferred to indicate ash deposition. The evolution of the deposit was mapped for the first time using satellite-based observations of surface reflectivity. The distal (>80 km) ash deposit was poorly sorted and fine grained, and mean particle size varied very little beyond a distance >300 km. There were 3 consistent particle size subpopulations in fallout at distances >300 km which suggests that aggregation influenced particle settling. Discrete temporal sampling and characterisation of fallout demonstrated contributions from specific eruptive phases. Some evidence for winnowing was identified through comparison of samples collected at the time of deposition to bulk samples collected months after deposition. X-Ray Photoelectron Spectroscopy (XPS) analyses revealed surface enrichments in Ca, Na and Fe and the presence of coatings of mixed Ca-, Na- and Fe-rich salts on ash particles prior to deposition. XPS analyses revealed strong surface Fe enrichments (in contrast to the results from bulk leachate analyses), which indicates that surface analysis techniques should be applied to investigate potential influences on ocean productivity in response to volcanic ash fallout over oceans. Low S:Cl ratios in leachates indicate that the eruption had a low S content, and high Cl:F ratios imply gas-ash interaction within a Cl-rich environment. We estimate that ash fallout had potential to scavenge ~42 % of total S released into the atmosphere prior to deposition.

Stratigraphy, paleoenvironment and emplacement mechanisms of the Koko fissure craters, O'ahu, Hawai'i

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Skilling, I. P.; Bluth, J.; Simoneau, E.

2011-12-01

The Koko fissure craters are aligned and nested basanitic tuff cones and rings at the SE corner of O'ahu, Hawai'i. There are no published studies of their stratigraphy, emplacement mechanisms or depositional paleoenvironments. This study focuses on a tuff cone complex (Koko Crater) and a younger adjacent nested tuff ring (Hanauma Bay). A detailed stratigraphy with logged sections for both Koko Crater and the Hanauma Bay craters are presented and discussed. Koko Crater is dominated by wet fallout deposits on steep proximal slopes, commonly resedimented by hot (vesiculated) and cold (unvesiculated) debris flows, slumps and slides, but with an increasing percentage of wet (low temperature) low concentration PDC deposits preserved in the shallowly-dipping flanking apron deposits, and in the uppermost proximal deposits. At least two earlier cone or ring rims are preserved along its southern margin. The deposits of Hanauma Bay overlie the Koko deposits and are dominated by a mix of wet low concentration PDC, wet fallout and synchronous PDC, and fallout deposits in proximal settings, and by low concentration, probably drier, PDC deposits in more distal settings. The Hanauma Bay rings were emplaced before the Koko Crater tephra was consolidated, as steep-sided rills incised into Koko tephra are locally filled with tephra of mixed Koko and Hanauma sources. The onset of Hanauma Bay eruptions is marked by a horizon that is very rich in rounded coral sand clasts. Discontinuous horizons and lenses of coral block fallout are also very common in the Hanauma tephra. Coral sand is absent and coral blocks are much rarer in the Koko tephra. These observations, and probably also the dominance of wet fallout at Koko, imply that Koko was erupted in deeper water than the nearshore coral beach environment of the Hanauma rings. A faster rate of water recharge into the conduit in deeper open water is probably the most important factor in the generation of a cone rather than a ring at this locality.

Flow-Signature Analysis of Water Consumption in Nonresidential Building Water Networks Using High-Resolution and Medium-Resolution Smart Meter Data: Two Case Studies

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Clifford, Eoghan; Mulligan, Sean; Comer, Joanne; Hannon, Louise

2018-01-01

Real-time monitoring of water consumption activities can be an effective mechanism to achieve efficient water network management. This approach, largely enabled by the advent of smart metering technologies, is gradually being practiced in domestic and industrial contexts. In particular, identifying water consumption habits from flow-signatures, i.e., the specific end-usage patterns, is being investigated as a means for conservation in both the residential and nonresidential context. However, the quality of meter data is bivariate (dependent on number of meters and data temporal resolution) and as a result, planning a smart metering scheme is relatively difficult with no generic design approach available. In this study, a comprehensive medium-resolution to high-resolution smart metering program was implemented at two nonresidential trial sites to evaluate the effect of spatial and temporal data aggregation. It was found that medium-resolution water meter data were capable of exposing regular, continuous, peak use, and diurnal patterns which reflect group wide end-usage characteristics. The high-resolution meter data permitted flow-signature at a personal end-use level. Through this unique opportunity to observe water usage characteristics via flow-signature patterns, newly defined hydraulic-based design coefficients determined from Poisson rectangular pulse were developed to intuitively aid in the process of pattern discovery with implications for automated activity recognition applications. A smart meter classification and siting index was introduced which categorizes meter resolution in terms of their suitable application.

Measuring duff moisture content in the field using a portable meter sensitive to dielectric permittivity

Treesearch

Peter R. Robichaud; D. S. Gasvoda; Roger D. Hungerford; J. Bilskie; Louise E. Ashmun; J. Reardon

2004-01-01

Duff water content is an important consideration for fire managers when determining favourable timing for prescribed fire ignition. The duff consumption during burning depends largely on the duff water content at the time of ignition. A portable duff moisture meter was developed for real-time water content measurements of nonhomogenous material such as forest duff....

A Comparison in the Accuracy of Mapping Nuclear Fallout Patterns Using HPAC, HYSPLIT, DELFIC FPT and an AFIT FORTRAN95 Fallout Deposition ode

DTIC Science & Technology

2011-03-01

Capability (HPAC), HPAC 4.04 On-Line Help. Alexandria VA , April 2005. 13. Draxler, Roland R. and G.D. Hess. Description of the HYSPLIT_4 Modeling...Effects of Nuclear Weapons. Alexandria, VA : The United States Department of Defense and the United States Department of Energy, 1977. 18...77: 437-431 (3 March 1996). 25. Moroz , Brian E., Harold L. Beck, Andre Bouville, and Steven L. Simon. “Predictions of Dispersion and Deposition

Lichens as bioindicators of aerial fallout of heavy metals in Zaria, Nigeria

DOE Office of Scientific and Technical Information (OSTI.GOV)

Kapu, M.M.; Ipaye, M.M.; Ega, R.A.I.

1991-09-01

Lichens and other epiphytic cryptogams possess efficient ion-exchange mechanisms which enable many species to accumulate airborne metals and which probably contribute to their tolerating metals at concentrations high enough to cause death to other plant species. A direct relationship between the distribution pattern of lichens and the trace metal content of the surrounding air has been demonstrated. The present study used lichens to assess the aerial fallout of heavy metals from traffic in Zaria, northern Nigeria.

How to select electrical end-use meters for proper measurement of DSM impact estimates

DOE Office of Scientific and Technical Information (OSTI.GOV)

Bowman, M.

1994-12-31

Does metering actually provide higher accuracy impact estimates? The answer is sometimes yes, sometimes no. It depends on how the metered data will be used. DSM impact estimates can be achieved in a variety of ways, including engineering algorithms, modeling and statistical methods. Yet for all of these methods, impacts can be calculated as the difference in pre- and post-installation annual load shapes. Increasingly, end-use metering is being used to either adjust and calibrate a particular estimate method, or measure load shapes directly. It is therefore not surprising that metering has become synonymous with higher accuracy impact estimates. If meteredmore » data is used as a component in an estimating methodology, its relative contribution to accuracy can be analyzed through propagation of error or {open_quotes}POE{close_quotes} analysis. POE analysis is a framework which can be used to evaluate different metering options and their relative effects on cost and accuracy. If metered data is used to directly measure pre- and post-installation load shapes to calculate energy and demand impacts, then the accuracy of the whole metering process directly affects the accuracy of the impact estimate. This paper is devoted to the latter case, where the decision has been made to collect high-accuracy metered data of electrical energy and demand. The underlying assumption is that all meters can yield good results if applied within the scope of their limitations. The objective is to know the application, understand what meters are actually doing to measure and record power, and decide with confidence when a sophisticated meter is required, and when a less expensive type will suffice.« less

A measurement routine to determine 137Cs activities at steep mountain slopes

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Schaub, Monika; Konz, Nadine; Meusburger, Katrin; Alewell, Chrstine

2010-05-01

Caesium-137 (137Cs) is a common tracer for soil erosion. So far, in-situ measurements in steep alpine environments have not often been done. Most studies have been carried out in arable lands and with Ge detectors. However, the NaI detector system is a good priced, easy to handle field instrument. A comparison of laboratory measurements with GeLi detector and in-situ measurements with NaI detector of 137Cs gamma soil radiation has been done in an alpine catchment (Urseren Valley, Swizerland). The aim of this study was to calibrate the in-situ NaI detector system for application at steep alpine slopes. Replicate samples from an altitudinal transect through the Urseren Valley were measured ex situ in the laboratory with a GeLi detector, and compared to in situ NaI detector measurements. Ex situ soil samples showed a big variability in 137Cs activities at a meter-scale. This large, small scale heterogeneity determined with the GeLi detector is smoothed out by uncollimated in-situ measurements with the NaI detector, which provide integrated estimates of 137Cs within the field of view of each measurement (3.1 m2). There was no dependency of 137Cs on pH, clay content and carbon content. However, a close relationship was determined between 137Cs and soil moisture. Thus, in-situ data must be corrected for soil moisture. Close correlation (R2 = 0.86) was found for 137Cs activities (in Bq kg-1) estimated with both, in-situ (NaI detector) and laboratory (GeLi detector) methods which proves the validity of the in-situ measurements with the NaI detector system. This paper describes the calibration of the NaI detector system for field application under elevated 137Cs activities originating from Chernobyl fallout.

Scale-dependent measurements of meteorite strength: Implications for asteroid fragmentation

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Cotto-Figueroa, Desireé; Asphaug, Erik; Garvie, Laurence A. J.; Rai, Ashwin; Johnston, Joel; Borkowski, Luke; Datta, Siddhant; Chattopadhyay, Aditi; Morris, Melissa A.

2016-10-01

Measuring the strengths of asteroidal materials is important for developing mitigation strategies for potential Earth impactors and for understanding properties of in situ materials on asteroids during human and robotic exploration. Studies of asteroid disruption and fragmentation have typically used the strengths determined from terrestrial analog materials, although questions have been raised regarding the suitability of these materials. The few published measurements of meteorite strength are typically significantly greater than those estimated from the stratospheric breakup of meter-sized meteoroids. Given the paucity of relevant strength data, the scale-varying strength properties of meteoritic and asteroidal materials are poorly constrained. Based on our uniaxial failure studies of centimeter-sized cubes of a carbonaceous and ordinary chondrite, we develop the first Weibull failure distribution analysis of meteorites. This Weibull distribution projected to meter scales, overlaps the strengths determined from asteroidal airbursts and can be used to predict properties of to the 100 m scale. In addition, our analysis shows that meter-scale boulders on asteroids are significantly weaker than small pieces of meteorites, while large meteorites surviving on Earth are selected by attrition. Further, the common use of terrestrial analog materials to predict scale-dependent strength properties significantly overestimates the strength of meter-sized asteroidal materials and therefore is unlikely well suited for the modeling of asteroid disruption and fragmentation. Given the strength scale-dependence determined for carbonaceous and ordinary chondrite meteorites, our results suggest that boulders of similar composition on asteroids will have compressive strengths significantly less than typical terrestrial rocks.

Fallout 137Cs in reindeer herders in Arctic Norway.

PubMed

Skuterud, Lavrans; Thørring, Håvard

2015-03-03

Reindeer herders in the Arctic were among the most heavily exposed populations to the global fallout from nuclear weapons testing in the 1950s and 1960s, due to high transfer of radionuclides in the lichens-reindeer-human food chain. Annual studies of (137)Cs in reindeer herders in Kautokeino, Norway, were initiated in 1965 to monitor radiation doses and follow environmental (137)Cs behavior. The (137)Cs concentrations declined from the peak in 1965 with effective half-times of 6-8 years, only interrupted by a temporary doubling in levels from 1986 to 1987 due to the Chernobyl fallout. During the period of 1950-2010 an average herder received an integrated effective dose from incorporated (137)Cs of about 18 mSv. This dose represents an insignificant increase in the risk for developing cancer. Health studies even show a significantly lower cancer incidence among Sámis and reindeer herders in northern Norway compared to other populations in the same area.

A two step method to treat variable winds in fallout smearing codes. Master's thesis

DOE Office of Scientific and Technical Information (OSTI.GOV)

Hopkins, A.T.

1982-03-01

A method was developed to treat non-constant winds in fallout smearing codes. The method consists of two steps: (1) location of the curved hotline (2) determination of the off-hotline activity. To locate the curved hotline, the method begins with an initial cloud of 20 discretely-sized pancake clouds, located at altitudes determined by weapon yield. Next, the particles are tracked through a 300 layer atmosphere, translating with different winds in each layer. The connection of the 20 particles' impact points is the fallout hotline. The hotline location was found to be independent of the assumed particle size distribution in the stabilizedmore » cloud. The off-hotline activity distribution is represented as a two-dimensional gaussian function, centered on the curved hotline. Hotline locator model results were compared to numerical calculations of hypothetical 100 kt burst and to the actual hotline produced by the Castle-Bravo 15 Mt nuclear test.« less

Concentration of (137)Cs in soil across Nebraska.

PubMed

Weesner, Alexandra Palensky; Fairchild, Robert W

2008-06-01

Atmospheric nuclear weapons testing from 1945 through 1980 produced radioactive fallout that was transported by stratospheric winds and deposited unevenly around the world. The accident at Chernobyl in 1986 also contributed to the fallout in some locations. The (137)Cs activity concentration from fallout has been measured as a function of depth in soil samples from five different locations across Nebraska. Soil samples 2-cm thick down to a depth of 30 cm were collected in Brown, Dawes, Lancaster, Red Willow, and Thurston Counties. Samples taken from each of the sites were dried, sieved, and counted using an HPGe gamma spectroscopy system to measure the activity concentration of (137)Cs at each depth in the soil. Activity concentrations as high as 216 Bq kg(-1) were measured in the samples. Dry soil bulk densities were calculated for each site based on soil type and used to calculate the area density of deposition. Area deposition densities up to 13,100 Bq m(-2) were measured, consistent with published estimates.

Assessment of the trend of degradation of arable soils on the basis of data on the rate of stratozem development obtained with the use of 137Cs as a chronomarker

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Golosov, V. N.; Ivanova, N. N.; Gusarov, A. V.; Sharifullin, A. G.

2017-10-01

A new approach for determining the trend of changes in the rate of degradation of arable soils is suggested. It is based on the assessment of volumes of soil material eroded from arable fields and accumulated on the bottoms of first-order valleys during two time intervals: 1954(1963)-1986 and 1986-2015. For dating of this material, 137Cs of global fallout and Chernobyl fallout are used. This approach in combination with a detailed morphometric characterization of the valley bottoms, the pathways of sediment transport from the fields, and the morphology and composition of the sediments accumulated on the bottoms makes it possible to give reliable estimates of the volumes of soil loss from tilled slopes. The benchmarks of 1963 and 1986 are related to maximum 137Cs fallout during nuclear bomb testing and immediately after the Chernobyl accident. As an example, the rates of formation of stratozems (stratified aggraded soils formed due to accumulation of eroded sediments) within the first-order catchment of the Veduga River basin (Voronezh oblast, Russia) are analyzed. The results of the study indicate that the mean annual rate of soil loss from arable fields of the catchment in 1986-2015 was at least two times lower than that in the preceding period from 1954 (the beginning of the global fallout) to 1986 (the Chernobyl accident).

Sources of the transuranic elements plutonium and neptunium in arctic marine sediments.

DOE Office of Scientific and Technical Information (OSTI.GOV)

Cooper, L. W.; Kelley, J. M.; Bond, L. A.

2000-01-01

We report here thermal ionization mass spectrometry measurements of {sup 239}Pu, {sup 240}Pu, {sup 241}Pu, {sup 242}Pu, and {sup 237}Np isolated from oceanic, estuarine, and riverine sediments from the Arctic Ocean Basin. {sup 238}Pu/{sup 239+240}Pu activity ratios are also reported for alpha spectrometric analyses undertaken on a subset of these samples. Our results indicate that the Pu in sediments on the Alaskan shelf and slope, as well as that in the deep basins (Amerasian and Eurasian) of the Arctic Ocean, has its origin in stratospheric and tropospheric fallout. Sediments from the Ob and Yenisei Rivers show isotopic Pu signatures thatmore » are distinctly different from those of northern-hemisphere stratospheric fallout and indicate the presence of weapons-grade Pu originating from nuclear fuel reprocessing wastes generated at Russian facilities within these river catchments. Consequently, sediments of the Eurasian Arctic Ocean, particularly those in the Barents and Kara Seas, probably contain a mixture of Pu from stratospheric fallout, tropospheric fallout, and fuel-reprocessing wastes of riverine origin. In particular, the {sup 241}Pu/{sup 239}Pu ratios observed in these sediments are inconsistent with significant contributions of Pu to the arctic sediments studied from western European reprocessing facilities, principally Sellafield in the UK. Several other potential sources of Pu to arctic sediments can also be excluded as significant based upon the transuranic isotope ratios presented.« less

Migration of fallout radiocaesium in a grassland soil from 1986 to 2001. Part I: activity-depth profiles of (134)Cs and (137)Cs.

PubMed

Schimmack, W; Schultz, W

2006-09-15

The temporal changes of the vertical distribution of (134)Cs (deposited by the Chernobyl fallout in 1986) and (137)Cs (deposited by the Chernobyl and the global fallout) in the soil were investigated at an undisturbed Bavarian grassland site in Germany. At ten sampling dates between 1986 and 2001, the activity density of (134)Cs and (137)Cs was determined in various soil layers down to 80 cm depth. In 2001, the small-scale spatial variability of the radiocaesium activity was determined by sampling five plots within 10 m(2) (coefficient of variation about 20% for the upper soil layers). Between 1987 and 1990, substantial changes of the activity-depth profiles were observed. The percentage depth distributions of (134)Cs and (137)Cs were rather similar. The 50%-depth of the accumulated activity increased from 2.4 cm in 1988 to 5.3 cm in 2001 for (134)Cs and from 2.7 to 5.8 cm for (137)Cs. This indicates that at the study site the migration data of Chernobyl-derived (137)Cs can be estimated by those of total (137)Cs. In the second part of this study, the activity-depth profiles will be evaluated by the convection-dispersion model [Schimmack, W, Feria Márquez, F. Migration of fallout radiocaesium in a grassland soil from 1986 to 2001. Part II: Evaluation of the activity-depth profiles by transport models. Sci Total Environ 2006-this issue].

Fukushima fallout at Milano, Italy.

PubMed

Ioannidou, Alexandra; Manenti, Simone; Gini, Luigi; Groppi, Flavia

2012-12-01

The radionuclides (131)I, (137)Cs and (134)Cs were observed in the Milano region (45°) of Italy early after the nuclear accident in Fukushima, Japan. Increased atmospheric radioactivity was observed on an air filter taken on 30 March 2011, while the maximum activity of 467 μBq m(-3) for (131)I was recorded at April 3-4, 2011. The first evidence of Fukushima fallout was confirmed with (131)I and (137)Cs measured in precipitation at two sampling sites at Milano on 28 March, 2011, with the concentrations of (131)I and (137)Cs in the rainwater equal to 0.89 Bq L(-1) and 0.12 Bq L(-1), respectively. A sample of dry deposition that was collected 9 days after the first rainfall event of 27-28 March, 2011 showed that the dry deposition was more effective in the case of (137)Cs than it was for (131)I, probably because iodine was mainly in gaseous form whereas caesium was rapidly bound to aerosols and thus highly subject to dry deposition. The relatively high observed values of (137)Cs in grass, soil and fresh goat and cow milk samples were probably from Chernobyl fallout and global fallout from past nuclear tests rather than from the Fukushima accident. Finally, a dose assessment for the region of investigation showed clearly that the detected activities in all environmental samples were very far below levels of concern. Copyright © 2012 Elsevier Ltd. All rights reserved.

EFFECTS OF ULTRAVIOLET-B IRRADIANCE ON SOYBEAN. V. THE DEPENDENCE OF PLANT SENSITIVITY ON THE PHOTOSYNTHETIC PHOTON FLUX DENSITY DURING AND AFTER LEAF EXPANSION

EPA Science Inventory

Soybeans (Glycine max (L.) Merr. cv Essex) were grown in a green house, and the first trifoliate leaf was either allowed to expand under a high photosynthetic photon flux density (PPFD) (1.4 millimoled per square meter per second) or a low PPFD (0.8 Millimoles per square meter pe...

Defining neighborhood boundaries in studies of spatial dependence in child behavior problems.

PubMed

Caughy, Margaret O'Brien; Leonard, Tammy; Beron, Kurt; Murdoch, James

2013-05-03

The purpose of this study was to extend the analysis of neighborhood effects on child behavioral outcomes in two ways: (1) by examining the geographic extent of the relationship between child behavior and neighborhood physical conditions independent of standard administrative boundaries such as census tracts or block groups and (2) by examining the relationship and geographic extent of geographic peers' behavior and individual child behavior. The study neighborhood was a low income, ethnic minority neighborhood of approximately 20,000 residents in a large city in the southwestern United States. Observational data were collected for 11,552 parcels and 1,778 face blocks in the neighborhood over a five week period. Data on child behavior problems were collected from the parents of 261 school-age children (81% African American, 14% Latino) living in the neighborhood. Spatial analysis methods were used to examine the spatial dependence of child behavior problems in relation to physical conditions in the neighborhood for areas surrounding the child's home ranging from a radius of 50 meters to a radius of 1000 meters. Likewise, the spatial dependence of child behavior problems in relation to the behavior problems of neighborhood peers was examined for areas ranging from a radius 255 meters to a radius of 600 meters around the child's home. Finally, we examined the joint influence of neighborhood physical conditions and geographic peers. Poor conditions of the physical environment of the neighborhood were related to more behavioral problems, and the geographic extent of the physical environment that mattered was an area with a radius between 400 and 800 meters surrounding the child's home. In addition, the average level of behavior problems of neighborhood peers within 255 meters of the child's home was also positively associated with child behavior problems. Furthermore, these effects were independent of one another. These findings demonstrate that using flexible geographies in the study of neighborhood effects can provide important insights into spatial influences on health outcomes. With regards to child behavioral outcomes, specifically, these findings support the importance of addressing the physical and social environment when planning community-level interventions to reduce child behavior problems.

Defining neighborhood boundaries in studies of spatial dependence in child behavior problems

PubMed Central

2013-01-01

Background The purpose of this study was to extend the analysis of neighborhood effects on child behavioral outcomes in two ways: (1) by examining the geographic extent of the relationship between child behavior and neighborhood physical conditions independent of standard administrative boundaries such as census tracts or block groups and (2) by examining the relationship and geographic extent of geographic peers’ behavior and individual child behavior. Methods The study neighborhood was a low income, ethnic minority neighborhood of approximately 20,000 residents in a large city in the southwestern United States. Observational data were collected for 11,552 parcels and 1,778 face blocks in the neighborhood over a five week period. Data on child behavior problems were collected from the parents of 261 school-age children (81% African American, 14% Latino) living in the neighborhood. Spatial analysis methods were used to examine the spatial dependence of child behavior problems in relation to physical conditions in the neighborhood for areas surrounding the child’s home ranging from a radius of 50 meters to a radius of 1000 meters. Likewise, the spatial dependence of child behavior problems in relation to the behavior problems of neighborhood peers was examined for areas ranging from a radius 255 meters to a radius of 600 meters around the child’s home. Finally, we examined the joint influence of neighborhood physical conditions and geographic peers. Results Poor conditions of the physical environment of the neighborhood were related to more behavioral problems, and the geographic extent of the physical environment that mattered was an area with a radius between 400 and 800 meters surrounding the child’s home. In addition, the average level of behavior problems of neighborhood peers within 255 meters of the child’s home was also positively associated with child behavior problems. Furthermore, these effects were independent of one another. Conclusions These findings demonstrate that using flexible geographies in the study of neighborhood effects can provide important insights into spatial influences on health outcomes. With regards to child behavioral outcomes, specifically, these findings support the importance of addressing the physical and social environment when planning community-level interventions to reduce child behavior problems. PMID:23642001

Are Avellino (4365 cal BP) and Pompeii twin plinian eruptions? Pre-eruptive constraints and degassing history

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Boudon, Georges; Balcone-Boissard, Hélène; Villemant, Benoît.; Ucciani, Guillaume; Cioni, Raffaello

2010-05-01

Somma-Vesuvius activity started 35 ky ago and is characterized by numerous eruptions of variable composition and eruptive style, sometimes interrupted by long periods of unrest. The main explosive eruptions are represented by four plinian eruptions: Pomici di Base eruption (22 cal ky), Mercato (~8900 cal BP), Avellino (4365 cal BP) and Pompeii (79 AD). The 79 AD eruption embodies the most famous eruption since it's responsible of the destruction of Pompeii and Herculanum and it's the first described eruption. The Avellino eruption represents the last plinian event that preceded the Pompeii eruption. The eruptive sequence is similar to the 79 AD plinian eruption, with an opening phase preceding a main plinian fallout activity which ended by a phreatomagmatic phase. The fallout deposit displays a sharp colour contrast from white to grey pumice, corresponding to a magma composition evolution. We focus our study on the main fallout deposit that we sampled in detail in the Traianello quarry, 9 km North-North East of the crater, to investigate the degassing processes during the eruption, using volatile content and textural observations. Density and vesicularity measurements were obtained on a minimum of 100 pumice clasts sampled in 10 stratigraphic levels in the fallout deposit. On the basis of the density distribution, bulk geochemical data, point analytical measurements on glasses (melt inclusions and residual glass) and textural observations were obtained simultaneously on a minimum of 5 pumice clasts per eruptive unit. The glass composition, in particular the Na/K ratio, evolves from Na-rich phonolite for white pumices to a more K-rich phonolite for grey pumices. The pre-eruptive conditions are constrained by systematic Cl measurements in melt inclusions and matrix glass of pumice clasts. The entire magma was saturated relative to sub-critical fluids (a Cl-rich H2O vapour phase and a brine), with a Cl melt content buffered at ~6000 ppm, and a mean pre-eruptive H2O content depending of the magma composition. Most of the pumices of the different eruptive units show that H2O degassing during the eruption followed a typical closed-system evolution as expected for plinian eruption. Contrary to H2O, Cl was not efficiently degassed during the plinian phase of the eruption: the matrix glass composition remains close to the pre-eruptive content. Compared to the 79AD eruption the degassing processes showed by the whole Avellino plinian phase is more homogeneous and similar to the white pumice phase of the Pompeii eruption whereas the open-system degassing mode identified from the grey pumices of the 79AD eruption is not represented during the Avellino eruption.

The Tephra Layer From the Plinian Eruption in ™r‘faj”kull 1362, Southeast Iceland

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Selbekk, R. S.

2002-12-01

Pyroclastic fallout from the 1362 eruption of ™r‘faj”kull forms one of the volcanic marker horizons of the North Atlantic. This contribution reports the mineralogical and geochemical characteristics of the ™r‘faj”kull 1362 fallout and its grain-size distribution. A non-rifting 120 km long volcanic lineament some 50 km east of the Eastern Rift-Zone of Iceland is defined by transitional and alkalic volcanic rocks resting unconformably on late Tertiary strata. ™r‘faj”kull which forms the southern termination of this off-rift liniment is an ice-covered stratovolcano (2200 masl) composed mostly of subglacially formed hyaloclastite ranging from basalts to rhyolites. The two historical (1100 yrs) eruptions of ™r‘faj”kull include a small explosive eruption in 1727 and a large devastating Plinian eruption associated with major lahars and a caldera collapse in 1362. Between 1 and 2 km3 dense rock equivalent or 5-10 km3 of rhyolitic pumice was erupted and the fallout was mainly towards ESE. Tentative modelling of the PT-conditions of the magma formation, based on glass/mineral equilibria, indicates that the source was a near-eutectic melt in equilibrium with fayalite, hedenbergite, oligoclase and hematite at some 0.2 GPa pressure. A profile through the fallout was sampled at elevation of about 1100 masl on the SE flank of the volcano. A deposit of 1.8 m thickness was collected in 14 units for examination of composition, mineralogy and grain-size distribution during the eruption. In the profile the fallout is fine grained vesicular glass (1-3% minerals, 3% lithic fragments) with bubble wall thickness in the low micron range. The high and even vesiculation of the glass indicates fast magma ascent and explains the extreme mechanical fragmentation within the eruptive column, yielding between 50 and 80 wt% of less than 0.25 mm grain size. A reconstruction of the Plinian phase, based on grain-size analysis and abundance of lithic fragments, reveals that the eruption proceeded in three successive phases. An initial explosion produced phreatomagmatic debris associated with up to 35% of lithic fragments. In distal facies of the fallout, the initial phase is recognised as pale brownish base of the otherwise white glassy layer. The material ejection proceeded in two largely similar phases. These phases are separated only by a transition in grain size distribution indicating a temporary lowering in the effusion rate.

Concordant 241Pu-241Am Dating of Environmental Samples: Results from Forest Fire Ash

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Goldstein, S. J.; Oldham, W. J.; Murrell, M. T.; Katzman, D.

2010-12-01

We have measured the Pu, 237Np, 241Am, and 151Sm isotopic systematics for a set of forest fire ash samples from various locations in the western U.S. including Montana, Wyoming, Idaho, and New Mexico. The goal of this study is to develop a concordant 241Pu (t1/2 = 14.4 y)-241Am dating method for environmental collections. Environmental samples often contain mixtures of components including global fallout. There are a number of approaches for subtracting the global fallout component for such samples. One approach is to use 242Pu/239Pu as a normalizing isotope ratio in a three-isotope plot, where this ratio for the non-global fallout component can be estimated or assumed to be small. This study investigates a new, complementary method of normalization using the long-lived fission product, 151Sm (t1/2 = 90 y). We find that forest fire ash concentrates actinides and fission products with ~1E10 atoms 239Pu/g and ~1E8 atoms 151Sm/g, allowing us to measure these nuclides by mass spectrometric (MIC-TIMS) and radiometric (liquid scintillation counting) methods. The forest fire ash samples are characterized by a western U.S. regional isotopic signature representing varying mixtures of global fallout with a local component from atmospheric testing of nuclear weapons at the Nevada Test Site (NTS). Our results also show that 151Sm is well correlated with the Pu nuclides in the forest fire ash, suggesting that these nuclides have similar geochemical behavior in the environment. Results of this correlation indicate that the 151Sm/239Pu atom ratio for global fallout is ~0.164, in agreement with an independent estimate of 0.165 based on 137Cs fission yields for atmospheric weapons tests at the NTS. 241Pu-241Am dating of the non-global fallout component in the forest fire ash samples yield ages in the late 1950’s-early 1960’s, consistent with a peak in NTS weapons testing at that time. The age results for this component are in agreement using both 242Pu and 151Sm normalizations, although the errors for the 151Sm correction are currently larger due to the greater uncertainty of their measurements. Additional efforts to develop a concordant 241Pu-241Am dating method for environmental collections are underway with emphasis on soil cores.

Concordant plutonium-241-americium-241 dating of environmental samples: results from forest fire ash

DOE Office of Scientific and Technical Information (OSTI.GOV)

Goldstein, Steven J; Oldham, Warren J; Murrell, Michael T

2010-12-07

We have measured the Pu, {sup 237}Np, {sup 241}Am, and {sup 151}Sm isotopic systematics for a set of forest fire ash samples from various locations in the western U.S. including Montana, Wyoming, Idaho, and New Mexico. The goal of this study is to develop a concordant {sup 241}Pu (t{sub 1/2} = 14.4 y)-{sup 241}Am dating method for environmental collections. Environmental samples often contain mixtures of components including global fallout. There are a number of approaches for subtracting the global fallout component for such samples. One approach is to use {sup 242}/{sup 239}Pu as a normalizing isotope ratio in a three-isotopemore » plot, where this ratio for the nonglobal fallout component can be estimated or assumed to be small. This study investigates a new, complementary method of normalization using the long-lived fission product, {sup 151}Sm (t{sub 1/2} = 90 y). We find that forest fire ash concentrates actinides and fission products with {approx}1E10 atoms {sup 239}Pu/g and {approx}1E8 atoms {sup 151}Sm/g, allowing us to measure these nuclides by mass spectrometric (MIC-TIMS) and radiometric (liquid scintillation counting) methods. The forest fire ash samples are characterized by a western U.S. regional isotopic signature representing varying mixtures of global fallout with a local component from atmospheric testing of nuclear weapons at the Nevada Test Site (NTS). Our results also show that {sup 151}Sm is well correlated with the Pu nuclides in the forest fire ash, suggesting that these nuclides have similar geochemical behavior in the environment. Results of this correlation indicate that the {sup 151}Sm/{sup 239}Pu atom ratio for global fallout is {approx}0.164, in agreement with an independent estimate of 0.165 based on {sup 137}Cs fission yields for atmospheric weapons tests at the NTS. {sup 241}Pu-{sup 241}Am dating of the non-global fallout component in the forest fire ash samples yield ages in the late 1950's-early 1960's, consistent with a peak in NTS weapons testing at that time. The age results for this component are in agreement using both {sup 242}Pu and {sup 151}Sm normalizations, although the errors for the {sup 151}Sm correction are currently larger due to the greater uncertainty of their measurements. Additional efforts to develop a concordant {sup 241}Pu-{sup 241}Am dating method for environmental collections are underway with emphasis on soil cores.« less

Robust, non-invasive methods for metering groundwater well extraction in remote environments

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Bulovic, Nevenka; Keir, Greg; McIntyre, Neil

2017-04-01

Quantifying the rate of extraction from groundwater wells can be essential for regional scale groundwater management and impact assessment. This is especially the case in regions heavily dependent on groundwater such as the semi-arid Surat and Bowen Basins in Queensland, Australia. Of the 30 000+ groundwater wells in this area, the majority of which are used for stock watering and domestic purposes, almost none have flow metering devices installed. As part of a research project to estimate regional groundwater extraction, we have undertaken a small scale flow metering program on a selected set of wells. Conventional in-line flow meters were unsuitable for our project, as both non-invasiveness and adaptability / suitability to a variety of discharge pipe characteristics was critical. We describe the use of two metering technologies not widely used in groundwater applications, non-invasive, clamp-on ultrasonic transit time flow meters and tipping bucket flow meters, as semi-permanent installations on discharge pipes of various artesian and sub-artesian groundwater wells. We present examples of detailed extraction rate time-series, which are of particular value in developing predictive models of water well extraction in data limited areas where water use dynamics and drivers are poorly understood. We conclude by discussing future project trajectories, which include expansion of the monitoring network through development of novel metering techniques and telemetry across large areas of poor connectivity.

A Tube Seepage Meter for In Situ Measurement of Seepage Rate and Groundwater Sampling.

PubMed

Solder, John E; Gilmore, Troy E; Genereux, David P; Solomon, D Kip

2016-07-01

We designed and evaluated a "tube seepage meter" for point measurements of vertical seepage rates (q), collecting groundwater samples, and estimating vertical hydraulic conductivity (K) in streambeds. Laboratory testing in artificial streambeds show that seepage rates from the tube seepage meter agreed well with expected values. Results of field testing of the tube seepage meter in a sandy-bottom stream with a mean seepage rate of about 0.5 m/day agreed well with Darcian estimates (vertical hydraulic conductivity times head gradient) when averaged over multiple measurements. The uncertainties in q and K were evaluated with a Monte Carlo method and are typically 20% and 60%, respectively, for field data, and depend on the magnitude of the hydraulic gradient and the uncertainty in head measurements. The primary advantages of the tube seepage meter are its small footprint, concurrent and colocated assessments of q and K, and that it can also be configured as a self-purging groundwater-sampling device. © 2015, National Ground Water Association.

Calibration and application of an automated seepage meter for monitoring water flow across the sediment-water interface.

PubMed

Zhu, Tengyi; Fu, Dafang; Jenkinson, Byron; Jafvert, Chad T

2015-04-01

The advective flow of sediment pore water is an important parameter for understanding natural geochemical processes within lake, river, wetland, and marine sediments and also for properly designing permeable remedial sediment caps placed over contaminated sediments. Automated heat pulse seepage meters can be used to measure the vertical component of sediment pore water flow (i.e., vertical Darcy velocity); however, little information on meter calibration as a function of ambient water temperature exists in the literature. As a result, a method with associated equations for calibrating a heat pulse seepage meter as a function of ambient water temperature is fully described in this paper. Results of meter calibration over the temperature range 7.5 to 21.2 °C indicate that errors in accuracy are significant if proper temperature-dependence calibration is not performed. The proposed calibration method allows for temperature corrections to be made automatically in the field at any ambient water temperature. The significance of these corrections is discussed.

The new conversion model MODERN to derive erosion rates from inventories of fallout radionuclides

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Arata, Laura; Meusburger, Katrin; Frenkel, Elena; A'Campo-Neuen, Annette; Iurian, Andra-Rada; Ketterer, Michael E.; Mabit, Lionel; Alewell, Christine

2016-04-01

The measurement of fallout radionuclides (FRNs) has become one of the most commonly used methods to quantify soil erosion and depositional processes. FRNs include anthropogenic radionuclides (e.g. 137Cs, 239+240Pu) released into the atmosphere during nuclear bomb tests and power plant accidents (e.g Chernobyl, Fukushima-Daiichi), as well as natural radiotracers such as 210Pbex and 7Be. FRNs reach the land surface by dry and wet fallouts from the atmosphere. Once deposited, FRNs are tightly adsorbed by fine soil particles and their subsequent redistribution is mostly associated with soil erosion processes. FRNs methods are based on a qualitative comparison: the inventory (total radionuclide activity per unit area) at a given sampling site is compared to that of a so called reference site. The conversion of FRN inventories into soil erosion and deposition rates is done with a variety of models, which suitability is dependent on the selected FRN, soil cultivation (ploughed or unploughed) and movement (erosion or deposition). The authors propose a new conversion model, which can be easily and comprehensively used for different FRNs, land uses and soil redistribution processes. This new model i.e. MODERN (MOdelling Deposition and Erosion rates with RadioNuclides) considers the precise depth distribution of a given FRN at a reference site, and allows adapting it for any specific site conditions. MODERN adaptability and performance has been tested on two published case studies: (i) a 137Cs study in an alpine and unploughed area in the Aosta valley (Italy) and (ii) a 210Pbex study on a ploughed area located in Romania. The results show a good agreement and a significant correlation (r= 0.91, p<0.0001) between the results of MODERN and the published models currently used by the FRN scientific community (i.e. the Profile Distribution Model and the Mass Balance Model). The open access code and the cost free accessibility of MODERN will ensure the promotion of a wider application of FRNs for investigating soil erosion and sedimentation processes.

Overview of the Chicxulub impactite and proximal ejecta

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Claeys, Ph

2003-04-01

Several types of impactites have now been recovered from the various wells drilled in the Chicxulub crater in Yucatan. The old Pemex wells (Yucatan 6 and Chicxulub 1) contain a highly heterogeneous and stratified suevite, which upper unit is unusually rich in carbonates, impact breccia and a possibly an impact melt at the very bottom of C1. They are located towards the crater center (C1), on the flank of the peak ring (Y6). The thickness of impactite in this zone exceeds 250 m. The UNAM wells just outside the crater rim reveal sedimentary breccia and a fall-out suevite richer in silicate melt and basement fragments, than its crater equivalent. There, the thickness of the impactite was probably several hundred meters, considering that its top might have been eroded. It can also be speculated that a cover of fall-back suevite extended over the ejecta blanket in Yucatan, all the way to Belize and perhaps even to the region of Tabasco, in Southern Mexico. The recently drilled Yaxcopoil contains about 100 m of impactites, which is currently under study. Preliminary data seem to show less variability than the material recovered from Y6. As in the UNAM well, the impactite is dominated by basement material, and shows alternating severely altered and better preserved horizons.

Immersed transient eddy current flow metering: a calibration-free velocity measurement technique for liquid metals

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Krauter, N.; Stefani, F.

2017-10-01

Eddy current flow meters are widely used for measuring the flow velocity of electrically conducting fluids. Since the flow induced perturbations of a magnetic field depend both on the geometry and the conductivity of the fluid, extensive calibration is needed to get accurate results. Transient eddy current flow metering has been developed to overcome this problem. It relies on tracking the position of an impressed eddy current system that is moving with the same velocity as the conductive fluid. We present an immersed version of this measurement technique and demonstrate its viability by numerical simulations and a first experimental validation.

Compilation of Local Fallout Data from Test Detonations 1945-1962 Extracted from DASA 1251. Volume I. Continental U.S. Tests

DTIC Science & Technology

1979-05-01

fallout patterns by "dot-dash" lines. The time lines are intended to give only a rough average arrival time in hours as estimated from the wind reports and...by interpolation between the H-lI and H+11 hour values. 4. The surface air pressure was 13.10 psi, the temperature -2.O°C and the relative humidity...surface air pressure was 13.04 psi, the temperature -2.8 0 C, and the relative humidity 87%. 17 i’ 17 I

Release and Movement of Radionuclides in Soils Contaminated with Fallout Materials from an Underground Thermonuclear Detonation

DTIC Science & Technology

1962-07-06

Studies The degree of dissolution of the fallout material in H2 0, HCl, DTPA, CDTA, and EDDHA solutions was investigated by the suspension method...days was: EDDHA >DTPA>CDTA>H 2 0. while after 65 days the order of effect was: CDTA> EDDHA >DTPA>H 20. Portions of gamma ray spectra of the 106 day...the same amounts of radionuclides as did H120. The most abundant radio- nuclide was radiotungsten for H120, DTPA, CDTA, and EDDHA supernatant liquids

Operation Hardtack. Project 2.8. Fallout Measurements by Aircraft and Rocket Sampling,

DTIC Science & Technology

1985-09-01

EXTRICTED WVE O OPERATION HARDTACK-PROJECT 2.8 Fallout Measurements by Aircraft and Rocket Sampling S. L. Whitcher L R. Bunney R. R. Soule U.S. Naval...Aircraft and Rocket Sampling , Extracted Version 12. PERSONAL AUTHOR(S) Whitcher, S.L.; Bunney, L.R.; Soule , R.R.; and daRoza, R.A. 13a. TYPE OF REPORT 13b...ROCKET SAMPLING S. L. Whitcher L.R. Bunney Rt. R. Soule , Project Officer U.S. Nav2l Radiological Defense Laboratory San Francisco 24, California R.A

Contamination by I-131 from Fall-out. Report No. 75; CONTAMINACION POR I$sup 131$ DEBIDA AL FALL-OUT. INFORME NO. 75

DOE Office of Scientific and Technical Information (OSTI.GOV)

Benninson, D.; Ramos, E.

1962-01-01

The mean levels of I/sup 131/ in the milk of Buenos Aires from the last of April to the last of July 1962 were determined, and the significance of the results was discussed. The results showed that from May 16 to the first days of July there was a detectable iodine activity in the milk. An estimation was made of the thyroid dose received at different ages from the milk contamination. (J.S.R.)

Twenty-year review of medical findings in a Marshallese population accidentally exposed to radioactive fallout

DOE Office of Scientific and Technical Information (OSTI.GOV)

Conard, R.A.

1975-01-01

A summary is presented of results of medical examinations of inhabitants of the Marshall Islands during the 20-year period following the exposure of Rongelap people to radioactive fallout in 1954. The initial effect observed was $beta$ burns of the skin of some individuals. Few significant findings were observed during the subsequent 9-year period, although an increase in miscarriages and stillbirths among the exposed women was noted. In 1963 some thyroid abnormalities and growth retardation of some children were noted. (177 references). (CH)

Operation CASTLE. Project 2.7. Distribution of Radioactive Fallout by Survey and Analyses of Sea Water

DTIC Science & Technology

1981-04-01

approximately 5,000 square miles can bo covered by contamination at levels that would be hazardous to human life if the fallout had been deposited on a...shots over larger areas was necessary. On Shot 5 alternative methods were attempted. The Division of Biology and Medicine (DBM) of the Atomic...tvoluotion.nott, howtvtf, thai it it •mall Pont« «ithin Larga Cirelt-Com^iM ovtroll ml- Inity tf Mark II «htn uud «uk mtr^ad in « atar which it cantam

Rapid Debris Analysis Project Task 3 Final Report - Sensitivity of Fallout to Source Parameters, Near-Detonation Environment Material Properties, Topography, and Meteorology

DOE Office of Scientific and Technical Information (OSTI.GOV)

Goldstein, Peter

2014-01-24

This report describes the sensitivity of predicted nuclear fallout to a variety of model input parameters, including yield, height of burst, particle and activity size distribution parameters, wind speed, wind direction, topography, and precipitation. We investigate sensitivity over a wide but plausible range of model input parameters. In addition, we investigate a specific example with a relatively narrow range to illustrate the potential for evaluating uncertainties in predictions when there are more precise constraints on model parameters.

Algorithms to automate gap-dependent integral tuning for the 2.8-meter long horizontal field undulator with a dynamic force compensation mechanism

DOE Office of Scientific and Technical Information (OSTI.GOV)

Xu, Joseph Z., E-mail: x@anl.gov; Vasserman, Isaac; Strelnikov, Nikita

2016-07-27

A 2.8-meter long horizontal field prototype undulator with a dynamic force compensation mechanism has been developed and tested at the Advanced Photon Source (APS) at Argonne National Laboratory (Argonne). The magnetic tuning of the undulator integrals has been automated and accomplished by applying magnetic shims. A detailed description of the algorithms and performance is reported.

Energy consumption analysis for the Mars deep space station

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

Hayes, N. V.

1982-01-01

Results for the energy consumption analysis at the Mars deep space station are presented. It is shown that the major energy consumers are the 64-Meter antenna building and the operations support building. Verification of the antenna's energy consumption is highly dependent on an accurate knowlege of the tracking operations. The importance of a regular maintenance schedule for the watt hour meters installed at the station is indicated.

On water in volcanic clouds

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Durant, Adam J.

2007-12-01

Volcanic clouds and tephra fallout present a hazard to aviation, human and animal health (direct inhalation or ingestion, contamination of water supplies), and infrastructure (building collapse, burial of roads and railways, agriculture, abrasive and chemical effects on machinery). Understanding sedimentation processes is a fundamental component in the prediction of volcanic cloud lifetime and fallout at the ground, essential in the mitigation of these hazards. The majority of classical volcanic ash transport and dispersion models (VATDM) are based solely on fluid dynamics. The non-agreement between VATDM and observed regional-scale tephra deposit characteristics is especially obvious at large distances from the source volcano. In meteorology, the processes of hydrometeor nucleation, growth and collection have been long-established as playing a central role in sedimentation and precipitation. Taking this as motivation, the hypothesis that hydrometeor formation drives sedimentation from volcanic clouds was tested. The research objectives of this dissertation are: (1) To determine the effectiveness of tephra particles in the catalysis of the liquid water to ice phase transformation, with application to ice hydrometeor formation in volcanic clouds. (2) To determine the sedimentological characteristics of distal (100s km) tephra fallout from recent volcanic clouds. (3) To assess particle fallout rates from recent volcanic clouds in the context of observed deposit characteristics. (4) To assess the implications of hydrometeor formation on the enhancement of volcanic sedimentation and the potential for cloud destabilization from volcanic hydrometeor sublimation. Dissertation Overview. The following chapters present the analysis, results and conclusions of heterogeneous ice nucleation experiments and sedimentological characterization of several recent tephra deposits. The dissertation is organized in three chapters, each prepared in journal article format. In Chapter 1, single ash particle freezing experiments were carried out to investigate the effect of ash particle composition and surface area on water drop freezing temperature. In Chapter 2, the tephra deposit from the 18 May 1980 eruption of Mount St. Helens, USA, was reanalyzed using laser diffraction particle size analysis and hydrometeor-induced sedimentation mechanisms are considered. In Chapter 3, fallout from the 18 August 1992 and 16--17 September 1992 eruptions of Mount Spurr, USA, was analyzed and particle sedimentation and cloud microphysics were modeled to assess the potential for cloud destabilization from hydrometeor sublimation.

Arrival of the Fukushima radioactivity plume in North American continental waters

PubMed Central

Smith, John N.; Brown, Robin M.; Williams, William J.; Robert, Marie; Nelson, Richard; Moran, S. Bradley

2015-01-01

The large discharge of radioactivity into the northwest Pacific Ocean from the 2011 Fukushima Dai-ichi nuclear reactor accident has generated considerable concern about the spread of this material across the ocean to North America. We report here the first systematic study to our knowledge of the transport of the Fukushima marine radioactivity signal to the eastern North Pacific. Time series measurements of 134Cs and 137Cs in seawater revealed the initial arrival of the Fukushima signal by ocean current transport at a location 1,500 km west of British Columbia, Canada, in June 2012, about 1.3 y after the accident. By June 2013, the Fukushima signal had spread onto the Canadian continental shelf, and by February 2014, it had increased to a value of 2 Bq/m3 throughout the upper 150 m of the water column, resulting in an overall doubling of the fallout background from atmospheric nuclear weapons tests. Ocean circulation model estimates that are in reasonable agreement with our measured values indicate that future total levels of 137Cs (Fukushima-derived plus fallout 137Cs) off the North American coast will likely attain maximum values in the 3–5 Bq/m3 range by 2015–2016 before declining to levels closer to the fallout background of about 1 Bq/m3 by 2021. The increase in 137Cs levels in the eastern North Pacific from Fukushima inputs will probably return eastern North Pacific concentrations to the fallout levels that prevailed during the 1980s but does not represent a threat to human health or the environment. PMID:25548181

Naples between two fires: eruptive scenarios for the next eruptions by an integrated volcanological-probabilistic approach.

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Mastrolorenzo, G.; Pappalardo, L.; de Natale, G.; Troise, C.; Rossano, S.; Panizza, A.

2009-04-01

Probabilistic approaches based on available volcanological data from real eruptions of Campi Flegrei and Somma-Vesuvius, are assembled in a comprehensive assessment of volcanic hazards at the Neapolitan area. This allows to compare the volcanic hazards related to the different types of events, which can be used for evaluating the conditional probability of flows and falls hazard in case of a volcanic crisis. Hazard maps are presented, based on a rather complete set of numerical simulations, produced using field and laboratory data as input parameters relative to a large range (VEI 1 to 5) of fallout and pyroclastic-flow events and their relative occurrence. The results allow us to quantitatively evaluate and compare the hazard related to pyroclastic fallout and density currents (PDCs) at the Neapolitan volcanoes and their surroundings, including the city of Naples. Due to its position between the two volcanic areas, the city of Naples is particularly exposed to volcanic risk from VEI>2 eruptions, as recorded in the local volcanic succession. Because dominant wind directions, the area of Naples is particularly prone to fallout hazard from Campi Flegrei caldera eruptions in the VEI range 2-5. The hazard from PDCs decreases roughly radially with distance from the eruptive vents and is strongly controlled by the topographic heights. Campi Flegrei eruptions are particularly hazardous for Naples, although the Camaldoli and Posillipo hills produce an effective barrier to propagation to the very central part of Naples. PDCs from Vesuvius eruptions with VEI>4 can cover the city of Naples, whereas even VEI>3 eruptions have a moderate fallout hazard there.

European roe deer antlers as an environmental archive for fallout (236)U and (239)Pu.

PubMed

Froehlich, M B; Steier, P; Wallner, G; Fifield, L K

2016-01-01

Anthropogenic (236)U and (239)Pu were measured in European roe deer antlers hunted between 1955 and 1977 which covers and extends beyond the period of intensive nuclear weapons testing (1954-1962). The antlers were hunting trophies, and hence the hunting area, the year of shooting and the approximate age of each animal is given. Uranium and plutonium are known to deposit in skeletal tissue. Since antler histology is similar to bone, both elements were expected in antlers. Furthermore, roe deer shed their antlers annually, and hence antlers may provide a time-resolved environmental archive for fallout radionuclides. The radiochemical procedure is based on a Pu separation step by anion exchange (Dowex 1 × 8) and a subsequent U purification by extraction chromatography using UTEVA(®). The samples were measured by Accelerator Mass Spectrometry at the VERA facility (University of Vienna). In addition to the (236)U and (239)Pu concentrations, the (240)Pu/(239)Pu isotopic ratios were determined with a mean value of 0.172 ± 0.023 which is in agreement with the ratio of global fallout (∼0.18). Rather high (236)U/(238)U ratios of the order of 10(-6) were observed. These measured ratios, where the (236)U arises only from global fallout, have implications for the use of the (236)U/(238)U ratio as a fingerprint for nuclear accidents or releases from nuclear facilities. Our investigations have shown the potential to use antlers as a temporally resolved archive for the uptake of actinides from the environment. Copyright © 2015 Elsevier Ltd. All rights reserved.

Current understanding of microplastics in the environment: Occurrence, fate, risks, and what we should do.

PubMed

Peng, Jinping; Wang, Jundong; Cai, Liqi

2017-05-01

Microplastics pollution has been documented in the global environment, including at sea, in freshwater and in atmospheric fallout. Ingestion of microplastics by multiple kinds of organisms has been reported and has received increasing attention, because microplastics not only act as a source of toxic chemicals but also a sink for toxic chemicals. To better understand the great concerns about microplastics and associated toxic chemicals potential exposed to the organisms ingesting the debris, we should know more about the occurrence, fate, and risks of microplastics in the environment. What we should do depends on this better understanding. Integr Environ Assess Manag 2017;13:476-482. © 2017 SETAC. © 2017 SETAC.

First Volcanological-Probabilistic Pyroclastic Density Current and Fallout Hazard Map for Campi Flegrei and Somma Vesuvius Volcanoes.

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Mastrolorenzo, G.; Pappalardo, L.; Troise, C.; Panizza, A.; de Natale, G.

2005-05-01

Integrated volcanological-probabilistic approaches has been used in order to simulate pyroclastic density currents and fallout and produce hazard maps for Campi Flegrei and Somma Vesuvius areas. On the basis of the analyses of all types of pyroclastic flows, surges, secondary pyroclastic density currents and fallout events occurred in the volcanological history of the two volcanic areas and the evaluation of probability for each type of events, matrixs of input parameters for a numerical simulation have been performed. The multi-dimensional input matrixs include the main controlling parameters of the pyroclasts transport and deposition dispersion, as well as the set of possible eruptive vents used in the simulation program. Probabilistic hazard maps provide of each points of campanian area, the yearly probability to be interested by a given event with a given intensity and resulting demage. Probability of a few events in one thousand years are typical of most areas around the volcanoes whitin a range of ca 10 km, including Neaples. Results provide constrains for the emergency plans in Neapolitan area.

Assessment of resuspended matter and redistribution of macronutrient elements produced by boat disturbance in a eutrophic lagoon.

PubMed

Lenzi, Mauro; Finoia, Maria Grazia; Gennaro, Paola; Mercatali, Isabel; Persia, Emma; Solari, Jacopo; Porrello, Salvatore

2013-07-15

Harvesting of macroalgae by specially equipped boats in a shallow eutrophic lagoon produces evident sediment resuspension. To outline the environmental effects of this disturbance, we examined the quantity of fall-out and the distances travelled by sediment and macronutrients from the source of boat disturbance. Resuspended sediment fall-out (RSFO) was trapped at different distances from the boat path to determine total dry weight, total nitrogen (TN), total carbon (TC), total organic carbon (TOC), total sulphur (TS) and total phosphorus (TP). The data was analysed by principal components analysis (PCA) and linear discriminant analysis (LDA) on PCA factors. Fall-out of C, N, S and P from the plume of resuspended sediment indicated significant re-arrangement of these nutrients: RSFO dry weight and S content decreased with distance from the boat path, whereas TP increased and was the variable responsible for most discrimination at 100 m. The mass of resuspended matter was relatively large, indicating that the boats considerably reshuffle lagoon sediment. Copyright © 2013 Elsevier Ltd. All rights reserved.

Justification of the Utility of Introducing Smart Meters in Latvia

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Kunickis, M.; Dandens, A.; Bariss, U.

2015-12-01

Automatic data reading from smart meters is being developed in many parts of the world, including Latvia. The key drivers for that are developments of smart technologies and economic benefits for consumers. Deployment of smart meters could be launched in a massive scale. Several pilot projects were implemented to verify the feasibility of smart meters for individual consumer groups. Preliminary calculations indicate that installation of smart meters for approximately 23 % of electricity consumers would be economically viable. Currently, the data for the last two years is available for an in-depth mathematical analysis. The continuous analysis of consumption data would be established, when more measurements from smart meters are available. The extent of introduction of smart meters should be specified during this process in order to gain the maximum benefit for the whole society (consumers, grid companies, state authorities), because there are still many uncertain and variable factors. For example, it is necessary to consider statistical load variations by hour, dependence of electricity consumption on temperature fluctuations, consumer behaviour and demand response to market signals to reduce electricity consumption in the short and long term, consumer's ambitions and capability to install home automation for regulation of electricity consumption. To develop the demand response, it is necessary to analyse the whole array of additional factors, such as expected cost reduction of smart meters, possible extension of their functionality, further development of information exchange systems, as well as standard requirements and different political and regulatory decisions regarding the reduction of electricity consumption and energy efficiency.

Environmental effects of large impacts on Mars.

PubMed

Segura, Teresa L; Toon, Owen B; Colaprete, Anthony; Zahnle, Kevin

2002-12-06

The martian valley networks formed near the end of the period of heavy bombardment of the inner solar system, about 3.5 billion years ago. The largest impacts produced global blankets of very hot ejecta, ranging in thickness from meters to hundreds of meters. Our simulations indicated that the ejecta warmed the surface, keeping it above the freezing point of water for periods ranging from decades to millennia, depending on impactor size, and caused shallow subsurface or polar ice to evaporate or melt. Large impacts also injected steam into the atmosphere from the craters or from water innate to the impactors. From all sources, a typical 100-, 200-, or 250-kilometers asteroid injected about 2, 9, or 16 meters, respectively, of precipitable water into the atmosphere, which eventually rained out at a rate of about 2 meters per year. The rains from a large impact formed rivers and contributed to recharging aquifers.

A preliminary investigation into the effect of pressure on flotation performance

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Young, Courtney A.

2007-10-01

In a previous study, various pyrite depressants were examined to improve the flotation performance of a copper-sulfide ore containing tetrahedrite (Cu12Sb4S13). Optimal results from this study were used to examine the effect of elevation on recovery and grade. Tests were conducted at elevations of 3,350 meters, 1,735 meters, 610 meters, and-760 meters, consisting of five repetitive experiments for statistical analysis. The experiments were performed both with and without airflow control. Tests were also performed in a glove box at Montana Tech of The University of Montana to mimic the pressure conditions. Results indicate that both recovery and grade are dependent on pressure via bubble size and airflow, suggesting that pressurized fl otation cells should be considered for operations, particularly those at high elevation. Economics are extremely favorable for implementation because ensuing capital expenses are inconsequential with minimal time for return-on-investment.

The Chernobyl Nuclear Power Plant accident: ecotoxicological update

USGS Publications Warehouse

Eisler, R.; Hoffman, David J.; Rattner, Barnett A.; Burton, G. Allen; Cairns, John

2003-01-01

The accident at the Chernobyl, Ukraine, nuclear reactor on 26 April 1986 released large amounts of radiocesium and other radionuclides into the environment, contaminating much of the northern hemisphere, especially Europe. In the vicinity of Chernobyl, at least 30 people died, more than 115,000 others were evacuated, and consumption of milk and other foods was banned because of radiocontamination. At least 14,000 human cancer deaths are expected in Russia, Belarus, and the Ukraine as a direct result of Chernobyl. The most sensitive local ecosystems, as judged by survival, were the soil fauna, pine forest communities, and certain populations of rodents. Elsewhere, fallout from Chernobyl significantly contaminated freshwater and terrestrial ecosystems and flesh and milk of domestic livestock; in many cases, radionuclide concentrations in biological samples exceeded current radiation protection guidelines. Reindeer (Rangifer tarandus) in Scandinavia were among the most seriously afflicted by Chernobyl fallout, probably because their main food during winter (lichens) is an efficient absorber of airborne particles containing radiocesium. Some reindeer calves contaminated with 137Cs from Chernobyl showed 137Cs-dependent decreases in survival and increases in frequency of chromosomal aberrations. Although radiation levels in the biosphere are declining with time, latent effects of initial exposure--including an increased frequency of thyroid and other cancers--are now measurable. The full effect of the Chernobyl nuclear reactor accident on natural resources will probably not be known for at least several decades because of gaps in data on long-term genetic and reproductive effects and on radiocesium cycling and toxicokinetics.

Ecological behavior and effects of energy related pollutants. Progress report, June 1976--August 1977. [SO2 impact on survival and stability of plant species; fallout /sup 137/Cs transfer processes in Southeastern Coastal Plain ecosystem

DOE Office of Scientific and Technical Information (OSTI.GOV)

Platt, R.B.; Ragsdale, H.L.; Murdy, W.H.

1977-10-25

The impact of SO/sub 2/ on the survival and stability of plant populations and communities was studied. The results to date have an important bearing on the adequacy of current permissible ambient air levels for SO/sub 2/. Atmospheric SO/sub 2/ concentrations at near permissible levels had a significant adverse effect on sexual reproduction processes, which results in a reduced number of viable seeds, in all 8 populations tested. Implications for both natural and agricultural plant species and possible significant losses of fruit production are discussed. An ecological implication of the invisible effect of fruit and seed mortality is postulated sincemore » the life cycle of many insects and the trophic relations of numerous animals depend, at least in part, on fruit production by trees and shrubs. Hence, there is a potential for disruptive effects on ecosystem level processes. Results are also reported from four systems-oriented studies within the Lower Three Runs Creek Watershed, Savannah River Plant, to examine fallout /sup 137/Cs transfer processes in ecological systems characteristic of the Southeastern Coastal Plain. These studies were carried out within the stream and its floodplains, within floodplains along the stream gradient, in upland aquatic systems (Carolina Bays), and in the upland scrub-oak forest system. Results are discussed.« less

Vertical distribution of radiocesium in coniferous forest soil after the Fukushima nuclear power plant accident.

PubMed

Teramage, Mengistu T; Onda, Yuichi; Patin, Jeremy; Kato, Hiroaki; Gomi, Takashi; Nam, Sooyoun

2014-11-01

This study deals with the description of the vertical distribution of radiocaesium ((137)Cs and (134)Cs) in a representative coniferous forest soil, investigated 10 months after the Fukushima radioactive fallout. During soil sampling, the forest floor components (understory plants, litter (Ol-) and fermented layers (Of)) were collected and treated separately. The results indicate that radiocesium is concentrated in the forest floor, and high radiocesium transfer factor observed in the undergrowth plants (3.3). This made the forest floor an active exchanging interphase for radiocesium. The raw organic layer (Ol + Of) holds 52% (5.3 kBq m(-2)) of the Fukushima-derived and 25% (0.7 kBq m(-2)) of the pre-Fukushima (137)Cs at the time of the soil sampling. Including the pre-Fukushima (137)Cs, 99% of the total soil inventory was in the upper 10 cm, in which the organic matter (OM) content was greater than 10%, suggesting the subsequent distribution most likely depends on the OM turnover. However, the small fraction of the Fukushima-derived (137)Cs at a depth of 16 cm is most likely due to the infiltration of radiocesium-circumscribed rainwater during the fallout before that selective adsorption prevails and reduces the migration of soluble (137)Cs. The values of the depth distribution parameters revealed that the distribution of the Fukushima-derived (137)Cs was somewhat rapid. Copyright © 2014 Elsevier Ltd. All rights reserved.

Survival of the relocated population of the U. S. after a nuclear attack. Final report

DOE Office of Scientific and Technical Information (OSTI.GOV)

Haaland, C.M.; Chester, C.V.; Wigner, E.P.

1976-06-01

The feasibility of continued survival after a hypothetical nuclear attack is evaluated for people relocated from high-risk areas during the crisis period before the attack. The attack consists of 6559 MT, of which 5951 MT are ground bursts on military, industrial, and urban targets. Relocated people are assumed to be adequately protected from fallout radiation by shelters of various kinds. The major problems in the postattack situation will be the control of exposure to fallout radiation, and prevention of severe food shortages to several tens of millions of people.

Radioactive fallout reconstruction from contemporary measurements of reservoir sediments.

PubMed

Krey, P W; Heit, M; Miller, K M

1990-11-01

The temporal history of atmospheric deposition to a watershed area can be preserved in the sediment of a lake or reservoir that is supplied by the watershed. The 137Cs and isotopic Pu concentrations with depth were determined in the sediments of two reservoirs, Enterprise and Deer Creek, which are located in widely separated regions of the state of Utah. Our data not only reconstruct the history of the total radioactive fallout in the area, but also permit estimating the contributions from global sources and from the Nevada Test Site detonations in the 1950s.

Nuclear Reactor Accident Fallout Artifacts: Unusual Black Spots on Digital Radiographs.

PubMed

Kashimura, Yasuhiro; Chida, Koichi

2015-12-01

The Fukushima nuclear power plant accident resulted in the discharge of radioactive particulate material into the atmosphere. Consequently, several hospitals in Japan have observed black spots on x-ray computed radiography (CR) images caused by particulate radioactive fallout. These black spots have no effect on human health. To reduce the influence of black spots on CR images, we need to erase latent images on imaging plates (IPs) immediately before clinical use and read the IPs soon after the x-ray examination. Alternatively, the contaminated felt of a cassette can be cleaned or exchanged, if possible.

Ash aggregation during the 11 February 2010 partial dome collapse of the Soufrière Hills Volcano, Montserrat

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Burns, F. A.; Bonadonna, C.; Pioli, L.; Cole, P. D.; Stinton, A.

2017-04-01

On 11 February 2010, Soufrière Hills Volcano, Montserrat, underwent a partial dome collapse ( 50 × 106 m3) and a short-lived Vulcanian explosion towards the end. Three main pyroclastic units were identified N and NE of the volcano: dome-collapse pyroclastic density current (PDC) deposits, fountain-collapse PDC deposits formed by the Vulcanian explosion, and tephra-fallout deposits associated with elutriation from the dome-collapse and fountain-collapse PDCs (i.e. co-PDC fallout deposit). The fallout associated with the Vulcanian explosion was mostly dispersed E and SE by high altitude winds. All units N and NE of the volcano contain variable amounts and types of particle aggregates, although the co-PDC fallout deposit is associated with the largest abundance (i.e. up to 24 wt%). The size of aggregates found in the co-PDC fallout deposit increases with distance from the volcano and proximity to the sea, reaching a maximum diameter of 12 mm about 500 m from the coast. The internal grain size of all aggregates have nearly identical distributions (with Mdϕ ≈ 4-5), with particles in the size categories > 3 ϕ (i.e. < 250 μm) being distributed in similar proportions within the aggregates but in different proportions within distinct internal layers. In fact, most aggregates are characterized by a coarse grained central core occupying the main part of the aggregate, coated by a thin layer of finer ash (single-layer aggregates), while others have one or two additional layers accreted over the core (multiple-layer aggregates). Calculated aggregate porosity and settling velocity vary between 0.3 and 0.5 and 11-21 m s- 1, respectively. The aggregate size shows a clear correlation with both the core size and the size of the largest particles found in the core. The large abundance of aggregates in the co-PDC fallout deposits suggests that the buoyant plumes elutriated above PDCs represent an optimal environment for the formation (particle collision) and development (aggregate layering) of particle aggregates. However, specific conditions are required, including i) a large availability of water (in this case provided by the steam plumes associated with the entrance of PDCs into the ocean), ii) presence of plume regions with different grain-size features (i.e. both median size and sorting) that allows for the development of multiple layers, iii) strong turbulence that permits both particle collision and the transition of the aggregates through different plume regions, iv) presence of hot regions (e.g. PDCs) that promote aggregate preservation (in this case also facilitated by the presence of sea salt).

Quantifying exchange between groundwater and surface water in rarely measured organic sediments

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Rosenberry, D. O.; Cavas, M.; Keith, D.; Gefell, M. J.; Jones, P. M.

2016-12-01

Transfer of water and chemicals between poorly competent organic sediments and surface water in low-energy riverine and lentic settings depends on several factors, including rate and direction of flow, redox state, number and type of benthic invertebrates, and chemical gradients at and near the sediment-water interface. In spite of their commonly large areal extent, direct measurements of flow in soft, organic sediments are rarely made and little is known about flux direction, rate, or heterogeneity. Commonly used monitoring wells are difficult to install and suffer from slow response to changing hydraulic head due to the low permeability of these sediments. Seepage meters can directly quantify seepage flux if several challenges can be overcome. Meters are difficult to install and operate where water is deep, visibility is poor, and the position of the sediment-water interface is not readily apparent. Soft, easily eroded sediment can be displaced during meter installation, creating bypass flow beneath the bottom of the seepage cylinder. Poorly competent sediments often cannot support the weight of the meters; they slowly sink into the bed and displace water inside the seepage cylinder, which leads to the interpretation of large upward flow. Decaying organic material within the sediment generates gas that can displace water and corrupt seepage-meter measurements. Several inexpensive modifications to a standard seepage meter, as well as precautions during installation and operation, can minimize these sources of error. Underwater video cameras can be mounted to the meter to remotely observe sediment disturbance during sensor installation and monitor the stability of the meter insertion depth during the period of deployment. Anchor rods can be driven a meter or more into the sediment until refusal, firmly anchoring the seepage meter at a constant sediment insertion depth. Data collected from modified seepage meters installed in Minnesota and New York demonstrate the importance of quantifying flows in these challenging settings where biogeochemistry is complex and seepage rates commonly have been assumed to be insignificantly small.

Retrograde contamination and practical handling of urine-meters: a comparison of three systems for the measurement of hourly diuresis in an experimental bladder-drainage model and in clinical use.

PubMed

Rasmussen, A; Frimodt-Møller, N; Espersen, F; Roed, M; Frimodt-Møller, C

1996-08-01

To compare three different urine metering systems for their ability to prevent retrograde contamination in an in vitro model of a closed urinary drainage system and for qualities important to their practical handling in a clinical setting. Using three urine-meters (the Braun Ureofix 511, the Kendall Curity 4000 and the Unoplast Unometer 500) the in vitro model was constantly flushed with a solution of Mueller-Hinton broth diluted with saline. On the first day, the urine collecting bag was inoculated with 10(8) cells of Pseudomonas aeruginosa. The system was operated for 12 days with daily sampling of the model bladder to detect any contamination. After 12 days the experiment was stopped and sampling performed at various locations, including the urine-meter and the tubing. Nine of each type of urine-meter were tested, i.e. three in three different experiments. In the clinical study, 45 patients were randomized to each of the three urine-meters and the nurses attending them were asked to complete a questionnaire on the practical handling of the urine-meters. When the urine-meters was omitted from the model system, the 'bladder' became contaminated with the test bacteria within 3 days. None of the nine Unometer 500 systems became contaminated, compared with four of each of the other two systems (P < 0.05). In clinical use, the Unometer 500 and Ureofix 511 were easier to suspend and empty than was the Curity 4000. The Unometer 500 was significantly easier to handle when the collecting bag was emptied. Urine-meters can prevent retrograde contamination in a closed bladder-drainage model, but the degree of prevention depends upon the type of urine-meter. In daily practice, there were differences in the ease of suspension of the systems and in the emptying of the urine-meter and collecting bag.

The utility of blood glucose meters in biotechnological applications.

PubMed

FitzGerald, Jennifer; Vermerris, Wilfred

2005-06-01

Most methods used to measure glucose concentrations in biotechnological settings are labour-intensive and/or expensive. With this in mind we have investigated the possibility of employing blood glucose meters, the use of which has the benefit of being fast, convenient and inexpensive, for this purpose. Accu-Chek Advantage (Roche Diagnostics, Indianapolis, IN, U.S.A.) and Precision QID (Medisense, Abbott Laboratories, Indianapolis, IN, U.S.A.) meters were tested using glucose samples of known concentration, at pH 7.5 and 4.8. The Accu-Chek Advantage meter uses strips containing the enzyme glucose dehydrogenase. This meter showed a linear response for glucose concentrations between 0.50 and 6.0 g/litre, and the effect of pH was small. The Precision QID meter uses strips containing the enzyme glucose oxidase and is more sensitive to pH. The displayed glucose concentrations at low pH values were consistently lower than at higher pH values. At both pH values the response curve reached a plateau, which limited the effective range of this meter to a range of 0.30-2.5 g/litre. Unlike the Precision QID meter, the Accu-Chek Advantage meter also responded to xylose and arabinose. A synergistic effect of combining sugars was observed when a mixture of sugars consisting of glucose and arabinose, or glucose and xylose, was applied: the displayed concentrations were consistently higher than was expected on the basis of the individual calibration curves. The use of glucose meters is a fast and convenient alternative to existing methods and may be of particular use for screening purposes where a high degree of accuracy is not crucial. The choice of meter should depend on the application, and in this respect the pH, expected concentration range and the presence of other sugars are among the factors that should be considered.

Exploring Links Between Global Climate and Explosive Arc Volcanism in Tephra-Rich Quaternary Sediments: A Pilot Study from IODP Expedition 350 Site 1437B, Izu Bonin Rear-Arc Region

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Corry-Saavedra, K.; Straub, S. M.; Bolge, L.; Schindlbeck, J. C.; Kutterolf, S.; Woodhead, J. D.

2015-12-01

Fallout tephra in marine sediment provide an excellent archive of explosive arc volcanism that can be directly related to the other parameters of climate change, such as ice volume data, IRD (ice-rafted debris) input, etc. Current studies are based on 'discrete' tephra beds, which are produced by major eruptions and visible with the naked eye. Yet the more common, but less explosive arc eruptions that are more continuous through time produce 'disperse' tephra, which is concealed by the non-volcanic host sediment and invisible to the eye. The proportion of disperse tephra in marine sediments is known to be significant and may be critical in elucidating potential synchronicity between arc volcanism and glacial cycles. We conducted a pilot study in young sediments of IODP Hole 1437B drilled at 31°47.3911'N and 139°01.5788'E at the rear-arc of the Izu Bonin volcanic arc. By means of δ18O (Vautravers, in revision), eleven climatic cycles are recorded in uppermost 120 meter of carbonate mud that is interspersed by cm-thick tephra fallout layers. We selected six tephra layers, ranging from 0.2 to 1.16 million years in age, and sampled those vertically, starting from carbonate mud below the basal contact throughout the typical gradational top into the carbonate mud above. From each tephra bed, volcanic particles (>125 micrometer) were handpicked. All other samples were powdered and leached in buffered acetic acid and hydroxylamine hydrochloride to remove the carbonate and authigenous fraction, respectively. Major and trace element abundances (except for SiO2) from all samples were determined by ICP-MS and ICP-OES methods. Strong binary mixing trends are revealed between the pure tephra end member, and detrital sediment component. The tephra is derived from the Izu Bonin volcanic front and rear-arc, while the sediment component is presumably transported by ocean surface currents from the East China Sea. Our data show that mixing proportions change systematically with sample percentage left after leaching and the stratigraphic position of sample, implying that the composition of the aluminosilicate fraction is an indicator of the percentage of disperse ash present in the carbonate mud. This data leave potential to investigate temporal trends. Our results are currently being refined with radiogenic isotope data.

Constraining particle size-dependent plume sedimentation from the 17 June 1996 eruption of Ruapehu Volcano, New Zealand, using geophysical inversions

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Klawonn, M.; Frazer, L. N.; Wolfe, C. J.; Houghton, B. F.; Rosenberg, M. D.

2014-03-01

Weak subplinian-plinian plumes pose frequent hazards to populations and aviation, yet many key parameters of these particle-laden plumes are, to date, poorly constrained. This study recovers the particle size-dependent mass distribution along the trajectory of a well-constrained weak plume by inverting the dispersion process of tephra fallout. We use the example of the 17 June 1996 Ruapehu eruption in New Zealand and base our computations on mass per unit area tephra measurements and grain size distributions at 118 sample locations. Comparisons of particle fall times and time of sampling collection, as well as observations during the eruption, reveal that particles smaller than 250 μm likely settled as aggregates. For simplicity we assume that all of these fine particles fell as aggregates of constant size and density, whereas we assume that large particles fell as individual particles at their terminal velocity. Mass fallout along the plume trajectory follows distinct trends between larger particles (d≥250 μm) and the fine population (d<250 μm) that are likely due to the two different settling behaviors (aggregate settling versus single-particle settling). In addition, we computed the resulting particle size distribution within the weak plume along its axis and find that the particle mode shifts from an initial 1φ mode to a 2.5φ mode 10 km from the vent and is dominated by a 2.5 to 3φ mode 10-180 km from vent, where the plume reaches the coastline and we do not have further field constraints. The computed particle distributions inside the plume provide new constraints on the mass transport processes within weak plumes and improve previous models. The distinct decay trends between single-particle settling and aggregate settling may serve as a new tool to identify particle sizes that fell as aggregates for other eruptions.

Energy Autonomous Wireless Water Meter with Integrated Turbine Driven Energy Harvester

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Becker, P.; Folkmer, B.; Goepfert, R.; Hoffmann, D.; Willmann, A.; Manoli, Y.

2013-12-01

Accurate meter reading is the fundamental task of the home water system for the handling of payments. Meters need to be read correctly, to avoid an effect of adding events that increase unnecessary cost and create customer dissatisfaction. This paper presents a fully integrated wireless, energy autonomous water metering system based on the European Standard EN 13757 "Communication systems for meters and remote reading of meters". The system can be used in multiple water metering scenarios. No maintenance will be required and the system will provide precise and secure data transmission as well as timely and accurate recording of the consumption of water. The identification of any leakages will be improved through the analysis of the actual quantity supplied and recorded by the meters. The system is powered by an energy harvester, based on a water driven turbine wheel that is directly coupled to an electromagnetic energy transducer. The power delivered by the generator is dependent of the amount of flowing water and the pressure in the water pipes. Therefor the power is commonly non-continuous, fluctuant and unstable in the voltage amplitude. To be able to report the meter readings at all times, the system needs to be powered not only in times when the energy harvester delivers energy. Therefor an energy buffer, that stores the harvested energy, is installed to compensate the energy requirement between the actual generator output and the energy consumption of the application. Besides a complete system overview, the presentation will focus on the power management and energy aware battery charging circuitry. The design, fabrication, measuring results and the preparations for field tests in rural and urban environment will be presented and discussed.

Calibration methodology application of kerma area product meters in situ: Preliminary results

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Costa, N. A.; Potiens, M. P. A.

2014-11-01

The kerma-area product (KAP) is a useful quantity to establish the reference levels of conventional X-ray examinations. It can be obtained by measurements carried out with a KAP meter on a plane parallel transmission ionization chamber mounted on the X-ray system. A KAP meter can be calibrated in laboratory or in situ, where it is used. It is important to use one reference KAP meter in order to obtain reliable quantity of doses on the patient. The Patient Dose Calibrator (PDC) is a new equipment from Radcal that measures KAP. It was manufactured following the IEC 60580 recommendations, an international standard for KAP meters. This study had the aim to calibrate KAP meters using the PDC in situ. Previous studies and the quality control program of the PDC have shown that it has good function in characterization tests of dosimeters with ionization chamber and it also has low energy dependence. Three types of KAP meters were calibrated in four different diagnostic X-ray equipments. The voltages used in the two first calibrations were 50 kV, 70 kV, 100 kV and 120 kV. The other two used 50 kV, 70 kV and 90 kV. This was related to the equipments limitations. The field sizes used for the calibration were 10 cm, 20 cm and 30 cm. The calibrations were done in three different cities with the purpose to analyze the reproducibility of the PDC. The results gave the calibration coefficient for each KAP meter and showed that the PDC can be used as a reference instrument to calibrate clinical KAP meters.

Effects of fluvial processes in different order river valleys on redistribution and storage of particle-bound radioactive caesium-137 in area of significant Chernobyl fallout and impact on linked rivers with lower contamination levels

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Belyaev, Vladimir; Golosov, Valentin; Shamshurina, Evgeniya; Ivanov, Maxim; Ivanova, Nadezhda; Bezukhov, Dmitry; Onda, Yuichi; Wakiyama, Yoshifumi; Evrard, Olivier

2015-04-01

Detailed investigations of the post-fallout fate of radionuclide contamination represent an important task in terms of environmental quality assessment. In addition, particle-bound radionuclides such as the most widespread anthropogenic isotope caesium-137 can be used as tracers for quantitative assessment of different sediment redistribution processes. In landscapes of humid plains with agriculture-dominated land use the post-fallout redistribution of caesium-137 is primarily associated with fluvial activity of various scales in cascade systems starting from soil erosion on cultivated hillslopes through gully and small dry valley network into different order perennial streams and rivers. Our investigations in the so-called Plavsk hotspot (area of very high Chernobyl caesium-137 contamination within the Plava River basin, Tula Region, Central European Russia) has been continuing for more than 15 years by now, while the time passed since the Chernobyl disaster and associated radioactive fallout (1986) is almost 29 years. Detailed information on the fluvial sediment and associated caesium-137 redistribution has been obtained for case study sites of different size from individual cultivated slopes and small catchments of different size (2-180 km2) to the entire Plava River basin scale (1856 km2). It has been shown that most of the contaminated sediment over the time passed since the fallout has remained stored within the small dry valleys of the 1-4 Hortonian order and local reservoirs (>70%), while only about 5% reached the 5-6 order valleys (main tributaries of the Plava River) and storage of the Plava floodplain itself represents as low as 0.3% of the basin-scale total sediment production from eroded cultivated hillslopes. Nevertheless, it has been shown that contaminated sediment yield from the Plava River basin exerts significant influence on less polluted downstream-linked river system. Recent progress of the investigations involved sampling of 7 detailed depth-incremental floodplain sediment sections along the Upa River valley, which is the receiving river for the Plava and is characterized by generally much lower caesium-137 contamination within other parts of its basin. One of the sampled sections was located several kilometers upstream from the Plava River mouth and the other 6 - at different distances downstream starting from about 2 km to about 40 km. In this case we can assume the Plava River mouth to be the point-source of sediment-associated radioactive contamination additional to the initial fallout. It has been found that while at the nearest point downstream the floodplain sediment contamination by caesium-137 is about 2 order of magnitude higher, than upstream, it decreases quickly along the Upa River valley two about 3 times higher than upstream at the most remote downstream point. Importantly, the decrease is not represented by gradual and uniform curve. In contrast, it is interrupted by local increase caused by smaller tributary from relatively high contamination area. It is believed that the obtained information on decadal-scale sediment and associated post-fallout caesium-137 redistribution through the fluvial network, patterns of sinks and rate of contamination propagation into the less polluted downstream-linked river basin can be used for testing and improving the predictive models being developed for applications in other contaminated areas such as river basins around the Fukushima Daiichi nuclear power plant, providing that differences in landscape settings, hydrological regime and land use patterns are taken into account.

Detection of fallout 241Am in U.S. Atlantic salt marsh soils

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Boyd, B. M.; Sommerfield, C. K.

2017-09-01

We report the presence of the fallout radionuclide 241Am (t1/2 = 433 years) in salt marsh soils from two U.S. Atlantic estuaries and discuss its utility as a particle tracer and geochronometer. This work is motivated by the knowledge that 137Cs, the most widely used geochronometer in environmental studies, will decay to extinction during the next century. At the same time, levels of 241Am, produced by radioactive decay of fallout 241Pu, will continue to increase on Earth's surface as they have since the height of atmospheric nuclear weapons testing in the 1960s. Measurements of 241Am in soils at eighteen salt marsh locations were made by non-destructive gamma spectrometry and compared to activities of 137Cs in the same samples. Results indicate that decay of fallout 241Pu can explain the presence of 241Am in the soils, and that the activities are sufficiently high to provide meaningful chronological information with acceptable confidence limits. We achieved a detection limit of 0.28-1.47 Bq kg-1 using low-energy, planar germanium detectors and 11-55 g powderized samples. Activities of 241Am (0.08-6.44 Bq kg-1) were similar in mineral- and organic-rich marsh soils indicating that soil composition does not appear to influence the initial capture of 241Pu and retention of its 241Am progeny. Given its high affinity for fine particles, long half-life, and ease of measurement by non-destructive gamma spectrometry, 241Am has potential to serve as an alternative to 137Cs geochronometry in salt marshes and perhaps other estuarine and coastal environments.

Sedimentary record of plutonium in the North Yellow Sea and the response to catchment environmental changes of inflow rivers.

PubMed

Xu, Yihong; Pan, Shaoming; Gao, Jianhua; Hou, Xiaolin; Ma, Yongfu; Hao, Yongpei

2018-09-01

Plutonium (Pu) isotopes were first determined in surface and core sediment samples collected from the northern North Yellow Sea (NYS) to elucidate their source terms and deposition process as well as the response to catchment environmental changes of inflow rivers. 240 Pu/ 239 Pu atom ratios in all sediments showed the typical global fallout value of ∼0.18 without any influences from the nuclear weapons tests conducted recently in the North Korea or early in the Pacific Proving Ground. The large variation of 239+240 Pu activities (0.022-0.515 mBq/g) observed in surface sediments should be mainly attributed to the re-suspension and transportation of fine sediments influenced by the Liaonan Costal Current. Based on the two 239+249 Pu depth profiles with easily observed onset fallout levels (1952) and global fallout peaks (1963), 239+240 Pu served as a valid time mark in the coastal sedimentary system. Riverine input Pu contributed only 15-27% to the total global fallout inventory (92.5-108.8 Bq/m 2 ) in the northern NYS, much lower than that in the Yangtze River estuary (77-80%), indicating a better soil conservation in the northeast China due to higher forest coverage compared to the Yangtze River's drainage basin. The increase of riverine input Pu after 1980s reflected the more intense soil erosion degree caused by the land use and cover change due to the increment of human activities in the northeast China at the same period. Our results demonstrated that plutonium is a good indicator for studying sedimentary process and its response to the environment in the coastal area. Copyright © 2018 Elsevier Ltd. All rights reserved.

Marine radioactivity in the Arctic: a retrospect of environmental studies in Greenland waters with emphasis on transport of 90Sr and 137Cs with the East Greenland Current.

PubMed

Aarkrog, A; Dahlgaard, H; Nielsen, S P

1999-09-30

The waters around Greenland have received radioactive contamination from three major sources: Global fallout, discharges from the nuclear fuel reprocessing plant Sellafield in the UK, and the Chernobyl accident in the Former Soviet Union (FSU). The global fallout peaked in the early 1960s. The radiologically most important radionuclides from this source are 90Sr and 137Cs. The input of global fallout to arctic waters was direct deposition from the atmosphere and indirect delivery through river run off and advection from the Atlantic Ocean via the north-east Atlantic current system. The waterborne discharges from Sellafield which were at their peak between 1974 and 1981 contributed primarily 137Cs, although some 90Sr was also discharged. The Chernobyl accident in 1986 was characterised by its substantial atmospheric release of radiocaesium (134Cs and 137Cs). Other sources may, however, also have contributed to the radioactivity in the Greenland waters. Examples include La Hague, France, and radioactive discharges to the great Siberian rivers (Ob, Yenisey and Lena) from nuclear activities in the Former Soviet Union or the local fallout from the Novaya Zemlya nuclear weapons test site. Dumping of nuclear waste in the Kara and Barents Seas may be another, although minor source. From measurements in Greenland waters carried out since 1962 the transport of radionuclides with the East Greenland Current is calculated and compared with the estimated inputs of 90Sr and 137Cs to the Arctic Ocean. This study focus on 90Sr and 137Cs because the longest time series are available for these two radionuclides.

The long-term decrease of 90Sr availability in the environment and its transfer to man after a nuclear fallout.

PubMed

Mück, K; Sinojmeri, M; Whilidal, H; Steger, F

2001-01-01

Due to its long physical half-life, and the fact that its long-term mobility in the environment as well as its radiotoxicity is higher than that of 137Cs, the long-term bio-availability of 90Sr in the environment is of importance with regard to the long-term population exposure after fallout from nuclear weapons detonations or a severe reactor accident. It will also substantially influence the time-span required until re-utilisation of highly contaminated territory is possible again. An assessment of the long-term decrease of the activity concentration in all foodstuffs relevant for internal exposure after severe 90Sr fallout was performed. The observed effective half-lives were approximately 1.8-2.1 years in the first 2-3 years after the end of fallout and 8-10 years in the following three decades. This is equivalent to a biological half-life of about 13.2 years and results in a total 50 year dose of 6.2 times the first year exposure. Due to this decline in 90Sr-availability, the average annual activity intake of 90Sr in Austria has decreased from 840 Bq at the climax of the nuclear weapons tests to about 42 Bq in 1997 for adults, and from 500 Bq to about 35 Bq for 1 year old infants. This is equivalent to a 90Sr ingestion dose of 1.2 microSv for adults and 2.5 microSv for 1 year old infants in 1997 or less than 0.4% of the ingestion dose by natural radionuclides in the diet.

Radioactive contamination processes during 14-21 March after the Fukushima accident: What does atmospheric electric field measurements tell us?

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Takeda, M.; Yamauchi, M.; Makino, M.; Owada, T.; Miyagi, I.

2012-04-01

Ionizing radiation from the radioactive material is known to increase atmospheric electric conductivity, and hence to decrease vertical downward atmospheric DC electric field at ground level, or potential gradient (PG). In the past, the drop of PG has been observed after rain-induced radioactive fallout (wet contamination) after nuclear tests or after the Chernobyl disaster. After the nuclear accident Fukushima Dai-ichi nuclear power plant (FNPP) that started 11 March 2011, the PG also at Kakioka, 150 km southwest from the FNPP, also dropped a by one order of magnitude. Unlike the past examples, the PG drop was two-stepped on 14 March and 20 March. Both correspond to two largest southward release of radioactive material according to the data from the radiation dose rate measurement network. We compare the Kakioka's PG data with the radiation dose rate data at different places to examine the fallout processes of both on 14 March and on 20 March. The former turned out to be dry contamination by surface wind, leaving a substantial amount of fallout floating near the ground. The latter turned out to be wet contamination by rain after transport by relatively low-altitude wind, and the majority of the fallout settled to the ground at this time. It is recommended that all nuclear power plant to have a network of PG observation surrounding the plant. Takeda, et al. (2011): Initial effect of the Fukushima accident on atmospheric electricity, Geophys. Res. Lett., 38, L15811, doi:10.1029/2011GL048511. Yamauchi, et al. (2012): Settlement process of radioactive dust to the ground inferred from the atmospheric electric field measurement, Ann. Geophys., 30, 49-56, doi:10.5194/angeo-30-49-2012.

Lessons learnt from a factory fire with asbestos-containing fallout.

PubMed

Bridgman, S A

1999-06-01

Fallout containing asbestos from a factory fire at Tranmere, Wirral, England, landed on a highly populated urban area with an estimated 16000 people living in the area worst affected, which included a shipbuilding community. There was considerable public concern over the health impact of the acute environmental incident, and great media interest. A descriptive study was carried out of the acute environmental incident and its management, and the difficulties encountered. Practical lessons learnt include need for: increased fire-fighter awareness of potential adverse health effects from asbestos in the structure of buildings; early involvement of both Local Authority environmental health and National Health Service public health departments; creation of a systematic local database of potential environmental health hazards in the structure of buildings as well as their contents; 24 hour on-call arrangements with laboratories expert in analyses of fire fallout; rapid quantitative analyses of multiple environmental samples; district written policy on handling asbestos incidents; systematic assessment of fright and media factors in public impact of an incident; dedicated public help-lines open long hours; consistent evidence-based public messages from all those communicating with the public; measurement of asbestos levels in the street and homes for public reassurance; local and health authorities' subscription to an environmental incident support service; formation of an acute environmental incident team to jointly manage and publicly report on airborne acute environmental incidents; clear government definition of responsibilities of different agencies. This paper provides a description of important lessons learnt during an acute environmental incident with asbestos-containing fallout. It will be helpful to those involved in the practical planning for and management of future incidents.

Use of anthropogenic radioisotopes to estimate rates of soil redistribution by wind II: The potential for future use of 239+240Pu

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Van Pelt, R. Scott; Ketterer, Michael E.

2013-06-01

In the previous paper, the use of soilborne 137Cs from atmospheric fallout to estimate rates of soil redistribution, particularly by wind, was reviewed. This method relies on the assumption that the source of 137Cs in the soil profile is from atmospheric fallout following the period of atmospheric weapons testing so that the temporal and, to a certain extent, the spatial patterns of 137Cs deposition are known. One of the major limitations occurs when local or regional sources of 137Cs contamination mask the pulse from global fallout, making temporal estimates of redistribution difficult or impossible. Like 137Cs, Pu exhibits strong affinity for binding to soil particle surfaces, and therefore, re-distribution of Pu inventory indicates inferred soil re-distribution. Compared to 137Cs, 239Pu and 240Pu offer several important advantages: (a) the two major Pu isotopes have much longer half-lives than 137Cs and (b) the ratio 240Pu/239Pu is used to examine whether the Pu is from stratospheric fallout. In this paper, we review the literature concerning Pu in soil and of current attempts to use this tracer to estimate rates of soil redistribution. We also present preliminary, unpublished data from a pilot study designed to test whether or not 239+240Pu can be used to estimate rates of soil redistribution by wind. Based on similarities of profile distribution and relative inventories between 137Cs measurements and 239+240Pu measurements of split samples from a series of fields with documented wind erosion histories, we conclude that 239+240Pu may well be the anthropogenic radioisotope of choice for future soil redistribution investigations.

The AGS Ggamma Meter and Calibrating the Gauss Clock

DOE Office of Scientific and Technical Information (OSTI.GOV)

Ahrens, Leif

2014-03-31

During AGS Polarized Proton acceleration periods, one output from the AGS Ggamma Meter, namely the energy (or Ggamma) calculated from the magnetic field in the AGS main magnets and the beam radius- both measured in particular instant, is used to figure out the times in the AGS magnet acceleration cycle when the beam passes through a particular set of depolarizing resonances. The resonance set occur whenever a particle’s Ggamma (energy*(G/m) becomes nearly equal to n*Qx (i.e. any integer multiplied by the horizontal betatron tune). This deliverable is why the machinery is referred to as the ''Ggamma Meter'' rather than themore » AGS energy meter. The Ggamma Meter takes as inputs a set of measurements of frequency (F(t)), radius (r(t)), and gauss clock counts (GCC(t)). The other energy (GgammaBr) assumes the field when the gauss clock starts counting is known. The change in field to time t is given by the measured accumulated gauss clock counts multiplied by the gauss clock calibration (gauss/GCC). In order to deal with experimental data, this calibration factor gets an added ad hoc complication, namely a correction dependent on the rate of change the counting rate. The Ggamma meter takes GCC(t) and together with the past history for this cycle calculates B(t).« less

Suppression of Random Dopant-Induced Threshold Voltage Fluctuations in Sub-0.1-(micron)meter MOSFET's with Epitaxial and (delta)-Doped Channels

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

Asenov, Asen; Saini, Subhash

1999-01-01

A detailed three-dimensional (3-D) statistical 'atomistic' simulation study of fluctuation-resistant sub-0.1-(micron)meter MOSFET architectures with epitaxial channels and delta doping is presented. The need for enhancing the fluctuation resistance of the sub-0.1-(micron)meter generation transistors is highlighted by presenting summarized results from atomistic simulations of a wide range of conventional devices with uniformly doped channel. According to our atomistic results, the doping concentration dependence of the random dopant-induced threshold voltage fluctuations in conventional devices is stronger than the analytically predicted fourth-root dependence. As a result of this, the scaling of such devices will be restricted by the "intrinsic" random dopant-induced fluctuations earlier than anticipated. Our atomistic simulations confirm that the introduction of a thin epitaxial layer in the MOSFET's channel can efficiently suppress the random dopant-induced threshold voltage fluctuations in sub-0.1-(micron)meter devices. For the first time, we observe an "anomalous" reduction in the threshold voltage fluctuations with an increase in the doping concentration behind the epitaxial channel, which we attribute to screening effects. Also, for the first time we study the effect of a delta-doping, positioned behind the epitaxial layer, on the intrinsic threshold voltage fluctuations. Above a certain thickness of epitaxial layer, we observe a pronounced anomalous decrease in the threshold voltage fluctuation with the increase of the delta doping. This phenomenon, which is also associated with screening, enhances the importance of the delta doping in the design of properly scaled fluctuation-resistant sub-0.1-(micron)meter MOSFET's. Index Terms-Doping, fluctuations, MOSFET, semiconductor device simulation, silicon devices, threshold.

Calibration of the BASS acoustic current meter with carrageenan agar

USGS Publications Warehouse

Morrison, A.T.; Williams, A.J.; Martini, M.

1993-01-01

The BASS current meter can measure currents down to the millimeter per second range. Due to the dependence of zero offset on pressure, determining a sensor referenced velocity requires accurate in situ zeroing of the meter. Previously, flow was restricted during calibration by placing plastic bags around the acoustic volume. In this paper, bacterial grade and carrageenan agars are used in the laboratory to create a zero flow condition during calibration and are shown to be acoustically transparent. Additionally, the results of open ocean and dockside carrageenan and plastic bag comparisons are presented. Carrageenan is shown to reliably provide a low noise, zero mean flow environment that is largely independent of ambient conditions. The improved zeros make millimeter per second accuracy possible under field conditions.

Glucose Meters: A Review of Technical Challenges to Obtaining Accurate Results

PubMed Central

Tonyushkina, Ksenia; Nichols, James H.

2009-01-01

Glucose meters are universally utilized in the management of hypoglycemic and hyperglycemic disorders in a variety of healthcare settings. Establishing the accuracy of glucose meters, however, is challenging. Glucose meters can only analyze whole blood, and glucose is unstable in whole blood. Technical accuracy is defined as the closeness of agreement between a test result and the true value of that analyte. Truth for glucose is analysis by isotope dilution mass spectrometry, and frozen serum standards analyzed by this method are available from the National Institute of Standards and Technology. Truth for whole blood has not been established, and cells must be separated from the whole blood matrix before analysis by a method like isotope dilution mass spectrometry. Serum cannot be analyzed by glucose meters, and isotope dilution mass spectrometry is not commonly available in most hospitals and diabetes clinics to evaluate glucose meter accuracy. Consensus standards recommend comparing whole blood analysis on a glucose meter against plasma/serum centrifuged from a capillary specimen and analyzed by a clinical laboratory comparative method. Yet capillary samples may not provide sufficient volume to test by both methods, and venous samples may be used as an alternative when differences between venous and capillary blood are considered. There are thus multiple complexities involved in defining technical accuracy and no clear consensus among standards agencies and professional societies on accuracy criteria. Clinicians, however, are more concerned with clinical agreement of the glucose meter with a serum/plasma laboratory result. Acceptance criteria for clinical agreement vary across the range of glucose concentrations and depend on how the result will be used in screening or management of the patient. A variety of factors can affect glucose meter results, including operator technique, environmental exposure, and patient factors, such as medication, oxygen therapy, anemia, hypotension, and other disease states. This article reviews the challenges involved in obtaining accurate glucose meter results. PMID:20144348

Toxoplasma antibodies and retinochoroiditis in the Marshall Islands and their association with exposure to radioactive fallout

DOE Office of Scientific and Technical Information (OSTI.GOV)

Adams, W.H.; Kindermann, W.R.; Walls, K.W.

1987-03-01

Nearly universal serologic evidence of Toxoplasma gondii infection was found to have occurred by adulthood in 517 Marshallese tested in 1981-1982. The prevalence and incidence of retinal lesions compatible with toxoplasmosis were 3.9% and 273 cases/year/100,000 seropositive persons, respectively, thus indicating a significant public health problem. Seronegativity was significantly more common in a subgroup of Marshallese that had received 110-190 rads of total-body gamma radiation as a consequence of accidental exposure to radioactive fallout in 1954. Despite this finding there was no evidence of an increase in clinically significant lesions in exposed persons.

Rad Resilient City: a preparedness checklist to save lives following a nuclear detonation.

PubMed

Schoch-Spana, Monica

2013-11-01

The Rad Resilient City Checklist is a local planning tool that can help save tens of thousands of lives following a nuclear detonation. If prevention of nuclear terrorism fails, then reducing exposure to radioactive fallout is the intervention that can save the most lives following a nuclear detonation. Yet, most Americans are not familiar with correct safety measures against fallout, and many believe that nothing can be done to reduce the suffering and death inflicted by a nuclear attack. Moreover, cities have no checklist on how to prepare the emergency management infrastructure and the larger population for this hazard, despite hundreds of pages of useful guidance from the federal government and radiation professional organizations. The Rad Resilient City Checklist reverses this situation by converting the latest federal guidance and technical reports into clear, actionable steps for communities to take to protect their residents from exposure to radioactive fallout. The checklist reflects the shared judgment of the Nuclear Resilience Expert Advisory Group, a national panel led by the Center for Biosecurity and comprised of government decision makers, scientific experts, emergency responders, and leaders from business, volunteer, and community sectors.

RADIOACTIVE CONTAMINATION OF FOOD

DOE Office of Scientific and Technical Information (OSTI.GOV)

Setter, L.R.

The environment and, consequently, food contains measurable amounts of radionuclides arising primarily from the distribution of nuclear bomb debris over the entire earth's surface. This radioactivity is in addition to natural radioactivity which exists in thc environment. A wealth of information has been gathered on the artificial radioactivity in air, water, vegetation, and soil; on physical and chemical mechanisms of radioaetive movement in the biosphere; and on the biologic behavior of radionuclide uptake by animals and human beings and their distribution in excretions and secretions. Collection of additional information under more carefully designed and executed studies is under way. Theremore » remains the task of marshalling and reviewing the data obtained during active fall-out up to the summer of 1959. With later information collected during a period of substantially no fall-out, the interpretation of these data hopefully will indicate the relative magnitude of physical, chemical, and biologic factors influencing levels in plants and animals, provide a means of predicting future levels, and, most important, permit some evaluation of the effects of nuclear radiation from ingestion of contaminated food as a part of the total effects from fall-out and from natural radioactivity. (auth)« less

Fallout, radiation doses near Dounreay, and childhood leukaemia.

PubMed Central

Darby, S C; Doll, R

1987-01-01

Possible explanations for the recently reported increased incidence of childhood leukaemia around Dounreay were examined in the light of changes in the national incidence of leukaemia that occurred during the period of exposure to fallout from international testing of nuclear weapons in the atmosphere. It was concluded that the increase could not be accounted for by an underestimate of the risk of leukaemia per unit dose of radiation at low doses and low dose rates, nor by an underestimate of the relative biological efficiency of high as compared with low linear energy transfer radiation. One possible explanation was underestimation of doses to the red bone marrow due to the discharges at Dounreay relative to the dose from fallout, though investigation of ways in which this might have occurred did not suggest anything definite. Other possible explanations included a misconception of the site of origin of childhood leukaemia, outbreaks of an infectious disease, and exposure to some other, unidentified environmental agent. These findings weigh heavily against the hypothesis that the recent increase in childhood leukaemia near Dounreay might be accounted for by radioactive discharges from nuclear plants, unless the doses to the stem cells from which childhood leukaemia originates have been grossly underestimated. PMID:3103820

Ultrasound-Detected Thyroid Nodule Prevalence and Radiation Dose from Fallout

PubMed Central

Land, C. E.; Zhumadilov, Z.; Gusev, B. I.; Hartshorne, M. H.; Wiest, P. W.; Woodward, P. W.; Crooks, L. A.; Luckyanov, N. K.; Fillmore, C. M.; Carr, Z.; Abisheva, G.; Beck, H. L.; Bouville, A.; Langer, J.; Weinstock, R.; Gordeev, K. I.; Shinkarev, S.; Simon, S. L.

2014-01-01

Settlements near the Semipalatinsk Test Site (SNTS) in northeastern Kazakhstan were exposed to radioactive fallout during 1949–1962. Thyroid disease prevalence among 2994 residents of eight villages was ascertained by ultrasound screening. Malignancy was determined by cytopathology. Individual thyroid doses from external and internal radiation sources were reconstructed from fallout deposition patterns, residential histories and diet, including childhood milk consumption. Point estimates of individual external and internal dose averaged 0.04 Gy (range 0–0.65) and 0.31 Gy (0–9.6), respectively, with a Pearson correlation coefficient of 0.46. Ultrasound-detected thyroid nodule prevalence was 18% and 39% among males and females, respectively. It was significantly and independently associated with both external and internal dose, the main study finding. The estimated relative biological effectiveness of internal compared to external radiation dose was 0.33, with 95% confidence bounds of 0.09–3.11. Prevalence of papillary cancer was 0.9% and was not significantly associated with radiation dose. In terms of excess relative risk per unit dose, our dose–response findings for nodule prevalence are comparable to those from populations exposed to medical X rays and to acute radiation from the Hiroshima and Nagasaki atomic bombings. PMID:18363427

Synimpact-postimpact transition inside Chesapeake Bay crater

USGS Publications Warehouse

Poag, Claude (Wylie)

2002-01-01

The transition from synimpact to postimpact sedimentation inside Chesapeake Bay impact crater began with accumulation of fallout debris, the final synimpact deposit. Evi dence of a synimpact fallout layer at this site comes from the presence of unusual, millimeter- scale, pyrite microstructures at the top of the Exmore crater-fill breccia. The porous geometry of the pyrite microstructures indicates that they originally were part of a more extensive pyrite lattice that encompassed a layer of millimeter-scale glass microspherules—fallout melt particles produced by the bolide impact. Above this microspherule layer is the initial postimpact deposit, a laminated clay-silt-sand unit, 19 cm thick. This laminated unit is a dead zone, which contains abundant stratigraphically mixed and diagenetically altered or impact-altered microfossils (foraminifera, calcareous nannofossils, dinoflagellates, ostracodes), but no evidence of indigenous biota. By extrapolation of sediment- accumulation rates, I estimate that conditions unfavorable to microbiota persisted for as little as <1 k.y. to 10 k.y. after the bolide impact. Subsequently, an abrupt improvement of the late Eocene paleoenvironment allowed species-rich assemblages of foraminifera, ostracodes, dinoflagellates, radiolarians, and calcareous nannoplankton to quickly reoccupy the crater basin, as documented in the first sample of the Chickahominy Formation above the dead zone.

Synimpact-postimpact transition inside Chesapeake Bay crater

USGS Publications Warehouse

Poag, C.W.

2002-01-01

The transition from synimpact to postimpact sedimentation inside Chesapeake Bay impact crater began with accumulation of fallout debris, the final synimpact deposit. Evidence of a synimpact fallout layer at this site comes from the presence of unusual, millimeter-scale, pyrite microstructures at the top of the Exmore crater-fill breccia. The porous geometry of the pyrite microstructures indicates that they originally were part of a more extensive pyrite lattice that encompassed a layer of millimeter-scale glass microspherules-fallout melt particles produced by the bolide impact. Above this microspherule layer is the initial postimpact deposit, a laminated clay-silt-sand unit, 19 cm thick. This laminated unit is a dead zone, which contains abundant stratigraphically mixed and diagenetically altered or impact-altered microfossils (foraminifera, calcareous nannofossils, dinoflagellates, ostracodes), but no evidence of indigenous biota. By extrapolation of sediment-accumulation rates, I estimate that conditions unfavorable to microbiota persisted for as little as <1 k.y. to 10 k.y. after the bolide impact. Subsequently, an abrupt improvement of the late Eocene paleoenvironment allowed species-rich assemblages of foraminifera, ostracodes, dinoflagellates, radiolarians, and calcareous nannoplankton to quickly reoccupy the crater basin, as documented in the first sample of the Chickahominy Formation above the dead zone.

Contribution of Hanford liquid effluents to strontium-90 levels in offsite soils

DOE Office of Scientific and Technical Information (OSTI.GOV)

Jaquish, R.E.

1993-08-01

Strontium-90 is a major constituent of liquid effluents entering the Columbia River at the 100-N Area. The Columbia River also contains {sup 90}Sr from world-wide fallout that enters the Columbia River upstream of Hanford. Irrigation water pumped from the Columbia River can deposit {sup 90}Sr on soil where it can be taken up by farm crops. Fallout has also deposited {sup 90}Sr directly on soil by atmospheric deposition. A review of the sources of {sup 90}Sr in soil in the vicinity of Hanford indicates that about 2% can be attributed to Hanford liquid effluents. PNL measurements of {sup 90}Sr inmore » soil at a background location agree with predicted levels of fallout made by the Federal Radiation Council in 1964. Alfalfa is routinely monitored for {sup 90}Sr and is of special interest since it has concentrations higher than other farm crops. The concentrations of {sup 90}Sr in alfalfa measured in the Hanford vicinity are in the range one would expect, based on measured soil concentrations and using uptake factors from an earlier {sup 90}Sr uptake study at Hanford.« less

On the distribution and inventories of radionuclides in dated sediments around the Swedish coast.

PubMed

Olszewski, Grzegorz; Andersson, Pål; Lindahl, Patric; Eriksson, Mats

2018-06-01

The activity concentrations and distribution of 137 Cs, 238 Pu, 239+240 Pu, 241 Am, and 210 Pb was determined by the analysis of six sediment cores from the Baltic Sea and Kattegat. The chronology of the sediment cores has been used to evaluate the origin and time trend of the radionuclide sources in these sediments. The sediment cores were dated with a 210 Pb model and the results were validated with fallout peaks, assumed to originate from the global nuclear weapons testing and the Chernobyl accident. Source identification, using the isotopic and radionuclide activity ratios, showed that the Chernobyl accident is the main source of 137 Cs in the Baltic Sea; for 239+240 Pu and 241 Am the dominant source was shown to be fallout from nuclear weapons tests. For 238 Pu and 241 Am the Chernobyl accident had a significant impact on the direct fallout into the Baltic Proper, with up to a 65% contribution in the sediment slices dated to 1986. In these sediment slices the maximum activity ratios of 238 Pu/ 239+240 Pu and 241 Am/ 239+240 Pu were 0.314 ± 0.008 and 1.29 ± 0.06, respectively. The ratios clearly deviate from the corresponding ratios for global nuclear weapons fallout (around 0.028 and 0.54, respectively). Calculated inventories were 63-175 Bq·m -2 for 239+240 Pu, 2.8-7.8 for 238 Pu Bq·m -2 and 0.92-44.4 kBq·m -2 for 137 Cs. Different fallout patterns for 137 Cs and plutonium isotopes from the Chernobyl accident were confirmed through depth profiles analyses. The maximum inventory of 137 Cs was observed in the Bothnian Sea, while Chernobyl-derived plutonium was found to be mostly present in Northern Baltic Proper. The radionuclides distribution in the depth profiles shows how contaminated water affects the sediment as it passes sampling stations according to the current circulation pattern in the Baltic Sea. Additionally, the effect of increased activity concentrations from of river discharges in the most contaminated area in the Bothnian Sea was observed. Copyright © 2017 Elsevier Ltd. All rights reserved.

Estimate of tephra accumulation probabilities for the U.S. Department of Energy's Hanford Site, Washington

USGS Publications Warehouse

Hoblitt, Richard P.; Scott, William E.

2011-01-01

In response to a request from the U.S. Department of Energy, we estimate the thickness of tephra accumulation that has an annual probability of 1 in 10,000 of being equaled or exceeded at the Hanford Site in south-central Washington State, where a project to build the Tank Waste Treatment and Immobilization Plant is underway. We follow the methodology of a 1987 probabilistic assessment of tephra accumulation in the Pacific Northwest. For a given thickness of tephra, we calculate the product of three probabilities: (1) the annual probability of an eruption producing 0.1 km3 (bulk volume) or more of tephra, (2) the probability that the wind will be blowing toward the Hanford Site, and (3) the probability that tephra accumulations will equal or exceed the given thickness at a given distance. Mount St. Helens, which lies about 200 km upwind from the Hanford Site, has been the most prolific source of tephra fallout among Cascade volcanoes in the recent geologic past and its annual eruption probability based on this record (0.008) dominates assessment of future tephra falls at the site. The probability that the prevailing wind blows toward Hanford from Mount St. Helens is 0.180. We estimate exceedance probabilities of various thicknesses of tephra fallout from an analysis of 14 eruptions of the size expectable from Mount St. Helens and for which we have measurements of tephra fallout at 200 km. The result is that the estimated thickness of tephra accumulation that has an annual probability of 1 in 10,000 of being equaled or exceeded is about 10 centimeters. It is likely that this thickness is a maximum estimate because we used conservative estimates of eruption and wind probabilities and because the 14 deposits we used probably provide an over-estimate. The use of deposits in this analysis that were mostly compacted by the time they were studied and measured implies that the bulk density of the tephra fallout we consider here is in the range of 1,000-1,250 kg/m3. The load of 10 cm of such tephra fallout on a flat surface would therefore be in the range of 100-125 kg/m2; addition of water from rainfall or snowmelt would provide additional load.

Reconstruction of local fallout composition and gamma-ray exposure in a village contaminated by the first USSR nuclear test in the Semipalatinsk nuclear test site in Kazakhstan.

PubMed

Imanaka, Tetsuji; Yamamoto, Masayoshi; Kawai, Kenta; Sakaguchi, Aya; Hoshi, Masaharu; Chaizhunusova, Nailya; Apsalikov, Kazbek

2010-11-01

After the disintegration of the USSR in end of 1991, it became possible for foreign scientists to visit Kazakhstan, in order to investigate the radiological consequences of nuclear explosions that had been conducted at the Semipalatinsk nuclear test site (SNTS). Since the first visit in 1994, our group has been continuing expeditions for soil sampling at various areas around SNTS. The current level of local fallout at SNTS was studied through γ-spectrometry for (137)Cs as well as α-spectrometry for (239,240)Pu. Average values of soil inventory from wide areas around SNTS were 3,500 and 3,700 Bq m(-2) for (137)Cs and (239,240)Pu, respectively, as of January 1, 2000. The average level of (137)Cs is comparable to that in Japan due to global fallout, while the level of (239,240)Pu is several tens of times larger than that in Japan. Areas of strong contamination were found along the trajectories of radioactive fallout, information on which was declassified after the collapse of the USSR. Our recent efforts of soil sampling were concentrated on the area around the Dolon village heavily affected by the radioactive plume from the first USSR atomic bomb test in 1949 and located 110 km east from ground zero of the explosion. Using soil inventory data, retrospective dosimetry was attempted by reconstructing γ-ray exposure from fission product nuclides deposited on the ground. Adopting representative parameters for the initial (137)Cs deposition (13 kBq m(-2)), the refractory/volatile deposition ratio (3.8) and the plume arrival time after explosion (2.5 h), an absorbed dose in air of 600 mGy was obtained for the 1-year cumulative dose in Dolon village, due to the first bomb test in 1949. Considering possible ranges of the parameters, 350 and 910 mGy were estimated for high and low cases of γ-ray dose in air, respectively. It was encouraging that the deduced value was consistent with other estimations using thermal luminescence and archived monitoring data. The present method can be applied to other settlements affected by local fallout from SNTS.

Plutonium activities and 240Pu/ 239Pu atom ratios in sediment cores from the east China sea and Okinawa Trough: Sources and inventories

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Wang, Zhong-liang; Yamada, Masatoshi

2005-05-01

Plutonium concentrations and 240Pu/ 239Pu atom ratios in the East China Sea and Okinawa Trough sediment cores were determined by isotope dilution inductively coupled plasma mass spectrometry after separation using ion-exchange chromatography. The results showed that 240Pu/ 239Pu atom ratios in the East China Sea and Okinawa Trough sediments, ranging from 0.21 to 0.33, were much higher than the reported value of global fallout (0.18). The highest 240Pu/ 239Pu ratios (0.32-0.33) were observed in the deepest Okinawa Trough sediment samples. These ratios suggested the US nuclear weapons tests in the early 1950s at the Pacific Proving Grounds in the Marshall Islands were a major source of plutonium in the East China Sea and Okinawa Trough sediments, in addition to the global fallout source. It was proposed that close-in fallout plutonium was delivered from the Pacific Proving Grounds test sites via early direct tropospheric fallout and transportation by the North Pacific Equatorial Circulation system and Kuroshio Current into the Okinawa Trough and East China Sea. The total 239 + 240 Pu inventories in the cores were about 150-200% of that expected from direct global fallout; about 46-67% of the total inventories were delivered from the Pacific Proving Grounds. Much higher 239 + 240 Pu inventories were observed in the East China Sea sediments than in sediments of the Okinawa Trough, because in the open oceans, part of the 239 + 240 Pu was still retained in the water column, and continued Pu scavenging was higher over the margin than the trough. According to the vertical distributions of 239 + 240 Pu activities and 240Pu/ 239Pu atom ratios in these cores, it was concluded that sediment mixing was the dominant process in controlling profiles of plutonium in this area. Faster mixing in the coastal samples has homogenized the entire 240Pu/ 239Pu ratio record today; slightly slower mixing and less scavenging in the Okinawa Trough have left the surface sediment ratios closer to the modern North Pacific water end member and higher ratios (0.30-0.34) at the bottom of the cores.

Can 239 + 240Pu replace 137Cs as an erosion tracer in agricultural landscapes contaminated with Chernobyl fallout?

PubMed

Schimmack, W; Auerswald, K; Bunzl, K

2001-01-01

Erosion studies often use 137Cs from the global fallout (main period: 1953-1964) as a tracer in the soil. In many European countries, where 137Cs was deposited in considerable amounts also by the Chernobyl fallout in 1986, the global fallout fraction (GF-Cs) has to be separated from the Chernobyl fraction by means of the isotope 134Cs. In a few years, this will no longer be possible due to the short half-life of 134Cs (2 yr). Because GF-Cs in the soil can then no longer be determined, the potential of using 239 + 240Pu as a tracer is evaluated. This radionuclide originates in most European countries essentially only from the global fallout. The activities and spatial distributions of Pu and GF-Cs were compared in the soil of a steep field (inclination about 20%, area ca. 3 ha, main soil type Dystric Eutrochrept), sampled at 48 nodes of a 25 x 25 m2 grid. The reference values were determined at 12 points adjacent to the field. Their validity was assured by an inventory study of radiocaesium in a 70 ha area surrounding the field sampling 275 nodes of a 50 x 50 m2 grid. In the field studied, the activity concentrations of GF-Cs and Pu in the Ap horizon were not correlated (Spearman correlation coefficient R = 0.20, p > 0.05), and the activity balance of Pu differed from that of GF-Cs. Whereas no net loss of GF-Cs from the field was observed as compared to the reference site, Pu was more mobile with an average loss of ca. 11% per unit area. In addition, the spatial pattern of GF-Cs and Pu in the field differed significantly. The reason may be that due to their different associations with soil constituents, Pu and Cs represent different fractions of the soil, exhibiting different properties with respect to erosion/deposition processes. This indicates that both radionuclides or one of them may not be appropriate to quantity past erosion. When tracer losses are used to calibrate or verify erosion prediction models, systematic deviations may not only stem from model shortcomings but also from tracer technique.

Insights from Smart Meters: Ramp-Up, Dependability, and Short-Term Persistence of Savings from Home Energy Reports

DOE Office of Scientific and Technical Information (OSTI.GOV)

Todd, A.; Perry, M.; Smith, B.

2015-04-01

Smart meters, smart thermostats, and other new technologies provide previously unavailable high-frequency and location-specific energy usage data. Many utilities are now able to capture real-time, customer-specific hourly interval usage data for a large proportion of their residential and small commercial customers. These vast, constantly growing streams of rich data (or big data) have the potential to provide novel insights into key policy questions about how people make energy decisions.

An application of excess lead-210 analysis for the study of fine sediment connectivity in a Mediterranean mountain basin with badlands, the Vallcebre research catchments

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Moreno de las Heras, Mariano; Gallart, Francesc; Latron, Jérôme; Martínez-Carreras, Núria; Ferrer, Laura; Estrany, Joan

2017-04-01

Analysis of sediment dynamics in Mediterranean environments is fundamental to basin management, particularly for mountain catchments with badlands, which affect water bodies and freshwater ecosystems. Connectivity has emerged in Environmental and Earth Sciences as an evolution of the sediment delivery concept, providing a useful framework for understanding how sediments are transferred between geomorphic zones of the catchment. This study explores the feasibility of excess lead-210 (210Pbex) to analyse sediment connectivity in a 4-km2 Mediterranean mountain basin with badlands (the Vallcebre research catchments, Eastern Pyrenees) by applying simple 210Pbex mass-balance models for hypothesis generation and experimental testing in the field. Badland surfaces in the basin are weathered by freezing during the winter and are further eroded in summer by the effect of high-intensity storms. The eroded sediments may remain deposited within the catchment streams from months to years. Application of 210Pbex balance models in our basin proposes: (i) a saw-tooth seasonal pattern of badland surface 210Pbex activities (increasing from October to May, and depleted in summer) and (ii) a downstream increase in sediment activity due to fallout lead-210 accumulation in streambed sediment deposits. Both deposited and suspended sediments collected at the Vallcebre catchments showed, in general, low sediment 210Pbex concentrations, illustrating their fresh-rock origin at the badland sites, but also hampering the understanding of sediment 210Pbex patterns due to high measurement uncertainty (particularly for sediments with d50>20µm) and to strong dependence on sediment sampling methodology. Suspended sediment 210Pbex activity reproduced the simulated seasonal activity patterns for the badland surfaces. Contrary to the in-stream transit increases of sediment 210Pbex activity that were predicted by our model simulations, fallout lead-210 concentrations in the suspended sediments decreased towards the basin outlet, suggesting that fine sediment flushing by flooding prevented 210Pbex accumulation in the coarser streambed sediment deposits. These results indicate a high fine-sediment connectivity between the badlands, streams and basin outlet of the Vallcebre catchments, as well as the sequestration and fast transmission of fallout lead-210 by the finest and most dynamic fraction of sediments.

A tube seepage meter for in situ measurement of seepage rate and groundwater sampling

USGS Publications Warehouse

Solder, John; Gilmore, Troy E.; Genereux, David P.; Solomon, D. Kip

2016-01-01

We designed and evaluated a “tube seepage meter” for point measurements of vertical seepage rates (q), collecting groundwater samples, and estimating vertical hydraulic conductivity (K) in streambeds. Laboratory testing in artificial streambeds show that seepage rates from the tube seepage meter agreed well with expected values. Results of field testing of the tube seepage meter in a sandy-bottom stream with a mean seepage rate of about 0.5 m/day agreed well with Darcian estimates (vertical hydraulic conductivity times head gradient) when averaged over multiple measurements. The uncertainties in q and K were evaluated with a Monte Carlo method and are typically 20% and 60%, respectively, for field data, and depend on the magnitude of the hydraulic gradient and the uncertainty in head measurements. The primary advantages of the tube seepage meter are its small footprint, concurrent and colocated assessments of q and K, and that it can also be configured as a self-purging groundwater-sampling device.

Thermodynamic Analysis of a Rankine Cycle Powered Vapor Compression Ice Maker Using Solar Energy

PubMed Central

Hu, Bing; Bu, Xianbiao; Ma, Weibin

2014-01-01

To develop the organic Rankine-vapor compression ice maker driven by solar energy, a thermodynamic model was developed and the effects of generation temperature, condensation temperature, and working fluid types on the system performance were analyzed. The results show that the cooling power per square meter collector and ice production per square meter collector per day depend largely on generation temperature and condensation temperature and they increase firstly and then decrease with increasing generation temperature. For every working fluid there is an optimal generation temperature at which organic Rankine efficiency achieves the maximum value. The cooling power per square meter collector and ice production per square meter collector per day are, respectively, 126.44 W m−2 and 7.61 kg m−2 day−1 at the generation temperature of 140°C for working fluid of R245fa, which demonstrates the feasibility of organic Rankine cycle powered vapor compression ice maker. PMID:25202735

Early precambrian asteroid impact-triggered tsunami: excavated seabed, debris flows, exotic boulders, and turbulence features associated with 3.47-2.47 Ga-old asteroid impact fallout units, Pilbara Craton, Western Australia.

PubMed

Glikson, Andrew Y

2004-01-01

Pioneering studies of Precambrian impact fallout units and associated tsunami deposits in the Hamersley Basin, Pilbara Craton, Western Australia, by B.M. Simonson and S.W. Hassler, document a range of tsunami deposits associated with impact fallout units whose impact connection is identified by associated microtektites and microkrystites (condensation spherules). The impact connection of these particles is demonstrated by iridium anomalies, unique platinum group elements patterns, and Ni-rich mineral phases. Densely packed tsunami-transported fragments and boulders overlie microkrystite units of the >2629 +/- 5 Ma top Jeerinah Impact Layer (JIL). Tsunami events closely follow spherule settling associated with the 2561 +/- 8 Ma Spherule Marker Bed SMB-1 and SMB-2 impact events, Bee Gorge Member, Wittenoom Formation. The two impact cycles are separated by a stratigraphically consistent silicified black siltstone, representing a "Quiet Interval." The SMB turbidites display turbulence eddies, climbing ripples, conglomerate pockets, slumps, and waterlogged sediment deformation features. Consequences of tsunami in the probably contemporaneous Carawine Dolomite (Pb-Pb carbonate ages of approximately 2.56-2.54 Ga), eastern Hamersley Basin, include sub-autochthonous below-wave base excavation and megabrecciation of sea floor substrata, resulting in a unique 10-30-m-thick spherule-bearing megabreccia marker mapped over a nearly 100-km north-south strike distance in the east Hamersley Basin. The field relations suggest a pretsunami settling of the bulk of the spherules. Tsunami wave effects include: (1). dispersal of the spherule-rich soft upper sea floor sediments as a subaqueous mud cloud and (2). excavation of consolidated substrata below the soft sediment zone. Excavation and megabrecciation included injection of liquefied spherule-bearing microbreccia into dilated fractures in the disrupted underlying carbonates. Near-perfect preservation of the spherules within the basal microbreccia veins suggests tsunami-induced hydraulic pressures locally exceeded lithostatic pressure. Late-stage settling of spherule-bearing mud clouds in the wake of the tsunami is represented by an abundance of spherules in the uppermost microbreccia zones of the megabreccia pile. From the deep below-wave base facies of the Carawine Dolomite, tsunami wave amplitudes may have exceeded 200 m depth. The approximately 2.47-2.50 Ga DGS4 (S4 Macroband, Dales Gorge Member, Brockman Iron Formation) fallout units include exotic chert and carbonate boulders transported by tsunami following settling of a 10-20-cm-thick microkrystite and microtektite-rich unit. Seismic perturbations preceding deposition of the JIL and SMB fallout units are marked by rip-up clasts. The geochemistry of microkrystites and microtektites suggests impact fallout originated from impacts in simatic/oceanic crustal regions, although tsunami waves may have originated from seismically reactivated faults and plate margins located at distance from the impact craters.

Using Wireless Power Meters to Measure Energy Use of Miscellaneous and Electronic Devices in Buildings

DOE Office of Scientific and Technical Information (OSTI.GOV)

UC Berkeley, Berkeley, CA USA; Brown, Richard; Lanzisera, Steven

2011-05-24

Miscellaneous and electronic devices consume about one-third of the primary energy used in U.S. buildings, and their energy use is increasing faster than other end-uses. Despite the success of policies, such as Energy Star, that promote more efficient miscellaneous and electronic products, much remains to be done to address the energy use of these devices if we are to achieve our energy and carbon reduction goals. Developing efficiency strategies for these products depends on better data about their actual usage, but very few studies have collected field data on the long-term energy used by a large sample of devices duemore » to the difficulty and expense of collecting device-level energy data. This paper describes the development of an improved method for collecting device-level energy and power data using small, relatively inexpensive wireless power meters. These meters form a mesh network based on Internet standard protocols and can form networks of hundreds of metering points in a single building. Because the meters are relatively inexpensive and do not require manual data downloading, they can be left in the field for months or years to collect long time-series energy use data. In addition to the metering technology, we also describe a field protocol used to collect comprehensive, robust data on the miscellaneous and electronic devices in a building. The paper presents sample results from several case study buildings, in which all the plug-in devices for several homes were metered, and a representative sample of several hundred plug-in devices in a commercial office building were metered for several months.« less

Individuals Achieve More Accurate Results with Meters That Are Codeless and Employ Dynamic Electrochemistry

PubMed Central

Rao, Anoop; Wiley, Meg; Iyengar, Sridhar; Nadeau, Dan; Carnevale, Julie

2010-01-01

Background Studies have shown that controlling blood glucose can reduce the onset and progression of the long-term microvascular and neuropathic complications associated with the chronic course of diabetes mellitus. Improved glycemic control can be achieved by frequent testing combined with changes in medication, exercise, and diet. Technological advancements have enabled improvements in analytical accuracy of meters, and this paper explores two such parameters to which that accuracy can be attributed. Methods Four blood glucose monitoring systems (with or without dynamic electrochemistry algorithms, codeless or requiring coding prior to testing) were evaluated and compared with respect to their accuracy. Results Altogether, 108 blood glucose values were obtained for each system from 54 study participants and compared with the reference values. The analysis depicted in the International Organization for Standardization table format indicates that the devices with dynamic electrochemistry and the codeless feature had the highest proportion of acceptable results overall (System A, 101/103). Results were significant when compared at the 10% bias level with meters that were codeless and utilized static electrochemistry (p = .017) or systems that had static electrochemistry but needed coding (p = .008). Conclusions Analytical performance of these blood glucose meters differed significantly depending on their technologic features. Meters that utilized dynamic electrochemistry and did not require coding were more accurate than meters that used static electrochemistry or required coding. PMID:20167178

Individuals achieve more accurate results with meters that are codeless and employ dynamic electrochemistry.

PubMed

Rao, Anoop; Wiley, Meg; Iyengar, Sridhar; Nadeau, Dan; Carnevale, Julie

2010-01-01

Studies have shown that controlling blood glucose can reduce the onset and progression of the long-term microvascular and neuropathic complications associated with the chronic course of diabetes mellitus. Improved glycemic control can be achieved by frequent testing combined with changes in medication, exercise, and diet. Technological advancements have enabled improvements in analytical accuracy of meters, and this paper explores two such parameters to which that accuracy can be attributed. Four blood glucose monitoring systems (with or without dynamic electrochemistry algorithms, codeless or requiring coding prior to testing) were evaluated and compared with respect to their accuracy. Altogether, 108 blood glucose values were obtained for each system from 54 study participants and compared with the reference values. The analysis depicted in the International Organization for Standardization table format indicates that the devices with dynamic electrochemistry and the codeless feature had the highest proportion of acceptable results overall (System A, 101/103). Results were significant when compared at the 10% bias level with meters that were codeless and utilized static electrochemistry (p = .017) or systems that had static electrochemistry but needed coding (p = .008). Analytical performance of these blood glucose meters differed significantly depending on their technologic features. Meters that utilized dynamic electrochemistry and did not require coding were more accurate than meters that used static electrochemistry or required coding. 2010 Diabetes Technology Society.

Acoustic systems for the measurement of streamflow

USGS Publications Warehouse

Laenen, Antonius; Smith, Winchell

1982-01-01

Very little information is available concerning acoustic velocity meter (AVM) operation, performance, and limitations. This report provides a better understanding about the application of AVM instrumentation to streamflow measurment. Operational U.S. Geological Survey systems have proven that AVM equipment is accurate and dependable. AVM equipment has no practical upper limit of measureable velocity if sonic transducers are securely placed and adequately protected, and will measure velocitites as low as 0.1 meter per second which is normally less than the threshold level for mechanical or head-loss meters. In some situations the performance of AVM equipment may be degraded by multipath interference, signal bending, signal attenuation, and variable streamline orientation. Smaller, less-expensive, more conveniently operable microprocessor equipment is now available which should increase use of AVM systems in streamflow applications. (USGS)

A Detailed Study of the Drastic Worldwide Climatic Change by the Cretaceous/Paleogene (K/T)-Impact of Chicxulub

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Preisinger, Anton; Aslanian, Selma; Grass, Fritz; Beigelbeck, Roman; Wernisch, Johann

2010-05-01

The impact of Chicxulub (Yucatan, Mexico) was a global event exhibiting a short-time (fallout) and a long-time (boundary clay) sedimentation of the K/T-boundary [1]. The fallout is mainly characterized by iridium, Ni-Cr-rich magnesia-ferrite spinels (K/T-spinels), spherules, as well as shocked quartzes. The amount of the sediments and their distribution depend on the distance from the impact crater. The Cretaceous/Paleogene (K/T) boundaries at three different locations namely Caravaca (Spain), Cerbara (Italy), and Bjala (Bulgaria) have been well analyzed. About 65 million years ago, they were located at the distances from the impact crater ~6000 km, ~7500 km, and ~8800 km, respectively. The boundary clay is characterized by transported minerals like quartzes and feldspars, authigenically formed minerals, as well as biominerals like Mg-calcites and greigites (Fe3S4). The samples were analyzed by scanning X-ray diffractometry (Bruker Analytical X-ray System), scanning electronic microscopy (XL30, ESEM-Philips), neutron activation analyses, Delta13C and Delta18O analyses, and the determination of nannofossils and foraminifera. Owing to the Earth's rotation, the analyzed samples lie along a great circle (crossing the equator under an angle of ~23° ) which covers Chicxulub, Caravaca, Cerbara, and Bjala indicating the existence of only a single impact. The study of this K/T-boundary by means of high resolution scanning X-ray diffractometry in combination with the scanning electron microscopy and neutron activation analyzes revealed the time dependency of the K/T-event in the fallout as well as in the boundary clay. The biomineralization of sulfate-reducing bacteria by greigites provided the duration of the sulfuric acid rain. The reoccurrence of algae is indicated by the appearance of Mg-calcite at the end of the boundary clay. The K/T-spinels were formed on the nucleus of metallic iridium [2]. They were built in the mesosphere (in a height of about 100 km) and grew during the fall to the Earth's surface by forming ferrimagnetic twins, which were etched by the H2SO4 content of the atmosphere. We developed an extensive mathematical model incorporating all relevant physical effects (particle growth, pressure dependence of the atmosphere, fluid resistance, centrifugal and coriolis forces, etc.) in order to study the development of the particles during the fall. For Caravaca, the shortest flight time for the Iridium fallout is approximately 6.5 days, while the shortest flight time for the ejecta near Chicxulub last only a few hours. The K/T-impact took place about 65 million years ago in a sea depth of more than 2000 m. Consequently, the impact heated up the sea water and the water molecules reacted with the CaCO3, CaSO4, and the silicates down to a depth of 28 km. This hydrothermal reaction reduced the melt temperature significantly, especially those of silicates. Therefore, the pyroxenes and plagioclases changed to clay minerals. The sedimentation rate of Chron 29RK is about twice than that of Chron 29RT, which equals to Chron 29N in Caravaca, Cerbara, and Bjala. The precession cycles of Chron 29R and Chron 29N are 22.5 kyears. The time span of the K/T-boundaries between Chron 29RK and Chron 29RT is worldwide about 1 kyear. Concluding all our results, only one big impact took place at Chicxulub (Yucatan, Mexico) about 65 million years ago and caused, during the formation of the K/T-boundary, a worldwide climatic change. References: [1] Eder, G. and Preisinger, A.: Zeitstruktur globaler Ereignisse veranschaulicht an der Kreide/Terziär-Grenze. Naturwissenschaften, Band 74, 35-37, 1987. [2] Preisinger, A., Aslanian, S., Brandstätter, F., Grass, F., Stradner, H., and Summesberger, H.: Cretaceous-Tertiary profile, rhythmic deposition, and geomagnetic polarity reversals of marine sediments near Bjala, Bulgaria. Geo. Soc. Amer. special paper 356, 229-312, 2002.

Emissions and Economics of Behind-the-Meter Electricity Storage.

PubMed

Fisher, Michael J; Apt, Jay

2017-02-07

Annual installations of behind-the-meter (BTM) electric storage capacity are forecast to eclipse grid-side electrochemical storage by the end of the decade. Here, we characterize the economic payoff and regional emission consequences of BTM storage without colocated generation under different tariff conditions, battery characteristics, and ownership scenarios using metered loads for several hundred commercial and industrial customers. Net emissions are calculated as increased system emissions from charging minus avoided emissions from discharging. Net CO 2 emissions range from 75 to 270 kg/MWh of delivered energy depending on location and ownership perspective, though in New York, these emissions can be reduced with careful tariff design. Net NO x emissions range from -0.13 to 0.24 kg/MWh, and net SO 2 emissions range from -0.01 to 0.58 kg/MWh. Emission rates are driven primarily by energy losses, not by the difference between marginal emission rates during battery charging and discharging. Economics are favorable for many buildings in regions with high demand charges like California and New York, even without subsidies. Future penetration into regions with average charges like Pennsylvania will depend greatly on installation cost reductions and wholesale prices for ancillary services.

The Impact of Rate Design and Net Metering on the Bill Savings from Distributed PV for Residential Customers in California

DOE Office of Scientific and Technical Information (OSTI.GOV)

Darghouth, Naim; Barbose, Galen; Wiser, Ryan

2010-03-30

Net metering has become a widespread policy in the U.S. for supporting distributed photovoltaics (PV) adoption. Though specific design details vary, net metering allows customers with PV to reduce their electric bills by offsetting their consumption with PV generation, independent of the timing of the generation relative to consumption - in effect, compensating the PV generation at retail electricity rates (Rose et al. 2009). While net metering has played an important role in jump-starting the residential PV market in the U.S., challenges to net metering policies have emerged in a number of states and contexts, and alternative compensation methods aremore » under consideration. Moreover, one inherent feature of net metering is that the value of the utility bill savings it provides to customers with PV depends heavily on the structure of the underlying retail electricity rate, as well as on the characteristics of the customer and PV system. Consequently, the value of net metering - and the impact of moving to alternative compensation mechanisms - can vary substantially from one customer to the next. For these reasons, it is important for policymakers and others that seek to support the development of distributed PV to understand both how the bill savings varies under net metering, and how the bill savings under net metering compares to other possible compensation mechanisms. To advance this understanding, we analyze the bill savings from PV for residential customers of California's two largest electric utilities, Pacific Gas and Electric (PG&E) and Southern California Edison (SCE). The analysis is based on hourly load data from a sample of 215 residential customers located in the service territories of the two utilities, matched with simulated hourly PV production for the same time period based on data from the nearest of 73 weather stations in the state.« less

Trace elements and common ions in southeastern Idaho snow: Regional air pollutant tracers for source area emissions

USGS Publications Warehouse

Abbott, M.; Einerson, J.; Schuster, P.; Susong, D.; Taylor, Howard E.; ,

2004-01-01

Snow sampling and analysis methods which produce accurate and ultra-low measurements of trace elements and common ion concentration in southeastern Idaho snow, were developed. Snow samples were collected over two winters to assess trace elements and common ion concentrations in air pollutant fallout across the southeastern Idaho. The area apportionment of apportionment of fallout concentrations measured at downwind location were investigated using pattern recognition and multivariate statistical technical techniques. Results show a high level of contribution from phosphates processing facilities located outside Pocatello in the southern portion of the Eastern Snake River Plain, and no obvious source area profiles other than at Pocatello.

Analysis of operation UPSHOT-KNOTHOLE nuclear test BADGER radiological and meteorological data

DOE Office of Scientific and Technical Information (OSTI.GOV)

Quinn, V.E.

1986-04-01

This report describes the Weather Service Nuclear Support Office (WSNSO) analyses of the radiological and meteorological data collected for the BADGER nuclear test of Operation UPSHOT-KNOTHOLE. Inconsistencies in the radiological data and their resolution are discussed. The methods of normalizing the radiological data to a standard time, of converting the aerial data to equivalent ground-level values, and of estimating fallout-arrival times are presented. The meteorological situations on event day and the following day are described. A comparison of the WSNSO fallout analysis with an analysis performed during the 1950's is presented. The radiological data used to derive the WSNSO falloutmore » pattern are tabulated in an appendix.« less

No Fukushima Dai-ichi derived plutonium signal in marine sediments collected 1.5-57km from the reactors.

PubMed

Wendel, C C S; Lind, O C; Fifield, L K; Tims, S G; Salbu, B; Oughton, D H

2017-11-01

Based on AMS analysis, it is shown that no Pu signals from the Fukushima accident could be discerned in marine sediments collected 1.5-57km away from the Fukushima Da-ichi power plant (FDNPP), which were clearly influenced by accident-derived radiocesium. The 240 Pu/ 239 Pu atom ratios (0.21-0.28) were significantly higher than terrestrial global fallout (0.182 ± 0.005), but still in agreement with pre-FDNPP accident baseline data for Pu in near coastal seawaters influenced by global fallout and long-range transport of Pu from the Pacific Proving Grounds. Copyright © 2017 Elsevier Ltd. All rights reserved.

Application of in-situ measurement to determine 137Cs in the Swiss Alps.

PubMed

Schaub, M; Konz, N; Meusburger, K; Alewell, C

2010-05-01

Establishment of (137)Cs inventories is often used to gain information on soil stability. The latter is crucial in mountain systems, where ecosystem stability is tightly connected to soil stability. In-situ measurements of (137)Cs in steep alpine environments are scarce. Most studies have been carried out in arable lands and with Germanium (Ge) detectors. Sodium Iodide (NaI) detector system is an inexpensive and easy to handle field instrument, but its validity on steep alpine environments has not been tested yet. In this study, a comparison of laboratory measurements with GeLi detector and in-situ measurements with NaI detector of (137)Cs gamma soil radiation has been done in an alpine catchment with high (137)Cs concentration (Urseren Valley, Switzerland). The aim of this study was to calibrate the in-situ NaI detector system for application on steep alpine slopes. Replicate samples from an altitudinal transect through the Urseren Valley, measured in the laboratory with a GeLi detector, showed a large variability in (137)Cs activities at a meter scale. This small-scale heterogeneity determined with the GeLi detector is smoothed out by uncollimated in-situ measurements with the NaI detector, which provides integrated estimates of (137)Cs within the field of view (3.1 m(2)) of each measurement. There was no dependency of (137)Cs on pH, clay content and carbon content, but a close relationship was determined between measured (137)Cs activities and soil moisture. Thus, in-situ data must be corrected for soil moisture. Close correlation (R(2) = 0.86, p < 0.0001) was found for (137)Cs activities (in Bq kg(-1)) estimated with in-situ (NaI detector) and laboratory (GeLi detector) methods. We thus concluded that the NaI detector system is a suitable tool for in-situ measurements in alpine environments. This paper describes the calibration of the NaI detector system for field application under elevated (137)Cs activities originating from Chernobyl fallout. Copyright (c) 2010 Elsevier Ltd. All rights reserved.

System and technology considerations for space-based air traffic surveillance

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

Vaisnys, A.

1986-01-01

This paper describes the system trade-offs examined in a recent study of space-based air traffic surveillance. Three system options, each satisfying a set of different constraints, were considered. The main difference in the technology needed to implement the three systems was determined to be the size of the spacecraft antenna aperture. It was found that essentially equivalent position location accuracy could be achieved with apertures from 50 meters down to less than a meter in diameter, depending on the choice of signal structure and on the desired user update rate.

Surficial redistribution of fallout 131iodine in a small temperate catchment

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Landis, Joshua D.; Hamm, Nathan T.; Renshaw, Carl E.; Dade, W. Brian; Magilligan, Francis J.; Gartner, John D.

2012-03-01

Isotopes of iodine play significant environmental roles, including a limiting micronutrient (127I), an acute radiotoxin (131I), and a geochemical tracer (129I). But the cycling of iodine through terrestrial ecosystems is poorly understood, due to its complex environmental chemistry and low natural abundance. To better understand iodine transport and fate in a terrestrial ecosystem, we traced fallout 131iodine throughout a small temperate catchment following contamination by the 11 March 2011 failure of the Fukushima Daiichi nuclear power facility. We find that radioiodine fallout is actively and efficiently scavenged by the soil system, where it is continuously focused to surface soils over a period of weeks following deposition. Mobilization of historic (pre-Fukushima) 137cesium observed concurrently in these soils suggests that the focusing of iodine to surface soils may be biologically mediated. Atmospherically deposited iodine is subsequently redistributed from the soil system via fluvial processes in a manner analogous to that of the particle-reactive tracer 7beryllium, a consequence of the radionuclides' shared sorption affinity for fine, particulate organic matter. These processes of surficial redistribution create iodine hotspots in the terrestrial environment where fine, particulate organic matter accumulates, and in this manner regulate the delivery of iodine nutrients and toxins alike from small catchments to larger river systems, lakes and estuaries.

Fallout from the Chernobyl accident and overall cancer incidence in Finland.

PubMed

Kurttio, Päivi; Seppä, Karri; Pasanen, Kari; Patama, Toni; Auvinen, Anssi; Pukkala, Eero; Heinävaara, Sirpa; Arvela, Hannu; Hakulinen, Timo

2013-10-01

We studied whether incidence of all cancer sites combined was associated with the radiation exposure due to fallout from the Chernobyl accident in Finland. An emphasis was on the first decade after the accident to assess the suggested "promotion effect". The segment of Finnish population with a stable residence in the first post-Chernobyl year (2 million people) was studied. The analyses were based on a 250m × 250m grid squares covering all of Finland and all cancer cases except cancers of the breast, prostate and lung. Cancer incidence in four exposure areas (based on first-year dose due to external exposure <0.1 mSv, 0.1-1.3, 0.3-0.5, or ≥ 0.5 mSv) was compared before the Chernobyl accident (1981-1985) and after it (1988-2007) taking into account cancer incidence trends for a longer period prior to the accident (since 1966). There were no systematic differences in the cancer incidence in relation to radiation exposure in any calendar period, or any subgroup by sex or age at accident. The current large and comprehensive cohort analysis of the relatively low levels of the Chernobyl fallout in Finland did not observe a cancer promotion effect. Copyright © 2013 Elsevier Ltd. All rights reserved.

Surficial redistribution of fallout 131iodine in a small temperate catchment

PubMed Central

Landis, Joshua D.; Hamm, Nathan T.; Renshaw, Carl E.; Dade, W. Brian; Magilligan, Francis J.; Gartner, John D.

2012-01-01

Isotopes of iodine play significant environmental roles, including a limiting micronutrient (127I), an acute radiotoxin (131I), and a geochemical tracer (129I). But the cycling of iodine through terrestrial ecosystems is poorly understood, due to its complex environmental chemistry and low natural abundance. To better understand iodine transport and fate in a terrestrial ecosystem, we traced fallout 131iodine throughout a small temperate catchment following contamination by the 11 March 2011 failure of the Fukushima Daiichi nuclear power facility. We find that radioiodine fallout is actively and efficiently scavenged by the soil system, where it is continuously focused to surface soils over a period of weeks following deposition. Mobilization of historic (pre-Fukushima) 137cesium observed concurrently in these soils suggests that the focusing of iodine to surface soils may be biologically mediated. Atmospherically deposited iodine is subsequently redistributed from the soil system via fluvial processes in a manner analogous to that of the particle-reactive tracer 7beryllium, a consequence of the radionuclides’ shared sorption affinity for fine, particulate organic matter. These processes of surficial redistribution create iodine hotspots in the terrestrial environment where fine, particulate organic matter accumulates, and in this manner regulate the delivery of iodine nutrients and toxins alike from small catchments to larger river systems, lakes and estuaries. PMID:22378648

Radiochemical Procedures Used at Iaea-Ilmr Monaco for Measuring Artificial Radionuclides Resulting from the Chernobyl Accident

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Ballestra, S.; Gastaud, J.; Lopez, J. J.

The Chernobyl accident which occurred on 26 April 1986 resulted in relatively high levels of radioactive fallout over the major part of Europe. Air filter and precipitation samples enabled us to follow the contamination from the accident. In addition contamination was also monitored in selected environmental samples such as seaweeds, sea water, sediment, soil, suspended matter and biological material from the Mediterranean. All samples were counted on Ge(Li) or Ge(HP) detectors to determine the type and quantity of gamma emitting radionuclides and plutonium, americium and curium isotopes were separated and measured using radiochemical techniques and alpha counting. Increased atmospheric radioactivity from the Chernobyl accident was first detected by observing increased activity levels on air filters taken on April 30, 1986, with maximum activities occurring during 1-3 May. Most of the radionuclides initially measured were short-lived fission products. Cs-137 was one of the predominant isotope in the fallout debris and its deposition at Monaco due to Chernobyl was estimated to be around 1400 Bq m-2, which represents 25-40% of the integrated fallout at this latitude. The deposition of Pu-239+240 was much smaller and was estimated to be around 10 mBq m-2 or only 0.1% of the total deposition from nuclear weapon testing.

Transfer of fallout radionuclides derived from Fukushima NPP accident: 1 year study on transfer of radionuclides through geomorphic processes

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Onda, Y.; Kato, H.; Fukushima, T.; Wakahara, T.; Kita, K.; Takahashi, Y.; Sakaguchi, A.; Tanaka, K.; Yamashiki, Y.; Yoshida, N.

2012-12-01

After the Fukushima Daiichi Nuclear Power Plant acciden, fallout radionuclides on the ground surface will transfer through geomorphic processes. Therefore, in order to estimate future changes in radionuclide deposition, migration process of radionuclides in forests, soils, ground water, rivers, and entrainment from trees and soils should be confirmed. We (FMWSE group) was funded by MEXT, Japanese government, and 1 year following monitoring has been conducted about 1 year. 1 Migration study of radionuclides in natural environment including forests and rivers 1) Study on depth distribution of radiocaesium in soils within forests, fields, and grassland. 2) Confirmation of radionuclide distribution and investigation on migration in forests. 3) Study on radionuclide migration due to soil erosion under different land use. 4) Measurement of radionuclides entrained from natural environment including forests and soils. 2 Migration study of radionuclides through hydrological cycle such as soil water, rivers, lakes and ponds, ground water. 1) Investigation on radionuclide migration through soil water, ground water, stream water, spring water under different land use. 2) Study on paddy-to-river transfer of radionuclides through suspended sediment. 3) Study on river-to-ocean transfer of radionuclides via suspended sediment. 4) Confirmation of radionuclide deposition in ponds and reservoirs. We will present how and where the fallout radionulides transfter through geomorphic processes.

Rapid removal of Chernobyl fallout from Mediterranean surface waters by biological activity

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Fowler, Scott W.; Buat-Menard, Patrick; Yokoyama, Yuji; Ballestra, Serge; Holm, Elis; Nguyen, Huu Van

1987-09-01

The sinking of participate organic matter from the euphotic zone is an important pathway for the vertical transport of many elements and organic compounds in the sea1-3. Many natural4-5 and artificial5-7 radionuclides in surface waters are readily adsorbed onto suspended particles and are presumably scavenged and removed to depth on time scales commensurate with both particle sinking rate and retention time of the radionuclide on the particle. Previously, abyssal benthic organisms from the northeast Pacific were found to contain short-lived fission products which entered the sea surface as fallout from nuclear testing8. The presence of these radionuclides at great depth could not be explained by Stokesian settling of small fallout particles and it was hypothesized8 that zooplankton grazing in the surface layers packaged these particle-reactive radionuclides into large, relatively dense faecal pellets which rapidly sank to depth. We report here data from a time-series sediment trap experiment and concomitant zooplankton collections which show conclusively that Chernobyl radioactivity, in particular the rare earth nuclides 141Ce and 144Ce, entering the Mediterranean as a single pulse, was rapidly removed from surface waters and transported to 200m in a few days primarily by zooplankton grazing.

Modeling volcanic ash dispersal

DOE Office of Scientific and Technical Information (OSTI.GOV)

Macedonio, Giovanni

2010-10-22

Explosive volcanic eruptions inject into the atmosphere large amounts of volcanic material (ash, blocks and lapilli). Blocks and larger lapilli follow ballistic and non-ballistic trajectories and fall rapidly close to the volcano. In contrast, very fine ashes can remain entrapped in the atmosphere for months to years, and may affect the global climate in the case of large eruptions. Particles having sizes between these two end-members remain airborne from hours to days and can cover wide areas downwind. Such volcanic fallout entails a serious threat to aircraft safety and can create many undesirable effects to the communities located around themore » volcano. The assessment of volcanic fallout hazard is an important scientific, economic, and political issue, especially in densely populated areas. From a scientific point of view, considerable progress has been made during the last two decades through the use of increasingly powerful computational models and capabilities. Nowadays, models are used to quantify hazard scenarios and/or to give short-term forecasts during emergency situations. This talk will be focused on the main aspects related to modeling volcanic ash dispersal and fallout with application to the well known problem created by the Eyjafjöll volcano in Iceland. Moreover, a short description of the main volcanic monitoring techniques is presented.« less

Modeling volcanic ash dispersal

ScienceCinema

Macedonio, Giovanni

2018-05-22

Explosive volcanic eruptions inject into the atmosphere large amounts of volcanic material (ash, blocks and lapilli). Blocks and larger lapilli follow ballistic and non-ballistic trajectories and fall rapidly close to the volcano. In contrast, very fine ashes can remain entrapped in the atmosphere for months to years, and may affect the global climate in the case of large eruptions. Particles having sizes between these two end-members remain airborne from hours to days and can cover wide areas downwind. Such volcanic fallout entails a serious threat to aircraft safety and can create many undesirable effects to the communities located around the volcano. The assessment of volcanic fallout hazard is an important scientific, economic, and political issue, especially in densely populated areas. From a scientific point of view, considerable progress has been made during the last two decades through the use of increasingly powerful computational models and capabilities. Nowadays, models are used to quantify hazard scenarios and/or to give short-term forecasts during emergency situations. This talk will be focused on the main aspects related to modeling volcanic ash dispersal and fallout with application to the well known problem created by the Eyjafjöll volcano in Iceland. Moreover, a short description of the main volcanic monitoring techniques is presented.

Re-suspension of the radioactive fallout after the Fukushima accident: risk of internal dose during the first week and the first two months

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Yamauchi, M.; Takeda, M.; Makino, M.; Owada, T.

2012-04-01

The nuclear accident at the Fukushima Dai-ichi Nuclear Power Plant in March 2011 contaminated an area of more than 100 km in diameter by radioactive material with amount of about 10-20% of that by the Chernobyl accident. According to the Chernobyl experience, a part of fallout radionuclide is expected to be re-suspended by wind, causing possible risk of internal dose. However, this re-suspension process and its amounts have not been studied very much due to the difficulty of direct measurement of low-density dusts. To estimate forms and periods of the re-suspension of the radioactive fallout, we used both the radiation dose rate data and vertical (downward) component of the DC electric field near the ground, or potential gradient (PG) at Kakioka, 150 km away from the accident site. The data indicates: (1) During 14-15 March, the radioactive dust is most likely suspended in the air near the ground. (2) During 2-7 UT on 16 March, the radioactive dust is most likely blown up from the surface by the strong wind from the non-contaminated area. (3) During 16-20 March, the radioactive dust most likely stayed re-suspended. (4) After the wet contamination on 20 March until late April, the radioactive fallout on the ground are re-suspended during daytime by daily convection due to sunshine, and transported to downwind direction. (5) At more than 30 km distance from the accident site, the re-suspension most likely ceased by the end of April. However, no data is available within 20 km distance from the accident site. Yamauchi, et al. (2012): Settlement process of radioactive dust to the ground inferred from the atmospheric electric field measurement, Ann. Geophys., 30, 49-56, doi:10.5194/angeo-30-49-2012. Yamauchi (2012): Secondary wind transport of radioactive materials after the Fukushima accident, Earth Planet Space, accepted for publication.

Numerical modeling of tephra fallout from the 1913 eruption of Volcan de Colima (Mexico): insights into the limits of the geologic record

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Connor, C.; Connor, L.

2013-05-01

A crucial problem at most volcanoes involves the reconstruction of past eruptions from the geologic record. Rapid erosion of many volcanic terrains means that even geologically recent eruptions can leave a relatively sparse record. Here we consider the tephra-stratigraphic record of the 1913 eruption of Volcan de Colima, a recent but greatly eroded tephra fallout deposit. A total of 37 stratigraphic sections of the 1913 deposit have been analyzed for thickness, granulometry and geochemistry. The 1913 scoria are hornblende and two-pyroxene andesites with approximately 58 wt% SiO2, providing a distinct geochemical and petrographic signature from earlier (1818) and later (1961) tephra fallout deposits. A computer algorithm and code, Tephra2, is used to model the thickness variation of the deposit observed at these 37 localities using the advection-diffusion equation and to model the particle size distribution at each locality. Based on models of the particle size distribution, we estimate a median particle size for the deposit to be approximately -0.15 phi. We find model eruption height of approximately 18 km amsl and total erupted mass of 4-6e7 kg to best fit the observed tephra-stratigraphy. This volume and column height agree well with estimates from integrating the interpolated isopach map and maximum clast analysis. When historical reports of tephra accumulation are included in an alternative model, finer median particle size (2 phi), higher columns (25 km amsl) and greater total eruption mass (1-10e8 kg) are inferred, but with much greater uncertainty. The differences between these models suggest that either significant segregation by particle size as a function of height occurred in the 1913 eruption column, or the distal tephra fallout was associated with co-pyroclastic flow plumes ascending to great height, rather than direct deposition from the eruption column. This analysis highlights potential bias in eruption magnitude estimates from using only proximal deposits, which are the most likely preserved.

Benzo[a]pyrene in urban environments of eastern Moscow: pollution levels and critical loads

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Kasimov, Nikolay S.; Kosheleva, Natalia E.; Nikiforova, Elena M.; Vlasov, Dmitry V.

2017-02-01

Polycyclic aromatic hydrocarbons (PAHs), particularly benzo[a]pyrene (BaP), are toxic compounds emitted from various anthropogenic sources. Understanding the BaP concentrations, dynamics and decomposition in soil is required to assess the critical loads of BaP in urban environments. This study is the first attempt to evaluate all major input and output components of benzo[a]pyrene (BaP) balance and to calculate the permissible load on the urban environment in different land-use zones in the Eastern district of Moscow. BaP contamination of the snow cover in the Eastern district of Moscow was related to daily BaP fallout from the atmosphere. In 2010, the mean content of the pollutant in the snow dust was 1942 ng g-1, whereas the average intensity of its fallout was 7.13 ng m-2 per day. Across the territory, BaP winter fallout intensities varied from 0.3 to 1100 ng m-2 per day. The average BaP content in the surface (0-10 cm) soil horizons was 409 ng g-1, which is 83 times higher than the local background value and 20 times higher than the maximum permissible concentration (MPC) accepted in Russia. The variations in soil and snow BaP concentrations among different land-use zones were examined. A significant contribution of BaP from the atmosphere to urban soils was identified. Based on the measurements of BaP atmospheric fallout and BaP reserves in the soils, the critical loads of BaP for the land-use zones in the Eastern district were calculated for different values of degradation intensity and different exposure times. It was established that at an annual degradation intensity of 1-10 %, ecologically safe BaP levels in the soils of all land-use zones, excluding the agricultural zone, will only be reached after many decades or centuries.

Unexpected hazards from tephra fallouts at Mt Etna: The 23 November 2013 lava fountain

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Andronico, Daniele; Scollo, Simona; Cristaldi, Antonio

2015-10-01

Hundreds of paroxysmal episodes and a few long-lasting ash-emissions eruptions make Mt. Etna, in Italy, one of the most productive basaltic volcanoes in the world over recent years. This frequent explosive activity certainly gives volcanologists plenty of stimulating scientific material for study. Volcanic hazard from tephra fallout associated with lava fountains is still an issue that has not been fully assessed, albeit having to face this scenario several times in 2013. The 23 November 2013 lava fountain was exceptionally intense despite the short duration of the paroxysmal phase (< 1 h). Abundant decimetric-sized bombs fell within the first 5-6 km from the vent, and a macroscopically thicker and coarser tephra deposit than usual formed between 5 and 25 km; in addition, ash was reported to fall up to distances of 400 km. The analysis of fallout deposit provided a total erupted mass of 1.3 ± 1.1 × 109 kg (for a mass eruption rate of 4.5 ± 3.6 × 105 kg/s), in agreement with the value of 2.4 × 109 kg estimated by modeling. Grain-size distribution of samples shows poor sorting at least up to 25 km from the vent. By comparing dispersal, sedimentological features and physical parameters of the fallout deposit with other lava fountains of Etna, the 23 November 2013 episode may well be one of the largest events of the 21st Century in terms of eruption column height, total erupted mass and mass eruption rate. Furthermore, the impact of tephra on the territory was so high as to make it opportune to introduce a distinction, within the class of lava fountains, between small- and large-scale episodes. This classification can be a starting point for hazard assessment and help prevent the hazards from large-scale lava fountains at Etna in the future.

Pu isotopes in the western North Pacific Ocean before the accident at Fukushima Dai-ichi Nuclear Power Station

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Yamada, M.; Zheng, J.; Aono, T.

2011-12-01

Anthropogenic radionuclides such as Pu-239 (half-life: 24100 yr), Pu-240 (half-life: 6560 yr) and Pu-241 (half-life: 14.325 yr) mainly have been released into the environment as the result of atmospheric nuclear weapons testing. In the North Pacific Ocean, two distinct sources of Pu isotopes can be identified; i.e., the global stratospheric fallout and close-in tropospheric fallout from nuclear weapons testing at the Pacific Proving Grounds in the Marshall Islands. The atom ratio of Pu-240/Pu-239 is a powerful fingerprint to identify the sources of Pu in the ocean. The Pu-240/Pu-239 atom ratios in seawater and marine sediment samples collected in the western North Pacific before the accident at Fukushima Dai-ichi Nuclear Power Station will provide useful background data for understanding the process controlling Pu transport and for distinguishing future Pu sources. The atom ratios of Pu-240/Pu-239 in water columns from the Yamato and Tsushima Basins in the Japan Sea were significantly higher than the mean global fallout ratio of 0.18; however, there were no temporal variation of atom ratios during the period from 1984 to 1993 in the Japan Sea. The total Pu-239+240 inventories in the whole water columns were approximately doubled during the period from 1984 to 1993 in the two basins. The atom ratio of Pu-240/Pu-239 in surface water from Sagami Bay, western North Pacific Ocean, was 0.224 and showed no notable variation from the surface to the bottom with the mean atom ratio being 0.234. The atom ratios for the Pacific coast, near the Rokkasho nuclear fuel reprocessing plant, were approximately the same as the 0.224 ratio obtained from Sagami Bay, western North Pacific margin. The atom ratios in the surficial sediments from Sagami Bay ranged from 0.229 to 0.247. The mean atom ratio in the sediment columns in the East China Sea ranged from 0.248 for the Changjiang estuary to 0.268 for the shelf edge. The observed atom ratios were significantly higher than the mean global fallout ratio of 0.180, proving the existence of close-in fallout Pu originating from the Pacific Proving Grounds. The North Equatorial Current and Kuroshio Current were proposed as pathways for transporting Pacific Proving Grounds-origin Pu to the western North Pacific Ocean.

[Blood-sugar self control. A means for the diabetic of controlling his metabolic management. Quality control of a battery-run pocket size reflectometer (glucose-meter)].

PubMed

Leidinger, F; Jörgens, V; Chantelau, E; Berchtold, P; Berger, M

1980-07-26

Home blood glucose monitoring by diabetic patients has recently been advocated as an effective means to improve metabolic control. The Glucocheck apparatus, a pocket-size battery-driven reflectance-meter (in Germany commercially available under the name Glucose-meter), has been evaluated for accuracy and practicability. In 450 blood glucose measurements, the variance between the values obtained using the Glucocheck apparatus and routine clinical laboratory procedures was +/- 11.7%. Especially in the low range of blood glucose concentrations, the Glucocheck method was very reliable. The quantitative precision of the Glucocheck method depends, however, quite considerably on the ability of the patient to use the apparatus correctly. In order to profit from Glucocheck in clinical practice, particular efforts to educate the patients in its use are necessary.

Atmospheric electric field measurements in urban environment and the pollutant aerosol weekly dependence

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Silva, H. G.; Conceição, R.; Melgão, M.; Nicoll, K.; Mendes, P. B.; Tlemçani, M.; Reis, A. H.; Harrison, R. G.

2014-11-01

The weekly dependence of pollutant aerosols in the urban environment of Lisbon (Portugal) is inferred from the records of atmospheric electric field at Portela meteorological station (38°47‧N, 9°08‧W). Measurements were made with a Bendorf electrograph. The data set exists from 1955 to 1990, but due to the contaminating effect of the radioactive fallout during 1960 and 1970s, only the period between 1980 and 1990 is considered here. Using a relative difference method a weekly dependence of the atmospheric electric field is found in these records, which shows an increasing trend between 1980 and 1990. This is consistent with a growth of population in the Lisbon metropolitan area and consequently urban activity, mainly traffic. Complementarily, using a Lomb-Scargle periodogram technique the presence of a daily and weekly cycle is also found. Moreover, to follow the evolution of theses cycles, in the period considered, a simple representation in a colour surface plot representation of the annual periodograms is presented. Further, a noise analysis of the periodograms is made, which validates the results found. Two datasets were considered: all days in the period, and fair-weather days only.

SURVEYS OF FALLOUT SHELTER--A COMPARISON BETWEEN AERIAL PHOTOGRAPHIC AND DOCUMENTARY METHODS

DOE Office of Scientific and Technical Information (OSTI.GOV)

Kleinecke, D.C.

1960-02-01

In 1959 a large part of Contra Costa County, California, was surveyed for fallout shelter areas. This survey was based on an examination of the tax assessor's records of existing buildings. A portion of this area was also surveyed independently by a method based on aerial photography. A statistical comparison of the results of these two surveys indicates that the aerial photographic method was more efficient than the documentary method in locating potential shelter space in buildings of heavy construction. This result, however, is probably not operationally significant. There is reason to believe that a combination of these two surveymore » methods could be devised which would be operationally preferable to either method. (auth)« less

Measurement of 240Pu/239Pu isotopic ratios in soils from the Marshall Islands using ICP-MS.

PubMed

Muramatsu, Y; Hamilton, T; Uchida, S; Tagami, K; Yoshida, S; Robison, W

2001-10-20

Nuclear weapons tests conducted by the United States in the Marshall Islands produced significant quantities of regional or tropospheric fallout contamination. Here we report on some preliminary inductively coupled plasma-mass spectrometry (ICP-MS) measurements of plutonium isolated from seven composite soil samples collected from Bikini, Enewetak and Rongelap Atolls in the northern Marshall Islands. These data show that 240Pu/239Pu isotopic signatures in surface soils from the Marshall Island vary significantly and could potentially be used to help quantify the range and extent of fallout deposition (and associated impacts) from specific weapons tests. 137Cs and 60Co were also determined on the same set of soil samples for comparative purposes.

Iridium anomalies and fractionated siderophile element patterns in impact ejecta, Brockman Iron Formation, Hamersley Basin, Western Australia: evidence for a major asteroid impact in simatic crustal regions of the early Proterozoic earth

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Glikson, Andrew; Allen, Charlotte

2004-04-01

A stratigraphically consistent <20-cm-thick unit of microkrystite spherule and microtektite-bearing impact fallout ejecta overlying volcanic tuff of the 4th Shale Macroband (DGS4) of the Dales Gorge Member (2.47-2.50 Ga), Brockman Iron Formation, Hamersley Group, Western Australia, displays anomalous platinum group element (PGE) and other trace metal patterns. The unit has high Ir (13 ppb) and Pt (35 ppb), and low Pd (2.7 ppb) and Au (1.55-1.88 ppb). The low Pd/Ir ratios and low Cr/V suggest depletion in volatile PGE and metals relative to refractory PGE and V, contrasted to the ubiquitous high Pd/Ir of most terrestrial rocks. Marked depletion in the volatile Rare Earth Element (REE) abundances in stilpnomelane spherule cores is consistent with this model. The loss of volatile PGE, analogous to relations in 3.24 Ga impact fallout units of the Barberton greenstone belt (S3 and S4), suggests fractionation related to atmospheric spherule condensation. The microkrystite spherule unit locally incorporate fragments and up to meter-scale boulders of banded chert and stromatolite carbonate, suggesting tsunami transport postdating spherule deposition. DGS4 microkrystite spherules are dominated by stilpnomelane mantled by K-feldspar shells, which consist of inward-radiating fibrous feldspar aggregates suggestive of devitrification. The K and REE enrichment of spherule margins are contrasted to flat REE patterns of the stilpnomelane cores, suggesting adsorption of lithophile elements during settling of the spherules through the hydrosphere. K-feldspar shells contain submicron-scale Ni metal, oxide, sulfide and arsenide grains and euhedral needles of feldspar-exsolved ilmenite. Associated magnetite may have high nickel (<1.25% NiO). The generally mafic composition of the spherules and high Ni/Cr and Ni/Co are consistent with a target mafic-ultramafic crust, consistent with the lack of shock-metamorphosed quartz. Mixing calculations suggest a contribution of 2.5-3% projectile component to the impact-generated volatile cloud. Conservative mass balance estimates derived from the Ir and Pt flux, assuming global extent of a 10-cm-thick spherule unit and chondritic projectile composition, suggest an asteroid diameter on the scale of ˜30 km. Similar estimates are obtained from spherule sizes, which in DGS4 reach a mean diameter of ˜2.0 mm in aerodynamically elongate spherules. The evidence implies formation of an impact basin on the scale of 400 km in simatic/oceanic regions of the early Proterozoic crust.

Mass balance and decontamination times of Polycyclic Aromatic Hydrocarbons in rural nested catchments of an early industrialized region (Seine River basin, France).

PubMed

Gateuille, David; Evrard, Olivier; Lefevre, Irène; Moreau-Guigon, Elodie; Alliot, Fabrice; Chevreuil, Marc; Mouchel, Jean-Marie

2014-02-01

Accumulation of Polycyclic Aromatic Hydrocarbons (PAHs) in soils and their subsequent release in rivers constitute a major environmental and public health problem in industrialized countries. In the Seine River basin (France), some PAHs exceed the target concentrations, and the objectives of good chemical status required by the European Water Framework Directive might not be achieved. This investigation was conducted in an upstream subcatchment where atmospheric fallout (n=42), soil (n=33), river water (n=26) and sediment (n=101) samples were collected during one entire hydrological year. PAH concentrations in atmospheric fallout appeared to vary seasonally and to depend on the distance to urban areas. They varied between 60 ng·L(-1) (in a remote site during autumn) and 2,380 ng·L(-1) (in a built-up area during winter). PAH stocks in soils of the catchment were estimated based on land use, as mean PAH concentrations varied between 110 ng·g(-1) under woodland and 2,120 ng·g(-1) in built-up areas. They ranged from 12 to 220 kg·km(-2). PAH contamination in the aqueous phase of rivers remained homogeneous across the catchment (72 ± 38 ng·L(-1)). In contrast, contamination of suspended solid was heterogeneous depending on hydrological conditions and population density in the drainage area. Moreover, PAH concentrations appeared to be higher in sediment (230-9,210 ng·g(-1)) than in the nearby soils. Annual mass balance calculation conducted at the catchment scale showed that current PAH losses were mainly due to dissipation (biodegradation, photo-oxidation and volatilization) within the catchments (about 80%) whereas exports due to soil erosion and riverine transport appeared to be of minor importance. Based on the calculated fluxes, PAHs appeared to have long decontamination times in soils (40 to 1,850 years) thereby compromising the achievement of legislative targets. Overall, the study highlighted the major role of legacy contamination that supplied the bulk of PAHs that are still found nowadays in the environment. © 2013.

Desorption of 137Cs from Brachythecium mildeanum moss using acid solutions with pH 4.60-6.50

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Čučulović, Ana; Veselinović, Dragan

2015-12-01

The desorption of 137Cs from the moss Brachythecium mildeanum (Schimp.) was performed using the following solutions: H2SO4 ( I), HNO3 ( II), H2SO4 + HNO3 ( III) with pH values of 4.60, 5.15, and 5.75, respectively, as well as distilled water (D) with pH 6.50. After five successive desorptions, each lasting 24 h, 20.5-37.6% 137Cs was desorbed from the moss using these solutions, while 30.7% of the starting content was desorbed using distilled water. The first desorption removed the highest percent of the original content of 137Cs in the moss (11.3-18.4%). This was determined by measuring 137Cs activity. If the current results are compared with those obtained earlier it may be concluded that 137Cs desorption from mosses is not species-dependent. The obtained results indicate the necessity of investigating the influence of acid rain, or rather, of H+ ions, on desorption of other ions from biological systems, i.e., the role of H+ ions in spreading other polluting compounds and thus producing secondary environmental pollution. From the results of this study it follows that acid rain will lead, through H+ ion action, to a similar increasing pollution of fallout waters with other ionic compounds which may not be present in the water before the contact with the plants and thus enable the pollution spreading. In the investigated system, the replacement of H+ ions from acid rains by more dangerous radioactive ions occured, increasing the concentration of the radioactive ions in the water, which demonstrates that the same process takes place in fallout water.

Apollo: AN Automatic Procedure to Forecast Transport and Deposition of Tephra

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Folch, A.; Costa, A.; Macedonio, G.

2007-05-01

Volcanic ash fallout represents a serious threat to communities around active volcanoes. Reliable short term predictions constitute a valuable support for to mitigate the effects of fallout on the surrounding area during an episode of crisis. We present a platform-independent automatic procedure aimed to daily forecast volcanic ash dispersal. The procedure builds on a series of programs and interfaces that allow an automatic data/results flow. Firstly the procedure downloads mesoscale meteorological forecasts for the region and period of interest, filters and converts data from its native format (typically GRIB format files), and sets up the CALMET diagnostic meteorological model to obtain hourly wind field and micro-meteorological variables on a finer mesh. Secondly a 1-D version of the buoyant plume equations assesses the distribution of mass along the eruptive column depending on the obtained wind field and on the conditions at the vent (granulometry, mass flow rate, etc.). All these data are used as input for the ash dispersion model(s). Any model able to face physical complexity and coupling processes with adequate solving times can be plugged into the system by means of an interface. Currently, the procedure contains the models HAZMAP, TEPHRA and FALL3D, the latter in both serial and parallel versions. Parallelization of FALL3D is done at two levels one for particle classes and one for spatial domain. The last step is to post-processes the model(s) outcomes to end up with homogeneous maps written on portable format files. Maps plot relevant quantities such as predicted ground load, expected deposit thickness or visual and flight safety concentration thresholds. Several applications are shown as examples.

Time-averaged fluxes of lead and fallout radionuclides to sediments in Florida Bay

USGS Publications Warehouse

Robbins, J.A.; Holmes, C.; Halley, R.; Bothner, Michael H.; Shinn, E.; Graney, J.; Keeler, G.; TenBrink, M.; Orlandini, K.A.; Rudnick, D.

2000-01-01

Recent, unmixed sediments from mud banks of central Florida Bay were dated using 210Pb/226Ra, and chronologies were verified by comparing sediment lead temporal records with Pb/Ca ratios in annual layers of coral (Montastrea annularis) located on the ocean side of the Florida Keys. Dates of sediment lead peaks (1978±2) accord with prior observations of a 6 year lag between the occurrence of maximum atmospheric lead in 1972 and peak coral lead in 1978. Smaller lags of 1–2 years occur between the maximum atmospheric radionuclide fallout and peaks in sediment temporal records of 137Cs and Pu. Such lags are consequences of system time averaging (STA) in which atmospherically delivered particle-associated constituents accumulate and mix in a (sedimentary?) reservoir before transferring to permanent sediments and coral. STA model calculations, using time-dependent atmospheric inputs, produced optimized profiles in excellent accord with measured sediment 137Cs, Pu, lead, and coral lead distributions. Derived residence times of these particle tracers (16±1, 15.7±0.7, 19±3, and 16±2 years, respectively) are comparable despite differences in sampling locations, in accumulating media, and in element loading histories and geochemical properties. For a 16 year weighted mean residence time, STA generates the observed 6 year lead peak lag. Evidently, significant levels of nondegradable, particle-associated contaminants can persist in Florida Bay for many decades following elimination of external inputs. Present results, in combination with STA model analysis of previously reported radionuclide profiles, suggest that decade-scale time averaging may occur widely in recent coastal marine sedimentary environments.

7 CFR 1755.200 - RUS standard for splicing copper and fiber optic cables.

Code of Federal Regulations, 2013 CFR

2013-01-01

.../code_of_federal_regulations/ibr_locations.html. Copies are available from NFPA, Batterymarch Park..., depending on the site logistics. However, the required slack is seldom less than 15 meters (50 feet). The...

7 CFR 1755.200 - RUS standard for splicing copper and fiber optic cables.

Code of Federal Regulations, 2014 CFR

2014-01-01

.../code_of_federal_regulations/ibr_locations.html. Copies are available from NFPA, Batterymarch Park..., depending on the site logistics. However, the required slack is seldom less than 15 meters (50 feet). The...

7 CFR 1755.200 - RUS standard for splicing copper and fiber optic cables.

Code of Federal Regulations, 2012 CFR

2012-01-01

.../code_of_federal_regulations/ibr_locations.html. Copies are available from NFPA, Batterymarch Park..., depending on the site logistics. However, the required slack is seldom less than 15 meters (50 feet). The...

Basal Terraces on Melting Ice Shelves

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Dutrieux, P.; Stewart, C.; Jenkins, A.; Nicholls, K. W.; Corr, H. F. J.; Rignot, E. J.; Steffen, K.

2014-12-01

Ocean waters melt the margins of Antarctic and Greenland glaciers and individualglaciers' responses and the integrity of their ice shelves are expected to depend on thespatial distribution of melt. The bases of the ice shelves associated with Pine IslandGlacier (West Antarctica) and Petermann Glacier (Greenland) have similar geometries,including kilometers-wide, hundreds-of-meter-high channels oriented along and acrossthe direction of ice flow. The channels are enhanced by, and constrain, oceanic melt.New, meter-scale observations of basal topography reveal peculiar glaciated landscapes.Channel flanks are not smooth, but are instead stepped, with hundreds-of-meters-wideflat terraces separated by 5-50 m-high walls. Melting is shown to be modulated by thegeometry: constant across each terrace, changing from one terrace to the next, and greatlyenhanced on the ~45°-inclined walls. Melting is therefore fundamentally heterogeneousand likely associated with stratification in the ice-ocean boundary layer, challengingcurrent models of ice shelf-ocean interactions.

Development of on-board fuel metering and sensing system

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Hemanth, Y.; Manikanta, B. S. S.; Thangaraja, J.; Bharanidaran, R.

2017-11-01

Usage of biodiesel fuels and their blends with diesel fuel has a potential to reduce the tailpipe emissions and reduce the dependence on crude oil imports. Further, biodiesel fuels exhibit favourable greenhouse gas emission and energy balance characteristics. While fossil fuel technology is well established, the technological implications of biofuels particularly biodiesel is not clearly laid out. Hence, the objective is to provide an on-board metering control in selecting the different proportions of diesel and bio-diesel blends. An on-board fuel metering system is being developed using PID controller, stepper motors and a capacitance sensor. The accuracy was tested with the blends of propanol-1, diesel and are found to be within 1.3% error. The developed unit was tested in a twin cylinder diesel engine with biodiesel blended diesel fuel. There was a marginal increase (5%) in nitric oxide and 14% increase in smoke emission with 10% biodiesel blended diesel at part load conditions.

Gas exchange-wind speed relation measured with sulfur hexafluoride on a lake

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

Wanninkhof, R.; Broecker, W. S.; Ledwell, J. R.

1985-01-01

Gas-exchange processes control the uptake and release of various gases in natural systems such as oceans, rivers, and lakes. Not much is known about the effect of wind speed on gas exchange in such systems. In the experiment described here, sulfur hexafluoride was dissolved in lake water, and the rate of escape of the gas with wind speed (at wind speeds up to 6 meters per second) was determined over a 1-month period. A sharp change in the wind speed dependence of the gas-exchange coefficient was found at wind speeds of about 2.4 meters per second, in agreement with the results of wind-tunnel studies. However the gas-exchange coefficients at wind speeds above 3 meters per second were smaller than those observed in wind tunnels and are in agreement with earlier lake and ocean results.

NASA Tech Briefs, January 2008

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

2008-01-01

Topics covered include: Induction Charge Detector with Multiple Sensing Stages; Generic Helicopter-Based Testbed for Surface Terrain Imaging Sensors; Robot Electronics Architecture; Optimized Geometry for Superconducting Sensing Coils; Sensing a Changing Chemical Mixture Using an Electronic Nose; Inertial Orientation Trackers with Drift Compensation; Microstrip Yagi Antenna with Dual Aperture-Coupled Feed; Patterned Ferroelectric Films for Tunable Microwave Devices; Micron-Accurate Laser Fresnel-Diffraction Ranging System; Efficient G(sup 4)FET-Based Logic Circuits; Web-Enabled Optoelectronic Particle-Fallout Monitor; SiO2/TiO2 Composite for Removing Hg from Combustion Exhaust; Lightweight Tanks for Storing Liquefied Natural Gas; Hybrid Wound Filaments for Greater Resistance to Impacts; Making High-Tensile-Strength Amalgam Components; Bonding by Hydroxide-Catalyzed Hydration and Dehydration; Balanced Flow Meters without Moving Parts; Deflection-Compensating Beam for Use inside a Cylinder; Four-Point-Latching Microactuator; Curved Piezoelectric Actuators for Stretching Optical Fibers; Tunable Optical Assembly with Vibration Dampening; Passive Porous Treatment for Reducing Flap Side-Edge Noise; Cylindrical Piezoelectric Fiber Composite Actuators; Patterning of Indium Tin Oxide Films; Gimballed Shoulders for Friction Stir Welding; Improved Thermal Modulator for Gas Chromatography; Nuclear-Spin Gyroscope Based on an Atomic Co-Magnetometer; Utilizing Ion-Mobility Data to Estimate Molecular Masses; Optical Displacement Sensor for Sub-Hertz Applications; Polarization/Spatial Combining of Laser-Diode Pump Beams; Spatial Combining of Laser-Diode Beams for Pumping an NPRO; Algorithm Optimally Orders Forward-Chaining Inference Rules; Project Integration Architecture; High Power Amplifier and Power Supply; Estimating Mixing Heights Using Microwave Temperature Profiler; and Multiple-Cone Sunshade for a Spaceborne Telescope.

Hadal disturbance and radionuclide profiles at the deepest Japan Trench, northeastern Japan

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Oguri, Kazumasa; Kawamura, Kiichiro; Sakaguchi, Arito; Toyofuku, Takashi; Kasaya, Takafumi; Murayama, Masafumi; Glud, Ronnie; Fujikura, Katsunori; Kitazato, Hiroshi

2013-04-01

Four months after the 2011 Tohoku-Oki earthquake, we carried out a video survey and collected sediment core collection from the hadal region (~7,600 m water depth) of the Japan Trench using an autonomous instrument. Fine material remained suspended at ~50 m above the seabed presumably induced by turbidities released during the central earthquake and the following aftershocks. Elevated levels of Cs-137 (T1/2=30 y) and excess Pb-210 (T1/2=22.3 y) concentrations suggested that 30 cm thick sediment layer had accumulated at the trench base (7,553 m) after the mainshock. However, no Cs-134 (T1/2=2 y) fallout from the Fukushima Dai-ichi nuclear disaster was detected. In contract, inspection of a nearby sediment site (7,261 m) 4.9 km away from the central trench site revealed fewer disturbances as reflected by a recent deposition of only 4 cm sediment, but here we encountered recent Cs-134 fallouts from the top 0-1 cm depth. We propose that the apparent lack of Cs-134 in the central trench is coursed by settlement of turbidites containing Cs-137 from past atmospheric fallout and higher excess Pb-210. The fast transport of the Cs-134 to the hadal slope sediment is presumably induced by enhanced scavenging and the vertical transport associated to an intensified diatom blooming occurring just at the time of the Fukushima disaster.

Cancer incidence in an area of radioactive fallout downwind from the Nevada Test Site.

PubMed

Johnson, C J

1984-01-13

Exposures in southwestern Utah to radioactive fallout (1951 through 1962) from atmospheric nuclear detonations at the Nevada Test Site (NTS) were followed by smaller exposures (1962 through 1979) from venting of underground nuclear detonations. The cancer incidence in a 1951 cohort (4, 125) of Mormon families in southwestern Utah near the NTS was compared with that of all Utah Mormons (1967 through 1975). There were 109 more cases of cancer than expected (288[observed]/179[expected]). Leukemia was most prominent early (1958 through 1966), with 19 cases, five times more than expected (3.6). The excess of leukemia persisted into the later period (1972 through 1980), with 12 cases observed, 3.4 expected. There was an increase in lymphoma. Excess cases of thyroid cancer appeared early and a notable excess appeared later (14/1.7). An excess of breast cancer was noted later (27/14). There were more cancers of the gastrointestinal tract than expected. There was an excess of melanoma (12/4.5), bone cancer (8/0.7), and brain tumors (9/3.9). A subgroup with history of acute fallout effects had a higher cancer incidence. That these cases can be associated with radiation exposures is supported by a comparison between groups of the ratio of cancers of more radiosensitive organs with all other types of cancer.

Chest Drain Fall-Out Rate According to Suturing Practices: A Retrospective Direct Comparison.

PubMed

Asciak, Rachelle; Addala, Dinesh; Karimjee, Juzer; Rana, Maaz Suhail; Tsikrika, Stamatoula; Hassan, Maged Fayed; Mercer, Rachel Mary; Hallifax, Robert John; Wrightson, John Matthew; Psallidas, Ioannis; Benamore, Rachel; Rahman, Najib Mahboob

2018-06-14

Chest drains often become displaced and require replacement, adding unnecessary risks to patients. Simple measures such as suturing of the drain may reduce fall-out rates; however, there is no direct data to demonstrate this and no standardized recommended practice that is evidence based. The study aimed to analyze the rate of chest drain fall out according to suturing practice. Retrospective analysis of all chest drain insertions (radiology and pleural teams) in 2015-2016. Details of chest drain fall out were collected from patient electronic records. Drain "fall out" was pre-hoc defined as the drain tip becoming dislodged outside the pleural cavity unintentionally before a clinical decision was taken to remove the drain. A total of 369 chest drains were inserted: sutured (n = 106, 28.7%; 44 male [41.5%], median age 74 [interquartile range (IQR) 21] years), and unsutured (n = 263, 71.3%; 139 male [52.9%], median age 68 [IQR 21] years). Of the sutured drains, 7 (6.6%) fell out after a mean of 3.3 days (SD 2.6) compared to 39 (14.8%; p = 0.04) unsutured drains falling out after a mean of 2.7 days (SD 2.0; p = 0.8). Within the limits of this retrospective analysis, these results -suggest that suturing of drains is associated with lower fall-out rates. © 2018 S. Karger AG, Basel.

Vertical and horizontal fluxes of plutonium and americium in the western Mediterranean and the Strait of Gibraltar.

PubMed

León Vintró, L; Mitchell, P I; Condren, O M; Downes, A B; Papucci, C; Delfanti, R

1999-09-30

New data on the vertical distributions of plutonium and americium in the waters of the western Mediterranean and the Strait of Gibraltar are examined in terms of the processes governing their delivery to, transport in and removal from the water column within the basin. Residence times for plutonium and americium in surface waters of approximately 15 and approximately 3 years, respectively, are deduced, and it is shown that by the mid 1990s only approximately 35% of the 239,240Pu and approximately 5% of the 241Am deposited as weapons fallout still resided in the water column. Present 239,240Pu inventories in the water column and the underlying sediments are estimated to be approximately 25 TBq and approximately 40 TBq, respectively, which reconcile well with the time-integrated fallout deposition in this zone, taken to be approximately 69 TBq. The data show that there are significant net outward fluxes of plutonium and americium from the basin through the Strait of Gibraltar at the present time. These appear to be compensated by net inward fluxes of similar magnitude through the Strait of Sicily. Thus, the time-integrated fallout deposition in the western basin can be accounted for satisfactorily in terms of present water column and sediment inventories. Enhanced scavenging on the continental shelves, as evidenced by the appreciably higher transuranic concentrations in shelf sediments, supports this contention.

Cesium, iodine and tritium in NW Pacific waters - a comparison of the Fukushima impact with global fallout

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Povinec, P. P.; Aoyama, M.; Biddulph, D.; Breier, R.; Buesseler, K.; Chang, C. C.; Golser, R.; Hou, X. L.; Ješkovský, M.; Jull, A. J. T.; Kaizer, J.; Nakano, M.; Nies, H.; Palcsu, L.; Papp, L.; Pham, M. K.; Steier, P.; Zhang, L. Y.

2013-08-01

Radionuclide impact of the Fukushima Dai-ichi nuclear power plant accident on the distribution of radionuclides in seawater of the NW Pacific Ocean is compared with global fallout from atmospheric tests of nuclear weapons. Surface and water column samples collected during the Ka'imikai-o-Kanaloa (KOK) international expedition carried out in June 2011 were analyzed for 134Cs, 137Cs, 129I and 3H. The 137Cs, 129I and 3H levels in surface seawater offshore Fukushima varied between 0.002-3.5 Bq L-1, 0.01-0.8 μBq L-1, and 0.05-0.15 Bq L-1, respectively. At the sampling site about 40 km from the coast, where all three radionuclides were analyzed, the Fukushima impact on the levels of these three radionuclides represents an increase above the global fallout background by factors of about 1000, 50 and 3, respectively. The water column data indicate that the transport of Fukushima-derived radionuclides downward to the depth of 300 m has already occurred. The observed 137Cs levels in surface waters and in the water column are compared with predictions obtained from the ocean general circulation model, which indicates that the Kuroshio Current acts as a southern boundary for the transport of the radionuclides, which have been transported from the Fukushima coast eastward in the NW Pacific Ocean. The 137Cs inventory in the water column is estimated to be about 2.2 PBq, what can be regarded as a lower limit of the direct liquid discharges into the sea as the seawater sampling was carried out only in the area from 34 to 37° N, and from 142 to 147° E. About 4.6 GBq of 129I was deposited in the NW Pacific Ocean, and 2.4-7 GBq of 129I was directly discharged as liquid wastes into the sea offshore Fukushima. The total amount of 3H released and deposited over the NW Pacific Ocean was estimated to be 0.1-0.5 PBq. These estimations depend, however, on the evaluation of the total 137Cs activities released as liquid wastes directly into the sea, which should improve when more data are available. Due to a suitable residence time in the ocean, Fukushima-derived radionuclides will provide useful tracers for isotope oceanography studies on the transport of water masses during the next decades in the NW Pacific Ocean.

Analysing Smart Metering Systems from a Consumer Perspective

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Yesudas, Rani

Many countries are deploying smart meters and Advanced Metering Infrastructure systems as part of demand management and grid modernisation efforts. Several of these projects are facing consumer resistance. The advertised benefits to the consumer appear mainly monetary but detailed analysis shows that financial benefits are hard to realise since the fixed services charges are high. Additionally, the data collected from smart meters have security and privacy implications for the consumer. These projects failed to consider end-users as an important stakeholder group during planning stages resulting in the design and roll-out of expensive systems, which do not demonstrate clear consumer benefits. The overall goal of the research reported in this thesis was to improve the smart metering system to deliver consumer benefits that increase confidence and acceptance of these projects. The smart metering system was examined from an end-user perspective for realistic insights into consumer concerns. Processes from Design Science Research methodology were utilised to conduct this research due to the utilitarian nature of the objective. Consumer segmentation was central to the proposed measures. Initially, a consumer-friendly risk analysis framework was devised, and appropriate requirement elicitation techniques were identified. Control options for smart meter data transfer and storage were explored. Various scenarios were analysed to determine consumer-friendly features in the smart metering system, including control options for smart meter data transfer and storage. Proposed functionalities (billing choices, feedback information and specific configurations to match the needs of different user segments) were studied using the Australian smart metering system. Smart meters vary in capabilities depending on the manufacturer, mode and place of deployment. The research showed that features proposed in this thesis are implementable in smart meters, by examining their applicability to those used in Victoria (Australia). This study demonstrated that intelligent systems for demand and distribution-side management can be built without the use of detailed consumption data from the consumer. Many issues related to smart meter data could be avoided by distributing intelligent metering devices across the network. A check-list was generated to guide project proponents to achieve a consumer-friendly outcome. This research establishes that by applying well-established theories during the planning process, in particular, requirement elicitation and risk analysis, consumer support can be gained leading to the deployment of user-friendly and sustainable systems. The check-list generated will help the industry to appropriately plan and develop systems that can avoid opposition and even stimulate adoption. Options proposed provide choices for different consumer segments without affecting major operations such as billing. On evaluation, it has been identified that the proposed measures do not affect the quality attributes of the system. Since the proposals presented in this thesis were based on smart meters used in Victoria (Australia), smart meters used in other areas may require upgrades or revisions to support these functions. The scope of this research is limited to identifying improvements in the system that will benefit the residential consumer and does not extend to the analysis of the effects of these improvements on the profitability of the investors.

Metatranscriptome sequence analysis reveals diel periodicity of microbial community gene expression in the ocean's interior

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Vislova, A.; Aylward, F.; Sosa, O.; DeLong, E.

2016-02-01

Previous work has revealed diel periodicity of gene expression in key metabolic pathways in both autotrophic and heterotrophic microbes in the surface ocean. In this study, we investigated patterns of diel periodicity of gene expression in depth profiles (25, 75, 125 and 250 meters). We postulated that microbial diel transcriptional signals would be increasingly dampened with depth, and that the timing of peak expression of specific transcripts would be shifted in time between depths, in accordance with depth-dependent diel light variability. Bacterioplankton were sampled from four depths every four hours at station ALOHA (22° 45' N 158° W) over 2 days. RNA was extracted from cells preserved on filters, converted to cDNA, and sequenced on the Illumina platform. Surprisingly, harmonic regression analysis revealed an increasing proportion of genes with diel periodic expression patterns with increasing depth between 25- 125 meters. At 250 meters, the proportion of genes exhibiting diel expression patterns decreased an order of magnitude compared to the photic zone. Community composition, functional gene categories, and diel patterns of gene expression were significantly different between the photic zone and 250 meter samples. The signals driving diel periodic gene expression in microbes at 250 meters is under further investigation. These data are now beginning provide a better understanding of the tempo and mode of microbial dynamics among specific taxa, throughout the ocean's interior.

Bias in fallout data from nuclear surface shot SMALL BOY: an evaluation of sample perturbation by sieve sizing. Technical report

DOE Office of Scientific and Technical Information (OSTI.GOV)

Pascual, J.N.

1967-06-26

Evaluation of sample bias introduced by the mechanical sieving of Small Boy fallout samples for 10 minutes revealed the following: Up to 20% of the mass and 30% of the gamma-ray activity can be lost from the large-particle (greater than 1400 microns) fraction. The pan fraction (less than 44 microns) can gain in weight by as much as 79%, and in activity by as much as 44%. The gamma-ray spectra of the fractions were not noticeably altered by the process. Examination of unbiased pan fractions (before mechanical sieving) indicated bimodality of the mass-size distribution in a sample collected 9,200 feetmore » from ground zero, but not in a sample collected at 13,300 feet.« less

Elevated in vivo strontium-90 from nuclear weapons test fallout among cancer decedents: a case-control study of deciduous teeth.

PubMed

Mangano, Joseph J; Sherman, Janette D

2011-01-01

Risks to health from large-scale atmospheric nuclear weapons testing are still relatively unknown. A sample of 85,000 deciduous teeth collected from Americans born during the bomb-testing years assessed risk by in vivo measurement of residual strontium-90 (Sr-90) concentrations, using liquid scintillation spectrometry. The authors' analysis included 97 deciduous teeth from persons born between 1959 and 1961 who were diagrosed with cancer, and 194 teeth of matched controls. Average Sr-90 in teeth of persons who died of cancer was significantly greater than for controls (OR = 2.22; p < 0.04). This discovery suggests that many thousands have died or will die of cancer due to exposure to fallout, far more than previously believed.

46 CFR 199.150 - Survival craft launching and recovery arrangements; general.

Code of Federal Regulations, 2012 CFR

2012-10-01

... be boarded from a position on deck less than 4.5 meters (14.75 feet) above the waterline with the...) A launching appliance must not depend on any means other than gravity or stored mechanical power...

46 CFR 199.150 - Survival craft launching and recovery arrangements; general.

Code of Federal Regulations, 2014 CFR

2014-10-01

... be boarded from a position on deck less than 4.5 meters (14.75 feet) above the waterline with the...) A launching appliance must not depend on any means other than gravity or stored mechanical power...

An assessment of potential health impacts on Utrok Atoll from exposure to cesium-137 (137Cs) and plutonium

DOE Office of Scientific and Technical Information (OSTI.GOV)

Hamilton, T

2007-07-24

Residual fallout contamination from the nuclear test program in the Marshall Islands is a concern to Marshall Islanders because of the potential health risks associated with exposure to residual fallout contamination in the environment. Scientists from Lawrence Livermore National Laboratory (LLNL) have been monitoring the amount of fallout radiation delivered to Utrok Atoll residents over the past 4 years. This briefing document gives an outline of our findings from the whole body counting and plutonium bioassay monitoring programs. Additional information can be found on the Marshall Islands web site (http://eed.lnl.gov/mi/). Cesium-137 is an important radioactive isotope produced in nuclear detonationsmore » and can be taken up from coral soils into locally grown food crop products that form an important part of the Marshallese diet. The Marshall Islands whole body counting program has clearly demonstrated that the majority of Utrok Atoll residents acquire a very small but measurable quantity of cesium-137 in their bodies (Hamilton et al., 2006; Hamilton et. al., 2007a; 2007b;). During 2006, a typical resident of Utrok Atoll received about 3 mrem of radiation from internally deposited cesium-137 (Hamilton et al., 2007a). The population-average dose contribution from cesium-137 is around 2% of the total radiation dose that people normally experience from naturally occurring radiation sources in the Marshall Islands and is thousands of times lower than the level where radiation exposure is known to produce measurable health effects. The existing dose estimates from the whole body counting and plutonium bioassay programs are also well below radiological protection standards for protection of the public as prescribed by U.S. regulators and international agencies including the Marshall Islands Nuclear Claim Tribunal (NCT). Similarly, the level of internally deposited plutonium found in Utrok Atoll residents is well within the range normally expected for people living in the Northern Hemisphere. In addition, the preliminary results of the bioassay program on Utrok Atoll (Hamilton et al., 2007b) provide clear evidence that residents of Utrok Atoll have never acquired a significant uptake of plutonium either through an acute exposure event or from long-term chronic exposure to plutonium in the environment. This information and data should provide a level of assurance to the Utrok Atoll population group and its leadership that the dose contribution from exposure to residual radioactive fallout contamination on Utrok Atoll is very low, and is not likely to have any discernible impact on human health. We also estimate that the dose contribution based on current radiological exposure conditions will not produce any additional cancer fatalities (or any other measurable health condition) above that normally expected to arise in a population group of similar size. The potential risks from any genetic illnesses caused by exposure to residual fallout contamination in the environment will be even lower still. In conclusion, the data and information developed from the radiological protection monitoring program on Utrok appear to support a consensus that it is safe to live on Utrok Atoll. The health risks from exposure to residual fallout contamination on the atoll are minimal when compared with other lifetime risks that people normally experience, and are very small when compared to the threshold where radiation health effects could be either medically diagnosed in an individual or epidemiologically discerned in a group of people.« less

Effect of Remediation Parameters on in-Air Ambient Dose Equivalent Rates When Remediating Open Sites with Radiocesium-contaminated Soil.

PubMed

Malins, Alex; Kurikami, Hiroshi; Kitamura, Akihiro; Machida, Masahiko

2016-10-01

Calculations are reported for ambient dose equivalent rates [H˙*(10)] at 1 m height above the ground surface before and after remediating radiocesium-contaminated soil at wide and open sites. The results establish how the change in H˙*(10) upon remediation depends on the initial depth distribution of radiocesium within the ground, on the size of the remediated area, and on the mass per unit area of remediated soil. The remediation strategies considered were topsoil removal (with and without recovering with a clean soil layer), interchanging a topsoil layer with a subsoil layer, and in situ mixing of the topsoil. The results show the ratio of the radiocesium components of H˙*(10) post-remediation relative to their initial values (residual dose factors). It is possible to use the residual dose factors to gauge absolute changes in H˙*(10) upon remediation. The dependency of the residual dose factors on the number of years elapsed after fallout deposition is analyzed when remediation parameters remain fixed and radiocesium undergoes typical downward migration within the soil column.

Measurement of Moisture in Wood for Application in the Restoration of Old Buildings.

PubMed

Moron, Carlos; Garcia-Fuentevilla, Luisa; Garcia, Alfonso; Moron, Alberto

2016-05-14

There are many historic buildings whose construction is based on timber frame walls. Most buildings built during the nineteenth and early twentieth centuries were based on timber frame walls with vertical support elements. These timber frame elements are affected by their moisture content and by the passage of time. If the interaction of the timber frame walls with hygrothermal fluctuations were known, the maintenance of these buildings could be improved significantly. To determine the moisture content of wood there are two types of meters on the market: on the one hand, capacitance meters which consist of two side ends and where the moisture content is measured locally between two peaks. On the other hand, there are meters based on the variation of electromagnetic transmittance of timber, which depends on the moisture of timber. The second ones are very expensive and difficult to handle. This work presents a new non-intrusive capacitive sensor that measures the global moisture content in a section of the timber frame walls and therefore its accuracy is similar to the accuracy that can be obtained with electromagnetic transmittance meters. Additionally, as it is a capacitive sensor, it is low cost and easy to operate.

Measurement of Moisture in Wood for Application in the Restoration of Old Buildings

PubMed Central

Moron, Carlos; Garcia-Fuentevilla, Luisa; Garcia, Alfonso; Moron, Alberto

2016-01-01

There are many historic buildings whose construction is based on timber frame walls. Most buildings built during the nineteenth and early twentieth centuries were based on timber frame walls with vertical support elements. These timber frame elements are affected by their moisture content and by the passage of time. If the interaction of the timber frame walls with hygrothermal fluctuations were known, the maintenance of these buildings could be improved significantly. To determine the moisture content of wood there are two types of meters on the market: on the one hand, capacitance meters which consist of two side ends and where the moisture content is measured locally between two peaks. On the other hand, there are meters based on the variation of electromagnetic transmittance of timber, which depends on the moisture of timber. The second ones are very expensive and difficult to handle. This work presents a new non-intrusive capacitive sensor that measures the global moisture content in a section of the timber frame walls and therefore its accuracy is similar to the accuracy that can be obtained with electromagnetic transmittance meters. Additionally, as it is a capacitive sensor, it is low cost and easy to operate. PMID:27187410

15. Photograph of Architectural Building Plans. Naval Air Station ...

Library of Congress Historic Buildings Survey, Historic Engineering Record, Historic Landscapes Survey

15. Photograph of Architectural Building Plans. - Naval Air Station Fallon, 100-man Fallout Shelter, 800 Complex, off Carson Road near intersection of Pasture & Berney Roads, Fallon, Churchill County, NV

16. Photograph of Structural Building Plans. Naval Air Station ...

Library of Congress Historic Buildings Survey, Historic Engineering Record, Historic Landscapes Survey

16. Photograph of Structural Building Plans. - Naval Air Station Fallon, 100-man Fallout Shelter, 800 Complex, off Carson Road near intersection of Pasture & Berney Roads, Fallon, Churchill County, NV

Radiation Dose to Post-Chernobyl Cleanup Workers

Cancer.gov

Radiation dose calculation for post-Chernobyl Cleanup Workers in Ukraine - both external radiation exposure due to fallout and internal doses due to inhalation (I131 intake) or ingestion of contaminated foodstuffs.

USGS Maps

USGS Publications Warehouse

,

1994-01-01

Most USGS topographic maps use brown contours to show the shape and elevation of the terrain. Elevations are usually shown in feet, but on some maps they are in meters. Contour intervals vary, depending mainly on the scale of the map and the type of terrain.

Identifying chronic errors at freeway loop detectors- splashover, pulse breakup, and sensitivity settings.

DOT National Transportation Integrated Search

2011-03-01

Traffic Management applications such as ramp metering, incident detection, travel time prediction, and vehicle : classification greatly depend on the accuracy of data collected from inductive loop detectors, but these data are : prone to various erro...

Long-range tropospheric transport of uranium and plutonium weapons fallout from Semipalatinsk nuclear test site to Norway.

PubMed

Wendel, Cato Christian; Fifield, L Keith; Oughton, Deborah H; Lind, Ole Christian; Skipperud, Lindis; Bartnicki, Jerzy; Tims, Stephen G; Høibråten, Steinar; Salbu, Brit

2013-09-01

A combination of state-of-the-art isotopic fingerprinting techniques and atmospheric transport modelling using real-time historical meteorological data has been used to demonstrate direct tropospheric transport of radioactive debris from specific nuclear detonations at the Semipalatinsk test site in Kazakhstan to Norway via large areas of Europe. A selection of archived air filters collected at ground level at 9 stations in Norway during the most intensive atmospheric nuclear weapon testing periods (1957-1958 and 1961-1962) has been screened for radioactive particles and analysed with respect to the concentrations and atom ratios of plutonium (Pu) and uranium (U) using accelerator mass spectrometry (AMS). Digital autoradiography screening demonstrated the presence of radioactive particles in the filters. Concentrations of (236)U (0.17-23nBqm(-3)) and (239+240)Pu (1.3-782μBqm(-3)) as well as the atom ratios (240)Pu/(239)Pu (0.0517-0.237) and (236)U/(239)Pu (0.0188-0.7) varied widely indicating several different sources. Filter samples from autumn and winter tended to have lower atom ratios than those sampled in spring and summer, and this likely reflects a tropospheric influence in months with little stratospheric fallout. Very high (236)U, (239+240)Pu and gross beta activity concentrations as well as low (240)Pu/(239)Pu (0.0517-0.077), (241)Pu/(239)Pu (0.00025-0.00062) and (236)U/(239)Pu (0.0188-0.046) atom ratios, characteristic of close-in and tropospheric fallout, were observed in filters collected at all stations in Nov 1962, 7-12days after three low-yield detonations at Semipalatinsk (Kazakhstan). Atmospheric transport modelling (NOAA HYSPLIT_4) using real-time meteorological data confirmed that long range transport of radionuclides, and possibly radioactive particles, from Semipalatinsk to Norway during this period was plausible. The present work shows that direct tropospheric transport of fallout from atmospheric nuclear detonations periodically may have had much larger influence on radionuclide air concentrations and deposition than previously anticipated. Copyright © 2013 Elsevier Ltd. All rights reserved.

Relationships between lava and tephra volumes erupted during the 26 October 2013 lava fountaining episode from the New Southeast Crater of Etna

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Andronico, Daniele; Behncke, Boris; Cristaldi, Antonio; De Beni, Emanuela; Lo Castro, Maria Deborah; Lopez, Manuela; Scollo, Simona

2014-05-01

Determining the volume of the various products of a volcanic eruption can be notoriously difficult, especially if the products encompass lava, distal tephra, and proximal pyroclastics mostly deposited on a growing volcanic cone. We evaluated, for the first time at Etna, the total masses and volumes of both lava flows and pyroclastic material emitted during the 26 October 2013 episode of lava fountaining at Etna's New Southeast Crater (NSEC), correlating them with mass eruption rate and total grain-size of the fallout deposit. The episode was heralded by Strombolian activity starting on early 25 October and gradually intensifying throughout the day, blending into a continuous lava fountain early on 26 October. An eruption column started to rise to ~4 km above Etna's summit before being bent toward WSW by the wind. Lava fountaining up to 500 m high continued until ~10:00 GMT, and then started to diminish significantly; by 13:00 GMT, the episode was over. 'A'¯a lava flows were emitted throughout the phase of lava fountaining, forming a three-lobed lava field toward south and a minor lava flow toward east. After the episode, we carried out field surveys to map both the fallout deposits and the lava flows. Distal tephra was deposited to at least 110 km distance from the vent and possibly beyond the south coast of Sicily. The dispersal area of the tephra deposit was quite narrow on the ground, the load per unit area declining very rapidly away from the main dispersal axis. In the very proximal area (~1.6 km from the NSEC), the fallout deposit formed a 3-cm thick bed of scoriaceous lapilli (peaked at -2 phi) amounting to 22.25 kg/m2. The tephra load dropped up to 0.4 kg/m2 in the town of Adrano (16 km), where we found a continuous, thin layer of medium-sized ash. Finally, the fallout consisted of fine ash (~99 % of clasts

Is exposure to ionising radiation associated with childhood cardiac arrhythmia in the Russian territories contaminated by the Chernobyl fallout? A cross-sectional population-based study

PubMed Central

Clero, Enora; Doroshchenko, Vladimir; Silenok, Aleksandr; Kurnosova, Irina; Butsenin, Andrei; Denjoy, Isabelle; Franck, Didier; Heuze, Jean-Pierre; Gourmelon, Patrick

2018-01-01

Objective To investigate childhood cardiac arrhythmia and chronic exposure to caesium-137 (137Cs) resulting from the Chernobyl accident. Design Prospective cross-sectional study using exposed/unexposed design conducted in the Bryansk region from May 2009 to May 2013 on children selected on the basis of 137Cs soil deposition: control territories ([137Cs]<37 kBq per square metre, where children were considered as unexposed) and contaminated territories ([137Cs]>555 kBq per square metre, where children were considered as exposed). Setting Russian territories affected by the Chernobyl fallout (Bryansk region). Participants This cross-sectional study included 18 152 children aged 2–18 years and living in the Bryansk region (Russia). Main outcome measures All children received three medical examinations (ECG, echocardiography and 137Cs whole-body activity measurement) and some of them were given with a 24-hour Holter monitoring and blood tests. Results Cardiac arrhythmia was diagnosed in 1172 children living in contaminated territories and 1354 children living in control territories. The crude prevalence estimated to 13.3% in contaminated territories was significantly lower than in control territories with 15.2% over the period 2009–2013 (P<0.001). Considering 137Cs whole-body burden as exposure, cardiac arrhythmia was found in 449 contaminated children and 2077 uncontaminated children, corresponding to an estimated crude prevalence of 14.5% and 14.2%, respectively, which does not differ significantly (P=0.74). Also, we investigated the association between territory, exposure to 137Cs and cardiac arrhythmia: the adjusted OR was not significant (0.90 with 95% CI 0.81 to 1.00; P=0.06) for the territory. For 137Cs whole-body burden, the ORs close to 1 did not reach statistical significance (P for trend=0.97). Conclusion This study does not observe an association between cardiac arrhythmia and 137Cs deposition levels in the Bryansk region exposed to Chernobyl fallout. The suspected increase of cardiac arrhythmia in children exposed to Chernobyl fallout is not confirmed. PMID:29581199

Spinning Reserve from Responsive Load

DOE Office of Scientific and Technical Information (OSTI.GOV)

Kueck, John D; Kirby, Brendan J; Laughner, T

2009-01-01

As power system costs rise and capacity is strained demand response can provide a significant system reliability benefit at a potentially attractive cost. The 162 room Music Road Hotel in Pigeon Forge Tennessee agreed to host a spinning reserve test. The Tennessee Valley Authority (TVA) supplied real-time metering and monitoring expertise to record total hotel load during both normal operations and testing. Preliminary testing showed that hotel load can be curtailed by 22% to 37% depending on the outdoor temperature and the time of day. The load drop was very rapid, essentially as fast as the 2 second metering couldmore » detect.« less

New type of dry substances content meter using microwaves for application in biogas plants.

PubMed

Nacke, Thomas; Brückner, Kathleen; Göller, Arndt; Kaufhold, Sebastian; Nakos, Xenia; Noack, Stephan; Stöber, Heinrich; Beckmann, Dieter

2005-11-01

Dry substances (DS) are an important index for monitoring and controlling anaerobic co-digestion in biogas plants. We have developed and tested an online meter that measures suspended solids by means of the reflection coefficient of an exiting microwave signal, which is dependent on the dielectric properties of the suspensions. Intelligent models based on partial least squares regression (PLSR) and artificial neural network (ANN) for calibration allow exact and reproducible measurements under different circumstances. This measuring method is appropriate for contactless and online measurements of dry substance contents in biogas plants in a large range from 2-14%.

Hybrid deployable support truss designs for LDR

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

Hedgepeth, J.

1988-01-01

Concepts for a 20-meter diameter Large Deployable Reflector (LDR) deployable truss backup structure, and analytical predictions of its structural characteristics are discussed. The concept shown is referred to as the SIXPAC; It is a combination of the PACTRUSS concept and a single-fold beam, which would make up the desired backup structure. One advantage of retaining the PACTRUSS concept is its packaging density and its capability for synchronous deployment. Various 2-meter hexagonal panel arrangements are possible for this Hybrid PACTRUSS structure depending on the panel-to-structure attachment strategies used. Static analyses of the SIXPAC using various assumptions for truss designs and panel masses of 10 kg sq meters were performed to predict the tip displacement of the structure when supported at the center. The tip displacement ranged from 0.20 to 0.44 mm without the panel mass, and from 0.9 to 3.9 mm with the panel mass (in a 1-g field). The data indicate that the structure can be adequately ground tested to validate its required performance in space, assuming the required performance in space is approximately 100 microns. The static displacement at the tip of the structure when subjected to an angular acceleration of 0.001 rad/sec squared were estimated to range from 0.8 to 7.5 microns, depending on the type of truss elements.

Water Relations, Diurnal Acidity Changes, and Productivity of a Cultivated Cactus, Opuntia ficus-indica.

PubMed

Acevedo, E; Badilla, I; Nobel, P S

1983-07-01

Physiological responses of the Crassulacean acid metabolism (CAM) plant Opuntia ficus-indica (Cactaceae) were studied on a commercial plantation in central Chile. Young cladodes (flattened stems) and flower buds exhibited daytime stomatal opening, whereas mature cladodes and fruit exhibited the nocturnal stomatal opening characteristic of CAM plants. Severe water stress suppressed the nocturnal stomatal opening by mature cladodes, but their high water vapor conductance occurring near dawn was not affected. Nocturnal acidity increases were not as sensitive to water stress as was the nocturnal stomatal opening. The magnitude of the nocturnal acidity increases depended on the total daily photosynthetically active radiation (PAR), being 90% PAR-saturated at 27 moles per square meter per day for a mean nighttime air temperature of 5 degrees C and at 20 moles per square meter per day for 18 degrees C. Inasmuch as the PAR received on unshaded vertical surfaces averaged about 21 moles per square meter per day, nocturnal acidity increases by the cladodes were on the verge of being PAR-limited in the field. The net assimilation rate, which was positive throughout the year, annually averaged 3.4 grams per square meter per day for 1.0- and 2.0-year-old plants. Plants that were 5.4 years old had 7.2 square meters of cladode surface area (both sides) and an annual dry weight productivity of 13 megagrams (metric tons) per hectare per year when their ground cover was 32%. This substantial productivity for a CAM plant was accompanied by the highest nocturnal acidity increase so far observed in the field, 0.78 mole H(+) per square meter.

Water Relations, Diurnal Acidity Changes, and Productivity of a Cultivated Cactus, Opuntia ficus-indica1

PubMed Central

Acevedo, Edmundo; Badilla, Ignacio; Nobel, Park S.

1983-01-01

Physiological responses of the Crassulacean acid metabolism (CAM) plant Opuntia ficus-indica (Cactaceae) were studied on a commercial plantation in central Chile. Young cladodes (flattened stems) and flower buds exhibited daytime stomatal opening, whereas mature cladodes and fruit exhibited the nocturnal stomatal opening characteristic of CAM plants. Severe water stress suppressed the nocturnal stomatal opening by mature cladodes, but their high water vapor conductance occurring near dawn was not affected. Nocturnal acidity increases were not as sensitive to water stress as was the nocturnal stomatal opening. The magnitude of the nocturnal acidity increases depended on the total daily photosynthetically active radiation (PAR), being 90% PAR-saturated at 27 moles per square meter per day for a mean nighttime air temperature of 5°C and at 20 moles per square meter per day for 18°C. Inasmuch as the PAR received on unshaded vertical surfaces averaged about 21 moles per square meter per day, nocturnal acidity increases by the cladodes were on the verge of being PAR-limited in the field. The net assimilation rate, which was positive throughout the year, annually averaged 3.4 grams per square meter per day for 1.0- and 2.0-year-old plants. Plants that were 5.4 years old had 7.2 square meters of cladode surface area (both sides) and an annual dry weight productivity of 13 megagrams (metric tons) per hectare per year when their ground cover was 32%. This substantial productivity for a CAM plant was accompanied by the highest nocturnal acidity increase so far observed in the field, 0.78 mole H+ per square meter. PMID:16663084

75 FR 358 - Bison Pipeline, L.L.C.; Notice of Availability of the Final Environmental Impact Statement for...

Federal Register 2010, 2011, 2012, 2013, 2014

2010-01-05

..., North Dakota; Two new meter stations; Nineteen mainline valves; and Three pig \\1\\ launcher and pig receiver facilities. \\1\\ A ``pig'' is a mechanical device used to clean or inspect the pipeline. Dependent...

Evaluation of the effects of insufficient blood volume samples on the performance of blood glucose self-test meters.

PubMed

Pfützner, Andreas; Schipper, Christina; Ramljak, Sanja; Flacke, Frank; Sieber, Jochen; Forst, Thomas; Musholt, Petra B

2013-11-01

Accuracy of blood glucose readings is (among other things) dependent on the test strip being completely filled with sufficient sample volume. The devices are supposed to display an error message in case of incomplete filling. This laboratory study was performed to test the performance of 31 commercially available devices in case of incomplete strip filling. Samples with two different glucose levels (60-90 and 300-350 mg/dl) were used to generate three different sample volumes: 0.20 µl (too low volume for any device), 0.32 µl (borderline volume), and 1.20 µl (low but supposedly sufficient volume for all devices). After a point-of-care capillary reference measurement (StatStrip, NovaBiomedical), the meter strip was filled (6x) with the respective volume, and the response of the meters (two devices) was documented (72 determinations/meter type). Correct response was defined as either an error message indicating incomplete filling or a correct reading (±20% compared with reference reading). Only five meters showed 100% correct responses [BGStar and iBGStar (both Sanofi), ACCU-CHEK Compact+ and ACCU-CHEK Mobile (both Roche Diagnostics), OneTouch Verio (LifeScan)]. The majority of the meters (17) had up to 10% incorrect reactions [predominantly incorrect readings with sufficient volume; Precision Xceed and Xtra, FreeStyle Lite, and Freedom Lite (all Abbott); GlucoCard+ and GlucoMen GM (both Menarini); Contour, Contour USB, and Breeze2 (all Bayer); OneTouch Ultra Easy, Ultra 2, and Ultra Smart (all LifeScan); Wellion Dialog and Premium (both MedTrust); FineTouch (Terumo); ACCU-CHEK Aviva (Roche); and GlucoTalk (Axis-Shield)]. Ten percent to 20% incorrect reactions were seen with OneTouch Vita (LifeScan), ACCU-CHEK Aviva Nano (Roche), OmniTest+ (BBraun), and AlphaChek+ (Berger Med). More than 20% incorrect reactions were obtained with Pura (Ypsomed), GlucoCard Meter and GlucoMen LX (both Menarini), Elite (Bayer), and MediTouch (Medisana). In summary, partial and incomplete blood filling of glucose meter strips is often associated with inaccurate reading. These findings underline the importance of appropriate patient education on this aspect of blood glucose self-monitoring. © 2013 Diabetes Technology Society.

9. View inside Building 802, "Toilet", facing east. Naval ...

Library of Congress Historic Buildings Survey, Historic Engineering Record, Historic Landscapes Survey

9. View inside Building 802, "Toilet", facing east. - Naval Air Station Fallon, 100-man Fallout Shelter, 800 Complex, off Carson Road near intersection of Pasture & Berney Roads, Fallon, Churchill County, NV

8. View inside Building 802, "Control Area", facing southeast. ...

Library of Congress Historic Buildings Survey, Historic Engineering Record, Historic Landscapes Survey

8. View inside Building 802, "Control Area", facing southeast. - Naval Air Station Fallon, 100-man Fallout Shelter, 800 Complex, off Carson Road near intersection of Pasture & Berney Roads, Fallon, Churchill County, NV

Decrease of total activity with time at long distances from a nuclear accident or explosion.

PubMed

Dolejs, Josef

2005-05-01

Two data groups were analyzed: (1) the exposure rate in the former Czechoslovakia after the Chernobyl accident in 1986, and (2) the decrease of beta activity of an atmospheric fallout sample taken in Bratislava during 24 h on 30 May 1965. Both quantities decreased with the first power of time. This pattern of decrease is explained by applying the same mathematical formalism as is also used to describe the decrease in postnatal mortality with age. Following this formalism, the decrease of total activity with the first power of time could be seen as a consequence of a log-normal distribution of decay constants in the fallout. This differs slightly from earlier results that show the total activity decreasing with a power of 1.2 immediately after the nuclear explosion.

Sequim Marine Research Laboratory routine environmental measurements during CY-1976

DOE Office of Scientific and Technical Information (OSTI.GOV)

Fix, J.J.; Blumer, P.J.

1977-05-01

Beginning in 1976, a routine environmental program was established at the Marine Research Laboratory (MRL) at Sequim, Washington. The program is designed, primarily, to determine levels of radioactivity present in selected biota in Sequim Bay. The biota were selected because of their presence near the laboratory and their capacity to concentrate trace elements. Other samples were obtained to determine the radionuclides in Sequim Bay and laboratory drinking water, as well as the ambient radiation exposure levels and surface deposition of fallout radionuclides for the laboratory area. A summary of the analytical methods used is included. The present document includes datamore » obtained during CY 1976, the first year of the program. Radionuclides present in samples are attributed to fallout. Data are included on content of oil and Cu in seawater samples.« less

Stratigraphy and sedimentology of the K/T boundary deposit in Haiti

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

Carey, S.; Sigurdsson, H.; Dhondt, S.; Espindola, J. M.

1993-01-01

The K/T boundary sequence is exposed in uplifted carbonate sediments of the southwest peninsula of Haiti. It is found at 15 localities within the Beloc formation, a sequence of limestone and marls interpreted as a monoclinal nappe structure thrust to the north. This tectonic deformation has affected the K/T boundary deposit to varying degrees. In some cases the less competent K/T deposit has acted as a slip plane leading to extensive shearing of the boundary layer, as well as duplication of the section. The presence of glassy tektites, shocked quartz, and an Ir anomaly directly link the deposit to a bolide impact. Stratigraphic and sedimentological features of the tripartite sequence indicate that it was formed by deposition from ballistic fallout of coarse tektites, emplacement of particle gravity flows and fine grained fallout of widely dispersed impact ejecta.

Interpreting Beryllium-7 and Lead-210 fluxes and ratios for age dating fluvial sediments in Difficult Run Watershed, Virginia, USA

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Karwan, D. L.; Pizzuto, J. E.; Skalak, K.; Benthem, A.

2016-12-01

The sources and transport of suspended sediments within watersheds of varying sizes remain an important area of study within the geosciences. Short term fallout radionuclides, such as Beryllium-7 (7Be) and Lead-210 (210Pb), and their ratios can be a valuable tool for gaining insight into suspended sediment transport dynamics. We use these techniques in combination with other sediment exchange and transport models to estimate residence and transport time of suspended sediment in nested reaches of the Difficult Run watershed (Virginia, USA) on timescales from storm events to centuries and longer. During several winter and spring 2015-2016 precipitation events, Beryllium-7 to excess Lead-210 ratios vary from 0.4 - 2.5 in direct channel precipitation and 0.2 - 1 on suspended sediment. Previously published age dating models would suggest that the suspended sediments were originally "tagged" by, or in contact with wet fallout of, by Beryllium7 fallout approximately 20-80 days before sampling. Sediments at the upstream reach (watershed size 14 km2) tend to be older ( 75 days), while sediments at the downstream reach (watershed size 117 km2) tend to be newer ( 20 days). We use multiple sediment transport models and hypothesize that fluvial sediments are tagged with direct channel precipitation between the upstream and downstream reach, explaining their apparently younger age. Our analysis includes error propagation as well as a comparison of radioisotope gamma analyses from different labs across multiple institutions.

Variations in Pu isotopic composition in soils from the Spitsbergen (Norway): Three potential pollution sources of the Arctic region.

PubMed

Łokas, E; Anczkiewicz, R; Kierepko, R; Mietelski, J W

2017-07-01

Although the polar regions have not been industrialised, numerous contaminants originating from human activity are detectable in the Arctic environment. This study reports evidence of 240 Pu/ 239 Pu atomic ratios in the tundra and initial soils from different parts of west and central Spitsbergen and recognizes possible environmental inputs of non-global fallout Pu. The average atomic ratio of 240 Pu/ 239 Pu equal to 0.179 (ranging between 0.129 and 0.201) in tundra soils are comparable to the characteristic ratio for global fallout (0.180). However, the 240 Pu/ 239 Pu atomic ratios in the initial soils from proglacial zone of glaciers change within wide range between 0.1281 and 0.234 with the mean value of 0.169. By combining alpha and mass spectrometry, the three-sources model was used to identify the Pu sources in initial soils. Our study indicated that the main source of Pu is nuclear tests and that a second source with lower Pu ratio may come from weapons grade Pu (unexploded weapons grade Pu ie. material from bomb which didn't undergo nuclear explosions for example for security tests). Additionally, we found samples with high 238 Pu/ 239+240 Pu activity ratios and with typical global fallout 240 Pu/ 239 Pu atomic ratios, which are associated with separate sources of pure 238 Pu from the SNAP-9A satellite burn up in the atmosphere. Copyright © 2017 Elsevier Ltd. All rights reserved.

Epidemiologic evidence of health effects from long-distance transit of chemical weapons fallout from bombing early in the 1991 Persian Gulf War.

PubMed

Haley, Robert W; Tuite, James J

2013-01-01

Military intelligence data published in a companion paper explain how chemical fallout from US and Coalition bombing of Iraqi chemical weapons facilities early in the air campaign transited long distance, triggering nerve agent alarms and exposing US troops. We report the findings of a population-based survey designed to test competing hypotheses on the impact on chronic Gulf War illness of nerve agent from early-war bombing versus post-war demolition. The US Military Health Survey performed computer-assisted telephone interviews of a stratified random sample of Gulf War-era veterans (n = 8,020). Early-war exposure was measured by having heard nerve agent alarms and post-war exposure, by the computer-generated plume from the Khamisiyah demolition. Gulf War illness was measured by two widely published case definitions. The OR (95% CI) for the association of alarms with the Factor case definition was 4.13 (95% CI 2.51-6.80) compared with 1.21 (95% CI 0.86-1.69) for the Khamisiyah plume. There was a dose-related trend for the number of alarms (p(trend) < 0.001) but not for the number of days in the Khamisiyah plume (p(trend) = 0.17). Exposure to low-level sarin nerve agent in fallout from bombing early in the air campaign contributed more to chronic illness than post-war demolition. Copyright © 2012 S. Karger AG, Basel.

Plutonium from Above-Ground Nuclear Tests in Milk Teeth: Investigation of Placental Transfer in Children Born between 1951 and 1995 in Switzerland

PubMed Central

Froidevaux, Pascal; Haldimann, Max

2008-01-01

Background Occupational risks, the present nuclear threat, and the potential danger associated with nuclear power have raised concerns regarding the metabolism of plutonium in pregnant women. Objective We measured plutonium levels in the milk teeth of children born between 1951 and 1995 to assess the potential risk that plutonium incorporated by pregnant women might pose to the radiosensitive tissues of the fetus through placenta transfer. Methods We used milk teeth, whose enamel is formed during pregnancy, to investigate the transfer of plutonium from the mother’s blood plasma to the fetus. We measured plutonium using sensitive sector field inductively coupled plasma mass spectrometry techniques. We compared our results with those of a previous study on strontium-90 (90Sr) released into the atmosphere after nuclear bomb tests. Results Results show that plutonium activity peaks in the milk teeth of children born about 10 years before the highest recorded levels of plutonium fallout. By contrast, 90Sr, which is known to cross the placenta barrier, manifests differently in milk teeth, in accordance with 90Sr fallout deposition as a function of time. Conclusions These findings demonstrate that plutonium found in milk teeth is caused by fallout that was inhaled around the time the milk teeth were shed and not from any accumulation during pregnancy through placenta transfer. Thus, plutonium may not represent a radiologic risk for the radiosensitive tissues of the fetus. PMID:19079728

Causes of complexity in a fallout dominated plinian eruption sequence: 312 ka Fasnia Member, Diego Hernández Formation, Tenerife, Spain

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Edgar, C. J.; Cas, R. A. F.; Olin, P. H.; Wolff, J. A.; Martí, J.; Simmons, J. M.

2017-10-01

The 312 ka Fasnia eruption from the Las Cañadas Caldera on Tenerife, Canary Islands, Spain, produced a complex sequence of twenty-two intercalated units, including 7 pumice fall, 7 ignimbrite and 8 ash surge and fall deposits that define two distinct eruption sequences (Lower and Upper Fasnia sequences). The fallout units themselves are internally complex, reflecting waxing and waning of the eruption column, while many of the ignimbrites reflect multiple intra-plinian partial column collapse events associated with the injection of lithic clasts into the eruption column. The Lower and Upper Fasnia eruption phases were each terminated by caldera collapse and complete column collapse events. Probable blockage of the conduit and vent system during Lower Fasnia caldera collapse event briefly terminated the eruption, resulting in a short-lived period of erosion and sedimentation prior to the onset of the Upper Fasnia phase. The transition to the Upper Fasnia eruption phase coincided with the eruption of more geochemically homogeneous pyroclasts. In total, 62 km3 of tephra were erupted, including 49 km3 of juvenile clasts and > 12 km3 of lithic clasts. The DRE volume of magma erupted was 13 km3 (Lower Fasnia > 5 km3, Upper Fasnia > 8 km3), two thirds of which ( 9-10 km3) was deposited purely by fallout. The Fasnia Member is one of the most complex plinian sequences known.

135Cs activity and 135Cs/137Cs atom ratio in environmental samples before and after the Fukushima Daiichi Nuclear Power Plant accident

PubMed Central

Yang, Guosheng; Tazoe, Hirofumi; Yamada, Masatoshi

2016-01-01

135Cs/137Cs is a potential tracer for radiocesium source identification. However, due to the challenge to measure 135Cs, there were no 135Cs data available for Japanese environmental samples before the Fukushima Daiichi Nuclear Power Plant (FDNPP) accident. It was only 3 years after the accident that limited 135Cs values could be measured in heavily contaminated environmental samples. In the present study, activities of 134Cs, 135Cs, and 137Cs, along with their ratios in 67 soil and plant samples heavily and lightly contaminated by the FDNPP accident were measured by combining γ spectrometry with ICP-MS/MS. The arithmetic means of the 134Cs/137Cs activity ratio (1.033 ± 0.006) and 135Cs/137Cs atom ratio (0.334 ± 0.005) (decay corrected to March 11, 2011), from old leaves of plants collected immediately after the FDNPP accident, were confirmed to represent the FDNPP derived radiocesium signature. Subsequently, for the first time, trace 135Cs amounts before the FDNPP accident were deduced according to the contribution of global and FDNPP accident-derived fallout. Apart from two soil samples with a tiny global fallout contribution, contributions of global fallout radiocesium in other soil samples were observed to be 0.338%–52.6%. The obtained 135Cs/137Cs database will be useful for its application as a geochemical tracer in the future. PMID:27052481

Spatial distribution of volcanic ash deposits of 2011 Puyehue-Cordón Caulle eruption in Patagonia as measured by a perturbation in NDVI temporal dynamics

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Easdale, M. H.; Bruzzone, O.

2018-03-01

Volcanic ash fallout is a recurrent environmental disturbance in forests, arid and semi-arid rangelands of Patagonia, South America. The ash deposits over large areas are responsible for several impacts on ecological processes, agricultural production and health of local communities. Public policy decision making needs monitoring information of the affected areas by ash fallout, in order to better orient social, economic and productive aids. The aim of this study was to analyze the spatial distribution of volcanic ash deposits from the eruption of Puyehue-Cordón Caulle in 2011, by identifying a sudden change in the Normalized Difference Vegetation Index (NDVI) temporal dynamics, defined as a perturbation located in the time series. We applied a sparse-wavelet transform using the Basis Pursuit algorithm to NDVI time series obtained from the Moderate Resolution Image Spectroradiometer (MODIS) sensor, to identify perturbations at a pixel level. The spatial distribution of the perturbation promoted by ash deposits in Patagonia was successfully identified and characterized by means of a perturbation in NDVI temporal dynamics. Results are encouraging for the future development of a new platform, in combination with data from forecasting models and tracking of ash cloud trajectories and dispersion, to inform stakeholders to mitigate impact of volcanic ash on agricultural production and to orient public intervention strategies after a volcanic eruption followed by ash fallout over a wide region.

Modelling the diffusive transport and remobilisation of 137Cs in sediments: The effects of sorption kinetics and reversibility

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Smith, J. T.; Comans, R. N. J.

1996-03-01

In determining the mobility of ions in sediments it is important to take account of the solid phase sorption and speciation. Measurements were made of activity depth profiles of 137Cs from fallout from Nuclear Weapons Testing and from the Chernobyl accident in two lake sediments. The fraction of 137Cs in the aqueous, exchangeably sorbed and "fixed" phases was determined at each depth interval. A model was developed to simulate the transport of 137Cs in these sediments, taking account of changes in sorption properties as the concentration of the competing ammonium ion changes with depth, as well as transfers of activity to less-exchangeable sites on the solids. The model simulations give reasonable agreement with experimental data, and the fitted rate constant for slow transfers to less-exchangeable sites ( T1/2 = 50-125 d) is in agreement with independent measurements. The modelling gave evidence for a reverse reaction from less-exchangeable to exchangeable sites with a half-life of order 10 y. Model results were compared with those generated by a physical mixing model and the standard molecular diffusion model assuming equilibrium sorption to the solid phase. Estimates were made of the remobilisation of Chernobyl 137Cs from these sediments to the water column: predicted rates vary from around 3% of the inventory per year 2 years after the fallout event to 0.04% per year 30 years after the fallout.

[Economic hardship and fallout on households of the management of hydrocephalus in Benin].

PubMed

Gandaho, Hugues Jean-Thierry; Hounton, Sennen Houesse; Kelani, Amina; Darga, Christian; Hoinsou-Hans, Isaac; Agbani, Florence; Lalya, Francis; Koumakpayi, Sikiratou; Ayivi, Blaise

2017-04-27

Objectives: The socioeconomic profile of households and families of children attending hospital for hydrocephalus were documented and analysed. Main costs related to diagnosis and care were reviewed. The emotional fallout and social well-being of families were also analysed. Methods: This retrospective cross-sectional study (January 2006 to January 2015) was based on costs borne by households and families for neurosurgical care of children with hydrocephalus. Results: Sixty children (1 day to 12 years old) had been hospitalized for hydrocephalus in Cotonou-Benin. In 19 cases, the families were single-parent families. In 44 cases, the parents were self-employed workers or private company employees. Public servants, eligible for national health system assistance, accounted for a mere 16 cases. Twenty six children did not receive any financial support, whereas the total average care-related out-of-pocket expenditure for families during the hospital stay was approximately €1,777 (1,117,500 FCFA), i.e. almost 14 times the average monthly income reported by the parents (82,600 FCFA – approximately €120). After hospitalization, 31 mothers had lost their jobs and 21 couples experienced marital issues and their plans to have children. Twelve recent separations were recorded, as well as one indirect maternal death related to depression. Conclusion: In Benin Republic, surgical care for paediatric hydrocephalus represents catastrophic out-of-pocket expenditures for households and families and other living expenses. Families experience significant emotional fallout with effects on couple relationships and survival.

Water contamination in fallout areas. Project No. 7806

DOE Office of Scientific and Technical Information (OSTI.GOV)

Robeck, G.G.; Woodward, R.L.; Muschler, W.K.

1958-05-01

An evaluation of the potential radiological hazard to Air Force personnel from drinking water contaminated with fission products is presented. Ground water supplies should be safe from fallout contamination and only surface supplies may need special treatment. Even in untreated water, the radioactivity in surface supplies is not likely to reduce significantly the military effectiveness of personnel using it except where the general level of contamination is greater than 1000 r/hr at H + 1. Dust samples were collected at the Priscilla shot of Operation Plumbbob 24 June 1957. In each of the samples, material containing approximately 10% of themore » activity was soluble; however, strontium was preferentially dissolved by a factor of 5. For the first 10 days after fallout, a supply of one gallon of water per person per day will suffice for drinking and culinary purposes. Ion-exchange, which is over 99% efficient, is the most practical and economical method of supplying decontaminated water. For immediate demand, small mixed-bed demineralizers, which are easily installed and maintained, are recommended; for long term demand, pressure cation-exchange beds operated on the sodium cycle are recommended. A shelter accommodating 100 people would require a small mixed-bed demineralizer with an initial cost of $81 and an operating cost of $9 per day. A pressure cation-exchange bed could be installed for $7,500 which would have an operating cost of 15 cents per 1,000 gallons. This could supply an average daily water requirement of 50,000 gallons.« less

WATER CONTAMINATION IN FALLOUT AREAS

DOE Office of Scientific and Technical Information (OSTI.GOV)

Robeck, G.G.; Woodward, R.L.; Muschler, W.K.

1958-05-01

An evaluation of the potential radiological hazard to Air Force personnel from drinking water contaminated with fission products is presented. Ground water supplies should be safe from fall-out contamination and only surface supplies may need special treatment. Even in untreated water, the radioactivity in surface supplies is not likely to reduce significantly the military effectiveness of personnel using it except where the general level of contamination is greater than 1000 r/hr at H + 1. Dust samples were collected at the Priscilla shot of Operation Plumbbob 24 June 1957. In each of the samples, material containing approximately 10% of themore » activity was soluble; however, strontium was preferentially dissolved by a factor of 5. For the first 10 days after fall-out, a supply of one gallon of water per person per day will suffice for drinking and culinary purposes, Ion-exchange, which is over 99% efficient, is the most practical and economical method of supplying decontaminated water, For immediate demand, small mixed-bed demineralizers, which are easily installed and maintained, are recommended; for long term demand, pressure cation-exchange beds operated on the sodium cycle are recommended. A shelter accommodating 100 people would require a small mixed-bed demineralizer with an initial cost of and an operating cost of per day. A pressure cation-exchange bed could be installed for 500 which would have an operating cost of 15 cents per 1,000 gallons. This could supply an average daily water requirement of 50,000 gallons. (auth)« less

Numerical Simulation of Illumination and Thermal Conditions at the Lunar Poles Using LOLA DTMs

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

Glaser, P.; Glaser, D.; Oberst, J.; Neumann, G. A.; Mazarico, E.; Siegler, M. A.

2017-01-01

We are interested in illumination conditions and the temperature distribution within the upper two meters of regolith near the lunar poles. Here, areas exist receiving almost constant illumination near areas in permanent shadow, which were identified as potential exploration sites for future missions. For our study a numerical simulation of the illumination and thermal environment for lunar near-polar regions is needed. Our study is based on high-resolution, twenty meters per pixel and 400 x 400 km large polar Digital Terrain Models (DTMs), which were derived from Lunar Orbiter Laser Altimeter (LOLA) data. Illumination conditions were simulated by synthetically illuminating the LOLA DTMs using the horizon method considering the Sun as an extended source. We model polar illumination for the central 50 x 50 km subset and use it as an input at each time-step (2 h) to evaluate the heating of the lunar surface and subsequent conduction in the sub-surface. At surface level we balance the incoming insolation with the subsurface conduction and radiation into space, whereas in the sub-surface we consider conduction with an additional constant radiogenic heat source at the bottom of our two-meter layer. Density is modeled as depth-dependent, the specific heat parameter as temperature-dependent and the thermal conductivity as depth- and temperature-dependent. We implemented a fully implicit finite-volume method in space and backward Euler scheme in time to solve the one-dimensional heat equation at each pixel in our 50 x 50 km DTM. Due to the non-linear dependencies of the parameters mentioned above, Newton's method is employed as the non-linear solver together with the Gauss-Seidel method as the iterative linear solver in each Newton iteration. The software is written in OpenCL and runs in parallel on the GPU cores, which allows for fast computation of large areas and long time scales.

Basal terraces on melting ice shelves

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Dutrieux, Pierre; Stewart, Craig; Jenkins, Adrian; Nicholls, Keith W.; Corr, Hugh F. J.; Rignot, Eric; Steffen, Konrad

2014-08-01

Ocean waters melt the margins of Antarctic and Greenland glaciers, and individual glaciers' responses and the integrity of their ice shelves are expected to depend on the spatial distribution of melt. The bases of the ice shelves associated with Pine Island Glacier (West Antarctica) and Petermann Glacier (Greenland) have similar geometries, including kilometer-wide, hundreds-of-meter high channels oriented along and across the direction of ice flow. The channels are enhanced by, and constrain, oceanic melt. New meter-scale observations of basal topography reveal peculiar glaciated landscapes. Channel flanks are not smooth, but are instead stepped, with hundreds-of-meters-wide flat terraces separated by 5-50 m high walls. Melting is shown to be modulated by the geometry: constant across each terrace, changing from one terrace to the next, and greatly enhanced on the ~45° inclined walls. Melting is therefore fundamentally heterogeneous and likely associated with stratification in the ice-ocean boundary layer, challenging current models of ice shelf-ocean interactions.

A prototype experiment for cooperative monitoring of nuclear reactors with cubic meter scale antineutrino detectors

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Bernstein, A.; Allen, M.; Bowden, N.; Brennan, J.; Carr, D. J.; Estrada, J.; Hagmann, C.; Lund, J. C.; Madden, N. W.; Winant, C. D.

2005-09-01

Our Lawrence Livermore National Laboratory/Sandia National Laboratories collaboration has deployed a cubic-meter-scale antineutrino detector to demonstrate non-intrusive and automatic monitoring of the power levels and plutonium content of a nuclear reactor. Reactor monitoring of this kind is required for all non-nuclear weapons states under the Nuclear Nonproliferation Treaty (NPT), and is implemented by the International Atomic Energy Agency (IAEA). Since the antineutrino count rate and energy spectrum depend on the relative yields of fissioning isotopes in the reactor core, changes in isotopic composition can be observed without ever directly accessing the core. Data from a cubic meter scale antineutrino detector, coupled with the well-understood principles that govern the core's evolution in time, can be used to determine whether the reactor is being operated in an illegitimate way. Our group has deployed a detector at the San Onofre reactor site in California to demonstrate this concept. This paper describes the concept and shows preliminary results from 8 months of operation.

Laboratory Testing of Demand-Response Enabled Household Appliances

DOE Office of Scientific and Technical Information (OSTI.GOV)

Sparn, B.; Jin, X.; Earle, L.

2013-10-01

With the advent of the Advanced Metering Infrastructure (AMI) systems capable of two-way communications between the utility's grid and the building, there has been significant effort in the Automated Home Energy Management (AHEM) industry to develop capabilities that allow residential building systems to respond to utility demand events by temporarily reducing their electricity usage. Major appliance manufacturers are following suit by developing Home Area Network (HAN)-tied appliance suites that can take signals from the home's 'smart meter,' a.k.a. AMI meter, and adjust their run cycles accordingly. There are numerous strategies that can be employed by household appliances to respond tomore » demand-side management opportunities, and they could result in substantial reductions in electricity bills for the residents depending on the pricing structures used by the utilities to incent these types of responses.The first step to quantifying these end effects is to test these systems and their responses in simulated demand-response (DR) conditions while monitoring energy use and overall system performance.« less

Laboratory Testing of Demand-Response Enabled Household Appliances

DOE Office of Scientific and Technical Information (OSTI.GOV)

Sparn, B.; Jin, X.; Earle, L.

2013-10-01

With the advent of the Advanced Metering Infrastructure (AMI) systems capable of two-way communications between the utility's grid and the building, there has been significant effort in the Automated Home Energy Management (AHEM) industry to develop capabilities that allow residential building systems to respond to utility demand events by temporarily reducing their electricity usage. Major appliance manufacturers are following suit by developing Home Area Network (HAN)-tied appliance suites that can take signals from the home's 'smart meter,' a.k.a. AMI meter, and adjust their run cycles accordingly. There are numerous strategies that can be employed by household appliances to respond tomore » demand-side management opportunities, and they could result in substantial reductions in electricity bills for the residents depending on the pricing structures used by the utilities to incent these types of responses. The first step to quantifying these end effects is to test these systems and their responses in simulated demand-response (DR) conditions while monitoring energy use and overall system performance.« less

THE EFFECTS OF ROADSIDE STRUCTURES ON THE TRANSPORT AND DISPERSION OF ULTRAFINE PARTICLES FROM HIGHWAYS.

EPA Science Inventory

Understanding the transport and dispersion of pollutants from traffic sources, particularly within 300 meters of a roadway is important both for urban planning and for air quality assessments. Predicting pollutant concentration patterns in complex environments depends on accurat...

Row-crop planter requirements to support variable-rate seeding of maize

USDA-ARS?s Scientific Manuscript database

Current planting technology possesses the ability to increase crop productivity and improve field efficiency by precisely metering and placing crop seeds. Planter performance depends on using the correct planter and technology setup which consists of determining optimal settings for different planti...

Asia calling

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

2010-09-01

With the fallout from the global recession putting research budgets in the UK, the rest of Europe and the US under intense pressure, it is pleasing to note that some countries are not holding back on their investments in science.

6. View of Building 802 towards front entry, facing south. ...

Library of Congress Historic Buildings Survey, Historic Engineering Record, Historic Landscapes Survey

6. View of Building 802 towards front entry, facing south. - Naval Air Station Fallon, 100-man Fallout Shelter, 800 Complex, off Carson Road near intersection of Pasture & Berney Roads, Fallon, Churchill County, NV

Frequency Management for Electromagnetic Continuous Wave Conductivity Meters.

PubMed

Mazurek, Przemyslaw; Putynkowski, Grzegorz

2016-04-07

Ground conductivity meters use electromagnetic fields for the mapping of geological variations, like the determination of water amount, depending on ground layers, which is important for the state analysis of embankments. The VLF band is contaminated by numerous natural and artificial electromagnetic interference signals. Prior to the determination of ground conductivity, the meter's working frequency is not possible, due to the variable frequency of the interferences. Frequency management based on the analysis of the selected band using track-before-detect (TBD) algorithms, which allows dynamical frequency changes of the conductivity of the meter transmitting part, is proposed in the paper. Naive maximum value search, spatio-temporal TBD (ST-TBD), Viterbi TBD and a new algorithm that uses combined ST-TBD and Viterbi TBD are compared. Monte Carlo tests are provided for the numerical analysis of the properties for a single interference signal in the considered band, and a new approach based on combined ST-TBD and Viterbi algorithms shows the best performance. The considered algorithms process spectrogram data for the selected band, so DFT (Discrete Fourier Transform) could be applied for the computation of the spectrogram. Real-time properties, related to the latency, are discussed also, and it is shown that TBD algorithms are feasible for real applications.

Instrumental Develovement of 50 Meters Free Style Swimming Speed Measurement Based on Microcontroller Arduino Uno

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Badruzaman; Rusdiana, A.; Gilang, M. R.; Martini, T.

2017-03-01

This study is purposed to make a software and hardware instrument in controlling the velocity of 50 meters free style swimming speed measurement based on microcontroller Arduino Uno. The writer uses 6 participants of advanced 2015 college students of sport education. The materials he uses are electronical series of microcontroller Arduino Uno base, laser sensors shone on light dependent resistor, laser receiver functions as a detector of laser cutting block, cables as connector transfering the data. This device consist of 4 installable censors in every 10 meters with the result of swimming speed showed on the monitors using visual basic 6.0 software. This instrument automatically works when the buzzer is pushed and also runs the timer on the application. For the procedure, the writer asks the participants to swim in free style along 50 meters. When the athlete swims, they will cut the laser of every censors so that it gives a signal to stop the running timer on the monitoring application. The output result the writer gets from this used instrument is to know how fast a swimmer swim in maximum speed, to know the time and distance of acceleration and decelaration that happens. The result of validity instrument shows 0,605 (high), while the reliability is 0,833 (very high).

Spatial resolution and frequency of satellite data acquisition for multi-temporal analysis of environment

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Tanaka, S.; Sugimura, T.; Kameda, K.

1992-07-01

The environmental monitoring capacity by satellite depends upon the spatial resolution and the acquisition frequency it provides. The information on environmental change obtained by Landsat, the first earth observation satellite, was a rectangular reclamation area on Tokyo Bay meaning only a few square kilometers. However, multi-temporal SPOT/HRV data enables newly built small buildings meaning just ten square meters or so to be detected. Environmental changes of the global dimensions are today attracting world attention. In Japan, the major environmental problems are decaying cedar forests due to acid rain, decaying pine forests due to the pine beetle, landslides due to left-cut forests and problem resulting from agricultural chemicals on golf courses. All of these pose a national problem, but each is a phenomenon which covers an area of a few meters square at the largest. The existing earth observation satellites are unable to monitor these seemingly small sized environmental changes. For this, satellites with a spatial resolution of a few meters only or less than a meter are required. This situation becomes apparent when specific cases are examined, and it is expected considering the speed of past sensor development satellite observation systems providing this capacity will most probably be developed by the year 2020.

Understanding Polycyclic Aromatic Hydrocarbon transfers at the catchment scale combining chemical and fallout radionuclide analyses

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Gateuille, D.; Evrard, O.; Lefevre, I.; Moreau-Guigon, E.; Alliot, F.; Chevreuil, M.; Mouchel, J.-M.

2012-04-01

Reducing environmental contamination constitutes a major challenge for industrialized countries. Furthermore, in the European Union, Water Framework Directive (WFD; Directive 2000/60/EC) requires that the member state water bodies reach good ecological and chemical status by 2015. Polycyclic Aromatic Hydrocarbons (PAHs) are a group of persistent organic pollutants considered as priority pollutants because of their mutagenic and carcinogenic properties. They are mostly emitted by human activities such as household heating or road traffic. Although emissions have decreased during the last decades, a large amount of PAHs have been released into the atmosphere for the last two centuries. In recent years, studies dealing with PAHs have grown in number but most of them were restricted to the measurement of PAHs concentrations in the different compartments of the environment (air, soil, sediment, water, etc.). In this context, there remains a lack of knowledge about the transfers and, consequently, about the persistence of these compounds in the environment. This question is particularly acute in the Seine River basin where very high concentrations in PAHs are reported in sediment, thereby compromising the achievement of the good chemical status required by WFD. Our study aims to quantify PAHs transfers at the catchment scale by combining chemical analysis with gamma spectrometry. Atmospheric fallout, soil, river water and sediment samples were collected in two upstream sub-catchments of the Seine River basin during one year. Chemical analyses, restricted to 15 of the 16 PAHs selected by the US Environmental Protection Agency (USEPA), were carried out to determine PAHs concentrations in all samples. Contamination spectra were used to outline the potential origin of pollution. Measurement of fallout radionuclides (Beryllium-7, Lead-210, Caesium-137) in both rainfall and river sediment provided a way to discriminate between freshly eroded sediment vs. material that deposited on the riverbed. These data are crucial to estimate PAH residence time in the Seine River basin and to know if current river pollution is resulting from recent emissions or from the persistence of former sources. Results show that spectra of contaminants in sediment are similar in most of the sampling sites. This underlines the possibility of a common primary source. Moreover, local variations of atmospheric PAHs fallout are poorly significant within the subcatchments, even though concentrations greatly vary in sediment. This underlines the presence of local secondary sources where accumulation of atmospheric fallout is more important but their deposition ways still remain to determine. At other sites, impact of urbanized area is more likely to be the source of light HAPs in sediment. Measurements in soils show larger concentrations in forest than in grassland or in cropland. This can be explained by a bigger affinity of PAHs for the soils richer in Organic matter (OM) and lower erodibility of woodland.

Measurements of actinides in soil, sediments, water and vegetation in Northern New Mexico

DOE Office of Scientific and Technical Information (OSTI.GOV)

Gallaher, B. M.; Efurd, D. W.

2002-01-01

This study was undertaken during 1991 - 1998 to identify the origin of plutonium uranium in northern New Mexico Rio Grande and tributary stream sediments. Isotopic fingerprinting techniques help distinguish radioactivity from Los Alamos National Laboratory (LANL) and from global fallout or natural sources. The geographic area covered by the study extended from the headwaters of the Rio Grande in southern Colorado to Elephant Butte Reservoir in southern New Mexico. Over 100 samples of stream channel and reservoir bottom sediments were analyzed for the atom ratios of plutonium and uranium isotopes using thermal ionization mass spectrometry (TIMS). Comparison of thesemore » ratios against those for fallout or natural sources allowed for quantification of the Laboratory impact. Of the seven major drainages crossing LANL, movement of LANL plutonium into the Rio Grande can only be traced via Los Alamos Canyon. The majority of sampled locations within and adjacent to LANL have little or no input of plutonium from the Laboratory. Samples collected upstream and distant to L A N show an average (+ s.d.) fallout 240Pu/239Pauto m ratio of 0.169 + 0.012, consistent with published worldwide global fallout values. These regional background ratios differ significantly from the 240Pu/239Pu atom ratio of 0.015 that is representative of LANL-derived plutonium entering the Rio Grande at Los Alamos Canyon. Mixing calculations of these sources indicate that the largest proportion (60% to 90%) of the plutonium in the Rio Grande sediments is from global atmospheric fallout, with an average of about 25% from the Laboratory. The LANL plutonium is identifiable intermittently along the 35-km reach of the Rio Grande to Cochiti Reservoir. The source of the LANL-derived plutonium in the Rio Grande was traced primarily to pre-1960 discharges of liquid effluents into a canyon bottom at a distance approximately 20 km upstream of the river. Plutonium levels decline exponentially with distance downstream after mixing with cleaner sediments, yet the LANL isotopic fingerprint remains distinct for at least 55 km from the effluent source. Plutonium isotopes in Rio Grande and Pajarito Plateau sediments are not at levels known to adversely affect public health. Activities of 239+240pwui thin this sample set ranged from 0.001- 0.046 pCUg in the Rio Grande to 3.7 pCi/g near the effluent discharge point. Levels in the Rio Grande are usually more than 1000 times. lower than prescribed cleanup standards. Uranium in stream and reservoir sediments is predominantly within natural concentration ranges and is of natural uranium isotopic composition. None of the sediments from the Rio Grande show identifiable Laboratory uranium, using the isotopic ratios. These results suggest that the mass of Laboratory-derived uranium entering the Rio Grande is small relative to the natural load carried with river sediments.« less

Detailed gravimetric geoid for the United States.

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

Strange, W. E.; Vincent, S. F.; Berry, R. H.; Marsh, J. G.

1972-01-01

A detailed gravimetric geoid was computed for the United States using a combination of satellite-derived spherical harmonic coefficients and 1 by 1 deg mean gravity values from surface gravimetry. Comparisons of this geoid with astrogeodetic geoid data indicate that a precision of plus or minus 2 meters has been obtained. Translations only were used to convert the NAD astrogeodetic geoid heights to geocentric astrogeodetic heights. On the basis of the agreement between the geocentric astrogeodetic geoid heights and the gravimetric geoid heights, no evidence is found for rotation in the North American datum. The value of the zero-order undulation can vary by 10 to 20 meters, depending on which investigator's station positions are used to establish it.

Uncertainty and Traceability for the CEESI Iowa Natural Gas Facility.

PubMed

Johnson, Aaron; Kegel, Tom

2004-01-01

This paper analyzes the uncertainty of a secondary flow measurement facility that calibrates a significant fraction of United States and foreign flow meters used for custody transfer of natural gas. The facility, owned by the Colorado Experimental Engineering Station Incorporated (CEESI), is located in Iowa. This facility measures flow with nine turbine meter standards, each of which is traceable to the NIST primary flow standard. The flow capacity of this facility ranges from 0.7 actual m(3)/s to 10.7 actual m(3)/s at nominal pressures of 7174 kPa and at ambient temperatures. Over this flow range the relative expanded flow uncertainty varies from 0.28 % to 0.30 % (depending on flow).

Intra-caldera active fault: An example from the Mw 7.0 2016 Kumamoto, Japan, earthquake

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Toda, S.; Murakami, T.; Takahashi, N.

2017-12-01

A NE-trending 30-km-long surface rupture with up to 2.4 m dextral slip emerged during the Mw=7.0 16 April 2016 Kumamoto earthquake along the previously mapped Futagawa and northern Hinagu fault systems. The 5-km-long portion of the northeast rupture end, which was previously unidentified, crossed somma and extended to the 20-km-diameter Aso Caldera, one of the major active volcanoes, central Kyushu. We here explore geologic exposures of interplays of active faulting and active volcanism, and then argue the Futagawa fault system has been influenced by the ring fault system associated with the caldera forming gigantic eruptions since 270 ka, last of which occurred 90 ka ejecting a huge amount of ignimbrite. To understand the interplays, together with the mapping of the 2016 rupture, we employed an UAV to capture numerous photos of the exposures along the canyon and developed 3D orthochromatic topographic model using PhotoScan. One-hundred-meter-deep Kurokawa River canyon by the Aso Caldera rim exposes two lava flow units of 50 ka vertically offset by 10 m by the Futatawa fault system. Reconstructions of the collapsed bridges across the Kurokawa River also reveal cross sections of a 30-meter-high tectonic bulge and 10-m-scale negative flower structure deformed by the frequent fault movements. We speculate two fault developing models across the Aso Caldera. One is that the NE edge of the Futagawa fault system was cut and reset by the caldera forming ring fault, which indicates the 3-km-long rupture extent within the Aso Caldera would be a product of the fault growth since the last Aso-4 eruption of 90 ka. It enables us to estimate the 33 mm/yr of the fault propagation speed. An alternative model is that subsurface rupture of the Kumamoto earthquake extended further to the NE rim, the other side of the caldera edge, which is partially supported by the geodetic and seismic inversions. With respect to the model, the clear surface rupture of the 2016 Kumamoto earthquake was invisible due to the lava and fallout layers younger than 4ka that probably experienced only one or two events and do not have the pre-existing weak and sharp fault plane yet.

Modeling the Dispersal and Deposition of Radionuclides: Lessons from Chernobyl.

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

ApSimon, H. M.; And Others

1988-01-01

Described are theoretical models that simulate the dispersion of radionuclides on local and global scales following the accident at the Chernobyl nuclear power plant. Discusses the application of these results to nuclear weapons fallout. (CW)

4. View of Building 802 from the access road, facing ...

Library of Congress Historic Buildings Survey, Historic Engineering Record, Historic Landscapes Survey

4. View of Building 802 from the access road, facing northwest. - Naval Air Station Fallon, 100-man Fallout Shelter, 800 Complex, off Carson Road near intersection of Pasture & Berney Roads, Fallon, Churchill County, NV

A New Hot Spot on Northern Io

NASA Image and Video Library

2001-12-10

In August 2001, NASA Galileo spacecraft has returned imagery of a hot spot on Jupiter moon Io that was the source of a towering plume indicating a sulfur-dioxide concentration that may have been fallout from the plume.

ATTENUATION OF SIMULATED FALLOUT RADIATION BY THE ROOF OF A CONCRETE BLOCKHOUSE

DOE Office of Scientific and Technical Information (OSTI.GOV)

Schmoke, M.A.; Rexroad, R.E.

1961-08-01

An experiment was carried out to verify theoretical calculations of the effect of roof thickness on the radiation level inside a concrete blockhouse from a plane of gamma radiation on the roof. (auth)

Dosimetry study of East Kazakhstan residents by tooth enamel EPR spectroscopy

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Zhumadilov, Kassym; Ivannikov, Alexander; Skvortsov, Valeriy; Stepanenko, Valeriy; Rakhypbekov, Tolebay; Hoshi, Masaharu

2017-11-01

The tooth enamel electron paramagnetic resonance (EPR) dosimetry method was used to determine accidental doses of population of settlements in the vicinity of the Semipalatinsk Nuclear Test Site (SNTS), Kazakhstan. The influence of four explosions to the populations was included into this report. The distances between investigated settlements and Ground Zero (SNTS) are in the range of 70-200 km from SNTS. Most of settlements (Dolon, Mostik, Bodene, Cheremushki, Kanonerka) are located near the central axis of radioactive fallout trace from the most contaminating surface nuclear test, which was conducted in 29, August 1949. The other settlements located close to radioactive fallout trace result in a surface nuclear tests in 24, August 1956 (Ust-Kamenogorsk, Znamenka, Shemonaikha, Glubokoe, Tavriya, Gagarino), in 12 august 1953 (Sarzhal) and in 7, August 1962 (Akzhar, Kurchatov, Begen, Semenovka, Buras, Grachi). Tooth samples were extracted according to medical recommendations in a course of ordinary dental treatment.

Bomb fall-out 236U as a global oceanic tracer using an annually resolved coral core

PubMed Central

Winkler, Stephan R.; Steier, Peter; Carilli, Jessica

2012-01-01

Anthropogenic 236U (t½=23.4 My) is an emerging isotopic ocean tracer with interesting oceanographic properties, but only with recent advances in accelerator mass spectrometry techniques is it now possible to detect the levels from global fall-out of nuclear weapons testing across the water column. To make full use of this tracer, an assessment of its input into the ocean over the past decades is required. We captured the bomb-pulse of 236U in an annually resolved coral core record from the Caribbean Sea. We thereby establish a concept which gives 236U great advantage – the presence of reliable, well-resolved chronological archives. This allows studies of not only the present distribution pattern, but gives access to the temporal evolution of 236U in ocean waters over the past decades. PMID:23564966

Comment on "radioactive fallout in the United States due to the Fukushima nuclear plant accident" by P. Thakur, S. Ballard and R. Nelson, J. Environ. Monit., 2012, 14, 1317-1324.

PubMed

Rose, Paula S

2014-07-01

The May 2012 paper "Radioactive fallout in the United States due to the Fukushima nuclear plant accident" (P. Thakur, S. Ballard and R. Nelson, J. Environ. Monit., 2012, 14, 1317-1324), does not address medical patient excreta as a source of (131)I (t1/2 = 8.04 d) to the environment. While (131)I is generated during fission reactions and may be released to the environment from nuclear power plants, nuclear weapons tests, nuclear fuel reprocessing and weapons production facilities, it is also produced for medical use. Iodine-131 administered to patients, excreted and discharged to sewer systems is readily measureable in sewage and the environment; the patient-to-sewage pathway is the only source of (131)I in many locations.

Kara Sea radioactivity assessment.

PubMed

Osvath, I; Povinec, P P; Baxter, M S

1999-09-30

Investigations following five international expeditions to the Kara Sea have shown that no radiologically significant contamination has occurred outside of the dumping sites in Novaya Zemlya bays. Increased levels of radionuclides in sediment have only been observed in Abrosimov and Stepovoy Bays very close to dumped containers. Evaluations of radionuclide inventories in water and sediment of the open Kara Sea and Novaya Zemlya bays as well as soil from the shore of Abrosimov bay have shown that radionuclide contamination of the open Kara Sea is mainly due to global fallout, with smaller contributions from the Sellafield reprocessing plant, the Chernobyl accident run-off from the Ob and Yenisey rivers and local fallout. Computer modelling results have shown that maximum annual doses of approximately 1 mSv are expected for a hypothetical critical group subsisting on fish caught in the Novaya Zemlya bays whereas populations living on the mainland can be expected to receive doses at least three orders of magnitude lower.

Mathematical estimation of the level of microbial contamination on spacecraft surfaces by volumetric air sampling

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

Oxborrow, G. S.; Roark, A. L.; Fields, N. D.; Puleo, J. R.

1974-01-01

Microbiological sampling methods presently used for enumeration of microorganisms on spacecraft surfaces require contact with easily damaged components. Estimation of viable particles on surfaces using air sampling methods in conjunction with a mathematical model would be desirable. Parameters necessary for the mathematical model are the effect of angled surfaces on viable particle collection and the number of viable cells per viable particle. Deposition of viable particles on angled surfaces closely followed a cosine function, and the number of viable cells per viable particle was consistent with a Poisson distribution. Other parameters considered by the mathematical model included deposition rate and fractional removal per unit time. A close nonlinear correlation between volumetric air sampling and airborne fallout on surfaces was established with all fallout data points falling within the 95% confidence limits as determined by the mathematical model.

EPR TOOTH DOSIMETRY OF SNTS AREA INHABITANTS

PubMed Central

Sholom, Sergey; Desrosiers, Marc; Bouville, André; Luckyanov, Nicholas; Chumak, Vadim

2009-01-01

The determination of external dose to teeth of inhabitants of settlements near the Semipalatinsk Nuclear Test Site (SNTS) was conducted using the EPR dosimetry technique to assess radiation doses associated with exposure to radioactive fallout from the test site. In this study, tooth doses have been reconstructed for 103 persons with all studied teeth having been formed before the first nuclear test in 1949. Doses above those received from natural background radiation, termed “accident doses”, were found to lie in the range from zero to approximately 2 Gy, with one exception, a dose for one person from Semipalatinsk city was approximately 9 Gy. The variability of reconstructed doses within each of the settlements demonstrated heterogeneity of the deposited fallout as well as variations in lifestyle. The village mean external gamma doses for residents of nine[ settlements were in the range from a few tens of mGy to approximately 100 mGy. PMID:19590746

EPR TOOTH DOSIMETRY OF SNTS AREA INHABITANTS.

PubMed

Sholom, Sergey; Desrosiers, Marc; Bouville, André; Luckyanov, Nicholas; Chumak, Vadim; Simon, Steven L

2007-07-01

The determination of external dose to teeth of inhabitants of settlements near the Semipalatinsk Nuclear Test Site (SNTS) was conducted using the EPR dosimetry technique to assess radiation doses associated with exposure to radioactive fallout from the test site. In this study, tooth doses have been reconstructed for 103 persons with all studied teeth having been formed before the first nuclear test in 1949. Doses above those received from natural background radiation, termed "accident doses", were found to lie in the range from zero to approximately 2 Gy, with one exception, a dose for one person from Semipalatinsk city was approximately 9 Gy. The variability of reconstructed doses within each of the settlements demonstrated heterogeneity of the deposited fallout as well as variations in lifestyle. The village mean external gamma doses for residents of nine[ settlements were in the range from a few tens of mGy to approximately 100 mGy.

Improvised Nuclear Device Case Study

DOE Office of Scientific and Technical Information (OSTI.GOV)

Buddemeier, Brooke; Suski, Nancy

2011-07-12

Reducing the casualties of catastrophic terrorist attacks requires an understanding of weapons of mass destruction (WMD) effects, infrastructure damage, atmospheric dispersion, and health effects. The Federal Planning Guidance for Response to a Nuclear Detonation provides the strategy for response to an improvised nuclear device (IND) detonation. The supporting science developed by national laboratories and other technical organizations for this document significantly improves our understanding of the hazards posed by such an event. Detailed fallout predictions from the advanced suite of three-dimensional meteorology and plume/fallout models developed at Lawrence Livermore National Laboratory, including extensive global geographical and real-time meteorological databases tomore » support model calculations, are a key part of response planning. This presentation describes the methodology and results to date, including visualization aids developed for response organizations. These products have greatly enhanced the community planning process through first-person points of view and description of the dynamic nature of the event.« less

The surgical management of benign and malignant thyroid neoplasms in Marshall Islanders exposed to hydrogen bomb fallout.

PubMed

Dobyns, B M; Hyrmer, B A

1992-01-01

On March 1, 1954, a serious fallout accident occurred during the United States atomic testing program at Bikini in the Trust Territory of the Pacific Islands. Following the detonation of a large thermonuclear device (known as Bravo) an unexpected shift in winds resulted in deposition of radioactive debris on several inhabited atolls in the Marshall Islands. During the early post-detonation period military, sea, and air surveys traced the hottest portion of the parabolic cloud as it drifted in an ever widening pattern of diminishing concentration eastward and southeast of Bikini. The center of the cloud passed North of the Rongelap Atoll, which was the nearest inhabited atoll. This report concerns the development of thyroid lesions, the special circumstances encountered during thyroid surgery, and the results of the surgical management of benign and malignant lesions that were subsequently encountered in this population.

Probabilistic Volcanic Multi-Hazard Assessment at Somma-Vesuvius (Italy): coupling Bayesian Belief Networks with a physical model for lahar propagation

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Tierz, Pablo; Woodhouse, Mark; Phillips, Jeremy; Sandri, Laura; Selva, Jacopo; Marzocchi, Warner; Odbert, Henry

2017-04-01

Volcanoes are extremely complex physico-chemical systems where magma formed at depth breaks into the planet's surface resulting in major hazards from local to global scales. Volcano physics are dominated by non-linearities, and complicated spatio-temporal interrelationships which make volcanic hazards stochastic (i.e. not deterministic) by nature. In this context, probabilistic assessments are required to quantify the large uncertainties related to volcanic hazards. Moreover, volcanoes are typically multi-hazard environments where different hazardous processes can occur whether simultaneously or in succession. In particular, explosive volcanoes are able to accumulate, through tephra fallout and Pyroclastic Density Currents (PDCs), large amounts of pyroclastic material into the drainage basins surrounding the volcano. This addition of fresh particulate material alters the local/regional hydrogeological equilibrium and increases the frequency and magnitude of sediment-rich aqueous flows, commonly known as lahars. The initiation and volume of rain-triggered lahars may depend on: rainfall intensity and duration; antecedent rainfall; terrain slope; thickness, permeability and hydraulic diffusivity of the tephra deposit; etc. Quantifying these complex interrelationships (and their uncertainties), in a tractable manner, requires a structured but flexible probabilistic approach. A Bayesian Belief Network (BBN) is a directed acyclic graph that allows the representation of the joint probability distribution for a set of uncertain variables in a compact and efficient way, by exploiting unconditional and conditional independences between these variables. Once constructed and parametrized, the BBN uses Bayesian inference to perform causal (e.g. forecast) and/or evidential reasoning (e.g. explanation) about query variables, given some evidence. In this work, we illustrate how BBNs can be used to model the influence of several variables on the generation of rain-triggered lahars and, finally, assess the probability of occurrence of lahars of different volumes. The information utilized to parametrize the BBNs includes: (1) datasets of lahar observations; (2) numerical modelling of tephra fallout and PDCs; and (3) literature data. The BBN framework provides an opportunity to quantitatively combine these different types of evidence and use them to derive a rational approach to lahar forecasting. Lastly, we couple the BBN assessments with a shallow-water physical model for lahar propagation in order to attach probabilities to the simulated hazard footprints. We develop our methodology at Somma-Vesuvius (Italy), an explosive volcano prone to rain-triggered lahars or debris flows whether right after an eruption or during inter-eruptive periods. Accounting for the variability in tephra-fallout and dense-PDC propagation and the main geomorphological features of the catchments around Somma-Vesuvius, the areas most likely of forming medium-large lahars are the flanks of the volcano and the Sarno mountains towards the east.

Distribution of artificial radionuclides in particle-size fractions of soil on fallout plumes of nuclear explosions.

PubMed

Kabdyrakova, A M; Lukashenko, S N; Mendubaev, A T; Kunduzbayeva, A Ye; Panitskiy, A V; Larionova, N V

2018-06-01

In this paper are analyzed the artificial radionuclide distributions ( 137 Cs, 90 Sr, 241 Am, 239+240 Pu) in particle-size fractions of soils from two radioactive fallout plumes at the Semipalatinsk Test Site. These plumes were generated by a low-yield surface nuclear test and a surface non-nuclear experiment with insignificant nuclear energy release, respectively, and their lengths are approximately 3 and 0,65 km. In contrast with the great majority of similar studies performed in areas affected mainly by global fallout where adsorbing radionuclides such as Pu are mainly associated with the finest soil fractions, in this study it was observed that along both analyzed plumes the highest activity concentrations are concentrated in the coarse soil fractions. At the plume generated by the surface nuclear test, the radionuclides are concentrated mainly in the 1000-500 μm soil fraction (enrichment factor values ranging from 1.2 to 3.8), while at the plume corresponding to the surface non-nuclear test is the 500-250 μm soil fraction the enriched one by technogenic radionuclides (enrichment factor values ranging from 1.1 to 5.1). In addition, the activity concentration distributions among the different soil size fractions are similar for all radionuclides in both plumes. All the obtained data are in agreement with the hypothesis indicating that enrichment observed in the coarse fractions is caused by the presence of radioactive particles resulted from the indicated nuclear tests. Copyright © 2017 Elsevier Ltd. All rights reserved.

Assessment of a remediation technique using the replacement of contaminated soils in kitchen gardens nearby a former lead smelter in Northern France.

PubMed

Douay, F; Roussel, H; Pruvot, C; Loriette, A; Fourrier, H

2008-08-15

Vegetables cultivated in kitchen gardens that are strongly contaminated by heavy metals (Pb, Cd) may represent to consumers a means of exposure to these metals. This exposure is more problematic for those families that include a large quantity of home-grown vegetables in their diet. Researchers have shown that the majority of vegetables produced in kitchen gardens in the vicinity of the Metaleurop Nord smelter (Northern France) do not conform to European regulations. This study was carried out in three of these kitchen gardens. The concentrations of Cd and Pb in the topsoils were up to 24 and 3300 mg kg(-1) respectively. The method consisted of delineating a surface area of about 50 to 100 m(2) for each garden, then removing the contaminated soil and replacing it with a clean one. Seven species of vegetables were cultivated from 2003 to 2005 in the original contaminated soils and the remediated ones. The data showed a clear improvement of the quality of the vegetables cultivated in remediated soils, although 17% of them were still over the European legislative limits for foodstuffs. This suggested that there was a foliar contamination due to contaminated dust fallout coming from the closed smelter site and the adjacent polluted soils. In addition, the measurement of the Cd and Pb concentrations in the dust fallout showed that the substantial rise in metal concentrations in the remediated soil was not only due to atmospheric fallout. These results raise questions about possible technical, economic and sociological problems associated with this kind of remediation.

Hydrometeor-enhanced tephra sedimentation: Constraints from the 18 May 1980 eruption of Mount St. Helens

USGS Publications Warehouse

Durant, A.J.; Rose, William I.; Sarna-Wojcicki, A. M.; Carey, Steven; Volentik, A.C.M.

2009-01-01

Uncertainty remains on the origin of distal mass deposition maxima observed in many recent tephra fall deposits. In this study the link between ash aggregation and the formation of distal mass deposition maxima is investigated through reanalysis of tephra fallout from the Mount St. Helens 18 May 1980 (MSH80) eruption. In addition, we collate all the data needed to model distal ash sedimentation from the MSH80 eruption cloud. Four particle size subpopulations were present in distal fallout with modes at 2.2 ??, 4.2 ??, 5.9 ??, and 8.3 ??. Settling rates of the coarsest subpopulation closely matched predicted single-particle terminal fall velocities. Sedimentation of particles <100 ??m was greatly enhanced, predominantly through aggregation of a particle subpopulation with modal diameter 5.9 ?? 0.2 ?? (19 ?? 3 ??m). Mammatus on the MSH80 cloud provided a mechanism to transport very fine ash particles, with predicted atmospheric lifetimes of days to weeks, from the upper troposphere to the surface in a matter of hours. In this mechanism, ash particles initiate ice hydrometeor formation high in the troposphere. Subsequently, the volcanic cloud rapidly subsides as mammatus develop from increased particle loading and cloud base sublimation. Rapid fallout occurs as the cloud passes through the melting level in a process analogous to snowflake aggregation. Aggregates sediment en masse and form the distal mass deposition maxima observed in many recent volcanic ash fall deposits. This work provides a data resource that will facilitate tephra sedimentation modeling and allow model intercomparisons. Copyright 2009 by the American Geophysical Union.

Chromosome aberrations in Japanese fishermen exposed to fallout radiation 420-1200 km distant from the nuclear explosion test site at Bikini Atoll: report 60 years after the incident.

PubMed

Tanaka, Kimio; Ohtaki, Megu; Hoshi, Masaharu

2016-08-01

During the period from March to May, 1954, the USA conducted six nuclear weapon tests at the "Bravo" detonation sites at the Bikini and Enewetak Atolls, Marshall Islands. At that time, the crew of tuna fishing boats and cargo ships that were operating approximately 150-1200 km away from the test sites were exposed to radioactive fallout. The crew of the fishing boats and those on cargo ships except the "5th Fukuryu-maru" did not undergo any health examinations at the time of the incident. In the present study, chromosome aberrations in peripheral blood lymphocytes were examined in detail by the G-banding method in 17 crew members from 8 fishing boats and 2 from one cargo ship, 60 years after the tests. None of the subjects examined had suffered from cancer. The percentages of both stable-type aberrations such as translocation, inversion and deletion, and unstable-type aberrations such as dicentric and centric ring in the study group were significantly higher (1.4- and 2.3-fold, respectively) than those in nine age-matched controls. In the exposed and control groups, the percentages of stable-type aberrations were 3.35 % and 2.45 %, respectively, and the numbers of dicentric and centric ring chromosomes per 100 cells were 0.35 and 0.15, respectively. Small clones were observed in three members of the exposed group. These results suggest that the crews were exposed to slightly higher levels of fallout than had hitherto been assumed.

Prognostic durability of liver fibrosis tests and improvement in predictive performance for mortality by combining tests.

PubMed

Bertrais, Sandrine; Boursier, Jérôme; Ducancelle, Alexandra; Oberti, Frédéric; Fouchard-Hubert, Isabelle; Moal, Valérie; Calès, Paul

2017-06-01

There is currently no recommended time interval between noninvasive fibrosis measurements for monitoring chronic liver diseases. We determined how long a single liver fibrosis evaluation may accurately predict mortality, and assessed whether combining tests improves prognostic performance. We included 1559 patients with chronic liver disease and available baseline liver stiffness measurement (LSM) by Fibroscan, aspartate aminotransferase to platelet ratio index (APRI), FIB-4, Hepascore, and FibroMeter V2G . Median follow-up was 2.8 years during which 262 (16.8%) patients died, with 115 liver-related deaths. All fibrosis tests were able to predict mortality, although APRI (and FIB-4 for liver-related mortality) showed lower overall discriminative ability than the other tests (differences in Harrell's C-index: P < 0.050). According to time-dependent AUROCs, the time period with optimal predictive performance was 2-3 years in patients with no/mild fibrosis, 1 year in patients with significant fibrosis, and <6 months in cirrhotic patients even in those with a model of end-stage liver disease (MELD) score <15. Patients were then randomly split in training/testing sets. In the training set, blood tests and LSM were independent predictors of all-cause mortality. The best-fit multivariate model included age, sex, LSM, and FibroMeter V2G with C-index = 0.834 (95% confidence interval, 0.803-0.862). The prognostic model for liver-related mortality included the same covariates with C-index = 0.868 (0.831-0.902). In the testing set, the multivariate models had higher prognostic accuracy than FibroMeter V2G or LSM alone for all-cause mortality and FibroMeter V2G alone for liver-related mortality. The prognostic durability of a single baseline fibrosis evaluation depends on the liver fibrosis level. Combining LSM with a blood fibrosis test improves mortality risk assessment. © 2016 Journal of Gastroenterology and Hepatology Foundation and John Wiley & Sons Australia, Ltd.

76 FR 46753 - Taking and Importing Marine Mammals; Taking Marine Mammals Incidental to Coastal Commercial...

Federal Register 2010, 2011, 2012, 2013, 2014

2011-08-03

... the sanctuary. The MBNMS has determined that debris fallout (i.e., spent pyrotechnic materials) from... permitted by MBNMS may be found in MBNMS' application, in MBNMS' Assessment of Pyrotechnic Displays and...

ACUTE AND CHRONIC INTAKES OF FALLOUT RADIONUCLIDES BY MARSHALLESE FROM NUCLEAR WEAPONS TESTING AT BIKINI AND ENEWETAK AND RELATED INTERNAL RADIATION DOSES

PubMed Central

Simon, Steven L.; Bouville, André; Melo, Dunstana; Beck, Harold L.; Weinstock, Robert M.

2014-01-01

Annual internal radiation doses resulting from both acute and chronic intakes of all important dose-contributing radionuclides occurring in fallout from nuclear weapons testing at Bikini and Enewetak from 1946 through 1958 have been estimated for the residents living on all atolls and separate reef islands of the Marshall Islands. Internal radiation absorbed doses to the tissues most at risk to cancer induction (red bone marrow, thyroid, stomach, and colon) have been estimated for representative persons of all population communities for all birth years from 1929 through 1968, and for all years of exposure from 1948 through 1970. The acute intake estimates rely on a model using, as its basis, historical urine bioassay data, for members of the Rongelap Island and Ailinginae communities as well as for Rongerik residents. The model also utilizes fallout times of arrival and radionuclide deposition densities estimated for all tests and all atolls. Acute intakes of 63 radionuclides were estimated for the populations of the 20 inhabited atolls and for the communities that were relocated during the testing years for reasons of safety and decontamination. The model used for chronic intake estimates is based on reported whole-body, urine, and blood counting data for residents of Utrik and Rongelap. Dose conversion coefficients relating intake to organ absorbed dose were developed using internationally accepted models but specifically tailored for intakes of particulate fallout by consideration of literature-based evidence to choose the most appropriate alimentary tract absorption fraction (f1) values. Dose estimates were much higher for the thyroid gland than for red marrow, stomach wall, or colon. The highest thyroid doses to adults were about 7,600 mGy for the people exposed on Rongelap; thyroid doses to adults were much lower, by a factor of 100 or more, for the people exposed on the populated atolls of Kwajalein and Majuro. The estimates of radionuclide intake and internal radiation dose to the Marshallese that are presented in this paper are the most complete available anywhere and were used to make projections of lifetime cancer risks to the exposed populations, which are presented in a companion paper in this volume. PMID:20622550

A first attempt to derive soil erosion rates from 137Cs airborne gamma measurements in two Alpine valleys

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Arata, Laura; Meusburger, Katrin; Bucher, Benno; Mabit, Lionel; Alewell, Christine

2016-04-01

The application of fallout radionuclides (FRNs) as soil tracers is currently one of the most promising and effective approach for evaluating soil erosion magnitudes in mountainous grasslands. Conventional assessment or measurement methods are laborious and constrained by the topographic and climatic conditions of the Alps. The 137Cs (half-life = 30.2 years) is the most frequently used FRN to study soil redistribution. However the application of 137Cs in alpine grasslands is compromised by the high heterogeneity of the fallout due to the origin of 137Cs fallout in the Alps, which is linked to single rain events occurring just after the Chernobyl accident when most of the Alpine soils were still covered by snow. The aim of this study was to improve our understanding of the 137Cs distribution in two study areas in the Central Swiss Alps: the Ursern valley (Canton Uri), and the Piora valley (Canton Ticino). In June 2015, a helicopter equipped with a NaI gamma detector flew over the two study sites and screened the 137Cs activity of the top soil. The use of airborne gamma measurements is particularly efficient in case of higher 137Cs concentration in the soil. Due to their high altitude and high precipitation rates, the Swiss Alps are expected to be more contaminated by 137Cs fallout than other parts of Switzerland. The airborne gamma measurements have been related to several key parameters which characterize the areas, such as soil properties, slopes, expositions and land uses. The ground truthing of the airborne measurements (i.e. the 137Cs laboratory measurements of the soil samples collected at the same points) returned a good fit. The obtained results offer an overview of the 137Cs concentration in the study areas, which allowed us to identify suitable reference sites, and to analyse the relationship between the 137Cs distribution and the above cited parameters. The authors also derived a preliminary qualitative and a quantitative assessment of soil redistribution rates for the two study areas. Future works will focus on (i) the comparison to other soil erosion studies conducted in the same areas and (ii) the comparison of present results with the airborne measurements performed over the same areas in 1986 just after the Chernobyl power plant accident.

Is exposure to ionising radiation associated with childhood cardiac arrhythmia in the Russian territories contaminated by the Chernobyl fallout? A cross-sectional population-based study.

PubMed

Jourdain, Jean-Rene; Landon, Geraldine; Clero, Enora; Doroshchenko, Vladimir; Silenok, Aleksandr; Kurnosova, Irina; Butsenin, Andrei; Denjoy, Isabelle; Franck, Didier; Heuze, Jean-Pierre; Gourmelon, Patrick

2018-03-25

To investigate childhood cardiac arrhythmia and chronic exposure to caesium-137 ( 137 Cs) resulting from the Chernobyl accident. Prospective cross-sectional study using exposed/unexposed design conducted in the Bryansk region from May 2009 to May 2013 on children selected on the basis of 137 Cs soil deposition: control territories ([ 137 Cs]<37 kBq per square metre, where children were considered as unexposed) and contaminated territories ([ 137 Cs]>555 kBq per square metre, where children were considered as exposed). Russian territories affected by the Chernobyl fallout (Bryansk region). This cross-sectional study included 18 152 children aged 2-18 years and living in the Bryansk region (Russia). All children received three medical examinations (ECG, echocardiography and 137 Cs whole-body activity measurement) and some of them were given with a 24-hour Holter monitoring and blood tests. Cardiac arrhythmia was diagnosed in 1172 children living in contaminated territories and 1354 children living in control territories. The crude prevalence estimated to 13.3% in contaminated territories was significantly lower than in control territories with 15.2% over the period 2009-2013 (P<0.001). Considering 137 Cs whole-body burden as exposure, cardiac arrhythmia was found in 449 contaminated children and 2077 uncontaminated children, corresponding to an estimated crude prevalence of 14.5% and 14.2%, respectively, which does not differ significantly (P=0.74). Also, we investigated the association between territory, exposure to 137 Cs and cardiac arrhythmia: the adjusted OR was not significant (0.90 with 95% CI 0.81 to 1.00; P=0.06) for the territory. For 137 Cs whole-body burden, the ORs close to 1 did not reach statistical significance (P for trend=0.97). This study does not observe an association between cardiac arrhythmia and 137 Cs deposition levels in the Bryansk region exposed to Chernobyl fallout. The suspected increase of cardiac arrhythmia in children exposed to Chernobyl fallout is not confirmed. © Article author(s) (or their employer(s) unless otherwise stated in the text of the article) 2018. All rights reserved. No commercial use is permitted unless otherwise expressly granted.

Textural and geochemical constraints on eruptive style of the 79AD eruption at Vesuvius

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Balcone-Boissard, Hélène; Boudon, Georges; Villemant, Benoît.

2010-05-01

The 79AD eruption of Vesuvius, also known as the "Pompeii eruption", is the reference for one of the explosive eruptive styles, the plinian-type eruption. The eruption involved H2O-rich phonolitic magmas and is commonly divided into three phases: an initial phreatomagmatic phase, followed by a plinian event which produced a thick pumice fallout deposit and a final phase that was dominated by numerous column-collapse events. During the plinian phase, a first white pumice fallout was produced from a high steady eruptive column, followed by a grey pumice fallout originated by an oscillatory eruptive column with several partial column collapse events. This study focuses on the pumice fallout deposits, sampled in a proximal thick section, at the Terzigno quarry, 6 km southeast of the present crater. In order to constrain the degassing processes and the eruptive dynamics, major element compositions, residual volatile contents (H2O, Cl) and textural characteristics (vesicularity and microcrystallinity) were studied. A previous study that we performed on the pre-eruptive Cl content has shown that Cl may be used as an indicator of magma saturation with Cl-rich fluids and of pre-eruptive pressures. Cl contents measured in melt inclusions show that only the white pumice and the upper part of the grey pumice magma were H2O saturated prior eruption. Large variations in residual volatile contents exist between the different eruptive units and textural features strongly differ between white and grey pumice clasts but also within the grey pumice clasts. The degassing processes were thus highly heterogeneous: the white pumice eruptive units represent a typical closed-system degassing evolution whereas the first grey pumice one, stored in the same pre-eruptive saturation conditions, follows a particular open-system degassing evolution. Here we propose a new model of the 79AD eruption where pre-eruptive conditions (H2O saturation, magma temperature and viscosity) are the critical parameters which determine the diversity of the syn-eruptive degassing processes and hence the eruptive dynamics. We suggest that the oscillatory regime that dominates the grey pumice eruptive phase is linked to the pre-eruptive water undersaturation of most part of the grey magma and to the time delays necessary for H2O exsolution.

Acute and chronic intakes of fallout radionuclides by Marshallese from nuclear weapons testing at Bikini and Enewetak and related internal radiation doses.

PubMed

Simon, Steven L; Bouville, André; Melo, Dunstana; Beck, Harold L; Weinstock, Robert M

2010-08-01

Annual internal radiation doses resulting from both acute and chronic intakes of all important dose-contributing radionuclides occurring in fallout from nuclear weapons testing at Bikini and Enewetak from 1946 through 1958 have been estimated for the residents living on all atolls and separate reef islands of the Marshall Islands. Internal radiation absorbed doses to the tissues most at risk to cancer induction (red bone marrow, thyroid, stomach, and colon) have been estimated for representative persons of all population communities for all birth years from 1929 through 1968, and for all years of exposure from 1948 through 1970. The acute intake estimates rely on a model using, as its basis, historical urine bioassay data, for members of the Rongelap Island and Ailinginae communities as well as for Rongerik residents. The model also utilizes fallout times of arrival and radionuclide deposition densities estimated for all tests and all atolls. Acute intakes of 63 radionuclides were estimated for the populations of the 20 inhabited atolls and for the communities that were relocated during the testing years for reasons of safety and decontamination. The model used for chronic intake estimates is based on reported whole-body, urine, and blood counting data for residents of Utrik and Rongelap. Dose conversion coefficients relating intake to organ absorbed dose were developed using internationally accepted models but specifically tailored for intakes of particulate fallout by consideration of literature-based evidence to choose the most appropriate alimentary tract absorption fraction (f1) values. Dose estimates were much higher for the thyroid gland than for red marrow, stomach wall, or colon. The highest thyroid doses to adults were about 7,600 mGy for the people exposed on Rongelap; thyroid doses to adults were much lower, by a factor of 100 or more, for the people exposed on the populated atolls of Kwajalein and Majuro. The estimates of radionuclide intake and internal radiation dose to the Marshallese that are presented in this paper are the most complete available anywhere and were used to make projections of lifetime cancer risks to the exposed populations, which are presented in a companion paper in this volume.

Key Response Planning Factors for the Aftermath of Nuclear Terrorism

DOE Office of Scientific and Technical Information (OSTI.GOV)

Buddemeier, B R; Dillon, M B

Despite hundreds of above-ground nuclear tests and data gathered from Hiroshima and Nagasaki, the effects of a ground-level, low-yield nuclear detonation in a modern urban environment are still the subject of considerable scientific debate. Extensive review of nuclear weapon effects studies and discussions with nuclear weapon effects experts from various federal agencies, national laboratories, and technical organizations have identified key issues and bounded some of the unknowns required to support response planning for a low-yield, ground-level nuclear detonation in a modern U.S. city. This study, which is focused primarily upon the hazards posed by radioactive fallout, used detailed fallout predictionsmore » from the advanced suite of three-dimensional (3-D) meteorology and plume/fallout models developed at Lawrence Livermore National Laboratory (LLNL), including extensive global Key Response Planning Factors for the Aftermath of Nuclear Terrorism geographical and real-time meteorological databases to support model calculations. This 3-D modeling system provides detailed simulations that account for complex meteorology and terrain effects. The results of initial modeling and analysis were presented to federal, state, and local working groups to obtain critical, broad-based review and feedback on strategy and messaging. This effort involved a diverse set of communities, including New York City, National Capitol Regions, Charlotte, Houston, Portland, and Los Angeles. The largest potential for reducing casualties during the post-detonation response phase comes from reducing exposure to fallout radiation. This can be accomplished through early, adequate sheltering followed by informed, delayed evacuation.B The response challenges to a nuclear detonation must be solved through multiple approaches of public education, planning, and rapid response actions. Because the successful response will require extensive coordination of a large number of organizations, supplemented by appropriate responses by local responders and the general population within the hazard zones, regional planning is essential to success. The remainder of this Executive Summary provides summary guidance for response planning in three areas: (1) Public Protection Strategy details the importance of early, adequate shelter followed by informed evacuation. (2) Responder Priorities identify how to protect response personnel, perform regional situational assessment, and support public safety. (3) Key Planning Considerations refute common myths and provide important information on planning how to respond in the aftermath of nuclear terrorism.« less

Biogeochemical cycles of Chernobyl-born radionuclides in the contaminated forest ecosystems: long-term dynamics of the migration processes

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Shcheglov, Alexey; Tsvetnova, Ol'ga; Klyashtorin, Alexey

2013-04-01

Biogeochemical migration is a dominant factor of the radionuclide transport through the biosphere. In the early XX century, V.I. Vernadskii, a Russian scientist known, noted about a special role living things play in transport and accumulation of natural radionuclide in various environments. The role of biogeochemical processes in migration and redistribution of technogenic radionuclides is not less important. In Russia, V. M. Klechkovskii and N.V. Timofeev-Ressovskii showed some important biogeochemical aspects of radionuclide migration by the example of global fallout and Kyshtym accident. Their followers, R.M. Alexakhin, M.A. Naryshkin, N.V. Kulikov, F.A. Tikhomirov, E.B. Tyuryukanova, and others also contributed a lot to biogeochemistry of radionuclides. In the post-Chernobyl period, this area of knowledge received a lot of data that allowed building the radioactive element balance and flux estimation in various biogeochemical cycles [Shcheglov et al., 1999]. Regrettably, many of recent radioecological studies are only focused on specific radionuclide fluxes or pursue some applied tasks, missing the holistic approach. Most of the studies consider biogeochemical fluxes of radioactive isotopes in terms of either dose estimation or radionuclide migration rates in various food chains. However, to get a comprehensive picture and develop a reliable forecast of environmental, ecological, and social consequences of radioactive pollution in a vast contaminated area, it is necessary to investigate all the radionuclide fluxes associated with the biogeochemical cycles in affected ecosystems. We believe such an integrated approach would be useful to study long-term environmental consequences of the Fukushima accident as well. In our long-term research, we tried to characterize the flux dynamics of the Chernobyl-born radionuclides in the contaminated forest ecosystems and landscapes as a part of the integrated biogeochemical process. Our field studies were started in June of 1986 (less than two months after the accident) and have been continued up to now, focused on the most common forest ecosystems scattered over the contaminated areas of Russian Federation and Ukraine. A comprehensive analysis of the 137Cs and 90Sr biogeochemical fluxes shows that downward radionuclide fluxes (those directed from tree crowns to the soil) dominated over the upward fluxes (from the soil to forest vegetation) in the first years after the accident. Currently, the biological cycle in the contaminated ecosystems is a main factor impeding further vertical migration of long-lived radionuclides from upper soil layers to the ground water. The role of biota as a retardation factor depends on landscape type as well. In accumulative landscapes (with positive material balance), biota plays leading role in radionuclide retardation, while in eluvial landscapes (with the negative balance) soil absorbing complex serves as the dominant barrier for radionuclides leaching down the soil profile. The manifestation of both soil- and biota-driven factors depends on the radionuclide chemical speciation in the initial fallout. The latter factor is most important for 137Cs, yet less manifested for 90Sr. Among the biota components, fungi and forest vegetation are of particular importance for 137Cs and 90Sr accumulation, respectively. In summary, biogeochemical cycles of 137Cs and 90Sr in the investigated forest ecosystems serve as main factors impeding the radionuclide migration from the fallout to ground water. Larger-scale landscape factors determine the radionuclide flux intensity in the biogeochemical cycles and affect the radionuclide spatial variability in the contaminated biota components.

Estimation of the caesium-137 source term from the Fukushima Daiichi nuclear power plant using a consistent joint assimilation of air concentration and deposition observations

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Winiarek, Victor; Bocquet, Marc; Duhanyan, Nora; Roustan, Yelva; Saunier, Olivier; Mathieu, Anne

2014-01-01

Inverse modelling techniques can be used to estimate the amount of radionuclides and the temporal profile of the source term released in the atmosphere during the accident of the Fukushima Daiichi nuclear power plant in March 2011. In Winiarek et al. (2012b), the lower bounds of the caesium-137 and iodine-131 source terms were estimated with such techniques, using activity concentration measurements. The importance of an objective assessment of prior errors (the observation errors and the background errors) was emphasised for a reliable inversion. In such critical context where the meteorological conditions can make the source term partly unobservable and where only a few observations are available, such prior estimation techniques are mandatory, the retrieved source term being very sensitive to this estimation. We propose to extend the use of these techniques to the estimation of prior errors when assimilating observations from several data sets. The aim is to compute an estimate of the caesium-137 source term jointly using all available data about this radionuclide, such as activity concentrations in the air, but also daily fallout measurements and total cumulated fallout measurements. It is crucial to properly and simultaneously estimate the background errors and the prior errors relative to each data set. A proper estimation of prior errors is also a necessary condition to reliably estimate the a posteriori uncertainty of the estimated source term. Using such techniques, we retrieve a total released quantity of caesium-137 in the interval 11.6-19.3 PBq with an estimated standard deviation range of 15-20% depending on the method and the data sets. The “blind” time intervals of the source term have also been strongly mitigated compared to the first estimations with only activity concentration data.

Inland and Near-Shore Water Profiles Derived from the High-Altitude Multiple Altimeter Beam Experimental Lidar (MABEL)

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

Jasinski, Michael F.; Stoll, Jeremy D.; Cook, William B.; Ondrusek, Michael; Stengel, Eric; Brunt, Kelly

2016-01-01

The Advanced Topographic Laser Altimeter System (ATLAS) on the Ice, Cloud, and Land Elevation Satellite (ICESat-2) mission is a six beam, low energy, high repetition rate, 532-nanometer laser transmitter with photon counting detectors. Although designed primarily for detecting height changes in ice caps, sea ice, and vegetation, the polar-orbiting satellite will observe global surface water during its designed three-year life span, including inland waterbodies, coasts, and open oceans. In preparation for the mission, an ICESat-2 prototype, the Multiple Altimeter Beam Experimental Lidar (MABEL), was built and flown on high-altitude aircraft experiments over a range of inland and near-shore targets. The purpose was to test the ATLAS concept and to provide a database for developing an algorithm that detects along track surface water height and light penetration under a range of atmospheric and water conditions. The current analysis examines the data sets of three MABEL transects observed from 20 kilometers above ground of coastal and inland waters conducted in 2012 and 2013. Transects ranged from about 2 to 12 kilometers in length and included the middle Chesapeake Bay, the near-shore Atlantic coast at Virginia Beach, and Lake Mead. Results indicate MABEL's high capability for retrieving surface water height statistics with a mean height precision ofapproximately 5-7 centimeters per 100-meter segment length. Profiles of attenuated subsurface backscatter, characterized using a Signal to Background Ratio written in Log10 base, or LSBR (sub 0), were observed over a range of 1.3 to 9.3 meters, depending on water clarity and atmospheric background. Results indicate that observable penetration depth, although primarily dependent on water properties, was greatest when the solar background rate was low. Near-shore bottom reflectance was detected only at the Lake Mead site down to a maximum of 10 meters under a clear night sky and low turbidity of approximately 1.6 Nephelometric Turbidity Units (NTU). The overall results suggest that the feasibility of retrieving operational surface water height statistics from space-based photon counting systems such as ATLAS is very high for resolutions down to about 100 meters, even in partly cloudy conditions. The capability to observe subsurface backscatterprofiles is achievable but requires much longer transects of several hundreds of meters.

Proliferation of Weapons of Mass Destruction: Assessing and Risks

DTIC Science & Technology

1993-10-01

Disarmament Studies Matthew S. Meselson Leonard S. Spector Department of Biochemistry Senior Associate Thomas R. Fox and Molecular Biology Carnegie...Nuclear radiation (immediate) Flash burns, blinding, burning or suffocation from building fires Nuclear radiation (delayed effects and fallout effects

Fallout: Its Characteristics and Management

DTIC Science & Technology

1983-12-01

subclinical ) 100-200 Excellent (clinical surveillance) 200-600 0-90% mortality (therapy effective) 600-1000 90%-100% mortality (therapy promising...the time of exposure (i 1954). Of those 28 persons with thyroid lesions, 3 developed malignancy, 2 suffered hypothyroidism , and all others developed

1. View of Building 802 from the parking lot, Building ...

Library of Congress Historic Buildings Survey, Historic Engineering Record, Historic Landscapes Survey

1. View of Building 802 from the parking lot, Building 800 in the background, facing east. - Naval Air Station Fallon, 100-man Fallout Shelter, 800 Complex, off Carson Road near intersection of Pasture & Berney Roads, Fallon, Churchill County, NV

A Phase One Archaeological Survey of the Cottonwood, Redwood and Yellow Medicine Drainages in Southwestern Minnesota

DTIC Science & Technology

1989-03-01

and June 15, a three person field team conducted the archaeological survey in the Cottonwood, Redwood, and Yellow Medicine subbasins. The project...discovering sites that are exposed on the ground surface. A three- person survey team can examine between 100 and 150 acres per day, depending on field...results are dependent on the interval used between individual shovel tests. When 15 meter intervals between tests are used, we estimate that one person

SU-G-IeP3-01: Better Kerma-Area-Product (KAP) Estimation Using the System Parameters in Radiography and Fluoroscopy

DOE Office of Scientific and Technical Information (OSTI.GOV)

Kim, D; MacDougall, R

2016-06-15

Purpose: Accurate values for Kerma-Area-Product (KAP) are needed for patient dosimetry and quality control for exams utilizing radiographic and/or fluoroscopic imaging. The KAP measured using a typical direct KAP meter built with parallel-plate transmission ionization chamber is not precise and depends on the energy spectrum of diagnostic x-rays. This study compared the accuracy and reproducibility of KAP derived from system parameters with values measured with a direct KAP meter. Methods: IEC tolerance for displayed KAP is specified up to ± 35% above 2.5 Gy-cm{sup 2} and manufacturer’s specifications are typically ± 25%. KAP values from the direct KAP meter driftsmore » with time leading to replacement or re-calibration. More precise and consistent KAP is achievable utilizing a database of known radiation output for various system parameters. The integrated KAP meter was removed from a radiography system. A total of 48 measurements of air kerma were acquired at x-ray tube potential from 40 to 150 kVp with 10 kVp increment using ion chamber type external dosimeter at free-in-air geometry for four different types of filter combinations following the manufacturer’s service procedure. These data were used to create updated correction factors that determine air kerma computationally for given system parameters. Results of calculated KAP were evaluated against results using a calibrated ion chamber based dosimeter and a computed radiography imaging plate to measure x-ray field size. Results: The accuracy of calculated KAP from the system parameters was better within 4% deviation in all diagnostic x-ray tube potentials tested from 50 to 140 kVp. In contrast, deviations of up to 25% were measured from KAP displayed from the direct KAP meter. Conclusion: The “calculated KAP” approach provides the nominal advantage of improved accuracy and precision of displayed KAP as well as reduced cost of calibrating or replacing integrated KAP meters.« less

Analysis of the Nova Stat Strip® Glucose Meter for Real-Time Blood Glucose Determinations During Glucose Clamp Studies: “Don't Swap Horses in Midstream”

PubMed Central

Heinemann, Lutz

2010-01-01

Proper performance of glucose clamps is critically dependent on reliable blood glucose (BG) measurements. A number of requirements have to be fulfilled by a system that aims to replace the laboratory devices that are currently in use. Many more aspects need to be taken into account besides the accuracy of BG measurement. It might very well be that the BG meter studied by Rabiee and colleagues in this issue of Journal of Diabetes Science and Technology fulfills most or all of such requirements; however, these aspects have to be tested more thoroughly before one switches from an established measurement method to the Nova Stat Strip® glucometer. PMID:20920441

Method for curing polymers using variable-frequency microwave heating

DOEpatents

Lauf, R.J.; Bible, D.W.; Paulauskas, F.L.

1998-02-24

A method for curing polymers incorporating a variable frequency microwave furnace system designed to allow modulation of the frequency of the microwaves introduced into a furnace cavity is disclosed. By varying the frequency of the microwave signal, non-uniformities within the cavity are minimized, thereby achieving a more uniform cure throughout the workpiece. A directional coupler is provided for detecting the direction of a signal and further directing the signal depending on the detected direction. A first power meter is provided for measuring the power delivered to the microwave furnace. A second power meter detects the magnitude of reflected power. The furnace cavity may be adapted to be used to cure materials defining a continuous sheet or which require compressive forces during curing. 15 figs.

DOE Office of Scientific and Technical Information (OSTI.GOV)

None, None

Smart grids are susceptible to cyber-attack as a result of new communication, control and computation techniques employed in the grid. In this paper, we characterize and analyze the resiliency of smart grid communication architecture, specifically an RF mesh based architecture, under cyber attacks. We analyze the resiliency of the communication architecture by studying the performance of high-level smart grid functions such as metering, and demand response which depend on communication. Disrupting the operation of these functions impacts the operational resiliency of the smart grid. Our analysis shows that it takes an attacker only a small fraction of meters to compromisemore » the communication resiliency of the smart grid. We discuss the implications of our result to critical smart grid functions and to the overall security of the smart grid.« less

Fluid identification based on P-wave anisotropy dispersion gradient inversion for fractured reservoirs

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Zhang, J. W.; Huang, H. D.; Zhu, B. H.; Liao, W.

2017-10-01

Fluid identification in fractured reservoirs is a challenging issue and has drawn increasing attentions. As aligned fractures in subsurface formations can induce anisotropy, we must choose parameters independent with azimuths to characterize fractures and fluid effects such as anisotropy parameters for fractured reservoirs. Anisotropy is often frequency dependent due to wave-induced fluid flow between pores and fractures. This property is conducive for identifying fluid type using azimuthal seismic data in fractured reservoirs. Through the numerical simulation based on Chapman model, we choose the P-wave anisotropy parameter dispersion gradient (PADG) as the new fluid factor. PADG is dependent both on average fracture radius and fluid type but independent on azimuths. When the aligned fractures in the reservoir are meter-scaled, gas-bearing layer could be accurately identified using PADG attribute. The reflection coefficient formula for horizontal transverse isotropy media by Rüger is reformulated and simplified according to frequency and the target function for inverting PADG based on frequency-dependent amplitude versus azimuth is derived. A spectral decomposition method combining Orthogonal Matching Pursuit and Wigner-Ville distribution is used to prepare the frequency-division data. Through application to synthetic data and real seismic data, the results suggest that the method is useful for gas identification in reservoirs with meter-scaled fractures using high-qualified seismic data.

Assessment of exposure to radio frequency electromagnetic fields from smart utility meters in GB; part II) numerical assessment of induced SAR within the human body.

PubMed

Qureshi, Muhammad R A; Alfadhl, Yasir; Chen, Xiaodong; Peyman, Azadeh; Maslanyj, Myron; Mann, Simon

2018-04-01

Human body exposure to radiofrequency electromagnetic waves emitted from smart meters was assessed using various exposure configurations. Specific energy absorption rate distributions were determined using three anatomically realistic human models. Each model was assigned with age- and frequency-dependent dielectric properties representing a collection of age groups. Generalized exposure conditions involving standing and sleeping postures were assessed for a home area network operating at 868 and 2,450 MHz. The smart meter antenna was fed with 1 W power input which is an overestimation of what real devices typically emit (15 mW max limit). The highest observed whole body specific energy absorption rate value was 1.87 mW kg -1 , within the child model at a distance of 15 cm from a 2,450 MHz device. The higher values were attributed to differences in dimension and dielectric properties within the model. Specific absorption rate (SAR) values were also estimated based on power density levels derived from electric field strength measurements made at various distances from smart meter devices. All the calculated SAR values were found to be very small in comparison to International Commission on Non-Ionizing Radiation Protection limits for public exposure. Bioelectromagnetics. 39:200-216, 2018. © 2017 Wiley Periodicals, Inc. © 2017 Wiley Periodicals, Inc.

Altitude-Dependent Prevalence of Canine Granulocytic Anaplasmosis in Romania.

PubMed

Matei, Ioana Adriana; Ionică, Angela Monica; D'Amico, Gianluca; Corduneanu, Alexandra; Daskalaki, Aikaterini Alexandra; Lefkaditis, Menelaos; Mihalca, Andrei Daniel

2017-02-01

Canine granulocytic anaplasmosis (CGA) is an important tick-borne disease with worldwide distribution. The importance of this disease resides in the ability of Anaplasma phagocytophilum to infect humans and several animal species. The aim of the study was to evaluate the prevalence rate of CGA in different altitudinal areas of Romania. A total of 357 canine blood samples were collected during 2010-2013 from eight counties. To assess the influence of the altitude on A. phagocytophilum prevalence, the samples were collected from four different altitude areas (coastal 0-5 meters; lowland 6-100 meters; hilly areas 200-300 meters; low mountain areas >500 meters). These samples were evaluated for the presence of A. phagocytophilum DNA by amplifying part of the Ankyrin repeat protein (AnkA) gene. A higher prevalence was obtained for coastal compared with remaining areas, suggesting an influence of altitude on the CGA. Moreover, the results suggest an influence of climate and rainfall. In the present research work, we highlight the risk of granulocytic anaplasmosis in Central and Southern Romania, with a greater risk associated to Southern lowland region, especially in coastal areas. The importance of these results resides in the zoonotic potential of the canine A. phagocytophilum strains. In conclusion, the altitude and precipitation level may be risk factors for A. phagocytophilum infection in dogs and other hosts, including humans.

Diffusion and Electric Mobility of Ions within Isolated Cuticles of Citrus aurantium 1

PubMed Central

Tyree, Melvin T.; Wescott, Charles R.; Tabor, Christopher A.

1991-01-01

We report a new method for measuring cation and anion permeability across cuticles of sour orange, Citrus aurantium, leaves. The method requires the measurement of two electrical parameters: the diffusion potential arising when the two sides of the cuticle are bathed in unequal concentrations of a Cl− salt; and the electrical conductance of the cuticle measured at a salt concentration equal to the average of that used in the diffusion-potential measurement. The permeabilities of H+, Li+, Na+, K+, and Cs+ ranged from 2 × 10−8 to 0.6 × 10−8 meters per second when cuticles were bathed in 2 moles per cubic meter Cl− salts. The permeability of Cl− was 3 × 10−9 meters per second. The permeability of Li+, Na+, and K+ was about five times less when measured in 500 moles per cubic meter Cl− salts. We also report an asymmetry in cuticle-conductance values depending on the magnitude and the direction of current flow. The asymmetry disappears at low current-pulse magnitude and increases linearly with the magnitude of the current pulse. This phenomenon is explained in terms of transport-number effects in a bilayer model of the cuticle. Conductance is not augmented by current carried by exchangeable cations in cuticles; conductance is rate limited by the outer waxy layer of the cuticle. PMID:16668382

Quantum Dot Detector Enhancement for Narrow Band Multispectral Applications

DTIC Science & Technology

2013-12-01

19 2.4.3 Dark Current and Noise Current Measurement of QDIPs ............................ 20 3.0...Current of QDIPs Measured by Source Meter .................................................. 21 Figure 20: Schematic View of Noise Current Setup...Photodetectors, or QWIPs ), reduced dependence of the carrier distribution on the temperature, higher photoconductive gain, carrier lifetimes 10-100 times

40 CFR 86.1342-90 - Calculations; exhaust emissions.

Code of Federal Regulations, 2013 CFR

2013-07-01

... = Volume of gas pumped by the positive displacement pump, in cubic feet (cubic meters) per revolution. This volume is dependent on the pressure differential across the positive displacement pump. (vii) N = Number... mass: HCmass = Vmix × DensityHC × (HCconc/106) (2) Oxides of nitrogen mass: NOxmass = Vmix × DensityNO2...

40 CFR 86.1342-90 - Calculations; exhaust emissions.

Code of Federal Regulations, 2012 CFR

2012-07-01

... = Volume of gas pumped by the positive displacement pump, in cubic feet (cubic meters) per revolution. This volume is dependent on the pressure differential across the positive displacement pump. (vii) N = Number... mass: HCmass = Vmix × DensityHC × (HCconc/106) (2) Oxides of nitrogen mass: NOxmass = Vmix × DensityNO2...

40 CFR 86.544-90 - Calculations; exhaust emissions.

Code of Federal Regulations, 2014 CFR

2014-07-01

... Where: (iv) Vo = Volume of gas pumped by the positive displacement pump, in cubic meters per revolution. This volume is dependent on the pressure differential across the positive displacement pump. (See... × DensityHC × (HCconc/1,000,000) (2) Oxides of nitrogen mass: NOxmass = Vmix × DensityNO2 × KH × (NOxconc/1...

40 CFR 86.1342-90 - Calculations; exhaust emissions.

Code of Federal Regulations, 2010 CFR

2010-07-01

... = Volume of gas pumped by the positive displacement pump, in cubic feet (cubic meters) per revolution. This volume is dependent on the pressure differential across the positive displacement pump. (vii) N = Number... mass: HCmass = Vmix × DensityHC × (HCconc/106) (2) Oxides of nitrogen mass: NOxmass = Vmix × DensityNO2...

40 CFR 86.1342-90 - Calculations; exhaust emissions.

Code of Federal Regulations, 2011 CFR

2011-07-01

... = Volume of gas pumped by the positive displacement pump, in cubic feet (cubic meters) per revolution. This volume is dependent on the pressure differential across the positive displacement pump. (vii) N = Number... mass: HCmass = Vmix × DensityHC × (HCconc/106) (2) Oxides of nitrogen mass: NOxmass = Vmix × DensityNO2...

Skin Friction Measurements Using Luminescent Oil Films

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Husen, Nicholas M.

As aircraft are designed to a greater extent on computers, the need for accurate and fast CFD algorithms has never been greater. The development of CFD algorithms requires experimental data against which CFD output can be validated and from which insight about flow physics can be acquired. Skin friction, in particular, is an important quantity to predict with CFD, and experimental skin friction data sets aid not only with the validation of the CFD predictions, but also in tuning the CFD models to predict specific flow fields. However, a practical experimental technique for collecting spatially and temporally resolved skin friction data on complex models does not yet exist. This dissertation develops and demonstrates a new luminescent oil film skin friction meter which can produce spatially-resolved quantitative steady and unsteady skin friction data on models with complex curvature. The skin friction acting on the surface of a thin film of oil can be approximated by the expression tauw =mu ouh/h, where mu o is the dynamic viscosity of the oil, uh is the velocity of the surface of the oil film, and h is the thickness of the oil film. The new skin friction meter determines skin friction by measuring h and uh. The oil film thickness h is determined by ratioing the intensity of the fluorescent emissions from the oil film with the intensity of the incident light which is scattered from the surface of the model. When properly calibrated, that ratio provides an absolute oil film thickness value. This oil film thickness meter is therefore referred as the Ratioed-Image Film-Thickness (RIFT) Meter. The oil film velocity uh is determined by monitoring the evolution of tagged molecules within the oil film: Photochromic molecules are dissolved into the fluorescent oil and a pattern is written into the oil film using an ultraviolet laser. The evolution of the pattern is recorded, and standard cross-correlation techniques are applied to the resulting sequence of images. This newly developed skin friction meter is therefore called the Luminescent Oil Film Flow-Tagging skin friction meter, or the LOFFT skin friction meter. The LOFFT skin friction meter is demonstrated by collecting time-averaged skin friction measurements on NASA's FAITH model and by collecting unsteady skin friction measurements with a frequency response of 600Hz. Higher frequency response is possible and is dependent on the experimental setup. This dissertation also contributes to the work done on the Global Luminescent Oil Film Skin Friction Meter (GLOFSFM) by noting that the technique could be influenced by ripples at the oil-air interface. An experiment studying the evolution of ripples at the oil-air interface was conducted to determine under what oil film conditions the GLOFSFM can be appropriately applied. The RIFT meter was crucial for this experiment, as it facilitated quantitative distributed oil film thickness measurements during the wind-tunnel run. The resulting data set is rich in content, permitting the computation of mean wavelengths, peak-to-trough ripple heights, wave speeds, and mean thicknesses. In addition to determining under what oil film conditions the GLOFSFM may be applied, this experiment directly determined the oil film conditions under which the velocity of the ripples may be used to proxy the velocity of the oil film surface. The RIFT meter and the ability to determine oil film surface velocity by monitoring ripple velocities admit yet another time-averaged skin friction meter, the Fluorescent-Oil Ripple-Velocity (FORV) skin friction meter. The FORV skin friction meter recovers skin friction as tau w = muovrip/H, where vrip is the velocity of the ripples, and H is the oil film thickness averaged over the thickness fluctuations due to the ripples. The FORV skin friction meter is demonstrated on NASA's FAITH model.

Surveys of facilities for the potential effects from the fallout of airborne graphite fibers

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

Butterfield, A. J.

1980-01-01

The impact of the entry of graphite fibers into workplaces in the United States is discussed. Areas where an electrical failure could cause major problems include process and production systems, hospitals, and police/fire emergency communication systems.

Cloud Chemistry of Fallout Formation

DTIC Science & Technology

1968-01-31

SILICATES ....... 19 LEACHING STUDIES ..... ............................ 26 HIGH-TEMPERATURE MASS SPECTROMETRY ............... 31 Rare-Earth Oxide ...reactions between technetium oxides ................. 39 TABLES 1 . Small Boy particle size-weight fraction description (each particle size fraction...29 9. Rare-earth oxide thermodynamics (Reaction 15) ............... 32 10. Enthalpies for gas-phase reactions

5. View of Building 802 from the parking lot, Buildings ...

Library of Congress Historic Buildings Survey, Historic Engineering Record, Historic Landscapes Survey

5. View of Building 802 from the parking lot, Buildings 800 and 801 in the background, facing southeast. - Naval Air Station Fallon, 100-man Fallout Shelter, 800 Complex, off Carson Road near intersection of Pasture & Berney Roads, Fallon, Churchill County, NV

3. View of Building 802 from the Guard Shack (Building ...

Library of Congress Historic Buildings Survey, Historic Engineering Record, Historic Landscapes Survey

3. View of Building 802 from the Guard Shack (Building 801), Buildings 800 and 804 beside, facing north. - Naval Air Station Fallon, 100-man Fallout Shelter, 800 Complex, off Carson Road near intersection of Pasture & Berney Roads, Fallon, Churchill County, NV

2. View of Building 802 from the parking lot, Building ...

Library of Congress Historic Buildings Survey, Historic Engineering Record, Historic Landscapes Survey

2. View of Building 802 from the parking lot, Building 800 and 804 in the background, facing northeast. - Naval Air Station Fallon, 100-man Fallout Shelter, 800 Complex, off Carson Road near intersection of Pasture & Berney Roads, Fallon, Churchill County, NV

14. View inside Building 802, the "Escape Hatch" at the ...

Library of Congress Historic Buildings Survey, Historic Engineering Record, Historic Landscapes Survey

14. View inside Building 802, the "Escape Hatch" at the rear of the "Sleeping Quarters", facing south. - Naval Air Station Fallon, 100-man Fallout Shelter, 800 Complex, off Carson Road near intersection of Pasture & Berney Roads, Fallon, Churchill County, NV

Characteristics of residential areas and transportational walking among frail and non-frail Dutch elderly: does the size of the area matter?

PubMed

Etman, Astrid; Kamphuis, Carlijn B M; Prins, Richard G; Burdorf, Alex; Pierik, Frank H; van Lenthe, Frank J

2014-03-04

A residential area supportive for walking may facilitate elderly to live longer independently. However, current evidence on area characteristics potentially important for walking among older persons is mixed. This study hypothesized that the importance of area characteristics for transportational walking depends on the size of the area characteristics measured, and older person's frailty level. The study population consisted of 408 Dutch community-dwelling persons aged 65 years and older participating in the Elderly And their Neighborhood (ELANE) study in 2011-2012. Characteristics (aesthetics, functional features, safety, and destinations) of areas surrounding participants' residences ranging from a buffer of 400 meters up to 1600 meters (based on walking path networks) were linked with self-reported transportational walking using linear regression analyses. In addition, interaction effects between frailty level and area characteristics were tested. An increase in functional features (e.g. presence of sidewalks and benches) within a 400 meter buffer, in aesthetics (e.g. absence of litter and graffiti) within 800 and 1200 meter buffers, and an increase of one destination per buffer of 400 and 800 meters were associated with more transportational walking, up to 2.89 minutes per two weeks (CI 1.07-7.32; p < 0.05). No differences were found between frail and non-frail elderly. Better functional and aesthetic features, and more destinations in the residential area of community-dwelling older persons were associated with more transportational walking. The importance of area characteristics for transportational walking differs by area size, but not by frailty level. Neighbourhood improvements may increase transportational walking among older persons, thereby contributing to living longer independently.

Biphasic Activation of Ribulose Bisphosphate Carboxylase in Spinach Leaves as Determined from Nonsteady-State CO2 Exchange 1

PubMed Central

Woodrow, Ian E.; Mott, Keith A.

1992-01-01

The activation kinetics of ribulose 1,5-bisphosphate carboxylase/oxygenase (Rubisco) following an increase in photon flux density (PFD) were studied by analyzing CO2 assimilation time courses in spinach leaves (Spinacia oleracea). When leaves were exposed to 45 minutes of darkness before illumination at 690 micromoles per square meter per second, Rubisco activation followed apparent first-order kinetics with a relaxation time of about 3.8 minutes. But when leaves were illuminated for 45 minutes at 160 micromoles per square meter per second prior to illumination at 690 micromoles per square meter per second the relaxation time for Rubisco activation was only 2.1 minutes. The kinetics of this change in relaxation times were investigated by exposing dark-adapted leaves to 160 micromoles per square meter per second for different periods before increasing the PFD to 690 micromoles per square meter per second. It was found that the apparent relaxation time for Rubisco activation changed from 3.8 to 2.1 minutes slowly, requiring at least 8 minutes for completion. This result indicates that at least two sequential, slow processes are involved in light-mediated activation of Rubisco in spinach leaves and that the relaxation times characterizing these two processes are about 4 and 2 minutes, respectively. The kinetics of the first process in the reverse direction and the dependence of the relaxation time for the second process on the magnitude of the increase in PFD were also determined. Evidence that the first slow process is activation of the enzyme Rubisco activase and that the second slow process is the catalytic activation of Rubisco by activase is discussed. PMID:16668865

Are dietary reports in a case-control study on thyroid cancer biased by risk perception of Chernobyl fallout?

PubMed

Xhaard, C; Dumas, A; Souchard, V; Ren, Y; Borson-Chazot, F; Sassolas, G; Schvartz, C; Colonna, M; Lacour, B; Wonoroff, A S; Velten, M; Clero, E; Maillard, S; Marrer, E; Bailly, L; Mariné Barjoan, E; Schlumberger, M; Orgiazzi, J; Adjadj, E; Rubino, C; Bouville, A; Drozdovitch, V; de Vathaire, F

2017-08-01

In retrospective case-control studies performed following nuclear tests or nuclear accidents, individual thyroid radiation dose reconstructions are based on fallout and meteorological data from the residential area, demographic characteristics, and lifestyle as well as dietary information. Collecting the latter is a controversial step, as dietary declarations may be affected by the subjects' beliefs about their risk behavior. This report analyses the potential for such bias in a case-control study performed in eastern France. The study included 765 cases of differentiated thyroid carcinoma matched with 831 controls. Risk perceptions and beliefs of cases and controls were compared using Chi 2 tests and differences in dietary reports were analyzed using a two-way ANOVA. In general, atmospheric pollution and living near a nuclear power plant were the two major risks that may influence thyroid cancer occurrence cited by cases and controls. When focusing in particular on the consequences of the Chernobyl accident, cases were more likely to think that the consequences were responsible for thyroid cancer occurrence than controls. Vegetable consumption during the two months after the Chernobyl accident was correlated with the status of subjects, but not to their beliefs. Conversely, consumption of fresh dairy products was not correlated with the status or beliefs of subjects. We found no evidence of systematic bias in dietary reports according to the status or beliefs held by subjects about the link between thyroid cancer occurrence and Chernobyl fallout. As such, these dietary reports may be used in further studies involving individual dosimetric reconstructions. Copyright © 2017 Elsevier Masson SAS. All rights reserved.

Baseline Caesium-137 and Plutonium-239+240 inventory assessment for Central Europe

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Meusburger, Katrin; Borelli, Pasquale; Evrard, Olivier; Ketterer, Michael; Mabit, Lionel; van Oost, Kristof; Alewell, Christine; Panagos, Panos

2017-04-01

Artificial fallout radionuclides (FRNs) such as Caesium-137 and Plutonium-239+240 released as products of the thermonuclear weapons testing that took place from the mid-1950s to the early 1980s and from nuclear power plant accidents (e.g. Chernobyl) are useful tools to quantify soil redistribution. In combination with geostatistics, FRNs may have the potential to bridge the gap between small scale process oriented studies and modelling that simplifies processes and effects over large spatial scales. An essential requirement for the application of FRNs as soil erosion tracers is the establishment of the baseline fallout at undisturbed sites before its comparison to those inventories found at sites undergoing erosion/accumulation. For this purpose, undisturbed topsoil (0-20cm) samples collected in 2009 within the framework of the Land Use/Cover Area frame Survey (LUCAS) have been measured by gamma-spectrometry and ICP-MS to determine 137Cs (n=145) and 239+240Pu (n=108) activities. To restrict the analysis to undisturbed reference sites a geospatial database query selecting only sites having a slope angle <2 degree, outside riparian zones (to avoid depositional sites) and under permanent grassland cover (according to CORINE Land Cover and Landsat) was applied. This study reports preliminary results on the feasibility of establishing a 137Cs and 239+240Pu baseline inventory map for Central Europe. The 137Cs/239+240Pu activity ratios will further allow assessing the rate and the spatial variability of 137Cs Chernobyl fallout. The establishment of such baseline inventory map will provide a unique opportunity to assess soil redistribution for a comparable time-frame (1953-2009) following a harmonised methodological protocol across national boundaries.

DOE Office of Scientific and Technical Information (OSTI.GOV)

Simpson, H.J.; Trier, R.M.

We have obtained a large set of sediment cores from the Hudson estuary through much of the ambient salinity range. A number of core sections and samples of suspended particles have been analyzed for /sup 137/Cs, /sup 134/Cs and /sup 60/Co by direct gamma counting, and /sup 239/Pu, /sup 240/Pu, and /sup 238/Pu by alpha spectrometry. The distribution of both /sup 137/Cs and /sup 239/Pu, /sup 240/Pu indicates rapid accumulation in marginal cover areas, and especially in the harbor region adjacent to New York City. The distributions of both /sup 137/Cs and /sup 239/Pu, /sup 240/Pu are similar in surfacemore » sediments and with depth in cores, but there are deviations from the fallout ratio due to addition of reactor /sup 137/Cs and loss of /sup 137/Cs from the particle phases at higher salinities. Measureable amounts of reactor-derived /sup 134/Cs and /sup 60/Co are found in nearly all sediment samples containing appreciable /sup 137/Cs, between 15 km upstream of Indian Point and the downstream extent of our sampling, 70 km south of the reactor. Accumulations of /sup 239/Pu, /sup 240/Pu in New York harbor sediments are more than an order of magnitude greater than the fallout delivery rate. The most likely explanation is accumulation of fine particles in the harbor which have been transported from upstream areas of the Hudson. Our evidence so far indicates that Indian Point is probably not a significant source of /sup 239/Pu, /sup 240/Pu or /sup 238/Pu compared with the fallout burden of these nuclides already in the sediments.« less

Esophagus cancer and radiation exposure due to nuclear test fallout: an analysis based on the data of the Semipalatinsk historical cohort, 1960-1999.

PubMed

Bauer, S; Gusev, B I; Pivina, L M; Apsalikov, K N; Grosche, B

2006-01-01

This paper describes the Semipalatinsk historical cohort study and, in particular, examines the association between combined external and internal radiation exposure and esophagus cancer. Esophagus cancer is the most frequent single cancer site in the cause of death follow-up for the Semipalatinsk cohort. Set up in the 1960s, this historical cohort included 10 exposed settlements in the vicinity of the Semipalatinsk nuclear test site in East Kazakhstan as well as 6 comparison settlements in a low exposure area of the same region. The external and internal radiation doses to the population of the settlements under study were mainly due to local fallout from atmospheric nuclear testing (1949-1962). The database includes dosimetry and health information for 19.545 inhabitants of exposed and comparison villages in the Semipalatinsk region, comprising a total of 582.750 person-years of follow-up between 1960 and 1999. Cumulative effective dose estimates in this cohort range from 20 mSv to -4 Sv, with a mean dose of 634 mSv in the exposed group. Relative risks were calculated in terms of rate ratios, using a Poisson regression model for grouped person-time data. Esophagus cancer was found substantially elevated, with a statistically significant increase of the relative risk with dose and an ERR/Sv of 2.37 (1.45; 3.28) for the total cohort. If the data set was restricted to the exposed group only, the ERR/Sv was found considerably lower (0.18 (-0.16; 0.52)), whereas the dose-response remained significant only in women. Overall, our results based on the Semipalatinsk historical cohort indicate an association between fallout exposure and the risk of esophagus cancer that should be further investigated.

Indication of the radioactive fallout in Riyadh, Saudi Arabia following the Fukushima nuclear accident.

PubMed

Alkhomashi, N; Almasoud, Fahad I

2016-02-01

On March 2011, a severe damage has occurred to Fukushima Di-iachi nuclear reactor complex in Japan following the huge earthquake and the resulting Tsunami. Consequently, vast amounts of radioactive fallout were released into the atmosphere and contaminated the environment in Japan. Soon after the accident, traces of anthropogenic radionuclides were detected in environmental samples collected in many parts in the northern hemisphere even very far away from Japan creating a global concern. There is no information about radioactive contamination in the Arabian Peninsula caused by the Japanese Fukushima nuclear accident. The first evidence of Fukushima radioactive fallout in Riyadh (24° 43' N, 46° 38' E), Saudi Arabia has been confirmed in April 8, 2011. The airborne fission products (131)I, (134)Cs and (137)Cs were measured in air samples. The radionuclide concentrations were determined by identifying their characteristic gamma rays using a germanium detector. Their activity concentrations were studied as a function of time over a period of 20 days at the end of which they had mostly fallen below our limit of detection. The maximum activity concentration of (131)I, (134)Cs and (137)Cs in air of, respectively, 323.7 ± 18.5, 17.2 ± 1.0 and 26.0 ± 1.8 μBq m(-3) were observed on April 10-11, 2011. The (131)I/(137)Cs and (134)Cs/(137)Cs activity ratio values in air were presented and discussed. Finally, the effective doses to the public of Riyadh city from inhalation of (131)I, (134)Cs and (137)Cs due to contribution from Fukushima incident was found far below levels of concern. Copyright © 2015 Elsevier Ltd. All rights reserved.

Eruption processes and deposit characteristics at the monogenetic Mt. Gambier Volcanic Complex, SE Australia: implications for alternating magmatic and phreatomagmatic activity

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

van Otterloo, Jozua; Cas, Raymond A. F.; Sheard, Malcolm J.

2013-08-01

The ˜5 ka Mt. Gambier Volcanic Complex in the Newer Volcanics Province, Australia is an extremely complex monogenetic, volcanic system that preserves at least 14 eruption points aligned along a fissure system. The complex stratigraphy can be subdivided into six main facies that record alternations between magmatic and phreatomagmatic eruption styles in a random manner. The facies are (1) coherent to vesicular fragmental alkali basalt (effusive/Hawaiian spatter and lava flows); (2) massive scoriaceous fine lapilli with coarse ash (Strombolian fallout); (3) bedded scoriaceous fine lapilli tuff (violent Strombolian fallout); (4) thin-medium bedded, undulating very fine lapilli in coarse ash (dry phreatomagmatic surge-modified fallout); (5) palagonite-altered, cross-bedded, medium lapilli to fine ash (wet phreatomagmatic base surges); and (6) massive, palagonite-altered, very poorly sorted tuff breccia and lapilli tuff (phreato-Vulcanian pyroclastic flows). Since most deposits are lithified, to quantify the grain size distributions (GSDs), image analysis was performed. The facies are distinct based on their GSDs and the fine ash to coarse+fine ash ratios. These provide insights into the fragmentation intensities and water-magma interaction efficiencies for each facies. The eruption chronology indicates a random spatial and temporal sequence of occurrence of eruption styles, except for a "magmatic horizon" of effusive activity occurring at both ends of the volcanic complex simultaneously. The eruption foci are located along NW-SE trending lineaments, indicating that the complex was fed by multiple dykes following the subsurface structures related to the Tartwaup Fault System. Possible factors causing vent migration along these dykes and changes in eruption styles include differences in magma ascent rates, viscosity, crystallinity, degassing and magma discharge rate, as well as hydrological parameters.

Radiation measurements in the Chiba Metropolitan Area and radiological aspects of fallout from the Fukushima Dai-ichi Nuclear Power Plants accident.

PubMed

Amano, Hikaru; Akiyama, Masakazu; Chunlei, Bi; Kawamura, Takao; Kishimoto, Takeshi; Kuroda, Tomotaka; Muroi, Takahiko; Odaira, Tomoaki; Ohta, Yuji; Takeda, Kenji; Watanabe, Yushu; Morimoto, Takao

2012-09-01

Large amounts of radioactive substances were released into the environment from the Fukushima Dai-ichi Nuclear Power Plants in eastern Japan as a consequence of the great earthquake (M 9.0) and tsunami of 11 March 2011. Radioactive substances discharged into the atmosphere first reached the Chiba Metropolitan Area on 15 March. We collected daily samples of air, fallout deposition, and tap water starting directly after the incident and measured their radioactivity. During the first two months maximum daily concentrations of airborne radionuclides observed at the Japan Chemical Analysis Center in the Chiba Metropolitan Area were as follows: 4.7 × 10(1) Bq m(-3) of (131)I, 7.5 Bq m(-3) of (137)Cs, and 6.1 Bq m(-3) of (134)Cs. The ratio of gaseous iodine to total iodine ranged from 5.2 × 10(-1) to 7.1 × 10(-1). Observed deposition rate maxima were as follows: 1.7 × 10(4) Bq m(-2) d(-1) of (131)I, 2.9 × 10(3) Bq m(-2) d(-1) of (137)Cs, and 2.9 × 10(3) Bq m(-2) d(-1) of (134)Cs. The deposition velocities (ratio of deposition rate to concentration) of cesium radionuclides and (131)I were detectably different. Radioactivity in tap water caused by the accident was detected several days after detection of radioactivity in fallout in the area. Radiation doses were estimated from external radiation and internal radiation by inhalation and ingestion of tap water for people living outdoor in the Chiba Metropolitan Area following the Fukushima accident. Copyright © 2011 Elsevier Ltd. All rights reserved.

Thyroid hypofunction after exposure to fallout from a hydrogen bomb explosion.

PubMed

Larsen, P R; Conard, R A; Knudsen, K D; Robbins, J; Wolff, J; Rall, J E; Nicoloff, J T; Dobyns, B M

1982-03-19

Thyroid function was evaluated in the Marshallese who were accidentally exposed to fallout-containing radioiodine isotopes in 1954. Measurements of thyrotrophin (TSH, thyroid-stimulating hormone) levels and free thyroxine (T4) index (FT4I) have revealed that, among 86 persons exposed on Rongelap and Ailingnae atolls, 14 have shown evidence of thyroid hypofunction. This was first noted in some individuals about ten years after exposure. Only two of these showed clinical evidence of hypothyroidism. The most marked TSH elevations were noted in nine persons exposed when younger than 6 years, with estimated doses to the thyroid from 390 to 2,100 rad. Most of this group subsequently had surgery for removal of thyroid nodules. The remaining five cases have been noted more recently among 36 surviving adults exposed at an older age who showed no other detectable thyroid abnormalities. This group had received estimated thyroid doses ranging from 135 to 335 rad and showed modest elevation of serum TSH levels (6 to 9 microU/mL) and a slightly subnormal FT4I. No abnormalities were found in persons on Utirik who received substantially less radiation, and hypothyroidism was present in less than 1% of the control, unexposed Marshallese. The high prevalence of a thyroid hypofunction in these persons indicates that this condition, as well as thyroid nodularity, can be a delayed complication of exposure to early fallout from a nuclear explosion. The fact that a significant fraction of the radiation to the thyroid was from short-lived radioiodine isotopes (132I, 133I, 135I), as opposed to 131I, may account for the severity of the thyroid damage.

Characterization of the world's first nuclear explosion, the Trinity test, as a source of public radiation exposure.

PubMed

Widner, Thomas E; Flack, Susan M

2010-03-01

The world's first atomic bomb was tested in New Mexico on 16 July 1945. From 1999 through 2008, scientists working for the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention gathered information relevant to past releases from Los Alamos activities, including the Trinity test. Detonation on a 30.5 m tower enhanced radioactive fallout, and terrain and wind patterns caused "hot spots" of deposition. Several ranchers reported that fallout resembling flour was visible for 4 to 5 d after the blast, and residents living as close as 19 km from ground zero collected rain water from metal roofs for drinking. Pressures to maintain secrecy and avoid legal claims led to decisions that would not likely have been made in later tests. Residents were not warned before the test or informed afterward about potential protective actions, and no evacuations were conducted. Occupied homes were overlooked on the day of the blast. Exposure rates in residential areas were recorded as high as 1.4 microC kg s (20 R h) using instruments that were crude, ill suited to field use, and incapable of effectively measuring alpha contamination from about 4.8 kg of unfissioned plutonium that was dispersed. Vehicle shielding and contamination were recognized but not corrected for. To date, the post-shot field team measurements have not been rigorously evaluated, cross-checked, adjusted, or subjected to uncertainty analysis. Evaluations of Trinity fallout published to date have not addressed internal doses to members of the public following intakes of contaminated air, water, or foods. The closing of these data gaps appears feasible with the information that has been assembled and would support placement of the Trinity event in perspective as a source of public radiation exposure and more defensible evaluation of the potential for human health effects.

The isotopic record of atmospheric lead fall-out on an Icelandic salt marsh since AD 50.

PubMed

Marshall, William A; Clough, Robert; Gehrels, W Roland

2009-04-01

We report a record of atmospheric Pb deposition at a coastal site in western Iceland that spans the last two millennia. The elemental concentrations of Pb, Al, Li and Ti are determined using ICP-MS from a sediment monolith collected from a salt marsh. Multicollector (MC) ICP-MS analysis is used to obtain isotopic ratios of stable Pb. The Pb/Ti and Pb/Li ratios are used to separate natural Pb background concentrations from Pb derived from remote anthropogenic sources. The pollution record in western Iceland is subdued in comparison with Pb records from the European mainland, but the isotopic character, profile and timing of Pb deposition show good agreement with the atmospheric Pb fall-out reported from sites in Scandinavia and northwestern Europe. At the bottom of the sequence we isolate a low-level (0.1-0.4 mg kg(-1)) Pb enrichment signal dated to AD 50-150. The isotopic signature and timing of this signal suggest Roman metal working industries as the source. In the subsequent millennium there was no significant or very low (i.e. elemental concentrations<0.01 mg kg(-1)) anthropogenic Pb deposition at the site up to, and including, the early Medieval period. Above a pumice layer, dated to AD 1226-1227, a small increase in Pb deposition is found. This trend is maintained until a more substantive and progressive increase is signalled during the late 1700s and early 1800s. This is followed by a substantial enrichment signal in the sediments (>3.0 mg kg(-1)) that is interpreted as derived from industrial coal burning and metal working during the 19th and 20th centuries in northern Europe. During the late 20th century, significant fall-out from European fuel additives reached Iceland.

Childhood thyroid radioiodine exposure and subsequent infertility in the intermountain fallout cohort.

PubMed

Stone, Mary Bishop; Stanford, Joseph B; Lyon, Joseph L; VanDerslice, James A; Alder, Stephen C

2013-01-01

Above-ground and underground nuclear weapon detonation at the Nevada Test Site (1951-1992) has resulted in radioiodine exposure for nearby populations. Although the long-term effect of environmental radioiodine exposure on thyroid disease has been well studied, little is known regarding the effect of childhood radioiodine exposure on subsequent fertility. We investigated early childhood thyroid radiation exposure from nuclear testing fallout (supplied predominantly by radioactive isotopes of iodine) and self-reported lifetime incidence of male or female infertility or sterility. Participants were members of the 1965 Intermountain Fallout Cohort, schoolchildren at the time of exposure who were reexamined during two subsequent study phases to collect dietary and reproductive histories. Thyroid radiation exposure was calculated via an updated dosimetry model. We used multivariable logistic regression with robust sandwich estimators to estimate odds ratios for infertility, adjusted for potential confounders and (in separate models) for a medically confirmed history of thyroid disease. Of 1,389 participants with dosimetry and known fertility history, 274 were classified as infertile, including 30 classified as sterile. Childhood thyroid radiation dose was possibly associated with infertility [adjusted odds ratio (AOR) = 1.17; 95% CI: 0.82, 1.67 and AOR = 1.35; 95% CI: 0.96, 1.90 for the middle and upper tertiles vs. the first tertile of exposure, respectively]. The odds ratios were attenuated (AOR = 1.08; 95% CI: 0.75, 1.55 and AOR = 1.29; 95% CI: 0.91, 1.83 for the middle and upper tertiles, respectively) after adjusting for thyroid disease. There was no association of childhood radiation dose and sterility. Our findings suggest that childhood radioiodine exposure from nuclear testing may be related to subsequent adult infertility. Further research is required to confirm this.

Anomalous levels of 90Sr and 239,240Pu in Florida corals: Evidence of coastal processes

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Purdy, Caroline B.; Druffel, Ellen R. M.; Livingston, Hugh D.

1989-06-01

Strontium-90, a radionuclide whose primary source is fallout from nuclear weapons testing, serves as a tritium-like tracer of ocean circulation. The historical record of 90Sr activities in the annual bands of island corals have been shown by other investigators to reflect the 90Sr concentration in surface waters at those site. Strontium-90 activities measured in annual bands in Montastrea annularis from the Florida Keys are 30-120% higher than those in corresponding peak activity years (1960-1965) of a Bermuda coral ( Diploria). The Bermuda 90Sr activity record reflects the fallout source only, whereas the additional 90Sr activity in the Florida Keys is expected to reflect a coastal runoff source as well as the fallout. The coastal circulation patterns off the northern and western edge of the Florida Current further act to concentrate and prolong the exposure of the runoff 90Sr to the corals. Six measured 239,240Pu activities in the Florida coral are 30% of 239,240Pu activities in island coral records previously reported. Since Pu is expected to be scavenged by particles in coastal waters, this decrease in 239,240Pu substantiates the importance of coastal influences in the Florida 90Sr record. Strontium-90 activities measured in subannual coral bands from 1973 to 1974 reflect seasonal changes in the 90Sr concentrations in the surface layer of the coastal waters. This may reflect Loop Current intrusion events. The seasonal and long-term coral 90Sr data presented in this paper suggests that coastal 90Sr coral time series may be very useful for documenting coastal circulation patterns.

Radioisotope contaminations from releases of the Tomsk-Seversk nuclear facility (Siberia, Russia).

PubMed

Gauthier-Lafaye, F; Pourcelot, L; Eikenberg, J; Beer, H; Le Roux, G; Rhikvanov, L P; Stille, P; Renaud, Ph; Mezhibor, A

2008-04-01

Soils have been sampled in the vicinity of the Tomsk-Seversk facility (Siberia, Russia) that allows us to measure radioactive contaminations due to atmospheric and aquatic releases. Indeed soils exhibit large inventories of man-made fission products including 137Cs (ranging from 33,000 to 68,500 Bq m(-2)) and actinides such as plutonium (i.e. 239+240Pu from 420 to 5900 Bq m(-2)) or 241Am (160-1220 Bq m(-2)). Among all sampling sites, the bank of the Romashka channel exhibits the highest radioisotope concentrations. At this site, some short half-life gamma emitters were detected as well indicating recent aquatic discharge in the channel. In comparison, soils that underwent atmospheric depositions like peat and forest soils exhibit lower activities of actinides and 137Cs. Soil activities are too high to be related solely to global fallout and thus the source of plutonium must be discharges from the Siberian Chemical Combine (SCC) plant. This is confirmed by plutonium isotopic ratios measured by ICP-MS; the low 241Pu/239Pu and 240Pu/239Pu atomic ratios with respect to global fallout ratio or civil nuclear fuel are consistent with weapons grade signatures. Up to now, the influence of Tomsk-Seversk plutonium discharges was speculated in the Ob River and its estuary. Isotopic data from the present study show that plutonium measured in SCC probably constitutes a significant source of plutonium in the aquatic environment, together with plutonium from global fallout and other contaminated sites including Tomsk, Mayak (Russia) and Semipalatinsk (Republic of Kazakhstan). It is estimated that the proportion of plutonium from SCC source can reach 45% for 239Pu and 60% for 241Pu in the sediments.

2013 Mt. Etna Pyroclastic Activity through the ADCP Recordings of NEMO-SN1 Multidisciplinary Seafloor Observatory

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Lo Bue, N.; Sgroi, T.; Giovinetti, G.; Marinaro, G.; Favali, P.

2014-12-01

The Acoustic Doppler Current Profiler (ADCP) is one of the most useful sensor used to measure speed and direction of sea currents in the water column. More often ADCPs are being also used to monitor concentration of suspended matter in rivers or in marine environments by the analysis of the acoustic backscatter intensity. In the framework of the European Research Infrastructure EMSO (European Multidisciplinary Seafloor and water-column Observatory, www.emso-eu.org), its cabled node, the NEMO-SN1 multidisciplinary seafloor observatory, was deployed in the Western Ionian Sea (Southern Italy) at a depth of 2100 m, about 25 km off-shore Eastern Sicily close to the submarine slope of the Mt. Etna volcano. Starting from February 2013, the Mt. Etna was interested by thirteen different parossistic events producing intense eruption followed by pyroclastic fallout that reached distances of tens kilometres from the eruptive centre. Four of these events affected the ESE sector with a consequent fallout in the Western Ionian Sea and they were detected by NEMO-SN1. In fact, its scientific payload also included an ADCP (RDI WorkHorse 600 kHz) with the main aim to monitor the hydrodynamic conditions of about 30 metres of the water column above the station. Surprisingly, this sensor offered spectacular recordings of the Mt. Etna pyroclastic activity occurred on 2013 wich affected the ESE sector. This work aims to present new records of pyroclastic fallout associated to explosive events observed at sea bottom by the analysis of backscatter signal of the ADCP. A multidisciplinary approach taking into account the Mt. Etna eruptive activity as well as the local oceanographic dynamic is necessary to describe marine processes involved in volcanic ash sedimentation.