International challenge to predict the impact of radioxenon releases from medical isotope production on a comprehensive nuclear test ban treaty sampling station

Autor: Alain Malo, Kurt Ungar, Paul W. Eslinger, Verena Heidmann, Ted W. Bowyer, Benoit Deconninck, J. Ole Ross, Tianfeng Chai, Michael Schoppner, Fantine Ngan, Ariel F. Stein, Peter Robins, Christian Maurer, Monika Krysta, Yuichi Kijima, Pascal Achim, Philip Hayes, Jing Yi, Brian T. Schrom, Olivier Saunier, Clemens Schlosser, S. Generoso, Petra Seibert, Katie Freeman, Ian Hoffman
Přispěvatelé: Zentralanstalt für Meteorologie und Geodynamik (ZAMG), NOAA Air Resources Laboratory (ARL), National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration (NOAA), AWE, Federal Institute for Geosciences and Natural Resources (BGR), Institut de Radioprotection et de Sûreté Nucléaire (IRSN), Princeton University, Pacific Northwest National Laboratory (PNNL), Universität für Bodenkultur Wien = University of Natural Resources and Life [Vienne, Autriche] (BOKU), Commissariat à l'énergie atomique et aux énergies alternatives (CEA), Japan Atomic Energy Agency, U.S. Department of State, DOSDefense Threat Reduction Agency, DTRA, University of Natural Resources and Life Sciences (BOKU)
Jazyk: angličtina
Rok vydání: 2016
Předmět:
Zdroj: Journal of Environmental Radioactivity
Journal of Environmental Radioactivity, 2016, 157, pp.41-51. ⟨10.1016/j.jenvrad.2016.03.001⟩
Journal of Environmental Radioactivity, Elsevier, 2016, 157, pp.41-51. ⟨10.1016/j.jenvrad.2016.03.001⟩
ISSN: 0265-931X
1879-1700
Popis: International audience; The International Monitoring System (IMS) is part of the verification regime for the Comprehensive Nuclear-Test-Ban-Treaty Organization (CTBTO). At entry-into-force, half of the 80 radionuclide stations will be able to measure concentrations of several radioactive xenon isotopes produced in nuclear explosions, and then the full network may be populated with xenon monitoring afterward. An understanding of natural and man-made radionuclide backgrounds can be used in accordance with the provisions of the treaty (such as event screening criteria in Annex 2 to the Protocol of the Treaty) for the effective implementation of the verification regime.Fission-based production of 99Mo for medical purposes also generates nuisance radioxenon isotopes that are usually vented to the atmosphere. One of the ways to account for the effect emissions from medical isotope production has on radionuclide samples from the IMS is to use stack monitoring data, if they are available, and atmospheric transport modeling. Recently, individuals from seven nations participated in a challenge exercise that used atmospheric transport modeling to predict the time-history of 133Xe concentration measurements at the IMS radionuclide station in Germany using stack monitoring data from a medical isotope production facility in Belgium. Participants received only stack monitoring data and used the atmospheric transport model and meteorological data of their choice.Some of the models predicted the highest measured concentrations quite well. A model comparison rank and ensemble analysis suggests that combining multiple models may provide more accurate predicted concentrations than any single model. None of the submissions based only on the stack monitoring data predicted the small measured concentrations very well. Modeling of sources by other nuclear facilities with smaller releases than medical isotope production facilities may be important in understanding how to discriminate those releases from releases from a nuclear explosion. © 2016.
Databáze: OpenAIRE
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