Investigations on distribution of radioactive substances owing to the Fukushima Daiichi Nuclear Power Station Accident in the fiscal year 2022 (Contract research)

Group for Fukushima Mapping Project

JAEA-Technology 2023-024, 176 Pages, 2024/03

JAEA-Technology-2023-024.pdf:22.16MB

This report presents results of the investigations on the distribution-mapping project of radioactive substances owing to TEPCO Fukushima Daiichi Nuclear Power Station (FDNPS) conducted in FY2022. Car-borne surveys, a measurement using survey meters, a walk survey and an unmanned helicopter survey were carried out to obtain air dose rate data to create their distribution maps, and temporal changes of the air dose rates were analyzed. Surveys on depth profile of radiocesium and in-situ measurements as for radiocesium deposition were performed. Based on these measurement results, effective half-lives of the temporal changes in the air dose rates and the deposition were evaluated. Score maps to classify the importance of the measurement points were created, and the factors causing changes in the score when monitoring data from multiple years were used were discussed. The range of fluctuation of past tritium concentration data in seawater was determined, and the causes of the fluctuation were discussed. Monitoring data in coastal area performed in 2022 owing to the comprehensive radiation monitoring plan was summarized, and temporal changes in cesium-137 were analyzed. Using the Bayesian hierarchical modeling approach, we obtained maps that integrated air dose rate distribution data acquired through surveys such as car-borne and walk surveys with respect to the region within 80 km from the FDNPS and Fukushima Prefecture. The measurement results for FY2022 were published on the "Database for Radioactive Substance Monitoring Data", and measurement data were stored as CSV format. Radiation monitoring and analysis of environmental samples owing to the comprehensive radiation monitoring plan were carried out.

Iodine-129 in the Tokai Reprocessing Plant and the environment

Nakano, Masanao

Hoken Butsuri (Internet), 56(1), p.17 - 25, 2021/03

https://doi.org/10.5453/jhps.56.17

The Tokai Reprocessing Plant is the first reprocessing plant in Japan which started hot test in 1977, and had reprocessed 1140 tons of spent nuclear fuel by May 2007. The gaseous and liquid radioactive wastes has been discharged to the environment. Since iodine-129 (I) is one of the most important nuclides for environmental impact assessment. Therefore, I in the exhaust and effluent has been controlled, and a precise analysis method of I in the environmental samples was developed, and the concentration of 129I in the environment was investigated. This report presents an overview of these activities. Not limited to I on reprocessing facilities, it is essential for nuclear operators to reduce the amount released to the environment in the spirit of ALARA, and to continuously develop the further upgrading environmental monitoring methods and evaluation methods in order to foster a sense of safety and security among residents living in the vicinity of the facilities.

A Knowledge-sharing activity on the environmental radiation monitoring results affected by the Fukushima-Daiichi Nuclear Power Plant Accident at Tokai-Oarai area in Ibaraki Prefecture

Nakano, Masanao; Hosomi, Kenji; Nishimura, Shusaku; Matsubara, Natsumi; Okura, Takehisa; Kuramochi, Akihiko; Kawasaki, Masatsugu; Takeuchi, Erina; Fujii, Yutaka*; Jinno, Tsukasa*; et al.

Hoken Butsuri (Internet), 55(2), p.102 - 109, 2020/06

https://doi.org/10.5453/jhps.55.102

After the Fukushima-Daiichi Nuclear Power Station (1F) Accident in March 2011, the increase was significantly observed in a part of the result of the environmental radiation monitoring in Ibaraki prefecture. "The review meeting of the environmental effect from 1F accident" was established to discuss technically the fluctuation of monitoring data. The review meeting collected the monitoring data from the four nuclear operators, and discussed a fluctuating trend, Cs/Cs activity ratio, and so on. In this report, the results of the dose rate and Cs in fallout, surface soil, flatfish and seabed sediment are introduced. Also the problem solving in the review meeting is introduced.

Applicability of autonomous unmanned helicopter survey of air dose rate in suburban area

Yoshimura, Kazuya; Fujiwara, Kenso; Nakama, Shigeo

Radiation Protection Dosimetry, 184(3-4), p.315 - 318, 2019/10

https://doi.org/10.1093/rpd/ncz116

Using two detectors concurrently to monitor ambient dose equivalent rates in vehicle surveys of radiocesium contaminated land

Takeishi, Minoru; Shibamichi, Masaru; Malins, A.; Kurikami, Hiroshi; Murakami, Mitsuhiro*; Saegusa, Jun; Yoneya, Masayuki

Journal of Environmental Radioactivity, 177, p.1 - 12, 2017/10

AA2016-0534.pdf:1.79MB

https://doi.org/10.1016/j.jenvrad.2017.05.010

By convention radiation measurements from vehicle-borne surveys are converted to the dose rate at 1 m above the ground in the absence of the vehicle. To improve the accuracy of the converted results from vehicle-borne surveys, we investigated combining measurements from two detectors mounted on the vehicle at different heights above the ground. A dual-detector setup was added to a JAEA monitoring car and compared against hand-held survey meter measurements in Fukushima Prefecture. The dose rates obtained by combining measurements from two detectors were within 20% of the hand-held reference measurements. The combined results from the two detectors were more accurate than those from either the roof-mounted detector, or the detector inside the vehicle, taken alone. When radiocesium is deficient on a road compared to the adjacent land, mounting detectors high on vehicles yields dose rates closer to the values adjacent to the road. We also investigated mounting heights for vehicle-borne detectors using Monte Carlo -ray simulations.

Challenges for enhancing Fukushima environmental resilience, 1; Status and lessons

Miyahara, Kaname; Ohara, Toshimasa*

Nihon Genshiryoku Gakkai-Shi ATOMO, 59(5), p.282 - 286, 2017/05

This review highlights JAEA and NIES's challenges for enhancing Fukushima environmental resilience based on carrying out multifaceted research working with many public and private sector organizations and academia.

Development of dose monitoring system applicable to various radiations with wide energy ranges

Sato, Tatsuhiko; Satoh, Daiki; Endo, Akira; Yamaguchi, Yasuhiro

Journal of Nuclear Science and Technology, 42(9), p.768 - 778, 2005/09

https://doi.org/10.3327/jnst.42.768

A new inventive radiation monitor, designated to DARWIN (Dose Assessment system applicable to various Radiations with WIde energy raNges), has been developed for monitoring doses at workspaces of high energy accelerator facilities and on ground. Characteristics of DARWIN were studied by both calculation and experiment. The calculated results indicate that DARWIN gives reasonable estimations of doses at most radiation fields. It was found from the experiment that DARWIN has an excellent property of measuring doses from all particles that significantly contribute to the background dose - photon, muon and neutron with wide energy ranges.

Development of neutron-monitor detector using liquid organic scintillator coupled with Li+ZnS(Ag) sheet

Sato, Tatsuhiko; Endo, Akira; Yamaguchi, Yasuhiro; Takahashi, Fumiaki

Radiation Protection Dosimetry, 110(1-4), p.255 - 261, 2004/09

https://doi.org/10.1093/rpd/nch122

For monitoring of neutron doses in high-energy accelerator facilities, we have developed a neutron-monitor detector applicable to energies from the thermal energy to 100 MeV. The detector is composed of a cylindrical (12.7 cm in diameter and 12.7 cm in length) liquid organic scintillator BC501A covered with Li+ZnS(Ag) sheets. Characteristics of this phoswitch-type detector were studied experimentally in moderated neutron fields of Am-Be and Cf sources, and in quasi-monoenergetic neutron fields of 40 and 70 MeV. It was found from the experiments that the detector is enough sensitive to both thermal and fast neutrons, and has an excellent property of pulse-shape discrimination between them. We concluded, therefore, that the detector can be used for monitoring of neutron doses over a wide energy range from the thermal to 100 MeV.

Dose equivalent rate and radiation monitoring results during power distribution measurements of HTTR

Takada, Eiji*; Fujimoto, Nozomu; Nojiri, Naoki; Umeta, Masayuki; Kokusen, Shigeru; Ashikagaya, Yoshinobu

JAERI-Data/Code 2002-009, 83 Pages, 2002/05

JAERI-Data-Code-2002-009.pdf:3.51MB

Dose equivalent rate around the fuel handling machine, the control rod handling machine, stand pipe compartment, maintenance pit were measured during gamma ray measurements from HTTR fuel, which was called as “power distribution measurements". The power distribution measurement was the first time to handle the fuel blocks irradiated in the core. Dose equivalent rate measurement aiming the check of shielding performance of components, the check of unexpected streaming path. The radiation monitoring during operation was carried out. As the results, there was no problem on shielding. The measured data at operation condition were also obtained. The data will be useful to expect operation circumstance in the future.

Design of neutron monitor for wide energy range from thermal to 100MeV

Kim, E.; Endo, Akira; Yamaguchi, Yasuhiro; Yoshizawa, Michio; Nakamura, Takashi*; Shiomi, T.*

Proceedings of 10th International Congress of the International Radiation Protection Association (IRPA-10) (CD-ROM), 6 Pages, 2000/05

no abstracts in English