Background aerial monitoring and UAV radiation monitoring technology development for emergency response and preparedness in fiscal year 2023 (Contract research)

Futemma, Akira; Sanada, Yukihisa; Nakama, Shigeo; Sasaki, Miyuki; Ochi, Kotaro; Sawahata, Yoshiro*; Kawasaki, Yoshiharu*; Iwai, Takeyuki*; Hiraga, Shogo*; Haginoya, Masashi*; et al.

JAEA-Technology 2024-022, 170 Pages, 2025/03

JAEA-Technology-2024-022.pdf:15.09MB

On March 11, 2011, the 2011 off the Pacific coast of Tohoku Earthquake caused a tsunami that led to the Fukushima Daiichi Nuclear Power Station accident, releasing radioactive material into the environment. Since then, Aerial Radiation Monitoring (ARM) using manned helicopters has been employed to measure radiation distribution. As a commissioned project from the Nuclear Regulation Authority, the Japan Atomic Energy Agency (JAEA) utilizes this technology for emergency monitoring during nuclear facility accidents, aiming to provide prompt results by pre-arranging information on background radiation, topography, and control airspaces around nuclear power plants nationwide. In fiscal year 2023, the commissioned project included conducting ARM around the Sendai Nuclear Power Station and preparing related information. To enhance effectiveness during emergencies, ARM and the first domestic training flight of Unmanned Aerial Vehicles (UAVs) were conducted during the FY2023 Nuclear Energy Disaster Prevention Drill. Furthermore, UAVs radiation monitoring technology was advanced by selecting UAVs and investigating their performance. This report summarizes the results and technical issues identified providing insights to improve emergency preparedness.

Evolution of radionuclide transport and retardation processes in uplifting granitic rocks, Part 1; Key processes, conceptual models and scenario

Metcalfe, R.*; Tachi, Yukio; Sasao, Eiji; Kawama, Daisuke*

Science of the Total Environment, 957, p.177375_1 - 177375_17, 2024/12

https://doi.org/10.1016/j.scitotenv.2024.177375

A safety case for an underground radioactive waste repository must show that groundwater will not in future transport radionuclides from the repository to the near-surface environment (the biosphere) in harmful quantities. Safety cases are developed step-wise throughout a programme to site and develop a repository. At early stages, before a site is selected, safety cases are generic and based on simplified safety assessment models of the disposal system that have conservative parameter values. Later, when site-specific conditions are known, more realistic models are needed for the long-term geo-environmental evolution and their impacts on radionuclide migration/retention. Uplift is one such environmental change, which may be particularly important in countries near active tectonic plate boundaries, such as Japan. Here we review the state of knowledge about how the properties of fractured granitic rocks evolve during uplift, based on studies in Japan. Hence, we present conceptual models and a generic scenario for mass transport and retardation processes in uplifting granitic rocks as a basis for realistic numerical models to underpin safety assessment.

Background radiation monitoring via manned helicopter and development of technology for radiation monitoring via unmanned airplane for application of nuclear emergency response technique in the fiscal year 2022 (Contract research)

Futemma, Akira; Sanada, Yukihisa; Sasaki, Miyuki; Kawasaki, Yoshiharu*; Iwai, Takeyuki*; Hiraga, Shogo*; Haginoya, Masashi*; Matsunaga, Yuki*; Akutsu, Yuichiro*; Arai, Yoshinori*; et al.

JAEA-Technology 2023-026, 161 Pages, 2024/03

JAEA-Technology-2023-026.pdf:14.66MB

By the accident at Tokyo Electric Power Company's (TEPCO's) Fukushima Daiichi Nuclear Power Station (FDNPS), caused by tsunami triggered by the 2011 off the Pacific coast of Tohoku Earthquake, a large amount of radioactive material was released into the surrounding environment. After the accident, Airborne Radiation Monitoring (ARM) via manned helicopter has been utilized as a method to quickly and extensively measure radiation distribution surrounding FDNPS. In order to utilize ARM and to promptly provide the results during a nuclear emergency, information on background radiation levels, topographical features, and controlled airspace surrounding nationwide nuclear facilities have been prepared in advance. In the fiscal year 2022, we conducted ARM around the Mihama Nuclear Power Station of Kansai Electric Power Company (KEPCO), the Tsuruga Power Station of Japan Atomic Power Company (JAPC), and the Ikata Power Station of Shikoku Electric Power Company (YONDEN), and prepared information on background radiation doses and controlled airspace. In addition, we have developed an aerial radiation detection system via unmanned airplane, which is expected to be an alternative to ARM, during a nuclear emergency. This report summarizes the results and technical issues identified.

Assessment of caesium-137 detections at CTBTO radionuclide monitoring stations in East Asia and their relationship to Asian dust dispersion

Furuno, Akiko; Omori, Ryuta*; Tateoka, Hisanori*; Minakawa, Yuya*; Kurihara, Toshiyuki; Yamamoto, Yoichi; Tomita, Yutaka

Pure and Applied Geophysics, 14 Pages, 2024/00

https://doi.org/10.1007/s00024-024-03620-y

The Comprehensive Nuclear-Test-Ban Treaty Organization (CTBTO) Okinawa radionuclide monitoring station (JPP37) is located on a hill facing the East China Sea at the center of the main island of Okinawa. It occasionally detects Cs-137, although no nuclear facilities are located on the island. This study focused on the detection of Cs-137 at JPP37 and examined the ratio of simultaneous detections at nearby stations of the International Monitoring System (IMS) of the CTBTO and the relationship with Asian dust from inland East Asia. The detection of Cs-137 in JPP37 from 2020 to 2023, which motivated this study, was high in spring. Among the nine IMS radionuclide stations in East Asia, the detections in Beijing, Lanzhou, and Ulaanbaatar, Mongolia, were also high in spring. This suggested a high association with the detection of Asian dust in East Asia. Thus, we confirmed the detection of Cs-137 at nine nearby IMS stations when Asian dust was observed at any of the sites in Japan. In addition, we observed that the detection rates were high in Takasaki, Beijing, Lanzhou, and Ulaanbaatar. It can be inferred that the Cs-137 observed mainly in spring at the IMS particulate radionuclide stations in the East Asian region around Japan were likely to pick up the effects of global fallout conveyed by Asian dust. Thereafter, we conducted a preliminary source estimation analysis for Asian dust arrival near Japan. Atmospheric dispersion simulations explained the detection of Cs-137 at nearby IMS particulate radionuclide stations, assuming that Cs-137 was emitted from the desert, the source of the Asian dust.

Impact of MOX fuel use in light-water reactors; Long-term radiological consequences of disposal of high-level waste in a geological repository

Minari, Eriko*; Kabasawa, Satsuki; Mihara, Morihiro; Makino, Hitoshi; Asano, Hidekazu*; Nakase, Masahiko*; Takeshita, Kenji*

Journal of Nuclear Science and Technology, 60(7), p.793 - 803, 2023/07

https://doi.org/10.1080/00223131.2022.2146016

Some considerations on the dependence to numerical schemes of Lagrangian radionuclide transport models for the aquatic environment

Periez, R.*; Brovchenko, I.*; Jung, K. T.*; Kim, K. O.*; Liptak, L.*; Little, A.*; Kobayashi, Takuya; Maderich, V.*; Min, B. I.*; Suh, K. S.*

Journal of Environmental Radioactivity, 261, p.107138_1 - 107138_8, 2023/05

https://doi.org/10.1016/j.jenvrad.2023.107138

Lagrangian models present several advantages over Eulerian models to simulate the transport of radionuclides in the aquatic environment in emergency situations. A radionuclide release is simulated as a number of particles whose trajectories are calculated along time and thus these models do not require a spatial discretization. In this paper we investigate the dependence of a Lagrangian model output with the grid spacing which is used to calculate concentrations from the final distribution of particles, with the number of particles in the simulation and with the interpolation schemes which are required because of the discrete nature of the water circulation data used to feed the model.

Quantitative evaluation of long-term state changes of contaminated reinforced concrete considering the actual environments for rational disposal (Contract research); FY2021 Nuclear Energy Science & Technology and Human Resource Development Project

Collaborative Laboratories for Advanced Decommissioning Science; The University of Tokyo*

JAEA-Review 2022-057, 98 Pages, 2023/02

JAEA-Review-2022-057.pdf:8.5MB

The Collaborative Laboratories for Advanced Decommissioning Science (CLADS), Japan Atomic Energy Agency (JAEA), had been conducting the Nuclear Energy Science & Technology and Human Resource Development Project (hereafter referred to "the Project") in FY2021. The Project aims to contribute to solving problems in the nuclear energy field represented by the decommissioning of the Fukushima Daiichi Nuclear Power Station, Tokyo Electric Power Company Holdings, Inc. (TEPCO). For this purpose, intelligence was collected from all over the world, and basic research and human resource development were promoted by closely integrating/collaborating knowledge and experiences in various fields beyond the barrier of conventional organizations and research fields. The sponsor of the Project was moved from the Ministry of Education, Culture, Sports, Science and Technology to JAEA since the newly adopted proposals in FY2018. On this occasion, JAEA constructed a new research system where JAEA-academia collaboration is reinforced and medium-to-long term research/development and human resource development contributing to the decommissioning are stably and consecutively implemented. Among the adopted proposals in FY2020, this report summarizes the research results of the "Quantitative evaluation of long-term state changes of contaminated reinforced concrete considering the actual environments for rational disposal" conducted in FY2021. The present study aims to construct a database for quantitative prediction of contaminated reinforced concrete inside the reactor building. In FY2021, data on deformation and water movement caused by drying and reabsorption of mortar were obtained to evaluate the mesoscale cracking behavior of concrete. A rigidbody spring model was used to develop a program that can consider changes in concrete age and temperature, water, and stress conditions. To evaluate the long-term penetration behavior of radionuclides into the factual matrix, data on sorption …

Identification and quantification of a Co radiation source under an intense Cs radiation field using an application-specific CeBr spectrometer suited for use in intense radiation fields

Kaburagi, Masaaki; Shimazoe, Kenji*; Kato, Masahiro*; Kurosawa, Tadahiro*; Takahashi, Hiroyuki*

Journal of Nuclear Science and Technology, 59(8), p.983 - 992, 2022/08

https://doi.org/10.1080/00223131.2022.2026833

Development of rapid and sensitive radionuclide analysis method by simultaneous analysis of , , and X-rays (Contract research); FY2020 Nuclear Energy Science & Technology and Human Resource Development Project

Collaborative Laboratories for Advanced Decommissioning Science; Japan Chemical Analysis Center*

JAEA-Review 2021-060, 105 Pages, 2022/03

JAEA-Review-2021-060.pdf:4.59MB

The Collaborative Laboratories for Advanced Decommissioning Science (CLADS), Japan Atomic Energy Agency (JAEA), had been conducting the Nuclear Energy Science & Technology and Human Resource Development Project (hereafter referred to "the Project") in FY2020. The Project aims to contribute to solving problems in the nuclear energy field represented by the decommissioning of the Fukushima Daiichi Nuclear Power Station, Tokyo Electric Power Company Holdings, Inc. (TEPCO). For this purpose, intelligence was collected from all over the world, and basic research and human resource development were promoted by closely integrating/collaborating knowledge and experiences in various fields beyond the barrier of conventional organizations and research fields. The sponsor of the Project was moved from the Ministry of Education, Culture, Sports, Science and Technology to JAEA since the newly adopted proposals in FY2018. On this occasion, JAEA constructed a new research system where JAEA-academia collaboration is reinforced and medium-to-long term research/development and human resource development contributing to the decommissioning are stably and consecutively implemented. Among the adopted proposals in FY2020, this report summarizes the research results of the "Development of rapid and sensitive radionuclide analysis method by simultaneous analysis of , , and X-rays" conducted in FY2020. The present study aims to enable rapid analysis of radionuclides in fuel debris and waste, and develops the measurement system such as multiple -ray detection method. We develop a spectral determination method (SDM method) for integrated analysis by constructing a spectral database for nuclides including -rays and X-rays by measurement using this system and radiation simulation calculation. This method enables simultaneous quantification of multiple nuclides and reduces the chemical separation process.

Development of dose evaluation method considering radionuclides migration on the surface of the site for confirmation of completion of decommissioning

Miwa, Kazuji; Namekawa, Masakazu*; Shimada, Taro; Takeda, Seiji

MRS Advances (Internet), 7(7-8), p.165 - 169, 2022/03

https://doi.org/10.1557/s43580-022-00212-7

We have developed evaluation method of radiocesium (RCs) migration by surface runoff and soil erosion in considering vertical distribution of RCs in initial contaminated soil and concentration of RCs in different particle size. RCs migration on ground surface during single year has been evaluated in virtual site contaminated uniformly by Cs-137. As a result, RCs has concentrated in the impoundment, and 0.18% of total inventory in the site migrated into the sea. These results suggest that surface migration of RCs effects increasing of external exposure at impoundment and internal exposure from ingestion of marine product.