Improvement of the resuspension model for OSCAAR using the atmosphere-soil-vegetation model SOLVEG-R (Contract research)

Nakanishi, Chika*; Ota, Masakazu; Hirouchi, Jun; Takahara, Shogo

JAEA-Research 2023-012, 29 Pages, 2024/02

JAEA-Research-2023-012.pdf:6.05MB

The OSCAAR program is a probabilistic risk assessment program for reactor accidents developed by Japan Atomic Energy Agency. To improve the model included in the OSCAAR program, which is about long-term exposure caused by the resuspension of radioactive materials deposited on soil surfaces, we calculated resuspension factors for Cs-137. The one- dimensional atmosphere-SOiL-VEGetation model, SOLVEG-R was utilized to compute resuspension factor. The wind velocity was kept constant in this study since it significantly affects particle resuspension behavior. Our calculations indicate that wind velocities below 6 m s resulted in little variation in the annual mean resuspension factor at a height of 1 m. However, as wind velocities increased above 6 m s, the resuspension factor significantly increased. The resuspension factors ranged from 10 to 10 m for wind velocities ranging from 1 m s to 7 m s.

Soil dust and bioaerosols as potential sources for resuspended Cs occurring near the Fukushima Dai-ichi Nuclear Power Plant

Ota, Masakazu; Takahara, Shogo; Yoshimura, Kazuya; Nagakubo, Azusa; Hirouchi, Jun; Hayashi, Naho; Abe, Tomohisa; Funaki, Hironori; Nagai, Haruyasu

Journal of Environmental Radioactivity, 264, p.107198_1 - 107198_15, 2023/08

https://doi.org/10.1016/j.jenvrad.2023.107198

One of the current major radiation exposure pathways from the Fukushima Daiichi Nuclear Power Plant (FDNPP) accident-fallout is inhalation of the re-suspended Cs occurring in air. While wind-induced soil particle resuspension has been recognized as a primary mechanism of Cs resuspension, studies following the FDNPP accident suggested that fungal spores can be a significant source of the atmospheric Cs particularly in the rural areas such as difficult-to-return zone (DRZ). To elucidate the relative importance of the two resuspension phenomena, we propose a model simulating resuspension of Cs as soil particles and fungal spores, and applied it to DRZ. Our model's calculation showed that soil particle resuspension was responsible for the surface-air Cs observed during winter-spring, but could not account for the higher Cs concentrations observed in summer-autumn. The higher concentrations in the summer-autumn were in general reproduced by implementing fungal spore Cs emission, that replenished low soil particle Cs resuspension in that period. According to our model's concept, Cs accumulation in fungal spores and high spore emission rate characterized by the rural environment were likely responsible for the abundance of spore Cs in the air. It was inferred that the influence of the fungal spores on the atmospheric Cs would last longer since un-decontaminated forests still exist in DRZ.

Uncertainty and sensitivity analyses for the reduction factor of sheltering for radiation exposures

Hirouchi, Jun; Takahara, Shogo; Komagamine, Hiroshi*

Journal of Radiological Protection, 42(4), p.041503_1 - 041503_12, 2022/12

https://doi.org/10.1088/1361-6498/aca0ff

Sheltering is one of the countermeasures against radiation exposure during nuclear accidents. The effectiveness of sheltering for inhalation exposure is often expressed by the reduction factor, which is defined as the ratio of the indoor to the outdoor cumulative radioactivity concentrations or doses. The indoor concentration is mainly controlled by the air exchange rate, penetration factor, and indoor deposition rate. Meanwhile, the air exchange rate depends on surrounding environmental conditions: the wind speed, leakage area normalized by the floor area of the house, and gross building coverage ratio. In this study, the ranges of the uncertainty of the reduction factors for particles and I were investigated under various environmental conditions, and sensitivity analyses were conducted to understand the parameter with the most influence on the uncertainty of the reduction factor. From the results of the uncertainty analyses, the calculated reduction factor was highly variable depending on the environmental condition and the airtightness of the houses. The uncertainty ranges of the reduction factor for particles and I were up to 0.9 and 0.3, respectively, and were smaller for newer houses. From the results of the sensitivity analyses, the wind speed was the most influential parameter on the reduction factor. Additionally, the wind speed was less influential for the reduction factor in newer houses.

Assessment of radioactive contamination and effectiveness of remedial measures in urban environments, Report of Working Group 2, Modelling and Data for Radiological Impact Assessments (MODARIA) Programme

Boznar, M. Z.*; Charnock, T. W.*; Chouhan, S. L.*; Grsic, Z.*; Halsall, C.*; Heinrich, G.*; Helebrant, J.*; Hettrich, S.*; Kua, P.*; Mancini, F.*; et al.

IAEA-TECDOC-2001, 226 Pages, 2022/06

https://www.iaea.org/publications/15122/assessment-of-radioactive-contamination-and-effectiveness-of-remedial-measures-in-urban-environments

The IAEA organized a programme from 2012 to 2015 entitled Modelling and Data for Radiological Impact Assessments (MODARIA), which aimed to improve capabilities in the field of environmental radiation dose assessment by acquiring improved data, model testing and comparison of model inputs, assumptions and outputs, reaching a consensus on modelling philosophies, aligning approaches and parameter values, developing improved methods and exchanging information. This publication describes the activities of Working Group 2, Exposures in Contaminated Urban Environments and Effect of Remedial Measures.

Assessment of doses in contaminated urban areas; Modelling exercise based on Fukushima data

Takahara, Shogo; Charnock, T. W.*; Silva, K.*; Hwang, W. T.*; Lee, J.*; Yu, C.*; Kamboj, S.*; Yankovich, T.*; Thiessen, K. M.*

Journal of Radiological Protection, 42(2), p.020517_1 - 020517_13, 2022/06

https://doi.org/10.1088/1361-6498/ac7088

State-of-the-art dose assessment models were applied to estimate doses to the population in urban areas contaminated by the Fukushima Daiichi Nuclear Power Plant accident. Assessment results were compared among five models, and comparisons of model predictions with actual measurements were also made. Assessments were performed using both probabilistic and deterministic approaches. Predicted dose distributions in indoor and outdoor workers from a probabilistic approach were in good agreement with the actual measurements. In addition, when the models were applied to assess the doses to a representative person, based on a concept suggested by the International Commission on Radiological Protection (ICRP), it was evident that doses to the representative person obtained with a deterministic approach were always higher than those obtained with a probabilistic approach.

Assessment of radiation doses to off-site responders in TEPCO Fukushima Daiichi Nuclear Power Station Accident

Shimada, Kazumasa; Iijima, Masashi*; Watanabe, Masatoshi*; Takahara, Shogo

Proceedings of Asian Symposium on Risk Assessment and Management 2021 (ASRAM 2021) (Internet), 17 Pages, 2021/10

The radiation doses received by the off-site responders in the Fukushima Daiichi Nuclear Power Station accident were assessed. Atmospheric dispersion simulation was conducted with the source term of the previous research to calculate the atmospheric concentration and ground surface deposition in the municipalities where off-site responders actives. The external exposure dose from cloudshine and groundshine, the internal exposure dose due to inhalation of radioactive plume and resuspended radio nuclei, and the temporal and spatial distribution within each municipality were assessed. As a result of comparing the assessed values of the external exposure dose with the measured values of the personal dosimeter, the measured values were within the assessed range. As a result of our assessment with internal dose exposure, if the exposures occurred without protective measures, the potential daily effective dose in the period between 12 and 31 March 2011 were several tens mSv per day or more in the relatively high dose area. Therefore, to keep the doses received by the responders below the reference level of 20 mSv recommended by the ICRP, it is necessary to ensure that the protective measures for internal exposures such as masks are taken, and to manage the time spent for their activity at least daily.

Penetration factor and indoor deposition rate of elementary and particulate iodine in a Japanese house for assessing the effectiveness of sheltering for radiation exposures

Hirouchi, Jun; Takahara, Shogo; Komagamine, Hiroshi*; Kato, Nobuyuki*; Matsui, Yasuto*; Yoneda, Minoru*

Journal of Radiological Protection, 41(3), p.S139 - S149, 2021/09

https://doi.org/10.1088/1361-6498/ac025b

Sheltering is one of the countermeasures for protection against radiation exposures in nuclear accidents. The effectiveness of sheltering is often expressed by the reduction factor, that is the ratio of the indoor to the outdoor cumulative radioactivity concentrations or doses. The indoor concentration is mainly controlled by the air exchange rate, penetration factor, and indoor deposition rate. The penetration factor and indoor deposition rate depend on the surface and opening materials. We investigated experimentally these parameters of I and particles. The experiment was performed in two apartment houses, three single-family houses, and chambers. The obtained penetration factor ranged 0.3 1 for particles of 0.3 1 m and 0.15 0.7 for I depending on the air exchange rate. The indoor deposition rate for a house room ranged 0.007 0.2 h for particles of 0.31 m and 0.21.5 h for I depending on floor materials.

Decision making in protection against radiation from nuclear disaster; Risk trade-off and stakeholder involvement

Kanda, Reiko*; Homma, Toshimitsu*; Takahara, Shogo; Tsubokura, Masaharu*; Osako, Masahiro*; Kawaguchi, Isao*; Kato, Takaaki*

Risukugaku Kenkyu, 30(3), p.133 - 139, 2021/04

https://doi.org/10.11447/jjra.SRA-0353

Almost ten years have passed since Fukushima nuclear accident. Our experience should be used to improve current emergency protective measures and preparedness. A review of the protective measures implemented in the aftermath of Fukushima nuclear accident has revealed problems such as paternalistic intervention for inhabitants and increased health risks due to the evacuation of vulnerable groups. The risk trade-offs in environmental recovery actions are more complex and ongoing; the stakeholders are the next generation and residents outside of the prefecture. Since one of the characteristics of nuclear disasters is the distance and time dependency of the risk, countless individual cases need to be addressed. While generalization of protective measures is essential, the appropriate deployment of personnel in a variety of roles may require to really address individual cases. To improve nuclear emergency preparedness in the future, it is necessary to incorporate both a top-down approach and a bottom-up approach in a well-balanced manner.

Assessment model of radiation doses from external exposure to the public after the Fukushima Daiichi Nuclear Power Plant accident

Takahara, Shogo; Iijima, Masashi*; Watanabe, Masatoshi*

Health Physics, 118(6), p.664 - 677, 2020/06

https://doi.org/10.1097/HP.0000000000001176

Assessment model of radiation doses from external exposures was developed based on the actual measurement of individual doses and ambient dose equivalent rate inside and outside of a house in Fukushima city. The survey on behavioral pattern was also carried out under the same purpose. In addition to the actual measurement and survey by ourselves, we also took into account the latest insights from the Fukushima Dai-ichi Nuclear Power Plant (FDNPP) accident. Comparisons between the assessed results and the measured ones revealed that the time dependences of doses obtained using the developed models were in good agreement with the results of actual measurements. In addition, we were able to reproduce the distribution of doses for indoor and outdoor workers. Therefore, our probabilistic approach was validated. According to our assessment and actual measurement, no participants received 1 mSv/y or higher in Fukushima city in eight years after the FDNPP accident.

Development of an external radiation dose estimation model for children returning to their homes in areas affected by the Fukushima Nuclear Accident

Mori, Airi; Takahara, Shogo; Yoshida, Hiroko*; Sanada, Yukihisa; Munakata, Masahiro

Health Physics, 117(6), p.606 - 617, 2019/12

https://doi.org/10.1097/HP.0000000000001100