 |
| Titel |
Global risk of radioactive fallout after major nuclear reactor accidents |
| VerfasserIn |
J. Lelieveld  , D. Kunkel, M. G. Lawrence |
| Medientyp |
Artikel
|
| Sprache |
Englisch
|
| ISSN |
1680-7316
|
| Digitales Dokument |
URL |
| Erschienen |
In: Atmospheric Chemistry and Physics ; 12, no. 9 ; Nr. 12, no. 9 (2012-05-12), S.4245-4258 |
| Datensatznummer |
250011132
|
| Publikation (Nr.) |
 copernicus.org/acp-12-4245-2012.pdf |
|
|
|
|
|
| Zusammenfassung |
| Major reactor accidents of nuclear power plants are rare,
yet the consequences are catastrophic. But what is meant by "rare"? And
what can be learned from the Chernobyl and Fukushima incidents? Here we
assess the cumulative, global risk of exposure to radioactivity due to
atmospheric dispersion of gases and particles following severe nuclear
accidents (the most severe ones on the International Nuclear Event Scale,
INES 7), using particulate 137Cs and gaseous 131I as proxies for
the fallout. Our results indicate that previously the occurrence of INES 7
major accidents and the risks of radioactive contamination have been
underestimated. Using a global model of the atmosphere we compute that on
average, in the event of a major reactor accident of any nuclear power plant
worldwide, more than 90% of emitted 137Cs would be transported
beyond 50 km and about 50% beyond 1000 km distance before being
deposited. This corroborates that such accidents have large-scale and
trans-boundary impacts. Although the emission strengths and atmospheric
removal processes of 137Cs and 131I are quite different, the
radioactive contamination patterns over land and the human exposure due to
deposition are computed to be similar. High human exposure risks occur
around reactors in densely populated regions, notably in West Europe and
South Asia, where a major reactor accident can subject around 30 million
people to radioactive contamination. The recent decision by Germany to phase
out its nuclear reactors will reduce the national risk, though a large risk
will still remain from the reactors in neighbouring countries. |
| |
|
| Teil von |
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|