Issue Radioprotection
Volume 46, Number 6, 2011
ICRER 2011 ? International Conference on Radioecology & Environmental Radioactivity: Environment & Nuclear Renaissance
Page(s) S423 - S429
Section Mechanisms and Models
DOI
http://dx.doi.org/10.1051/radiopro/20116546s
Published online 09 January 2012
Radioprotection, vol. 46, n? 6 (2011) S423-S429
Mesoscale dispersion of 85Kr in the vicinity of the AREVA La Hague reprocessing plant
O. Connan1, K. Smith2, L. Solier1, D. Maro1, D. H?bert1 and G. Bacon1
1 IRSN/DEI/SECRE, Laboratoire de Radio?cologie, Cherbourg-Octeville, France
2 RPII, Radiological Protection Institute of Ireland, Clonskeagh, Dublin 14, Ireland
Abstract
The Institut de Radioprotection et de Suret? Nucl?aire (IRSN) performed a series of air sampling campaigns at mesoscale distances (10?80 km) from the AREVA La Hague reprocessing plant (north west of France) between 2007 and 2009. These samples were collected in order to test and optimise a technique to measure low krypton-85 (85Kr) air concentrations, and to investigate the performance of three atmospheric dispersion models (RIMPUFF, HySplit, and ADMS). This paper presents 85Kr air concentrations measured at both land and sea locations. In addition, this paper compares the measured 85Kr air concentrations, which varied from 2 to 8000 Bq m−3, with the predictions from the atmospheric dispersion models. During stable wind conditions, the dispersion models make reasonable estimates of the 85Kr field measurements. In contrast, the models fail to accurately predict temporal peaks in concentration during periods of rapid and large changes in wind speed and/or wind direction.
? Owned by the authors, published by EDP Sciences, 2011
