title: Mapping 137Cs deposition: data validation methods and data interpretation.
abstract: The "Atlas of caesium deposition on Europe after the Chernobyl accident" was prepared within the framework of the Joint Study Project 6 (JSP6) of the collaborative programme on the consequences of the Chernobyl accident between the European Commission and the Ministries responsible for Chernobyl affairs in Belarus, Russia and Ukraine. The radiological data provided by scientific institutes and competent authorities of more than 30 European countries were integrated into an information platform. Data validation and intercomparison were therefore essential before the interpretation of the deposition with the help of isoline maps prepared with a geographic information system (GIS) could be done. The data validation was a two-step procedure: after performing a primary logical consistency check, other techniques based on spatial statistics were used to outline uncertain data. The purpose of this paper is to present these validation methods and to discuss the advantages and constraints of these techniques. Rather than trying to improve the techniques of spatial data analysis, suggestions are made on how an adaptation of the sampling information could improve the final result.
authors.affiliation: Institute of Mineralogy & Petrography, University of Lausanne, Switzerland.
authors.forename: G
authors.initials: G
authors.lastname: Dubois
authors.forename: M
authors.initials: M
authors.lastname: De Cort
mesh_terms: D002588:Cesium Radioisotopes / Q000032:analysis*; D003625:Data Collection / Q000592:standards*; D003627:Data Interpretation, Statistical; D016208:Databases, Factual; D005060:Europe; D005843:Geography; D006801:Humans; D007391:International Cooperation; D011834:Radiation Monitoring / Q000379:methods / Q000592:standards*; D011847:Radioactive Fallout / Q000032:analysis*; D018788:Radioactive Hazard Release / Q000706:statistics & numerical data*; D011848:Radioactive Pollutants / Q000032:analysis*; D002094:Republic of Belarus; D012426:Russia; D012984:Software; D014455:Ukraine
chemical_list: D002588:Cesium Radioisotopes; D011847:Radioactive Fallout; D011848:Radioactive Pollutants