Residual radioactive contamination at the peaceful underground nuclear explosion sites "Craton-3" and "Crystal" in the Republic of Sakha (Yakutia).
In this paper, results are reported on the concentrations and activity ratios of 137Cs, 239+240Pu and 238Pu in soils, lichen and bottom sediments collected at the peaceful underground nuclear explosion sites "Craton-3" and "Crystal" (Republic of Sakha (Yakutia), North-East Siberia). At the "Craton-3" site, 239- 240Pu concentrations in the range 6.2 mBq/g to 5.9 Bq/g in surface soils (0-5 cm) and 239+240Pu concentrations up to 7.4 Bq/g in lichen were observed. The 137Cs concentration in measured soils range from 0.52 to 216 Bq/g for the near-plume and from 1.65 to 21.5 Bq/g for the far-plume. In lichen, 137Cs concentration varied from a global background level up to 251 Bq/g. Radioactive contamination at "Crystal" demonstrates an extremely irregular distribution of 239,240Pu and 137Cs in environmental samples taken at locations within 150 m radius of the site. Further work on compiling detailed maps of radioactive contamination of the territory around "Craton-3" and "Crystal" is discussed.
Gedeonov
A D
AD
Research-Industrial Association V.G. Khlopin Radium Institute, St Petersburg, Russia. gedeonov@pop3.rcom.ru
Petrov
E R
ER
Alexeev
I N
IN
Kuleshova
V G
VG
Savopulo
M L
ML
Burtsev
I S
IS
Shkroev
V Yu
VY
Arkhipov
V I
VI
D002588:Cesium Radioisotopes / Q000032:analysis; D004784:Environmental Monitoring; D019015:Geologic Sediments; D008011:Lichens; D009689:Nuclear Warfare; D011005:Plutonium / Q000032:analysis*; D011848:Radioactive Pollutants / Q000032:analysis*; D012426:Russia; D012990:Soil Pollutants, Radioactive / Q000032:analysis*
D002588:Cesium Radioisotopes; D011848:Radioactive Pollutants; D012990:Soil Pollutants, Radioactive; D011005:Plutonium