title: A flexible tool for calculating the consequences of a hypothetical nuclear accident.
abstract: The paper presents a parametric model, implemented on a personal computer, for calculating contamination and doses following a hypothetical nuclear accident. The model is embedded in the high level environment of Mathematica and uses the Gaussian solution for the plume structure at short and medium distances and a wedge-like behaviour for long distances calculation. Along with the usual effects, like the influence of a local wet ground deposition or the corrections due to build-up, the model deals also with other aspects, such as the long distance behaviour of the plume, by taking into account random wind direction variations. A rather sophisticated approach is used, in particular, when evaluating food contamination and doses, allowing also for consideration of a possible ban of food consumption. Several tens of functions are on hand of the user who can take full advantage of the very flexible tools introduced in the recent version 7 of Mathematica. Some examples of the power of the tool are shown with reference to the radiological consequences of an hypothetical accidental release in a EPR reactor.
authors.affiliation: Laboratorio di Fisica, Istituto Superiore di Sanità, Rome, Italy. e.tabet@tiscali.it
authors.forename: Eugenio
authors.initials: E
authors.lastname: Tabet
mesh_terms: D000465:Algorithms; D004058:Diffusion; D005544:Forecasting; D006801:Humans; D015233:Models, Statistical; D011829:Radiation Dosage; D018788:Radioactive Hazard Release / Q000706:statistics & numerical data*; D011868:Radioisotopes; D014919:Wind
chemical_list: D011868:Radioisotopes