title: Analysis of data from sensitive U.S. monitoring stations for the Fukushima Dai-ichi nuclear reactor accident.
abstract: The March 11, 2011 9.0 magnitude undersea megathrust earthquake off the coast of Japan and subsequent tsunami waves triggered a major nuclear event at the Fukushima Dai-ichi nuclear power station. At the time of the event, units 1, 2, and 3 were operating and units 4, 5, and 6 were in a shutdown condition for maintenance. Loss of cooling capacity to the plants along with structural damage caused by the earthquake and tsunami resulted in a breach of the nuclear fuel integrity and release of radioactive fission products to the environment. Fission products started to arrive in the United States via atmospheric transport on March 15, 2011 and peaked by March 23, 2011. Atmospheric activity concentrations of (131)I reached levels of 3.0×10(-2) Bqm(-3) in Melbourne, FL. The noble gas (133)Xe reached atmospheric activity concentrations in Ashland, KS of 17 Bqm(-3). While these levels are not health concerns, they were well above the detection capability of the radionuclide monitoring systems within the International Monitoring System of the Comprehensive Nuclear-Test-Ban Treaty.
authors.affiliation: The University of Texas at Austin, Nuclear Engineering Teaching Laboratory, 1 University Station, R9000, Austin, TX 78712, USA. biegalski@mail.utexas.edu
authors.forename: S R
authors.initials: SR
authors.lastname: Biegalski
authors.forename: T W
authors.initials: TW
authors.lastname: Bowyer
authors.forename: P W
authors.initials: PW
authors.lastname: Eslinger
authors.forename: J A
authors.initials: JA
authors.lastname: Friese
authors.forename: L R
authors.initials: LR
authors.lastname: Greenwood
authors.forename: D A
authors.initials: DA
authors.lastname: Haas
authors.forename: J C
authors.initials: JC
authors.lastname: Hayes
authors.forename: I
authors.initials: I
authors.lastname: Hoffman
authors.forename: M
authors.initials: M
authors.lastname: Keillor
authors.forename: H S
authors.initials: HS
authors.lastname: Miley
authors.forename: M
authors.initials: M
authors.lastname: Moring
mesh_terms: D000396:Air Pollutants, Radioactive / Q000032:analysis*; D002588:Cesium Radioisotopes / Q000032:analysis*; D062406:Fukushima Nuclear Accident; D007457:Iodine Radioisotopes / Q000032:analysis*; D007564:Japan; D011834:Radiation Monitoring; D014481:United States; D014980:Xenon Radioisotopes / Q000032:analysis*
chemical_list: D000396:Air Pollutants, Radioactive; D002588:Cesium Radioisotopes; D007457:Iodine Radioisotopes; D014980:Xenon Radioisotopes