Detection of radioxenon in Darwin, Australia following the Fukushima Dai-ichi nuclear power plant accident.
A series of (133)Xe detections in April 2011 made at the Comprehensive Nuclear-Test-Ban Treaty Organisation (CTBTO) International Monitoring System noble gas station in Darwin, Australia, were analysed to determine the most likely source location. Forward and backwards atmospheric transport modelling simulations using FLEXPART were conducted. It was shown that the most likely source location was the Fukushima Dai-ichi nuclear power plant accident. Other potential sources in the southern hemisphere were analysed, including the Australian Nuclear Science and Technology Organisation (ANSTO) radiopharmaceutical facility, but it was shown that sources originating from these locations were highly unlikely to be the source of the observed (133)Xe Darwin detections.
Australian Radiation Protection and Nuclear Safety Agency (ARPANSA), 619 Lower Plenty Road, Yallambie, Victoria 3085, Australia. Electronic address: Blake.Orr@arpansa.gov.au.
Blake
B
Orr
Michael
M
Schöppner
Rick
R
Tinker
Wolfango
W
Plastino
D000396:Air Pollutants, Radioactive / Q000032:analysis*; D001315:Australia; D062406:Fukushima Nuclear Accident; D011834:Radiation Monitoring; D014980:Xenon Radioisotopes / Q000032:analysis*
D000396:Air Pollutants, Radioactive; D014980:Xenon Radioisotopes
CTBTO; Fukushima Dai-ichi; Modelling; Radioxenon