title: Measurements and modelling of 137Cs distribution on ground due to the Chernobyl accident: a 27-y follow-up study in Northern Greece.
abstract: Following the Chernobyl accident, an area of ∼1000 m(2) in the University farm of the Aristotle University of Thessaloniki was considered as a test ground for radioecological measurements. The radiocesium deposition in this area, due to the Chernobyl accident, was 20 kBq m(-2). The profile of (137)Cs in the soil of this area was measured systematically from 1987 to 2012. The form of the profile has changed over the years. During the 1987-2000 period the (137)Cs distribution was reproducible by a sum of two exponentials. However, at least since 2005 the (137)Cs distribution can be successfully fitted by a single exponential function. The long-time (∼27 y) evolution study of the (137)Cs distribution in soil permit one to extract with the use of a simple compartment model, the mean vertical migration velocity of (137)Cs. Vertical migration of (137)Cs in soil is a very slow process. The mean vertical migration velocity is estimated to be 0.14 cm y(-1).The relative good comparison between the time dependence of the (137)Cs distribution in soil and the model predictions indicate that the simple model used is realistic.
authors.affiliation: Department of Electrical and Computer Engineering, Nuclear Technology Laboratory,Aristotle University of Thessaloniki, GR-54124 Thessaloniki, Greece clouvas@eng.auth.gr.
authors.forename: A
authors.initials: A
authors.lastname: Clouvas
authors.affiliation: Department of Electrical and Computer Engineering, Nuclear Technology Laboratory,Aristotle University of Thessaloniki, GR-54124 Thessaloniki, Greece Department of Automation, Alexander Technological Educational Institute of Thessaloniki, GR-57400 Thessaloniki, Greece.
authors.forename: S
authors.initials: S
authors.lastname: Xanthos
authors.affiliation: Department of Electrical and Computer Engineering, Nuclear Technology Laboratory,Aristotle University of Thessaloniki, GR-54124 Thessaloniki, Greece.
authors.forename: S
authors.initials: S
authors.lastname: Kadi
authors.affiliation: Department of Electrical and Computer Engineering, Nuclear Technology Laboratory,Aristotle University of Thessaloniki, GR-54124 Thessaloniki, Greece.
authors.forename: M
authors.initials: M
authors.lastname: Antonopoulos-Domis
mesh_terms: D002588:Cesium Radioisotopes / Q000032:analysis*; D047852:Chernobyl Nuclear Accident; D006115:Greece; D006801:Humans; D008962:Models, Theoretical; D011829:Radiation Dosage; D011834:Radiation Monitoring; D011847:Radioactive Fallout / Q000032:analysis*; D012990:Soil Pollutants, Radioactive / Q000032:analysis*; D013997:Time Factors
chemical_list: D002588:Cesium Radioisotopes; D011847:Radioactive Fallout; D012990:Soil Pollutants, Radioactive