title: Main results of the 2012 joint Norwegian-Russian expedition to the dumping sites of the nuclear submarine K-27 and solid radioactive waste in Stepovogo Fjord, Novaya Zemlya.
abstract: This paper reports the main results of the 2012 joint Norwegian-Russian expedition to investigate the radioecological situation of the Stepovogo Fjord on the eastern coast of Novaya Zemlya, where the nuclear submarine K-27 and solid radioactive waste was dumped. Based on in situ gamma measurements and the analysis of seawater and sediment samples taken around the submarine, there was no indication of any leakage from the reactor units of K-27. With regard to the radioecological status of Stepovogo Fjord, activity concentrations of all radionuclides in seawater, sediment and biota in 2012 were in general lower than reported from the previous investigations in the 1990s. However in 2012, the activity concentrations of (137)Cs and, to a lesser extent, those of (90)Sr remained elevated in bottom water from the inner part of Stepovogo Fjord compared with surface water and the outer part of Stepovogo Fjord. Deviations from expected (238)Pu/(239,240)Pu activity ratios and (240)Pu/(239)Pu atom ratios in some sediment samples from the inner part of Stepovogo Fjord observed in this study and earlier studies may indicate the possibility of leakages from dumped waste from different nuclear sources. Although the current environmental levels of radionuclides in Stepovogo Fjord are not of immediate cause for concern, further monitoring of the situation is warranted.
authors.affiliation: Norwegian Radiation Protection Authority, The Fram Centre, Tromsø, Norway. Electronic address: justin.gwynn@nrpa.no.
authors.forename: Justin P
authors.initials: JP
authors.lastname: Gwynn
authors.affiliation: Research and Production Association "Typhoon", Obninsk, Kaluga Region, Russia.
authors.forename: Aleksander
authors.initials: A
authors.lastname: Nikitin
authors.affiliation: Research and Production Association "Typhoon", Obninsk, Kaluga Region, Russia.
authors.forename: Viacheslav
authors.initials: V
authors.lastname: Shershakov
authors.affiliation: Institute of Marine Research, Bergen, Norway.
authors.forename: Hilde Elise
authors.initials: HE
authors.lastname: Heldal
authors.affiliation: Norwegian Radiation Protection Authority, Østerås, Norway.
authors.forename: Bjørn
authors.initials: B
authors.lastname: Lind
authors.affiliation: CERAD CoE, Norwegian University of Life Sciences, Ås, Norway.
authors.forename: Hans-Christian
authors.initials: HC
authors.lastname: Teien
authors.affiliation: CERAD CoE, Norwegian University of Life Sciences, Ås, Norway.
authors.forename: Ole Christian
authors.initials: OC
authors.lastname: Lind
authors.affiliation: Institute for Energy Technology, Kjeller, Norway.
authors.forename: Rajdeep Singh
authors.initials: RS
authors.lastname: Sidhu
authors.affiliation: Institute of Marine Research, Bergen, Norway.
authors.forename: Gunnar
authors.initials: G
authors.lastname: Bakke
authors.affiliation: National Research Centre "Kurchatov Institute", Moscow, Russia.
authors.forename: Alexey
authors.initials: A
authors.lastname: Kazennov
authors.affiliation: Krylov State Research Centre, St. Petersburg, Russia.
authors.forename: Denis
authors.initials: D
authors.lastname: Grishin
authors.affiliation: Research and Production Association "Typhoon", Obninsk, Kaluga Region, Russia.
authors.forename: Anastasia
authors.initials: A
authors.lastname: Fedorova
authors.affiliation: IAEA Environment Laboratories, Monaco.
authors.forename: Oxana
authors.initials: O
authors.lastname: Blinova
authors.affiliation: Institute of Marine Research, Bergen, Norway.
authors.forename: Ingrid
authors.initials: I
authors.lastname: Sværen
authors.affiliation: Institute of Marine Research, Bergen, Norway.
authors.forename: Penny
authors.initials: P
authors.lastname: Lee Liebig
authors.affiliation: CERAD CoE, Norwegian University of Life Sciences, Ås, Norway.
authors.forename: Brit
authors.initials: B
authors.lastname: Salbu
authors.affiliation: CERAD CoE, Norwegian University of Life Sciences, Ås, Norway.
authors.forename: Cato Christian
authors.initials: CC
authors.lastname: Wendell
authors.affiliation: Institute for Energy Technology, Kjeller, Norway.
authors.forename: Elisabeth
authors.initials: E
authors.lastname: Strålberg
authors.affiliation: Research and Production Association "Typhoon", Obninsk, Kaluga Region, Russia.
authors.forename: Nailja
authors.initials: N
authors.lastname: Valetova
authors.affiliation: Research and Production Association "Typhoon", Obninsk, Kaluga Region, Russia.
authors.forename: Galina
authors.initials: G
authors.lastname: Petrenko
authors.affiliation: Research and Production Association "Typhoon", Obninsk, Kaluga Region, Russia.
authors.forename: Ivan
authors.initials: I
authors.lastname: Katrich
authors.affiliation: State Scientific Centre "Yuzhmorgeologiya", Gelendzhik, Russia.
authors.forename: Igor
authors.initials: I
authors.lastname: Logoyda
authors.affiliation: IAEA Environment Laboratories, Monaco.
authors.forename: Iolanda
authors.initials: I
authors.lastname: Osvath
authors.affiliation: IAEA Environment Laboratories, Monaco.
authors.forename: Isabelle
authors.initials: I
authors.lastname: Levy
authors.affiliation: IAEA Environment Laboratories, Monaco.
authors.forename: Jean
authors.initials: J
authors.lastname: Bartocci
authors.affiliation: IAEA Environment Laboratories, Monaco.
authors.forename: Mai Khanh
authors.initials: MK
authors.lastname: Pham
authors.affiliation: IAEA Environment Laboratories, Monaco.
authors.forename: Adam
authors.initials: A
authors.lastname: Sam
authors.affiliation: IAEA Environment Laboratories, Monaco.
authors.forename: Hartmut
authors.initials: H
authors.lastname: Nies
authors.affiliation: Norwegian Radiation Protection Authority, Østerås, Norway.
authors.forename: Anne Liv
authors.initials: AL
authors.lastname: Rudjord
mesh_terms: D005101:Expeditions; D009664:Norway; D011834:Radiation Monitoring; D011850:Radioactive Waste / Q000032:analysis*; D012426:Russia; D012767:Ships; D014875:Water Pollutants, Radioactive / Q000032:analysis*; D014878:Water Pollution, Radioactive / Q000032:analysis
chemical_list: D011850:Radioactive Waste; D014875:Water Pollutants, Radioactive
keywords: Dumped radioactive waste; Joint Norwegian–Russian Expert Group; Kara Sea; Nuclear submarine K-27; Stepovogo Fjord