Airborne fission products in the High Arctic after the Fukushima nuclear accident

Abstract

High-volume aerosol samples were collected at the Mt. Zeppelin Global Atmosphere Watch station, Ny-Ålesund, Svalbard (78°58'N, 11°53'E). The samples were analysed to find out if the radionuclide emissions from the Fukushima nuclear power plant accident in March 2011 could be detected also in the atmosphere of the High Arctic. Iodine-131 and (134)Cs and (137)Cs were observed from 25 March 2011 onwards. The maximum (131)I, (134)Cs and (137)Cs activity concentrations were 810 ± 20, 659 ± 13, and 675 ± 7 μBq/m(3), respectively. The comparison between the measured (131)I activity concentrations at Mt. Zeppelin and those calculated with the SILAM dispersion model revealed that the timing of plume movements could be rather well predicted with the model. The activity concentration levels between the measurements and the model calculations deviated. This can be due to the inaccuracies in the source term. The (134)Cs:(137)Cs activity ratio recorded in Svalbard was high compared to earlier incidents. The ratio was close to 1 which is in agreement with other studies of the Fukushima releases. This distinctive activity ratio in the Fukushima debris could be used as a tracer in Arctic radioecology studies if the activity concentrations are high enough to be detected.