Global Radioxenon Emission Inventory from Nuclear Research Reactors

Martin B Kalinowski,Halit Tatlisu,Michael Lechermann,Pouneh Tayyebi

doi:10.1007/s00024-021-02719-w

Martin B Kalinowski, Halit Tatlisu + Show 2 more

Open Access

https://doi.org/10.1007/s00024-021-02719-w

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Abstract

To monitor compliance with the Comprehensive Nuclear-Test-Ban Treaty (CTBT), the International Monitoring System (IMS) is being established which will include 40 sensor systems for atmospheric xenon radioactivity. Radioactive isotopes of the noble gas xenon provide the most likely observable radioactive signatures of underground nuclear explosions. These isotopes are frequently detected by IMS noble gas systems as a result of normal operational releases from different types of nuclear facilities including nuclear power plants (NPPs), medical isotope production facilities (MIPFs), and nuclear research reactors (NRRs). Improved knowledge of the contribution of different emission sources on IMS observations strengthens the screening of radioxenon measurements to exclude observations not relevant to emissions from a nuclear explosion. The contribution of NPPs and MIPFs to the global radioxenon emission inventory is fairly well understood. NRRs have yet to be systematically assessed. This paper is the first attempt to assess the total emission inventory of NRRs expressed as annual total discharges. The results can enhance understanding of those sources most likely to impact IMS background observations and to guide future studies on contributions to IMS station background.

Highlights

The atmospheric concentrations of 135Xe, 133mXe, 133Xe and 131mXe are measured as indicators of a nuclear explosion. These isotopes are observed in the atmosphere as a result from normal operational releases from different types of nuclear facilities including nuclear power plants (NPPs), medical isotope production facilities (MIPFs), and nuclear research reactors (NRRs)
Due to the sparse data of radioxenon emissions from NRRs (Table 2), we explore a half-life dependent approach to determine a best estimate for the release of all four Comprehensive Nuclear-TestBan Treaty (CTBT)-relevant radioxenon isotopes
Taking the variability of radioxenon releases from NPPs into account that was demonstrated by Kalinowski/Tatlisu (2020), it can be assumed to range over several orders of magnitude

Summary

Introduction

Relevance of Atmospheric Radioxenon Background from Anthropogenic Sources. Xenon isotopes provide the most likely observable radioactive signatures of underground nuclear explosions. A global monitoring system for atmospheric xenon radioactivity is being established as part of the International Monitoring System to verify compliance with the Comprehensive Nuclear-TestBan Treaty (CTBT). The atmospheric concentrations of 135Xe, 133mXe, 133Xe and 131mXe are measured as indicators of a nuclear explosion. These isotopes are observed in the atmosphere as a result from normal operational releases from different types of nuclear facilities including nuclear power plants (NPPs), medical isotope production facilities (MIPFs), and nuclear research reactors (NRRs). Improving the knowledge of different emission sources leads to strengthen the interpretation on radioxenon detection results.

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