Abstract
In the immediate aftermath following a large-scale release of radioactive material into the environment, it is necessary to determine the spatial distribution of radioactivity quickly. At present, this is conducted by utilizing manned aircraft equipped with large-volume radiation detection systems. Whilst these are capable of mapping large areas quickly, they suffer from a low spatial resolution due to the operating altitude of the aircraft. They are also expensive to deploy and their manned nature means that the operators are still at risk of exposure to potentially harmful ionizing radiation. Previous studies have identified the feasibility of utilizing unmanned aerial systems (UASs) in monitoring radiation in post-disaster environments. However, the majority of these systems suffer from a limited range or are too heavy to be easily integrated into regulatory restrictions that exist on the deployment of UASs worldwide. This study presents a new radiation mapping UAS based on a lightweight (8 kg) fixed-wing unmanned aircraft and tests its suitability to mapping post-disaster radiation in the Chornobyl Exclusion Zone (CEZ). The system is capable of continuous flight for more than 1 h and can resolve small scale changes in dose-rate in high resolution (sub-20 m). It is envisaged that with some minor development, these systems could be utilized to map large areas of hazardous land without exposing a single operator to a harmful dose of ionizing radiation.
Highlights
The large-scale release of radionuclides from the Chornobyl Nuclear Power Plant (ChNPP) remains the most significant nuclear accident in the history of civil nuclear power generation
The work presented within this study presents a new design for a lightweight fixed-wing radiation mapping unmanned aerial systems (UASs) to monitor terrestrial radiation within post-disaster environments using a modified data processing procedure based on the “Spectral Windows” method
The largest average distance traveled in a single flight by the UAS was within the Kopachi region of the map [51.371 N, 30.065 E: 51.434 N, 30.114 E] with a value of 46.3 km
Summary
The large-scale release of radionuclides from the Chornobyl Nuclear Power Plant (ChNPP) remains the most significant nuclear accident in the history of civil nuclear power generation. During the 10 days of emissions from Reactor 4, approximately 11,780 PBq of radioactive material was released into the environment, including 1,700 PBq of 131I and 85 PBq of 137Cs While the accident had far reaching environmental implications for a large area of Northern Europe, the area worst affected by the accident covers approximately 4,730 km across modern day Ukraine (2,600 km2) and Belarus (2,130 km). The area within Ukraine defines the Chornobyl Exclusion Zone (CEZ), which is an access controlled region, established in May 1986, designed to mitigate dose exposure to the public. Restrictions on access are still in place to this day, tourism permits are currently available as part of official guided tours.
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