Possible scenarios of nuclear and radiation accidents with the appearance of a hypothetical uncontrollable self-maintaining chain reaction accompanied by emission of radioactive substances into the seawater as well as with the escape of radioactive substances as a result of the corrosion of the reactors are examined. A propagation forecast is made for 137Cs entering the Barents and Kara Seas as a result of accidents occurring at the locations of objects, containing spent nuclear fuel, at the sea bottom and upon being lifted from the bottom and transported to a salvaging facility. The possible scales of radioactive contamination of seawater and bottom deposits, including restricted fishing areas, are determined. The predicted consequences are compared with the admissible norms and the results of discharging of liquid radwaste into the Irish Sea from radiochemical plants in Sellafield (Great Britain).
Similar content being viewed by others
References
Yu. V. Sivintsev, S. M. Vakulovskii, V. L. Vysotskii, et al., Technogenic Radionuclides in the Seas Laving Russia. Radioecological Consequences of the Disposal of Radioactive Waste in the Arctic and Far Eastern Seas, White Paper 2000, IzdAT, Moscow (2005).
A. A. Sarkisov, Yu. V. Sivintsev, V. L. Vysotskii, et al., The Atomic Legacy of the Cold War at the Bottom of the Arctic, Izd. Yulis, Moscow (2015).
R. A. Ibraev, R. N. Khabeyev, and K. V. Ushakov, “Vortex-resolving 1/10° model of the world oceans,” Izv. Ross. Akad. Nauk, Fiz. Atm. Okeana, No. 48(1), 45–55 (2012).
W. Large and S. Yeager, “The global climatology of an inter-annually varying air-sea fl ux data set,” Clim. Dyn., 33, No. 2–3, 341–364 (2009).
Guide for Controlling Radioactive Contamination of the Environment and Internal Irradiation of the Crew on Nuclear Ships (RKVS-90), Voen. Izdat., Moscow (1991).
Worldwide Marine Radioactivity Studies (WOMARS). Radionuclide Levels in Oceans and Seas, IAEA-TECDOC-1429, IAEA, Vienna (2005).
S. M. Vakulovskii, A. I. Nikitin, and V. B. Chumichev, “On the contamination of of the Arctic seas by radioactive waste from Western European radiochemical plants,” At. Energ., 58, No. 6, 445–449 (1985).
V. S. Repin, “Radiation-hygienic assessment of possible contamination levels of Far Eastern seafood with long-lived radionuclides due to the accident at the Fukushima-1 NPP,” Rad. Gigiena, 5, No. 2, 61–70 (2012).
SanPiN 2.3.2.1078-01, Hygienic Requirements of Safety and Nutritional Value of Food Products, Izd. InterSEN, Moscow (2002).
H. Heldal, F. Vikebø, and G. Johansen, “Dispersal of the radionuclide caesium-137 from point sources in the Barents and Norwegian Seas and its potential contamination of the Arctic marine food chain: coupling numerical ocean models with geographical fish distribution data,” Envir. Pollut. J., 180, 190–198 (2013).
A. P. Zhichkin, “Spatio-temporal variability of commercial importance of different fishing areas in the Barents Sea,” Vest. MGTU, 17, No. 3, 465–473 (2014).
A. A. Sarkisov, “The phenomenon of public perception of the danger associated with nuclear power,” Vest. RAN, No. 1, 9–18 (2012).
Author information
Authors and Affiliations
Additional information
Translated from Atomnaya Énergiya, Vol. 125, No. 6, pp. 343–351, December, 2018.
Rights and permissions
About this article
Cite this article
Sarkisov, A.A., Antipov, S.V., Vysotskii, V.L. et al. Forecast of the Radioecological Consequences of Hypothetical Accidents in Nuclear and Radiation Hazardous Objects Located at the Bottom of the Barents and Kara Seas. At Energy 125, 391–399 (2019). https://doi.org/10.1007/s10512-019-00499-0
Received:
Published:
Issue Date:
DOI: https://doi.org/10.1007/s10512-019-00499-0