Abstract
The environmental release of radionuclides associated with hot particles is more frequent than commonly recognised, and should also be expected in future nuclear events. Hence the presence of radioactive particles can be expected to influence the environmental impact and risk assessments associated with contaminated areas. This paper addresses the different types of uncertainty arising from hot particles. The first part considers the different categories and dimensions of uncertainty, and the second part illustrates the way that hot particles can impact on the source term, transfer, and biological effects of radionuclides. While it is certainly not the case that increased knowledge will always result in reduced uncertainty (for example the presence of hot particles can lead to greater variability in parameters), it should be clear that assessments will benefit greatly from a better understanding of the way hot particles can impact on the behaviour of radionuclides in the environment.
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Oughton, D.H., Salbu, B. (2009). Sources and Types of Uncertainties Associated with Radioactive Particles. In: Oughton, D.H., Kashparov, V. (eds) Radioactive Particles in the Environment. NATO Science for Peace and Security Series C: Environmental Security. Springer, Dordrecht. https://doi.org/10.1007/978-90-481-2949-2_19
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DOI: https://doi.org/10.1007/978-90-481-2949-2_19
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