Open AccessDose Estimation for Exposure to Radioactive Fallout from Nuclear Detonations
Author(s) -
Steven L. Simon,
André Bouville,
Harold L. Beck,
L.R. Anspaugh,
Kathleen M Thiessen,
F.O. Hoffman,
Sergey Shinkarev
Publication year - 2022
Publication title -
health physics
Language(s) - English
Resource type - Journals
SCImago Journal Rank - 0.357
H-Index - 73
eISSN - 1538-5159
pISSN - 0017-9078
DOI - 10.1097/hp.0000000000001501
Subject(s) - radionuclide , nuclear weapon , environmental science , nuclear engineering , internal dose , radioactive waste , nuclear explosion , deposition (geology) , nuclear medicine , nuclear physics , medical physics , geology , engineering , physics , medicine , paleontology , sediment
In recent years, the prospects that a nuclear device might be detonated due to a regional or global political conflict, by violation of present nuclear weapons test ban agreements, or due to an act of terrorism, has increased. Thus, the need exists for a well conceptualized, well described, and internally consistent methodology for dose estimation that takes full advantage of the experience gained over the last 70 y in both measurement technology and dose assessment methodology. Here, the models, rationale, and data needed for a detailed state-of-the-art dose assessment for exposure to radioactive fallout from nuclear detonations discussed in five companion papers are summarized. These five papers present methods and data for estimating radionuclide deposition of fallout radionuclides, internal and external dose from the deposited fallout, and discussion of the uncertainties in the assessed doses. In addition, this paper includes a brief discussion of secondary issues related to assessments of radiation dose from fallout. The intention of this work is to provide a usable and consistent methodology for both prospective and retrospective assessments of exposure from radioactive fallout from a nuclear detonation.