Open AccessSpatial distribution of ionizing radiation sources in contaminated forest stands in Belarus
Author(s) -
A. Dvornik,
A. Dvornik
Publication year - 2018
Publication title -
vescì nacyânalʹnaj akadèmìì navuk belarusì. seryâ bìâlagìčnyh navuk
Language(s) - English
Resource type - Journals
eISSN - 2524-230X
pISSN - 1029-8940
DOI - 10.29235/1029-8940-2018-63-4-447-454
Subject(s) - environmental science , ionizing radiation , radionuclide , radiation , forest ecology , radioactive contamination , contamination , biota , ecosystem , ecology , irradiation , physics , biology , nuclear physics
Currently, there are critical ecosystems that accumulate radionuclides and determine the duration of radiation exposure on biota. The dose of external exposure caused by two factors – radioactive contamination of forest stands and the human behavior mode. In this work, authors represent the analysis of structure of ionizing radiation sources in forest stands at the territory with radioactive contamination. A method for estimating values of external radiation dose is based on calculation of protection against extended sources of ionizing radiation. A calculation data source is information on contamination density, wood species and forest type. We used taxation characteristics of pine stands to determine configuration and radiation sources composition. Calibration and verification of proposed model were carried out by dose rate in situ measurements by different methods. The results of comparison of the exposure dose rate in the meadow-forest areas confirmed the existence of the so-called “edge effect”. Experimental data is in a good agreement with the model calculations. A forecast of external exposure dose in pine forests for a remote period after the accident at ChNPP has been obtained. The method allows to improve radiation safety measures of forestry engineers, worked at forest sites.