Session 12_Challenges in Determining the Isotopic Mix_Shanks

7/31/2019 Session 12_Challenges in Determining the Isotopic Mix_Shanks

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Slide 1

Unclassified Unlimited Release

Unclassified Unlimited Release

Challenges in Determining the Isotopic

Mix from the Fukushima Daiichi AccidentWhat Can We Learn From the Response

Arthur Shanks

SNL Consequence ManagementProgram Manager

SAND2011-3983C

Nuclear Incident Response ProgramsSandia National Laboratories is a multi-program laboratory managed and operated by Sandia Corporation, a wholly owned subsidiary of Lockheed Martin Corporation, for the U.S.

Department of Energy's National Nuclear Security Administration under contract DE-AC04-94AL85000.


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Slide 2

The Objective

Assess the dose to individuals including a dose perday and in relationship to the PAG like guidance.

Using:

Field Measurements Aerial Measurements

Model Results

In-situ Measurements

Field Samples followed by Lab Analysis

Need the mixture to assess doses.


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Slide 3

The First WeeksUnit 3

Unit 1

Unit 3

Reactors Failing

Hydrogen Explosions

Huge Pressure for

Information Releases continue for weeks


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Slide 4

The First Weeks

NRC Developed 4 Hypothetical ReleaseScenario Estimates

White House Requesting Hypothetical DoseImpacts in Japan, West Coast, Hawaii, Guam, andAlaska

DOE Dose Assessment Teams begin modelingvarious releases to each location updating eachday as hypothetical mixtures decays/in-grows.


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Slide 5

Japan/

CMRTYokota

Air Base

DC/NITLLNL

Sandia and LANL

CMHT

Complexity in Spatial Distribution ofLab Analysis Resources

Fukushima

Reactor

Remote Sensing

Lab, Nellis

CMHT

SavannahRiver

GEL Lab


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Slide 6

Complication of WeatherHypothetical Behavior During One 24-hour Period


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AMS Measurements

Large number of flights and data mapped and compared toground measurements the help build the overall footprint.

AMS information was key to defining the footprint, but AMSonly measures gamma emissions.

It took weeks to overfly all the area.


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Air Filter Samples

Collected daily to assess real-time risk to personnel locatedat US Facilities.

Field counted and then submitted to laboratory for additionalanalysis.

Over 580 air filter samples collected.

Challenges:

Field counting presented challengesas background in the counting area

varied significantly. Could not get a Strontium results for

few weeks so had to assume a ratio.


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mrem/day

Daily Inhalation Dose at Yokota Air Base(upper bound)

1-day Adult CED (mrem)

1-day Adult Thyroid Dose(mrem)


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Field Measurements/Sample

Performing Field Readings, samplingand In-situ measurements.

It takes weeks to get reasonablenumbers of measurement points.

Measurements mapped and began

helping develop the footprint.Challenges:

Using measurements to characterizethe footprint, but things continue tochange with several releases and a

decaying mixture. Only getting data on gamma emitting

nuclides

It takes long drives (100+ miles) to getto these sampling locations so a lot of

time spent in this effort.


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Soil Samples

First Soils were from the Government of Japan 89samples.

AFRAT collected an additional 6 soil samples,4 from near the reactor.

DOE collected 35 samples from higher levels areas.

DOE collected 6 soil cores to measure how deepCesium was migrating.


12/27Slide 12

Government of Japan Soil Samples

Gov. of Japan sent 89 soil samples to the US forRadiochemistry analysis from Rice Crop Areas.

There was specific interest in Sr-89 and Sr-90 and Srto Cs ratios.

Gamma Spec analysis was also performed.

Challenges:

Sr-89/90 Analysis is time consuming, it requiresseveral days to allow ingrowth as part of the analysisprocess.

Activity on these samples was near detection levelsand as a result the Sr to Cs ratios varied widely from1:1 to 2000:1. The fact that they were all neardetection level seemed to be causing this variability.


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Total Strontium Compared to MDA

-40

-20

0

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40

60

80

100

1 3 5 7 9 11131517192123252729313335373941434547495153555759616365676971737577798183858789

Total Sr Analysis


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DOE Soil Samples

US collected 35 Surface Soil Samples and 6Soil Cores.

US Sampled Higher Activity Locations

Trying to get samples that would be well above

detection level to make more definitive Sr to Csratio estimates.

Soil Core was to determine penetration ofcontaminates.

This was a process developed on the fly toanswer the penetration question.

Developed the sampling protocol and analysisprocesses real-time.

Soil Core


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Soil Sample Challenges

It took time to get the samples to the US. The short-lived nuclides weredecaying away over this time.

USDA requires Sterilization of the foreign samples before any analysis. Thisinvolved heating so there was concern that the Iodines and Cesiums (i.e.,Volatiles) would be driven out of the samples.

Were able to show this was not an issue based upon required temperatures and gammacounts before and after sterilization.

Cs-137 to Cs-134 ratios was observed to be changing over the 3 monthperiod causing a 2% variation over the time period. Cs-134 with its 2.06 year half-life could not be ignored over this time frame.

Discovered that labs typically were not correcting for a peak summing issuethat exists for nuclides like Cs-134 with cascade decay schemas. Caused a13% bias between In-Situ and Samples, correcting for the summingoccurred.


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Peak Summing Issue


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Other Issues

There was a lot of rain making AMS flights difficult and impacting otherground operations.

The rugged terrain impacted both ground and aerial measurements(note road condition)

Were never able to definitively determine the source term during the

active DOE Response


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Need to remember all

that Japan was dealing

with at this time.


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MST JST MST JST

6:00 AM 10:00 PM 6:00 PM 10:00 AM

7:00 AM 11:00 PM 7:00 PM 11:00 AM

8:00 AM 12:00 AM 8:00 PM 12:00 PM

9:00 AM 1:00 AM 9:00 PM 1:00 PM

10:00 AM 2:00 AM 10:00 PM 2:00 PM

11:00 AM 3:00 AM 11:00 PM 3:00 PM

12:00 PM 4:00 AM 12:00 AM 4:00 PM

1:00 PM 5:00 AM 1:00 AM 5:00 PM

2:00 PM 6:00 AM 2:00 AM 6:00 PM

3:00 PM 7:00 AM 3:00 AM 7:00 PM

4:00 PM 8:00 AM 4:00 AM 8:00 PM

5:00 PM 9:00 AM 5:00 AM 9:00 PM

Challenges Just To Get Work DoneTypical Days

Daily Conference Call/Meeting Schedule

CM/LA Conference Call

Field Team Conference Call


CMHT/Bridgeline ConferenceCall

CMHT/NIT VTC

CMHT/Bridgeline ConferenceCall

SitRep Report Due


Trying to get any work done with all

of these calls is very difficult.


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Data Came from Many Sources, butNot Always Readily Usable


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Slide 22

Quote of the Response Carolyn Wong of LLNL Reporting

There will be no new samples today. Our FedEx packagegot Shanghaid, literally, the package is in Shanghai, China.

Complexity in Just Getting SampleFedEx Shipping Routes

Some sample were held inAlaska until Tax Status could

be determined


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Slide 24

One Laptop is set forJST and the otheris set for PDT!

Does Anyone Know What Time It Is?

Both Detectives areset to JST!

RAMS is in PDT

NARAC uses UTC


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Slide 25

Other Big Lessons Learned

Sample results will take a long time to obtain and they wont be definitive Everyone will want answers yesterday

MDAs are vital at the very early phases.

This is one of the first question that needs to be answered for the labs and ifyou choose the wrong MDA this will result in data that does not answer your

questions. Need to ensure proper information is recorded for samples or you will not

be able to use the results as intended (location, surface area, depth, etc).

Sampling is far more involved than normally played in exercises.

Everyone will be giving their assessments and you will need to be prepared

to not only work on your assessment but also to address their assessments If the release and response occurs for weeks (as will likely be the case)

you will need significantly more people resources than one would expect,people just start to wear out.


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Slide 26

No injuries

Coordinated a multi-laboratory response

Highlighted the importance of deployable laboratory capability

Laboratories met requested MQOs and Turn-around times

RAMS used for the first time for real-world samples First time Triage involved in this type of event

734 samples analyzed

593 Air Filter Samples

4 Swipe Samples

131 Soils

6 Soil Cores

Gross Beta, Gamma Spec, Sr-89,90, Total Sr, Plutonium, Uranium,Americium/Curium

Successes


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Slide 27

Lawrence LivermoreNational Laboratory

Nathan Wimer

Carolyn Wong

Sandia National Laboratory

Sonoya Shanks

Acknowledgements

National SecurityTechnologies

Wendy Pemberton

Ted Redding

DOE/NNSA

Dan Blumenthal Colleen OLaughlin


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Questions

Arthur Shanks

Sandia National

Laboratories

ashank@sandia gov

Documents

Session 12_Challenges in Determining the Isotopic Mix_Shanks