Radiological modelling for emergency planning and response
Sheila Liddle worked for over 30 years as an RPA and RWA in the nuclear and non-nuclear sectors . This follows her previous article on contaminated land monitoring in the Spring 2024 issue of Radiation Protection Today and gives an overview of some of the modelling tools used in emergency planning and response for a radiological incident .
When planning a new radioactive substances activity or facility , in addition to the criteria for environmental permitting / authorisation there is a requirement to look at the total usage of radioactive material to see if it exceeds the values in Schedule 1 of The
Radiation Protection Today Autumn 2024
Radiation ( Emergency Preparedness and Public Information ) Regulations 2019 ( REPPIR ). If so , there is a requirement to conduct a hazard evaluation and risk assessment which may indicate a requirement to put in place an emergency plan . As part of this plan , one must assess the dose to the public from an emergency at the site . Different models have been developed to assist in the dose assessment and emergency planning . Early models were based on the original “ R91 ” Gaussian plume model for the short and medium range dispersal of radionuclides released to the atmosphere , produced by the UK Atmospheric Dispersion Modelling Working Group in 1979 . In R91 , meteorological conditions are allocated to one of six Pasquill Stability Categories ( A to F ).
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