Forecasting long-range atmospheric pollutant transport and dispersion: Approaches and issues
The ability to forecast the transport and diffusion of airborne contaminants over long distances is vital when responding to nuclear emergencies. Increases in computing capabilities and ready access to large-scale model output make it possible to employ advanced three-dimensional prognostic models to forecast the long-range transport of toxic or radioactive gases for emergency response. The Savannah River Technology Center (SRTC) of the U.S. Department of Energy`s Savannah River Site demonstrated this during the European Tracer EXperiment (ETEX). ETEX, conducted in the Fall of 1994, is designed to evaluate the performance of models for long-range atmospheric pollutant transport and dispersion. ETEX involved two tracer experiments as well as a multinational real-time modeling exercise. The real-time modeling component tested the ability of participants to provide timely long-range forecasts of the tracer plume transport and diffusion. Notification of the time, location and amount of tracer occurred after the start of the release. Participants provided 60-hour forecasts of tracer surface concentration within 6 hours of being notified, and updated forecasts every 12 hours thereafter. The two tracer experiments were conducted near Rennes, France on October 23, 1994 and November 14, 1994.
- Research Organization:
- Savannah River Site (SRS), Aiken, SC (United States)
- Sponsoring Organization:
- USDOE, Washington, DC (United States)
- DOE Contract Number:
- AC09-89SR18035
- OSTI ID:
- 256209
- Report Number(s):
- WSRC-MS-96-0015; CONF-9606116-60; ON: DE96060040; TRN: 94T00500
- Resource Relation:
- Conference: Annual meeting of the American Nuclear Society (ANS), Reno, NV (United States), 16-20 Jun 1996; Other Information: PBD: 11 Jan 1996
- Country of Publication:
- United States
- Language:
- English
Similar Records
Long-range mesoscale modeling of pollutant transport for the European Tracer EXperiment (ETEX)
Prognostic Modeling of Long-Range Atmospheric Pollutant Transport for ETEX