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Title: Forecasting long-range atmospheric pollutant transport and diffusion: Approaches and issues

Journal Article · · Transactions of the American Nuclear Society
OSTI ID:436813
;  [1]
  1. Westinghouse Savannah River Co., Aiken, SC (United States)

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) or 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-h forecasts of tracer surface concentration within 6 h of being notified and updated forecasts every 12 h thereafter. The two tracer experiments were conducted near Rennes, France, on October 23, 1994, and November 14, 1994.

OSTI ID:
436813
Report Number(s):
CONF-9606116-; ISSN 0003-018X; TRN: 96:005275-0043
Journal Information:
Transactions of the American Nuclear Society, Vol. 74; Conference: Annual meeting of the American Nuclear Society (ANS), Reno, NV (United States), 16-20 Jun 1996; Other Information: PBD: 1996
Country of Publication:
United States
Language:
English