The atmospheric release advisory capability (ARAC): A federal emergency response capability
The Atmospheric Release Capability (ARAC) is a Department of Energy (DOE)-sponsored emergency-response service set up to provide real-time prediction of the dose levels and the extent of surface contamination resulting from a broad range of possible occurrences (accidents, spills, extortion threats involving nuclear material, reentry of nuclear-powered satellites, and atmospheric nuclear tests) that could involve the release of airborne radioactive material. During the past decade, ARAC has responded to more than 150 real-time situations, including exercises. The most notable responses include the Three Mile Island accident in Pennsylvania, the Titan II missile accident in Arkansas, the reentry of the USSR's COSMOS-954 into the atmosphere over Canada, the accidental release of uranium hexafluoride from the Sequoyah Facility accident in Oklahoma, and, most recently, the Chernobyl reactor accident in the Soviet Union. ARAC currently supports the emergency-preparedness plans at 50 Department of Defense (DOD) and DOE sites within the US and also responds to accidents that happen elsewhere. Our ARAC center serves as the focal point for data acquisition, data analysis and assessments during a response, using a computer-based communication network to acquire real-time weather data from the accident site and the surrounding region, as well as pertinent accident information. Its three-dimensional computer models for atmospheric dispersion, MATHEW and ADPIC, digest all this information and produce the predictions used in accident assessment. 9 refs., 6 figs., 1 tab.
- Research Organization:
- Lawrence Livermore National Lab., CA (USA)
- DOE Contract Number:
- W-7405-ENG-48
- OSTI ID:
- 7243838
- Report Number(s):
- UCRL-98435; CONF-880679-5; ON: DE88011348; TRN: 88-023115
- Resource Relation:
- Conference: 81. annual meeting of Air Pollution Control Association, Dallas, TX, USA, 1 Jun 1988
- Country of Publication:
- United States
- Language:
- English
Similar Records
Dose refinement. ARAC's role
Utilization of the atmospheric release advisory capability (ARAC) services during and after the Three Mile Island accident
Related Subjects
29 ENERGY PLANNING
POLICY AND ECONOMY
EARTH ATMOSPHERE
CONTAMINATION
RADIOACTIVE MATERIALS
GROUND RELEASE
SURFACE CONTAMINATION
FORECASTING
A CODES
ATMOSPHERIC CIRCULATION
CHERNOBYLSK-4 REACTOR
DATA BASE MANAGEMENT
DOSE RATES
FALLOUT
GRAPHS
M CODES
MATHEMATICAL MODELS
REACTOR ACCIDENTS
ACCIDENTS
COMPUTER CODES
ENRICHED URANIUM REACTORS
GRAPHITE MODERATED REACTORS
LWGR TYPE REACTORS
MANAGEMENT
MATERIALS
POWER REACTORS
REACTORS
THERMAL REACTORS
WASTE DISPOSAL
WASTE MANAGEMENT
WATER COOLED REACTORS
054000* - Nuclear Fuels- Health & Safety
053000 - Nuclear Fuels- Environmental Aspects
290300 - Energy Planning & Policy- Environment
Health
& Safety