Satellite change detection of forest damage near the Chernobyl accident

Conference · Wed Jan 01 00:00:00 EST 1992 · Transactions of the American Nuclear Society; (United States)

OSTI ID:6964424

McClellan, G E ^[1]; Anno, G H ^[2]

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1. Pacific-Sierra Research Corp., Arlington, VA (United States)
2. Pacific-Sierra, Los Angeles, CA (United States)

A substantial amount of forest within a few kilometers of the Chernobyl nuclear reactor station was badly contaminated with radionuclides by the April 26, 1986, explosion and ensuing fire at reactor No. 4. Radiation doses to conifers in some areas were sufficient to cause discoloration of needles within a few weeks. Other areas, receiving smaller doses, showed foliage changes beginning 6 months to a year later. Multispectral imagery available from Landsat sensors is especially suited for monitoring such changes in vegetation. A series of Landsat Thematic Mapper images was developed that span the 2 yr following the accident. Quantitative dose estimation for the exposed conifers requires an objective change detection algorithm and knowledge of the dose-time response of conifers to ionizing radiation. Pacific-Sierra Research Corporation's Hyperscout{trademark} algorithm is based on an advanced, sensitive technique for change detection particularly suited for multispectral images. The Hyperscout algorithm has been used to assess radiation damage to the forested areas around the Chernobyl nuclear power plant.

• OSTI ID: 6964424
• Report Number(s): CONF-920606-; CODEN: TANSA
• Journal Information: Transactions of the American Nuclear Society; (United States), Vol. 65; Conference: American Nuclear Society annual meeting, Boston, MA (United States), 7-12 Jun 1992; ISSN 0003-018X
• Country of Publication: United States
• Language: English

Related Subjects

22 GENERAL STUDIES OF NUCLEAR REACTORS
21 SPECIFIC NUCLEAR REACTORS AND ASSOCIATED PLANTS
54 ENVIRONMENTAL SCIENCES
CHERNOBYLSK-4 REACTOR
ENVIRONMENTAL EFFECTS
REACTOR ACCIDENTS
FORESTS
BIOLOGICAL RADIATION EFFECTS
ALGORITHMS
CANOPIES
CONIFERS
CONTAMINATION
EXPLOSIONS
IONIZING RADIATIONS
LANDSAT SATELLITES
LEAVES
RADIATION DOSES
RADIONUCLIDE MIGRATION
RESEARCH PROGRAMS
SOURCE TERMS
ACCIDENTS
BIOLOGICAL EFFECTS
DOSES
ENRICHED URANIUM REACTORS
ENVIRONMENTAL TRANSPORT
GRAPHITE MODERATED REACTORS
LWGR TYPE REACTORS
MASS TRANSFER
MATHEMATICAL LOGIC
PINOPHYTA
PLANTS
POWER REACTORS
RADIATION EFFECTS
RADIATIONS
REACTORS
SATELLITES
THERMAL REACTORS
WATER COOLED REACTORS
220900* - Nuclear Reactor Technology- Reactor Safety
220502 - Nuclear Reactor Technology- Environmental Aspects- Radioactive Effluents
210300 - Power Reactors
Nonbreeding
Graphite Moderated
570100 - Health & Safety- Real Accidents- (1992-)
540230 - Environment
Terrestrial- Radioactive Materials Monitoring & Transport- (1990-)