Analysis of complex wind regimes at Kennedy Space Center for radiological assessment
Galileo and Ulysses will be launched from the Kennedy Space Center (KSC) during October 1989 and October 1990, respectively. These deep-space probes will contain a radioactive thermoelectric generator as a power source. An accidental breach of the containment vessel housing the generator could cause a leak of radioactive material to the atmosphere. If this occurred, the radioactive cloud would move with the prevailing wind flow pattern and pose a serious health threat to all in its path. Since the KSC/Cape Canaveral (KSC/CC) area of Florida is located in a coastal environment with several different land/water interfaces, complex low-level wind circulation patterns exist throughout the year. Thus, if any transport and diffusion model is to correctly predict the movement of effluent near KSC, it must be able to accurately portray the characteristics of the land/sea breeze flow pattern. To evaluate models used at KSC, the KSC Atmospheric Boundary Layer Experiment (KABLE) has been designed to provide a data set to better define the characteristics of these mesoscale circulations. Data collection for KABLE occurred from November 1, 1988, to October 31, 1989. This paper presents analyses for 1 day during November 1988 that demonstrate the complexity of the local meteorological conditions at KSC/CC. The NUS Corporation has used these data and empirical sea breeze parameters to evaluate their Emergency Dose Assessment System, EMERGE.
- OSTI ID:
- 7046872
- Report Number(s):
- CONF-891103--
- Journal Information:
- Transactions of the American Nuclear Society; (USA), Journal Name: Transactions of the American Nuclear Society; (USA) Vol. 60; ISSN TANSA; ISSN 0003-018X
- Country of Publication:
- United States
- Language:
- English
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Related Subjects
540130* -- Environment
Atmospheric-- Radioactive Materials Monitoring & Transport-- (1990-)
ACCIDENTS
CAPE KENNEDY
COMPUTER CODES
COMPUTERIZED SIMULATION
DOSES
E CODES
EARTH ATMOSPHERE
ENVIRONMENTAL TRANSPORT
FEDERAL REGION IV
FLORIDA
LAUNCHING
MASS TRANSFER
MATERIALS
MATHEMATICAL MODELS
METEOROLOGY
NESDPS Office of Nuclear Energy Space and Defense Power Systems
NORTH AMERICA
PRESSURE GRADIENTS
RADIATION DOSES
RADIOACTIVE MATERIALS
RADIONUCLIDE MIGRATION
SIMULATION
SOURCE TERMS
SPACE VEHICLES
USA
VEHICLES
WIND