Quantitative evaluation of an air-monitoring network using atmospheric transport modeling and frequency of detection methods
Abstract
A methodology to quantify the performance of an air monitoring network in terms of frequency of detection has been developed. The methodology utilizes an atmospheric transport model to predict air concentrations of radionuclides at the samplers for a given release time and duration. Frequency of detection is defined as the fraction of “events” that result in a detection at either a single sampler or network of samplers. An “event” is defined as a release of finite duration that begins on a given day and hour of the year from a facility with the potential to emit airborne radionuclides. Another metric of interest is the network intensity, which is defined as the fraction of samplers in the network that have a positive detection for a given event. The frequency of detection methodology allows for evaluation of short-term releases that include effects of short-term variability in meteorological conditions. The methodology was tested using the U.S. Department of Energy Idaho National Laboratory (INL) Site ambient air monitoring network consisting of 37 low-volume air samplers in 31 different locations covering a 17,630 km2 region. Releases from six major INL facilities distributed over an area of 1,435 km2 were modeled and included three stack sourcesmore »
- Authors:
-
- K-Spar Inc., Idaho Falls, ID (United States)
- Idaho National Lab. (INL), Idaho Falls, ID (United States)
- Bechtel BWTX, Idaho Falls, ID (United States)
- Publication Date:
- Research Org.:
- Idaho National Lab. (INL), Idaho Falls, ID (United States)
- Sponsoring Org.:
- USDOE Office of Environment, Health, Safety and Security (AU)
- OSTI Identifier:
- 1357244
- Report Number(s):
- INL/JOU-15-35776
Journal ID: ISSN 0017-9078
- Grant/Contract Number:
- AC07-05ID14517
- Resource Type:
- Accepted Manuscript
- Journal Name:
- Health Physics
- Additional Journal Information:
- Journal Volume: 110; Journal Issue: 4; Journal ID: ISSN 0017-9078
- Publisher:
- Health Physics Society
- Country of Publication:
- United States
- Language:
- English
- Subject:
- 61 RADIATION PROTECTION AND DOSIMETRY; 63 RADIATION, THERMAL, AND OTHER ENVIRON. POLLUTANT EFFECTS ON LIVING ORGS. AND BIOL. MAT.; 11 NUCLEAR FUEL CYCLE AND FUEL MATERIALS; 73 NUCLEAR PHYSICS AND RADIATION PHYSICS; 97 MATHEMATICS AND COMPUTING; air monitoring; atmospheric emissions; atmospheric transport; meteorological modeling; radiation monitoring
Citation Formats
Rood, Arthur S., Sondrup, A. Jeffrey, and Ritter, Paul D. Quantitative evaluation of an air-monitoring network using atmospheric transport modeling and frequency of detection methods. United States: N. p., 2016.
Web. doi:10.1097/HP.0000000000000466.
Rood, Arthur S., Sondrup, A. Jeffrey, & Ritter, Paul D. Quantitative evaluation of an air-monitoring network using atmospheric transport modeling and frequency of detection methods. United States. https://doi.org/10.1097/HP.0000000000000466
Rood, Arthur S., Sondrup, A. Jeffrey, and Ritter, Paul D. Fri .
"Quantitative evaluation of an air-monitoring network using atmospheric transport modeling and frequency of detection methods". United States. https://doi.org/10.1097/HP.0000000000000466. https://www.osti.gov/servlets/purl/1357244.
@article{osti_1357244,
title = {Quantitative evaluation of an air-monitoring network using atmospheric transport modeling and frequency of detection methods},
author = {Rood, Arthur S. and Sondrup, A. Jeffrey and Ritter, Paul D.},
abstractNote = {A methodology to quantify the performance of an air monitoring network in terms of frequency of detection has been developed. The methodology utilizes an atmospheric transport model to predict air concentrations of radionuclides at the samplers for a given release time and duration. Frequency of detection is defined as the fraction of “events” that result in a detection at either a single sampler or network of samplers. An “event” is defined as a release of finite duration that begins on a given day and hour of the year from a facility with the potential to emit airborne radionuclides. Another metric of interest is the network intensity, which is defined as the fraction of samplers in the network that have a positive detection for a given event. The frequency of detection methodology allows for evaluation of short-term releases that include effects of short-term variability in meteorological conditions. The methodology was tested using the U.S. Department of Energy Idaho National Laboratory (INL) Site ambient air monitoring network consisting of 37 low-volume air samplers in 31 different locations covering a 17,630 km2 region. Releases from six major INL facilities distributed over an area of 1,435 km2 were modeled and included three stack sources and eight ground-level sources. A Lagrangian Puff air dispersion model (CALPUFF) was used to model atmospheric transport. The model was validated using historical 125Sb releases and measurements. Relevant one-week release quantities from each emission source were calculated based on a dose of 1.9 × 10–4 mSv at a public receptor (0.01 mSv assuming release persists over a year). Important radionuclides considered include 241Am, 137Cs, 238Pu, 239Pu, 90Sr, and tritium. Results show the detection frequency is over 97.5% for the entire network considering all sources and radionuclides. Network intensities ranged from 3.75% to 62.7%. Evaluation of individual samplers indicated some samplers were poorly situated and add little to the overall effectiveness of the network. As a result, using the frequency of detection methods, optimum sampler placements were simulated that could substantially improve the performance and efficiency of the network.},
doi = {10.1097/HP.0000000000000466},
journal = {Health Physics},
number = 4,
volume = 110,
place = {United States},
year = {Fri Apr 01 00:00:00 EDT 2016},
month = {Fri Apr 01 00:00:00 EDT 2016}
}
Web of Science