Environmental consequences of atmosphereic krypton-85. Final report, January 1, 1977-September 30, 1979

Technical Report · Mon Jan 01 00:00:00 EST 1979

DOI:https://doi.org/10.2172/5505936· OSTI ID:5505936

Boeck, W L

Krypton-85 is a radioactive inert gas produced during normal operations of the nuclear fuel cycle. The quantities of krypton-85, that will be produced in the next century, are sufficient, if released, to alter the electrical state of the atmosphere. The principal hypothesis is that an anthropogenic alteration of the electric state of the atmosphere could alter other meterological phenomena and lead to significant environmental impacts. The goal of this project was to explore some areas of basic science related to the evaluation of that hypothesis. The approach was primarily theoretical. The following topics were addressed: a first approximation model to estimate the effects of krypton-85 on the electrical state of the atmosphere; an analysis of the pathways between krypton-85 production and the atmosphere; an analytical model for fair weather atmospheric electricity; and a dipole model for atmospheric electricity. The results will provide a framework on which detailed models can be built. The results should provide better understanding of some topics in atmospheric electricity.

• Research Organization: Niagara Univ., NY (USA)
• DOE Contract Number: EE-77-S-02-4364
• OSTI ID: 5505936
• Report Number(s): COO-4364-2; TRN: 80-005291
• Country of Publication: United States
• Language: English

Related Subjects

54 ENVIRONMENTAL SCIENCES
KRYPTON 85
ENVIRONMENTAL IMPACTS
ATMOSPHERIC CHEMISTRY
DIPOLES
ELECTRICAL PROPERTIES
FUEL CYCLE
INTEGRAL EQUATIONS
MATHEMATICAL MODELS
METEOROLOGY
NUCLEAR EXPLOSIONS
NUCLEAR POWER PLANTS
PLUTONIUM PRODUCTION REACTORS
PRODUCTION
RADIOECOLOGICAL CONCENTRATION
RESEARCH REACTORS
BETA DECAY RADIOISOTOPES
BETA-MINUS DECAY RADIOISOTOPES
CHEMISTRY
ECOLOGICAL CONCENTRATION
EQUATIONS
EVEN-ODD NUCLEI
EXPLOSIONS
HOURS LIVING RADIOISOTOPES
INTERMEDIATE MASS NUCLEI
ISOMERIC TRANSITION ISOTOPES
ISOTOPES
KRYPTON ISOTOPES
MULTIPOLES
NUCLEAR FACILITIES
NUCLEI
PHYSICAL PROPERTIES
POWER PLANTS
PRODUCTION REACTORS
RADIOISOTOPES
REACTORS
RESEARCH AND TEST REACTORS
THERMAL POWER PLANTS
YEARS LIVING RADIOISOTOPES
500300* - Environment
Atmospheric- Radioactive Materials Monitoring & Transport- (-1989)