Title: Hints to discriminate the choice of wet deposition models applied to an accidental radioactive release

Authors: Arnaud Quérel; Yelva Roustan; Denis Quélo; Jean-Pierre Benoit

Addresses: Institut de Radioprotection et de Sûreté Nucléaire (IRSN), PRP-CRI, SESUC, BMCA, Fontenay-aux-roses, 92262, France ' CEREA, 6-8 avenue Blaise Pascal, Champs-sur-Marne, F77455 Marne-la-Vallée cedex 2, France ' Institut de Radioprotection et de Sûreté Nucléaire (IRSN), PRP-CRI, SESUC, BMCA, Fontenay-aux-roses 92262, France ' Institut de Radioprotection et de Sûreté Nucléaire (IRSN), PRP-CRI, SESUC, BMCA, Fontenay-aux-roses, 92262, France

Abstract: In nuclear emergency management, wet deposition modelling is of crucial importance for correctly evaluating soil contamination after an atmospheric release. Wet deposition is generally divided into two main processes: in-cloud scavenging (rainout) and below-cloud scavenging (washout). The large number of schemes proposed in the literature for both processes reflects the uncertainties in our current understanding of these phenomena. There is presently no scientific consensus to discriminate between the two processes. In order to improve our understanding of the magnitude of modelling uncertainties, a comprehensive sensitivity analysis was performed by focusing on representation of wet deposition fluxes. A large number of model configurations involving different deposition schemes and modelling options were evaluated by comparison with available observations of soil contamination. The objective is to establish a priority rank order of wet deposition schemes for soil contamination modelling.

Keywords: wet deposition modelling; rainout; washout; Fukushima; parameterisation choices; in-cloud scavenging; below-cloud scavenging; nuclear accidents; accidental radioactive release; nuclear emergency management; nuclear energy; nuclear power; soil contamination; environmental pollution; uncertainties; wet deposition fluxes.

DOI: 10.1504/IJEP.2015.077457

International Journal of Environment and Pollution, 2015 Vol.58 No.4, pp.268 - 279

Received: 16 Dec 2014
Accepted: 28 Dec 2015
Published online: 01 Jul 2016 *

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